Blackberry
16th June 2004, 23:17
Title: Lunch, Rings and Musicals
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Humor
Summary: ‘Official’ Fan Fiction Challenge
Disclaimer: I don’t own Smallville or the characters… this is for entertainment purposes only! :)
Feedback: would be lovely and encouraging. *smiles hopefully*
A/N: Last minute thing… quite rushed… I apologize for the weirdness of it!
~~ o0o ~~
Chloe and Lex entered the jewelry shop with hands linked and talking amiably with one another. The saleswoman looked up from her magazine and watched them come in. She was quite unfazed by the fact that they were this was the famous Luthor for she was used to seeing such people at her door. The store boasted of a variety of jewelry most being cuts of great flair and screaming of money while there were the few that were less showy but sparkly just the same. With the varying tastes of the men and women that came in, it was important to be eclectic and tasteful and adjusted to the wealthy customer wants.
She glanced down at her watch as her friend at the other counter greeted them warmly. Five minutes to lunch, she thought and bit her lip. She had to make them choose quickly or she and her friend wouldn’t have a break at all. She looked back at the couple and watched how they looked at total ease with each other – how well adapted they seemed. She smiled a little to herself. Well, it wouldn’t take too long considering how they’re interacting with each other.
As the blonde visitor ran her gaze across the back shelves displaying the necklaces, Lex glanced down and checked the rings in the glass display. He moved to whisper into Chloe’s ear and she nodded, her eyes trained on the shelves with shining trinkets on the wall. Lex began to examine the rings through the glass, a scowl fixed upon his features. The seconds were extended into long moments as the woman watched him. Come on, man, choose something already! As he neared, he seemed all the more annoyed. Perhaps there wasn’t anything he would find? He stopped directly in front of the saleswoman and leaned closer to the glass. The woman almost got down on her knees and thanked the almighty powers above. He found something! Her friend seemed to notice his decisiveness to his choice and pointed towards the back; a silent message saying she would go already and leave the rest to her. The saleswoman could do nothing in return – no protest or Mr. Luthor would be encourage to leave with nothing.
With his finger, Lex indicated what his choice was to the clerk. “That would be just perfect,” he announced.
When she saw what he wanted, she merely felt relief; a rookie would have been amazed by the man’s knack for being almost reckless with his expenditures, but she had seen many a person request to take the most expensive items they had at the store. She nodded with a cheery look upon her face. It was an expensive ring with a large diamond and with an elaborately designed band. She took a quick peek at her watch and noticed she still had three minutes left. Good… very good. This ended faster than she had anticipated, much to her relief. She moved the glass on her side and moved to get the ring of her customer’s choice.
“Lex, oh, I want this one!” the man’s fiancé gushed almost dreamily.
The saleswoman paused in her actions and looked up at Lex, who in turn swiveled around to frown at his wife-to-be. He had just been on that side of the shop and he certainly hadn’t seen anything that he felt was good enough for his standards. Pursing his lips he went over to her and looked at the ring she was pointing to. He raised a brow as he glanced back at her in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That thing is far too cheap and it looks tasteless!”
“Well, you ought to stop being so grand,” Chloe retorted at him before she went back to ogling at the ring in question. “I admit it’s quite simple but it’s beautiful that way.”
The clerk’s brow furrowed in concern. She hadn’t anticipated this change. They seemed fine a while ago. Damn first impressions. She glanced down at her watch; two minutes to go. Damn, now she could guarantee she would have to work into her break. Though hesitantly, she looked back at the couple. “Uh… ma’am… sir… would it be okay –”
“Chloe, dearest,” he began with a steely undertone, ignoring the other salesperson wholly. “Come over to this side and look at the one I would like to buy.”
Huffily, Chloe followed him back to where the salesperson stood. When he pointed at the ring with the white gold band and large diamond, she gasped… in horror. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Lex narrowed his eyes on her at her reaction. “You don’t like it… why don’t you like it?”
She looked at him in utter disbelief. “You expect me to wear that humongous thing? It looks fit for an 80-year-old who’s ready to have her 25th year anniversary to a man pushing ninety! No offense, Lex, but you pick like an old maid… a really, really old maid.”
“Might I suggest sir to buy both and –” the saleswoman tried again, but stopped when they gave her a deathly glare.
“We didn’t ask for your opinion,” Chloe snapped huffily.
In turn the woman didn’t say anything; merely took reign of her urge to bitch-slap the woman in front of her by hiding her dark desire with a sickeningly sweet smile. People of great wealth always seemed to lack respect for others. Taking in a deep breath, she waited, glancing down at her watch and feeling the sinking feeling in her stomach.
Lex continued in his defense as if they hadn’t been interrupted. “It’s a beautiful piece! It’s the most expensive one on and off display! Don’t tell me you don’t like the idea of having the most expensive ring in the entire country!”
“It would be like carrying a ‘Hello! Kidnap me for a big ransom’ sign in bright, blinking neon lights, Lex!” Chloe cried out. “I’d rather go with smaller and simpler and more gold one, thanks.”
“You’re still thinking like a Smallvillian, Chloe,” he muttered, shaking his head. “That ring you want is the puniest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe that you would actually prefer that to the one here.”
“Lex, no one would prefer the one you like!” She pointed at it and made a face before looking at the saleswoman for the first time. “Miss, how long has this been here?”
The woman bit her lip. “Um… it’s been here for over three months ma’am.”
Chloe threw her hands out in triumph. “There you have it! Proof that others wouldn’t want to buy the thing!”
“The reason that this probably hasn’t been sold yet is because it’s too expensive for them! Yours barely costs anything! It’s like you’re trying to mock me if you plan on wearing that. People will think I’m stingy if they saw that micro-sized ring you like so much on your finger.”
“Oh so this is an image-based thing! You’re such a stubborn asshole!” Chloe spat, her eyes spouting fire.
“Yes, but that’s part of the reason why you’re marrying me, right?” there was sarcasm in his voice but a detected hurt that had presented itself unchecked by the usual filter of aloofness he showed.
Chloe frowned at him for a moment – not saying anything to him. She noticed the fact that he was stung by her insult; it was a rare occasion that she called him anything bad with such conviction. She found the anger she wanted to retain ebb away and she looked away from him for a while biting her lip. In the corner of her eye, she saw his body stiffen and withdraw. She had gone too far with the hesitancy.
“I said that I’d accept every little quirk about you when I consented to marrying you. I wouldn’t have fallen in love you otherwise, now can I?” she murmured with a sideways look to him.
She noted the slight hint of relief in his eyes and the little quirk of his lips. Without taking his eyes off of Chloe, Lex spoke to the saleswoman. “We’ll buy both of the rings.” The woman tried hard not to roll her eyes before she began to quickly take out the ones that they pointed out. Damn people wouldn’t listen to her and had to go through a whole melodramatic moment! She didn’t even like soaps, for goodness sake!
His blonde fiancé turned to him with shock in her eyes. “But it’s –”
“Call it compromise,” he cut in. “I don’t care if it costs a lot. And besides, it’s like Dolly Levi says, 'Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow*'.”
“Wow, I didn’t take you for a Broadway fan,” Chloe teased, poking him on his chest with a mischievous look in her green depths.
He shrugged and glanced at the woman over the counter, noting she was too busy with what she was doing to hear him. “If people found out about my affinity to musicals like that… well, let’s just say there wouldn’t be a dry eye around; and they wouldn’t be tears of sorrow.”
“I don’t know,” she countered, trailing the same finger she poked him with up his chest suggestively. “I think it’s actually kind of sexy for a man to like those types of productions.”
He quirked a brow and would have said more, but the saleswoman came back with the parcel in her hand. “Would you like to pay in cash or with a card, sir?”
When he handed her the sufficient cash, she handed him the parcel and was a about to ask him to kindly wait for his change when he said, “Keep the rest.” With that said Lex Luthor and Chloe Sullivan left in the same manner they had come in – bantering playfully and in high spirits. The saleswoman looked down at the wad of money and shook her head.
“Damn arrogant rich people,” she muttered as she put the money in the cash register hurriedly. “Oh well… customers will be customers.” Then, before she lost even more time, she headed out to her well-deserved break.
[THE END]
~~ o0o ~~
*quote is from Musical: ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Really cute musical! A lot of bantering and verbal judo… and music! :) can't forget the music!
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Humor
Summary: ‘Official’ Fan Fiction Challenge
Disclaimer: I don’t own Smallville or the characters… this is for entertainment purposes only! :)
Feedback: would be lovely and encouraging. *smiles hopefully*
A/N: Last minute thing… quite rushed… I apologize for the weirdness of it!
~~ o0o ~~
Chloe and Lex entered the jewelry shop with hands linked and talking amiably with one another. The saleswoman looked up from her magazine and watched them come in. She was quite unfazed by the fact that they were this was the famous Luthor for she was used to seeing such people at her door. The store boasted of a variety of jewelry most being cuts of great flair and screaming of money while there were the few that were less showy but sparkly just the same. With the varying tastes of the men and women that came in, it was important to be eclectic and tasteful and adjusted to the wealthy customer wants.
She glanced down at her watch as her friend at the other counter greeted them warmly. Five minutes to lunch, she thought and bit her lip. She had to make them choose quickly or she and her friend wouldn’t have a break at all. She looked back at the couple and watched how they looked at total ease with each other – how well adapted they seemed. She smiled a little to herself. Well, it wouldn’t take too long considering how they’re interacting with each other.
As the blonde visitor ran her gaze across the back shelves displaying the necklaces, Lex glanced down and checked the rings in the glass display. He moved to whisper into Chloe’s ear and she nodded, her eyes trained on the shelves with shining trinkets on the wall. Lex began to examine the rings through the glass, a scowl fixed upon his features. The seconds were extended into long moments as the woman watched him. Come on, man, choose something already! As he neared, he seemed all the more annoyed. Perhaps there wasn’t anything he would find? He stopped directly in front of the saleswoman and leaned closer to the glass. The woman almost got down on her knees and thanked the almighty powers above. He found something! Her friend seemed to notice his decisiveness to his choice and pointed towards the back; a silent message saying she would go already and leave the rest to her. The saleswoman could do nothing in return – no protest or Mr. Luthor would be encourage to leave with nothing.
With his finger, Lex indicated what his choice was to the clerk. “That would be just perfect,” he announced.
When she saw what he wanted, she merely felt relief; a rookie would have been amazed by the man’s knack for being almost reckless with his expenditures, but she had seen many a person request to take the most expensive items they had at the store. She nodded with a cheery look upon her face. It was an expensive ring with a large diamond and with an elaborately designed band. She took a quick peek at her watch and noticed she still had three minutes left. Good… very good. This ended faster than she had anticipated, much to her relief. She moved the glass on her side and moved to get the ring of her customer’s choice.
“Lex, oh, I want this one!” the man’s fiancé gushed almost dreamily.
The saleswoman paused in her actions and looked up at Lex, who in turn swiveled around to frown at his wife-to-be. He had just been on that side of the shop and he certainly hadn’t seen anything that he felt was good enough for his standards. Pursing his lips he went over to her and looked at the ring she was pointing to. He raised a brow as he glanced back at her in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That thing is far too cheap and it looks tasteless!”
“Well, you ought to stop being so grand,” Chloe retorted at him before she went back to ogling at the ring in question. “I admit it’s quite simple but it’s beautiful that way.”
The clerk’s brow furrowed in concern. She hadn’t anticipated this change. They seemed fine a while ago. Damn first impressions. She glanced down at her watch; two minutes to go. Damn, now she could guarantee she would have to work into her break. Though hesitantly, she looked back at the couple. “Uh… ma’am… sir… would it be okay –”
“Chloe, dearest,” he began with a steely undertone, ignoring the other salesperson wholly. “Come over to this side and look at the one I would like to buy.”
Huffily, Chloe followed him back to where the salesperson stood. When he pointed at the ring with the white gold band and large diamond, she gasped… in horror. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Lex narrowed his eyes on her at her reaction. “You don’t like it… why don’t you like it?”
She looked at him in utter disbelief. “You expect me to wear that humongous thing? It looks fit for an 80-year-old who’s ready to have her 25th year anniversary to a man pushing ninety! No offense, Lex, but you pick like an old maid… a really, really old maid.”
“Might I suggest sir to buy both and –” the saleswoman tried again, but stopped when they gave her a deathly glare.
“We didn’t ask for your opinion,” Chloe snapped huffily.
In turn the woman didn’t say anything; merely took reign of her urge to bitch-slap the woman in front of her by hiding her dark desire with a sickeningly sweet smile. People of great wealth always seemed to lack respect for others. Taking in a deep breath, she waited, glancing down at her watch and feeling the sinking feeling in her stomach.
Lex continued in his defense as if they hadn’t been interrupted. “It’s a beautiful piece! It’s the most expensive one on and off display! Don’t tell me you don’t like the idea of having the most expensive ring in the entire country!”
“It would be like carrying a ‘Hello! Kidnap me for a big ransom’ sign in bright, blinking neon lights, Lex!” Chloe cried out. “I’d rather go with smaller and simpler and more gold one, thanks.”
“You’re still thinking like a Smallvillian, Chloe,” he muttered, shaking his head. “That ring you want is the puniest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe that you would actually prefer that to the one here.”
“Lex, no one would prefer the one you like!” She pointed at it and made a face before looking at the saleswoman for the first time. “Miss, how long has this been here?”
The woman bit her lip. “Um… it’s been here for over three months ma’am.”
Chloe threw her hands out in triumph. “There you have it! Proof that others wouldn’t want to buy the thing!”
“The reason that this probably hasn’t been sold yet is because it’s too expensive for them! Yours barely costs anything! It’s like you’re trying to mock me if you plan on wearing that. People will think I’m stingy if they saw that micro-sized ring you like so much on your finger.”
“Oh so this is an image-based thing! You’re such a stubborn asshole!” Chloe spat, her eyes spouting fire.
“Yes, but that’s part of the reason why you’re marrying me, right?” there was sarcasm in his voice but a detected hurt that had presented itself unchecked by the usual filter of aloofness he showed.
Chloe frowned at him for a moment – not saying anything to him. She noticed the fact that he was stung by her insult; it was a rare occasion that she called him anything bad with such conviction. She found the anger she wanted to retain ebb away and she looked away from him for a while biting her lip. In the corner of her eye, she saw his body stiffen and withdraw. She had gone too far with the hesitancy.
“I said that I’d accept every little quirk about you when I consented to marrying you. I wouldn’t have fallen in love you otherwise, now can I?” she murmured with a sideways look to him.
She noted the slight hint of relief in his eyes and the little quirk of his lips. Without taking his eyes off of Chloe, Lex spoke to the saleswoman. “We’ll buy both of the rings.” The woman tried hard not to roll her eyes before she began to quickly take out the ones that they pointed out. Damn people wouldn’t listen to her and had to go through a whole melodramatic moment! She didn’t even like soaps, for goodness sake!
His blonde fiancé turned to him with shock in her eyes. “But it’s –”
“Call it compromise,” he cut in. “I don’t care if it costs a lot. And besides, it’s like Dolly Levi says, 'Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow*'.”
“Wow, I didn’t take you for a Broadway fan,” Chloe teased, poking him on his chest with a mischievous look in her green depths.
He shrugged and glanced at the woman over the counter, noting she was too busy with what she was doing to hear him. “If people found out about my affinity to musicals like that… well, let’s just say there wouldn’t be a dry eye around; and they wouldn’t be tears of sorrow.”
“I don’t know,” she countered, trailing the same finger she poked him with up his chest suggestively. “I think it’s actually kind of sexy for a man to like those types of productions.”
He quirked a brow and would have said more, but the saleswoman came back with the parcel in her hand. “Would you like to pay in cash or with a card, sir?”
When he handed her the sufficient cash, she handed him the parcel and was a about to ask him to kindly wait for his change when he said, “Keep the rest.” With that said Lex Luthor and Chloe Sullivan left in the same manner they had come in – bantering playfully and in high spirits. The saleswoman looked down at the wad of money and shook her head.
“Damn arrogant rich people,” she muttered as she put the money in the cash register hurriedly. “Oh well… customers will be customers.” Then, before she lost even more time, she headed out to her well-deserved break.
[THE END]
~~ o0o ~~
*quote is from Musical: ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Really cute musical! A lot of bantering and verbal judo… and music! :) can't forget the music!