Fic: Champagne And Apple Cider (2/3)
Title: Champagne And Apple Cider (2/3)
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: Clark/Lex, implied Bruce/Dick
Category: Romance
Rating: (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: Clark and Lex celebrate their anniversary.
Date Of Completion: March 23, 2007
Date Of Posting: March 30, 2007
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1556
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author's Note: This is my first Clex fic after years of being in the fandom. Hopefully
it passes muster! :)
All chapters can be found here.
II
CLARK, LEX, AND SIN
Clark was sitting in the living room, one leg over the arm of an overstuffed chair while
he looked at Lex with a sultry look. He was still in costume. Lex tried to ignore the
incredible sexiness of the whole effect but gave up in less than two seconds.
“So, how was patrol?”
“Fine. Rescued a few fishermen out in the Atlantic. Blew out a building’s fire with
super-breath. Oh, and saved a couple of people from getting flattened by a runaway
semi.” Clark’s smile was positively evil. “Just your run-of-the-mill night.” Clark
swung his leg gently back and forth.
“Really?” Lex suddenly got a thought. “Have you been exposed to Red K?”
Amusement danced in Clark’s green eyes. “Not that I’m aware of.”
Not that Red K and Clark together would be a bad thing.
Lex remembered a previous encounter with the red rock. The sex had been mind-blowing.
The only drawback was that Clark’s loss of inhibitions could get…dicey…if not properly
controlled.
“So, are you going to come to dinner in your work suit?”
Clark brushed back his Superman curl, eyes glittering. “What if I did?”
“No problem.” Lex smiled. “I think you can worry about my cooking as much in the suit
as in red flannel.”
Clark smirked and supersped away, re-appearing before the breeze from his departure
settled. He wasn’t wearing red flannel, but it was a red cotton shirt and comfortable
pants. Blue, of course. Lex looked down at his own light purple jacket and shirt with
dark pants and figured they might as well indulge their favorite colors.
“So, that wonderful smell from the kitchen is your cooking?”
“That’s right. Your mom supplied the lessons and recipe.”
Clark laughed, a delightful silvery sound that splashed like a waterfall on Lex’s heart.
“Who would have thought that Lex Luthor would take cooking lessons! It must be love.”
“It is,” Lex said with a smile, taking Clark’s hand and kissing the fingers. Clark
watched with shining eyes, the happiness spilling off him in waves.
Lex let his hand go but love shone from his pale blue eyes. He knew that he was damned
lucky, and he intended to let Clark know that every day of their lives together.
I could have gone down the dark path without you, Clark. Maybe the power would have
been a bigger kick, but the happiness would have been totally lacking.
“So, dinner is ready.” Clark started to walk toward the kitchen.
“How do you know?”
“Smell, silly.” He tapped his nose.
Lex smiled as he followed Clark to the kitchen. Opening the oven, he had to agree that
his spouse was right. The food smelled great, ready for eating.
The two of them joked and bantered as they put the food in bowls and on plates, carrying
the meal into the dining room. Clark’s eyes looked approvingly at the elegant table,
and they took their seats once everything was set.
Clark’s seat was to the right of Lex, who sat at the head of the table. It was not a
power dynamic. It simply reflected their preferences for the chairs they had ‘claimed’
as their own. Clark had said once that he had read a study that showed humans to be
territorial in even the claiming of chairs at a table or in a classroom, something that
was easily noticed as early as grade school. Once a human being claimed a spot, they
tended to go to that spot again and again, claiming their territory.
“Apparently it works for Kryptonians, too,” Lex had remarked, and Clark had laughed.
“True. And not just for chairs.”
Lex poured their drinks. Clark sipped his and said, “Apple cider. Mmm. But wouldn’t
you prefer champagne?”
“I have champagne tastes, but I have a husband with apple cider tastes.”
Clark chuckled and took a bite of roast beef. “Mmm, Lex, this actually tastes good!”
“Hey, I should be insulted!”
Clark grinned and ate more of the beef and went on to sample the potatoes and carrots,
buttering a dinner roll that he declared light and fluffy and delicious. His delight
in the simple food pleased Lex, who was also glad that he had gotten the cooking right.
Clark had a prodigious appetite, but a man didn’t need to be a five-star chef to sate it.
The dinner was hitting the right balance: elegant dining room with comfort food.
Just like us.
“Lex, my mom would give you an A+ for this dinner.” Clark buttered another roll. “I’ll
try to get home tomorrow and get more fresh produce. I can’t stand some of the stuff
they sell here in the city.”
“Who knew that Superman was a fussy eater?”
Clark grinned but finished cleaning his plate. Candlelight shimmered through his hair,
highlighting the planes of his face. Lex never tired of looking at all that beauty.
“So, did you bake an apple pie, too?”
Lex laughed. “No, smart-ass. But I did get us a Sin Cake from Giovanni’s.”
“Ooh.” Emerald eyes lit up. “Sin and you. This must be my lucky night.”
Lex reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a long black velvet box. “It is your
lucky night. Happy Anniversary, Clark.”
Clark’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He took the box and opened it.
“Lex,” he breathed. He lifted out the long, fine silver chain. The diamond-like
jewel attached to it was shaped in the El family symbol: Superman’s symbol.
“I had it made from a fragment of your Fortress. I wasn’t sure if anything Earthly could
cut and shape it, but it worked.” He grinned. “I used someone unearthly to help me.”
At Clark’s quizzical look, he said, “Kara.”
Clark grinned. “Hmm, there’s an inscription on the back.” Clark turned it over and read,
‘To My Beloved. Your Secret Is Safe With Me.’” Clark laughed, his eyes dancing. “You
have a way with words, Lex.”
Lex chuckled. “I hope that’s not all I have my way with tonight. Let me get the cake.”
Lex happily went into the kitchen, took the cake out of the box, and put it on a plate.
He carried it into the dining room and set it in the middle of the table, the smell of
the extra-dark chocolate cake deliciously alluring.
“Mmm, always good Sin Cake from our favorite bakery,” Clark said as he eyed the rich,
dark chocolate frosting over the three layers of equally dark chocolate cake.
Lex sat down, then realized there was a small box set by his plate. Smiling, he
picked it up and opened it.
“Clark…”
“Seems like we’re in sync even in this, eh?” Clark’s voice was amused.
Lex picked up the small jeweled pin, shaped like the ‘S’ symbol, and turned it over.
The words, ‘My Love Always’ were inscribed on the back.
“No doubt done with heat vision?”
“No doubt.” Clark’s smile was infectious. “It’s small enough to fit under your shirt
collar. I know that people know you work with the Justice League and are Superman’s
unofficial partner, but…”
“Oh, I think I can wear it on my lapel if I want. From a friend.” Lex’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s not like they’re going to get a chance to see the inscription.”
Clark picked up the chain. “I think I can wear this under my uniform. If not, I’ll
carry it in my cape pocket.” He winked. “Right next to my bat locket.”
“Ha!” Lex affixed the pin to his lapel. The light purple color was a perfect match.
“If I thought for a minute you weren’t joking…”
“Well, Bruce did give me a batarang once. He used it to clip the Penguin’s wings when
we worked the case together.”
Lex rolled his eyes. “What is with him and birds, anyway? Though I suppose he doesn’t
mind having a Robin around.”
Clark chuckled. “No, he doesn’t.”
Lex picked up a knife and cut the cake into two slices, handing Clark his plate. He
took a bite, savoring the rich flavor.
“Mmm, chocolate-y goodness,” purred Clark.
“Who knew that Superman was a chocoholic?”
Clark merely grinned and took another bite. He looked at Lex with dancing eyes and
licked the spoon clean. Lex swallowed his cake.
I’m having my cake. He took another bite. And I’m eating it, too.
When Clark was finished, he watched Lex with a strange expression: soft yet intense.
Lex felt his body tingle in response.
Bruce, if you feel even one-half of what I’m feeling right now, you’ll keep your little
bird around forever.
Clark stood up, holding out his hand. Lex took it and rose from his chair. Their kiss
was deep and heartfelt, tasting of chocolate and apple cider. When they parted, Lex
picked up the necklace and draped it around Clark’s neck, pleased at the way the
sparkling jewel reflected in his lover’s eyes.
“You sure you haven’t been exposed to Red K?”
“No.” Clark kissed him. “Or Gold K…” another kiss “…or Pink K…”
Lex laughed as he broke their kiss. “Pink K?”
Clark’s eyes were dancing. “Pink K turns Kryptonians, um, gay.”
“Really?” Now that was interesting.
Clark pulled him in for another kiss. “Remind me to tell you about all the different
permutations of Kryptonite.”
“Deal.”
They kissed all the way to the bedroom.