Broken Sonnet Series - I Bruise Easily - 3/3 - Smallville: Chloe Sullivan/Lex Luthor - PG13
Disclaimers posted with 1/3
A/N: So I beat my weekend deadline...*squee*
Again, my thanks to PMD and her accomodating Muse. Yes, you may now go back and help her write stories.
Advance Kleenex warning: I dunno if you’d need it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Featured songs: "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5, "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette, "Blue and Yellow" by The Used, "I'm Lost Without You" by Blink 182, and "Everytime" by Britney Spears. [yes, Britney. just look up the rest of the lyrics, and then imagine that she wasn't the one who sang it.]
updated - june 26 2005
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe knew she should be celebrating, having finally confronted Lex.
'But why does this victory taste so bittersweet?' she wondered as she entered her apartment and closed the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I kissed Lana?"
Lex stared blankly at Chloe's fading taillights.
"But---why?!" his lips curled in utter disgust. Two heartbeats later, it dawned on him.
"Oh, God, what have I done? No wonder Chloe's upset."
Lex walked over to his car and clicked off the alarm.
"How could I be such an ass? She's definitely much, much more than Lana."
And as Lex pulled out of the parking lot, the last thought that crossed his mind was, 'I hope I'm not too late.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe turned on her radio, hoping to drown out the acoustic song looping in her mind.
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me catch her every time she falls
"Shut up! Shut up!" she muttered.
Chloe changed the station to one of her presets.
Listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye---
"Oh please!" she scoffed.
She angrily punched random numbers, trying to find a 'decent' song for her mood.
Preset 3: "Should've said something but I've said it enough.
By the way my words were faded,
Rather waste time with you---"
Preset 8: "Are you afraid of being alone?
'Cause I am.
I'm lost without you---"
Preset 6: "My weakness caused you pain.
And this song is my sorry---"
Preset 5: "I know that goodbye means nothing at all---"
"Aaargh!" Chloe shrieked as she stalked over to her bedroom and slammed the door.
She quickly changed into sleeping clothes, wishing the damned song would end by the time she had to go to the living room.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Lex raced the stairs that lead to Chloe's apartment. He was about to knock when he heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. He pressed his ear to the door and strained to hear what the racket was about.
He smirked as he recognized the song.
'I'm going to book that band for a private dinner with Chloe if she would take me back tonight,' he thought as he finally knocked on her door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe had just finished changing her clothes and got out of her bedroom when she heard someone banging on her front door.
As she trudged over to open it, she glared at her radio thinking, ‘If I find out that Peggy had anything to do with this torture---’
Tap on my window
Knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
"Great. Could this night get any more ironic?" she grumbled, as she opened the door.
"What do you---" Chloe trailed off when she saw who was on the other side.
"Chloe," Lex greeted.
Chloe's eyes widened and she quickly looked at her clothes; white tank top and dark blue baggy pajamas. She looked back up and instinctively held an arm across her chest.
"May I come in?" Lex had wisely refrained from running his eyes over her body. "Please?"
Chloe knew she should give in; Lex rarely said the P-word. But tonight was an exception.
"You can say whatever you want out here," she said calmly.
Lex glanced over her shoulder and noticed that she hadn't turned her radio off. It was still playing the song they heard in the Talon, though this time it was the album version.
"Favorite song?" asked Lex, making a stab at humor.
I don't mind spending every day
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Chloe closed her eyes and hung her head, letting the words roll off her and cringing at their implication.
"What are you doing here, Lex?" she asked woodenly.
Lex decided to go along with the lyrics, seeing how it affected Chloe and could be used to his advantage.
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay a while
"I'm looking for the girl I'm in love with," he whispered.
Chloe opened her eyes, raised her head, and blinked as she fought the stinging sensation behind her eyes.
"Well, you've got the wrong apartment, Lex. You shouldn't have left the Talon."
"I'm not in love with Lana," he shot back.
"I didn't say a name," she countered.
"Either way, she doesn't mean anything to me," he replied, wanting to smack himself for such a lame comeback.
"Is that Lex or Alexander talking?"
Lex opened and closed his mouth, and then opted to keep it closed for a moment.
And she will be loved
"Why are you being so hard on me?" Lex sighed.
"Why didn't you even call me back then? You can't possibly not know my number."
"277-5871," Lex recited automatically.
As Chloe crossed her arms and looked pointedly at him, he regretted it just as fast.
'Damned perfect memory!' they both thought.
"This isn't going anywhere, Lex," Chloe shook her head. "I'm really tired. I just want to lie down and sleep. As we both know by now, attempts on one's life can be very taxing on one's body---be it mentally or physically."
"You've shown extraordinary strength and patience with me last summer. Why are you now giving up so easily?"
"I'm not the one who suddenly decided to walk out of a relationship. Why did you give up so easily?"
And for the first time, Lex admitted that he was solely to blame. There were no excuses, no reasons, no calculated moves, no motives, and no hidden agendas.
Why did he give up so easily? Why did he walk out on Chloe?
Lex couldn't believe his answer would be so cliché.
And she will be loved
"I got---scared."
Chloe's eyebrows shot up. "Scared? Of me?"
"Yes."
"What---How could I possibly scare you out of a relationship with me?!"
"I never thought somebody could ever love me so sincerely again."
Lex gripped the doorframe, resisting the urge to just kiss away the skepticism in her voice.
"You gave me so much of yourself that I didn't think I'd be able to give back as much. I could love you to the point of obsession yet still remain selfish."
"So you're saying I asked for too much when all I wanted you to do was to let me love you," said Chloe.
"No! It's just that---," Lex took a deep breath, "I just don't want any more scars."
"What do you mean scars?"
"Remember that night when you told me I was your anti-hero?"
When Chloe nodded he continued.
"I told you that I'll only hurt you in the end. Then you said that you know I'll try not to. And then I tilted your chin and started to stroke it," Lex sighed.
"It's like I was holding your heart in my hands. I thought what I had in my hands was going to be light, soft, smooth and pure. But I was wrong. I felt ridges and clefts. I saw blotches and scorch marks. It felt so heavy with past experiences."
Chloe furrowed her eyebrows at his description but nodded her head for him to continue.
"Despite everything that was said that night, I still---I still had this fear at the back of my mind. That I'd love you to the point of selfish obsession or love you but take you for granted. Either way, I know it would hurt you, and then there'd be another scar, just like the ones Clark left behind, and then you'd hate me and regret ever knowing---" he rambled on.
"Okay, hold it!" Chloe held up a hand for Lex to stop.
"A little summary first. You were overwhelmed by everything and it made you think that you're not capable of reciprocating. And if you ever did reciprocate in either way, I'll still end up getting hurt, which will result in a scar that you don't want to be the cause of. Because you think my heart is scarred enough from Clark, and you're scared that you'd add another scar so you ran away."
Lex clenched his jaw and nodded.
"And you couldn't tell me this earlier?" she asked incredulously.
Lex just sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Hmp. It's so twisted, I can't believe I understand it. Simple answers from now on, okay?"
Lex nodded again.
"Did you---ever---love me?" Chloe asked slowly, trying to convey the gravity of emotion behind those simple words in her delivery.
"Yes."
"Did you love---Lana?" Chloe's voice faltered as her throat constricted instinctively at having to say the brunette's name in the same sentence as 'love'.
Lex's head shot up so fast that she swore she heard his bones crack. He couldn't believe what he just heard.
"How could you ask me that?!" Lex choked out, trying to swallow the multiplying lumps in his throat. He was now having a hard time keeping a straight face.
"A simple answer, please, Lex," sighed Chloe. "That's all I need to hear."
Lex knew the right answer, the only answer; it's already on the tip of this tongue.
'Of course not! How could I love Lana when I love you? You were the only one, Chloe. Everybody else was a distraction.' his mind screamed. 'Say the words now, dammit! Say 'No' now!'
Lex had no qualms on saying those words. He just had to clear his throat and find his voice again.
But silence hadn't always been a good sign between them. Despite her dread of its clichéd implication, Chloe asked again.
"Did you love---Lana?" her voice steadier yet laced with panic.
"I---You were---," he stuttered.
But Lex didn't stand a chance anymore; the words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't even cough them out. The next wave of silence did him in.
"I thought so," Chloe said blankly.
Lex opened his mouth to try again, but it was too late. The next thing he knew Chloe's apartment door was already closed and the only sounds he could hear were her sobs muffled by the song’s last lyrics which he knew he should have used
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
1/3
2/3
view story's thread over here at Naughty-Seduction.
A/N: So I beat my weekend deadline...*squee*
Again, my thanks to PMD and her accomodating Muse. Yes, you may now go back and help her write stories.
Advance Kleenex warning: I dunno if you’d need it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Featured songs: "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5, "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette, "Blue and Yellow" by The Used, "I'm Lost Without You" by Blink 182, and "Everytime" by Britney Spears. [yes, Britney. just look up the rest of the lyrics, and then imagine that she wasn't the one who sang it.]
updated - june 26 2005
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe knew she should be celebrating, having finally confronted Lex.
'But why does this victory taste so bittersweet?' she wondered as she entered her apartment and closed the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I kissed Lana?"
Lex stared blankly at Chloe's fading taillights.
"But---why?!" his lips curled in utter disgust. Two heartbeats later, it dawned on him.
"Oh, God, what have I done? No wonder Chloe's upset."
Lex walked over to his car and clicked off the alarm.
"How could I be such an ass? She's definitely much, much more than Lana."
And as Lex pulled out of the parking lot, the last thought that crossed his mind was, 'I hope I'm not too late.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe turned on her radio, hoping to drown out the acoustic song looping in her mind.
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me catch her every time she falls
"Shut up! Shut up!" she muttered.
Chloe changed the station to one of her presets.
Listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye---
"Oh please!" she scoffed.
She angrily punched random numbers, trying to find a 'decent' song for her mood.
Preset 3: "Should've said something but I've said it enough.
By the way my words were faded,
Rather waste time with you---"
Preset 8: "Are you afraid of being alone?
'Cause I am.
I'm lost without you---"
Preset 6: "My weakness caused you pain.
And this song is my sorry---"
Preset 5: "I know that goodbye means nothing at all---"
"Aaargh!" Chloe shrieked as she stalked over to her bedroom and slammed the door.
She quickly changed into sleeping clothes, wishing the damned song would end by the time she had to go to the living room.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Lex raced the stairs that lead to Chloe's apartment. He was about to knock when he heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. He pressed his ear to the door and strained to hear what the racket was about.
He smirked as he recognized the song.
'I'm going to book that band for a private dinner with Chloe if she would take me back tonight,' he thought as he finally knocked on her door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe had just finished changing her clothes and got out of her bedroom when she heard someone banging on her front door.
As she trudged over to open it, she glared at her radio thinking, ‘If I find out that Peggy had anything to do with this torture---’
Tap on my window
Knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
"Great. Could this night get any more ironic?" she grumbled, as she opened the door.
"What do you---" Chloe trailed off when she saw who was on the other side.
"Chloe," Lex greeted.
Chloe's eyes widened and she quickly looked at her clothes; white tank top and dark blue baggy pajamas. She looked back up and instinctively held an arm across her chest.
"May I come in?" Lex had wisely refrained from running his eyes over her body. "Please?"
Chloe knew she should give in; Lex rarely said the P-word. But tonight was an exception.
"You can say whatever you want out here," she said calmly.
Lex glanced over her shoulder and noticed that she hadn't turned her radio off. It was still playing the song they heard in the Talon, though this time it was the album version.
"Favorite song?" asked Lex, making a stab at humor.
I don't mind spending every day
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Chloe closed her eyes and hung her head, letting the words roll off her and cringing at their implication.
"What are you doing here, Lex?" she asked woodenly.
Lex decided to go along with the lyrics, seeing how it affected Chloe and could be used to his advantage.
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay a while
"I'm looking for the girl I'm in love with," he whispered.
Chloe opened her eyes, raised her head, and blinked as she fought the stinging sensation behind her eyes.
"Well, you've got the wrong apartment, Lex. You shouldn't have left the Talon."
"I'm not in love with Lana," he shot back.
"I didn't say a name," she countered.
"Either way, she doesn't mean anything to me," he replied, wanting to smack himself for such a lame comeback.
"Is that Lex or Alexander talking?"
Lex opened and closed his mouth, and then opted to keep it closed for a moment.
And she will be loved
"Why are you being so hard on me?" Lex sighed.
"Why didn't you even call me back then? You can't possibly not know my number."
"277-5871," Lex recited automatically.
As Chloe crossed her arms and looked pointedly at him, he regretted it just as fast.
'Damned perfect memory!' they both thought.
"This isn't going anywhere, Lex," Chloe shook her head. "I'm really tired. I just want to lie down and sleep. As we both know by now, attempts on one's life can be very taxing on one's body---be it mentally or physically."
"You've shown extraordinary strength and patience with me last summer. Why are you now giving up so easily?"
"I'm not the one who suddenly decided to walk out of a relationship. Why did you give up so easily?"
And for the first time, Lex admitted that he was solely to blame. There were no excuses, no reasons, no calculated moves, no motives, and no hidden agendas.
Why did he give up so easily? Why did he walk out on Chloe?
Lex couldn't believe his answer would be so cliché.
And she will be loved
"I got---scared."
Chloe's eyebrows shot up. "Scared? Of me?"
"Yes."
"What---How could I possibly scare you out of a relationship with me?!"
"I never thought somebody could ever love me so sincerely again."
Lex gripped the doorframe, resisting the urge to just kiss away the skepticism in her voice.
"You gave me so much of yourself that I didn't think I'd be able to give back as much. I could love you to the point of obsession yet still remain selfish."
"So you're saying I asked for too much when all I wanted you to do was to let me love you," said Chloe.
"No! It's just that---," Lex took a deep breath, "I just don't want any more scars."
"What do you mean scars?"
"Remember that night when you told me I was your anti-hero?"
When Chloe nodded he continued.
"I told you that I'll only hurt you in the end. Then you said that you know I'll try not to. And then I tilted your chin and started to stroke it," Lex sighed.
"It's like I was holding your heart in my hands. I thought what I had in my hands was going to be light, soft, smooth and pure. But I was wrong. I felt ridges and clefts. I saw blotches and scorch marks. It felt so heavy with past experiences."
Chloe furrowed her eyebrows at his description but nodded her head for him to continue.
"Despite everything that was said that night, I still---I still had this fear at the back of my mind. That I'd love you to the point of selfish obsession or love you but take you for granted. Either way, I know it would hurt you, and then there'd be another scar, just like the ones Clark left behind, and then you'd hate me and regret ever knowing---" he rambled on.
"Okay, hold it!" Chloe held up a hand for Lex to stop.
"A little summary first. You were overwhelmed by everything and it made you think that you're not capable of reciprocating. And if you ever did reciprocate in either way, I'll still end up getting hurt, which will result in a scar that you don't want to be the cause of. Because you think my heart is scarred enough from Clark, and you're scared that you'd add another scar so you ran away."
Lex clenched his jaw and nodded.
"And you couldn't tell me this earlier?" she asked incredulously.
Lex just sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Hmp. It's so twisted, I can't believe I understand it. Simple answers from now on, okay?"
Lex nodded again.
"Did you---ever---love me?" Chloe asked slowly, trying to convey the gravity of emotion behind those simple words in her delivery.
"Yes."
"Did you love---Lana?" Chloe's voice faltered as her throat constricted instinctively at having to say the brunette's name in the same sentence as 'love'.
Lex's head shot up so fast that she swore she heard his bones crack. He couldn't believe what he just heard.
"How could you ask me that?!" Lex choked out, trying to swallow the multiplying lumps in his throat. He was now having a hard time keeping a straight face.
"A simple answer, please, Lex," sighed Chloe. "That's all I need to hear."
Lex knew the right answer, the only answer; it's already on the tip of this tongue.
'Of course not! How could I love Lana when I love you? You were the only one, Chloe. Everybody else was a distraction.' his mind screamed. 'Say the words now, dammit! Say 'No' now!'
Lex had no qualms on saying those words. He just had to clear his throat and find his voice again.
But silence hadn't always been a good sign between them. Despite her dread of its clichéd implication, Chloe asked again.
"Did you love---Lana?" her voice steadier yet laced with panic.
"I---You were---," he stuttered.
But Lex didn't stand a chance anymore; the words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't even cough them out. The next wave of silence did him in.
"I thought so," Chloe said blankly.
Lex opened his mouth to try again, but it was too late. The next thing he knew Chloe's apartment door was already closed and the only sounds he could hear were her sobs muffled by the song’s last lyrics which he knew he should have used
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
1/3
2/3
view story's thread over here at Naughty-Seduction.