beautiful N' Bruised
9th December 2003, 01:33
Summary: It all comes down to strength. And she knows he can’t afford any weakness.
Warnings: I’m opting out, but don’t come crying to me afterwards…
Rating: PG
To Aimee, whose idea I stole. Thanks for lending your brain, babe! *It’s* still on ice to you, and will get past customs somehow, dammit!
The Oblation
His eyes were so bruised as he looked at her. He brushed back a lock of her hair, and she could swear he was shaking.
“You’ll be safe here; no-one knows your location… You didn’t tell anyone did you? Not even Lana or Pete, or any of your friends at the Planet? Chloe..?”
He was getting himself worked up again. She cupped his face with her hands, and drew him close for a reassuring kiss. Their lips met, brief yet tender, over the threshold of the hotel room. Lex had been trying to leave for hours.
“We’ve been through this, Lex. I’ll be fine,” she told him calmly.
He touched her again, his hands slipping over skin, hair and clothing. Once upon a time she would have thought he was marking his territory. But now she could see he was convincing himself she was real. Perhaps memorising. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“Chloe -”
“I love you too, Lex. Okay? And I forgive you everything.”
“Oh god, I’m so sorry.” His arms wrapped around her, strong and solid.
But it was Chloe who was doing the comforting; who had been for a long time.
When he pulled away to look at her, she saw that the Lex she had fallen in love with was back, if only for a moment. The light in his eyes shone fierce, and strong, and cold. “I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make things right. I’ll die before your father’s murder goes unavenged.”
“Things can never be made right,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Lex, I’m serious. No vengeance. And no dying. I want you to live. I want you to survive your father, and I want you to become the greatest president that this country has known.”
His fingers interlaced with hers, squeezing them in an act of understanding. “We’ll both have our dreams.”
You are my dreams. “Go, Lex.” she told him.
Once again, he hesitated, unwilling to leave his irresolute position in the doorway. “Maybe it would be best if I stayed with you. We can’t trust any bodyguards, but that doesn’t mean you should be alone.”
“And leave LexCorp to be run by those hypocrites who would gladly eat your flesh to please Lionel?”
She found herself enveloped in a fierce hug. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Chloe.” He whispered against her hair.
“I’ll be with you always, Lex.” A few traitorous tears escaped, trailing her cheeks with wetness as a testament to her own infallibilities.
“And I’ll love you forever,” he replied.
Letting go of her, he stepped back, and Chloe closed the door, bolting it against the sight of the man she loved.
It was all about strength. And the man she had fallen in love with for his very ability to rise from the ashes of the fiercest blaze... she had made him weak and vulnerable.
And she hated it…
But him… Him she loved more than life itself. She would do anything for him. Including, if it was needed, set him free. She was strong; let no-one doubt that. And love made her stronger.
She took a long bath, soaking her skin in exotic fragrances that filled the bathroom with their scent, and made her heady. She laughed, thinking of how much she loved him. Carefully she dressed in the wedding gown that fate had kept her from wearing. She kept her make-up soft and subtle.
It was working it’s magic already. She could feel the change in herself. Slow and comfortable. Warm and right. It had been done hours ago, so that she could not lose her nerve. She could see now that that had never been an issue.
All that was left was to wait.
Pillows, comfy soft. A bed that they had only briefly shared. A life she had lived, in heart and soul and mind. If not reality.
Her breath was shallow and slow, now. But the smile was firm on her lips. She felt so serene.
Letter. Check.
I’ll watch over you, forever.
Last breath. Eyes close. Goodbye.
-----------------------------
Inspired by Tigerbaby’s drabble on page six of the drabble thread. (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/index.php?showtopic=1148&st=100&#entry36010)
Warnings: I’m opting out, but don’t come crying to me afterwards…
Rating: PG
To Aimee, whose idea I stole. Thanks for lending your brain, babe! *It’s* still on ice to you, and will get past customs somehow, dammit!
The Oblation
His eyes were so bruised as he looked at her. He brushed back a lock of her hair, and she could swear he was shaking.
“You’ll be safe here; no-one knows your location… You didn’t tell anyone did you? Not even Lana or Pete, or any of your friends at the Planet? Chloe..?”
He was getting himself worked up again. She cupped his face with her hands, and drew him close for a reassuring kiss. Their lips met, brief yet tender, over the threshold of the hotel room. Lex had been trying to leave for hours.
“We’ve been through this, Lex. I’ll be fine,” she told him calmly.
He touched her again, his hands slipping over skin, hair and clothing. Once upon a time she would have thought he was marking his territory. But now she could see he was convincing himself she was real. Perhaps memorising. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“Chloe -”
“I love you too, Lex. Okay? And I forgive you everything.”
“Oh god, I’m so sorry.” His arms wrapped around her, strong and solid.
But it was Chloe who was doing the comforting; who had been for a long time.
When he pulled away to look at her, she saw that the Lex she had fallen in love with was back, if only for a moment. The light in his eyes shone fierce, and strong, and cold. “I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make things right. I’ll die before your father’s murder goes unavenged.”
“Things can never be made right,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Lex, I’m serious. No vengeance. And no dying. I want you to live. I want you to survive your father, and I want you to become the greatest president that this country has known.”
His fingers interlaced with hers, squeezing them in an act of understanding. “We’ll both have our dreams.”
You are my dreams. “Go, Lex.” she told him.
Once again, he hesitated, unwilling to leave his irresolute position in the doorway. “Maybe it would be best if I stayed with you. We can’t trust any bodyguards, but that doesn’t mean you should be alone.”
“And leave LexCorp to be run by those hypocrites who would gladly eat your flesh to please Lionel?”
She found herself enveloped in a fierce hug. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Chloe.” He whispered against her hair.
“I’ll be with you always, Lex.” A few traitorous tears escaped, trailing her cheeks with wetness as a testament to her own infallibilities.
“And I’ll love you forever,” he replied.
Letting go of her, he stepped back, and Chloe closed the door, bolting it against the sight of the man she loved.
It was all about strength. And the man she had fallen in love with for his very ability to rise from the ashes of the fiercest blaze... she had made him weak and vulnerable.
And she hated it…
But him… Him she loved more than life itself. She would do anything for him. Including, if it was needed, set him free. She was strong; let no-one doubt that. And love made her stronger.
She took a long bath, soaking her skin in exotic fragrances that filled the bathroom with their scent, and made her heady. She laughed, thinking of how much she loved him. Carefully she dressed in the wedding gown that fate had kept her from wearing. She kept her make-up soft and subtle.
It was working it’s magic already. She could feel the change in herself. Slow and comfortable. Warm and right. It had been done hours ago, so that she could not lose her nerve. She could see now that that had never been an issue.
All that was left was to wait.
Pillows, comfy soft. A bed that they had only briefly shared. A life she had lived, in heart and soul and mind. If not reality.
Her breath was shallow and slow, now. But the smile was firm on her lips. She felt so serene.
Letter. Check.
I’ll watch over you, forever.
Last breath. Eyes close. Goodbye.
-----------------------------
Inspired by Tigerbaby’s drabble on page six of the drabble thread. (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/index.php?showtopic=1148&st=100&#entry36010)