NS Monthly Challenge: #10 May 2010 - "Secrets"

Well, my friends, it is that time once more. Time to rise and meet the challenge for which you have spent your life preparing. Time to reach beyond what your are to what you will become. Time for you to face your fate head on; to take destiny in hand and call yourself its master.

...Or you could skip all that and vote in the monthly fanfic challenge poll instead. :)

A big shout out of thanks to the lovely authors who entered. You have my gratitude and, if any of you were within walking distance, probably a slightly awkward hug.

To the readers: enjoy the stories, take a moment to vote and, if you're so inclined, the writers love feedback. And if you'd rather give them that privately, you're welcome to send a message to me and I will pass it on to them.


Story One

Story Two

Story Three

The voting will go until the 21st. I'm going to post the new challenge on the 1st. This month we're going to start the Round Robin (sign up here *hint hint* http://forums.naughty-seduction.imag...lies/smile.gif ) so hopefully we'll get that rhythm going a little and then have a new challenge for July.


Happy voting! :)

TITLE: Tell Me...

CHALLENGE: #10 May 2010- “Secrets”

RATING: PG-13

A/N: This fic is set around the time prior to Season 4’s finale.

TELL ME…

“There are secrets in my heart, tears in my eyes and a person on my mind.” Sato Haruo


Dark and mysterious are his eyes. They’re blue-grey like the sea when it’s choppy and the skies when overcast, the silent and yet ominous announcement of a raging storm on the horizon. They can get as dark as the night from which he wishes he could escape, the pitch black which is synonymous with a Luthor. She has seen his pupils darken with barely restrained power in the aftermath of a father-and-son confrontation and blacken with that all-consuming passion which she has experienced first-hand- a secret she’s been zealously hiding from the world.

He’s always been a riddle and she’s always been one for seeking the truth and unearthing the deepest darkest secrets. And she’s aware that those intense eyes of his hold a hundred untold secrets in their hidden depths. She’s been able to discover several of them with her relentless investigative and computer skills- he’s good at burying what might taint the image he’s been striving to create in his eagerness to be accepted and loved, but she’s never taken any prisoners when uncovering the truth can make the world she lives in a better one. And there are too many people like the Luthors not to feel the need to make a difference. She got burnt bad last summer when she dared play with the Devil incarnate and almost died and had her own father killed in the process. She wants to believe she’s learnt her lesson and yet there are times when she wonders if she isn’t going too far; looking for and finding secrets she isn’t sure she’s entitled to.

There are a hundred untold secrets in his eyes and she’s been the keeper of one of his most closely guarded secrets for almost a year now. She wishes she could give this one secret back because it was coerced out of him and because it’s too personal; it makes him too human and she can’t afford that. She can’t afford to see him that way if she wants to shelter her heart and protect the key to the mystery which has been hanging like a sword of Damocles over his friendship with Clark. Lately, when they chance to cross their paths at The Talon and she raises her eyes from her laptop to find him sitting in a corner with his latte and the financial section of The Daily Planet, she wonders if he hasn’t already discovered the truth. And today, when their gazes lock for a fraction of a second across the crowded room of the coffee shop, she can feel his all-seeing eyes boring deep into her, searching for her little secrets, Luthors don’t beg, but she knows him well enough to understand he’s silently asking her to trust him with them; and there’s a fleeting moment when she remembers a summer morning and feels tempted to give in.

She feels herself drown in those eyes she’s seen at very close range, so close she could count the greenish and golden freckles in them. Tell me you love me. Tell me you need me. Tell me your secrets. Tell me what I want to hear. Tell me that you really care, said those eyes she’s been doing her best to dodge ever since she came back from her self-imposed exile. She remembers the desperation and the vulnerability reflected in them as his lithe body hovered over hers and she welcomed him in hers. She had known then there was a fair chance he’d sever all ties between them when he realized what had happened in that bed once his fever broke. She was aware he’d have never willingly let another human being see the secret fears he’d been hiding since he was a kid, and that it was only thanks to the poison which was still coursing through his veins that he’d let the final mask slip.

Clark pulls back a chair and sits down across from her and she’s brought back to the present. Lex’s face, which had relaxed somehow, turns cold and impassive again when he sees her close up, but not before she notices the hurt in his stormy blue-grey eyes. Clark starts prattling on his eternal soap opera with Lana, and she feels a sudden bout of resentment and a treacherous pricking of tears behind her eyelids as she turns her attention to the farmboy and puts on her best practiced Sullivan smile. This secret of Clark’s weighs a ton on her shoulders and is breaking her heart into a million pieces. She loves the boy and yet it still hurts he hasn’t trusted her enough to confide in her. It’s that betrayal which makes her feel closer to Lex and experience the anguish of being pulled in two directions. She is no longer the naïve girl she was when she entered the bargain with Lionel Luthor; she knows that Lex paddles in murky waters and that he can be as manipulative as his old dad, but that doesn’t make her choice any easier.

Clark speaks of sacrifices, of doing what’s best for his eternal flame and she can barely keep it together. She wonders what his reaction and that of the patrons at The Talon would be if she started laughing hysterically at the irony of it all. Every word feels like a fresh stab in her already bleeding heart. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Lex get up and head towards their table; suddenly Clark’s voice becomes a distant drone. She tells herself she has to put her defences up again because Lex isn’t the oblivious farmboy and he might see more than just Clark’s secret in her eyes. He can’t know, he must never know because if he ever finds out the secret she’s been harbouring in her chest since the safe house, her resolve might waver. She wishes she could be selfish and give in; she wishes she could be plain Chloe Sullivan and help save one soul now before it’s too late instead of the lives of anonymous millions as Clark’s secret keeper.

By the time he stops at their table she’s managed to control her queasiness somehow and answers his greeting with polite civility. She sips at her macchiato and steals a look at his profile as he speaks with Clark and smiles at something the boy says. Suddenly she feels the need to flee before he sees too much since she can sense her mask is starting to crack again. She grabs her bag and her laptop and, issuing a hurried goodbye, excuses herself saying she needs to type her final editorial for The Torch.

Rushing out of The Talon, she blinks away a couple of tears and fumbles with her keys to unlock her red Beetle. She has to keep it together for just a couple of days; graduation is around the corner and she’ll be able to get away. She takes refuge in the thought that the chances of her having to socialise with Lex once away from Smallville will be slimmer. Perhaps she’s just deceiving herself, considering the profession she’s chosen and who Lex is. She’s just buying some time, hoping that distance will help her forget what might have been if Alicia had never entered Clark’s life and if the farmboy had willingly trusted the two people he called his closest friends.

“Chloe?”

Her hand tightens the grip on the car key and she closes her eyes as she hears him stop just a couple of feet away. I love you. I need you. I’ll tell you my secrets. I’ll tell you what you want to hear. I really care. This she knows he’d see if she were to turn around and look him in the eye now. She’d betray Clark in a heartbeat. She’d save four people a lot of pain and heartbreak because she knows what will happen; Lex’s been getting closer to Lana and everything will end up exploding in his face. It makes her wonder why he hasn’t taken advantage of what happened at the safe house; why he’s chosen to stay away when he must know it’s her and not the boy’s eternal flame who holds the key to the mystery. Doubt gives her hope, and she turns around back in control.

“Lex?”

“We need to talk.”

Tell me your secrets.

THE END

Story Two


Fraternising with the Enemy


The security were told to wait outside and didn’t question it. Even billionaires needed to be alone sometimes, away from the prying eyes of even their most trusted aides. Of course, Lex Luthor had no intention of being completely without company.

“Exactly how long did you plan on having me wait, Luthor?” her voice was fierce when reproaching him, “You know I have a life beyond this” she said as she pushed the chair around and faced him from behind his own desk.

“I’m sorry, Chloe” he apologised though the smirk on his face made him appear more amused than repentant, “For a moment I thought this was my apartment, and my plan”

“It may be your apartment, Lex, but it is our plan” she told him, still mad apparently as she stalked around the desk to face him, “And I am getting tired of playing the poor little reporter pawn in this over-sized game of billionaire chess!” she said angrily.

He reached his hands to her shoulders, but she shrugged them away. This whole thing was getting out of hand and she was struggling to keep a lid on feelings that were only getting stronger of late. Lex understood, of course he did, but he was a practised liar and manipulator, after years under his father’s tutelage. His cold hard exterior never cracked or wavered, at least not where anyone else might see.

“Chloe...” she had turned her back on him, arms folded across her chest, body language screaming she was uncomfortable, unhappy, and entirely pissed at him, “You know this isn’t easy for me either” he said as he reached for her once again.

This time she didn’t shy away. She had been waiting too long to feel his touch, too long forced to play at being his enemy. No matter how mad she was, Chloe couldn’t afford to waste these precious hours, it was all she was likely to get before a long stretch of days and weeks filled with Clark’s whining, Lois’ pouting, and Jimmy’s overzealous advances. Not to mention Lana, it was hardest of all to pretend to be her friend when in reality Chloe’s one true wish was to take the former Miss Lang’s place, as Lex's wife.

“I hate that she gets to be with you” she muttered as he pulled her close from behind, “She gets everything she wants”

“She’ll get everything she deserves” Lex promised her, his lips near her ear, “They all will” he insisted, kissing her cheek, her neck, “You know I find no pleasure in being with her” he continued as his hands slid over her form, “I close my eyes when I kiss her, and feel your lips, imagine the curves of your body when I’m forced to touch hers” he went on, though Chloe was losing focus on his words as his lips moved against her skin, his fingers seeking a way into her clothes, though she refused to give in too easily, she always did, “You know the only way I can stand to be with her that way, is to recall the feeling of being inside of you” he whispered, a glorious shudder going through Chloe’s whole form as she gave in at last.

Turning in Lex’s arms, her lips found his in a hot and hungry kiss, hands grasping at his jacket, forcing it from his shoulders. One month was all it had been since their last encounter, and yet it felt like a lifetime.

“You think it’s any easier for me seeing you with that fool Olsen?” Lex asked her, not permitting her time to answer as he kissed her again, long and deep until a moan escaped her throat.

“You think he’s a bigger fool than Lana?” she asked breathlessly, a hint of amusement finding its way in amongst the passion.

“I think he’s a desperate attempt to make me jealous” Lex told her, fingers sliding up under the hem of her skirt and higher.

“Is it working?” she gasped, as he pushed her back against the edge of the desk.

He didn’t have to answer, as his actions spoke so much louder than words ever could. There ought to have been time to make this special, but just being together was pleasure enough.

Chloe threw an arm back across the desk, sending files carefully prepared skittering across the floor, just in time before Lex practically threw her down, the world growing blurrier by the second.

It was some hours before they discussed work. When something felt so good, once was never enough, and it took almost complete exhaustion to keep Chloe and Lex from demanding pleasure from each other. Only the fourth and final time had they made it to the lavish bedroom of the penthouse apartment, where they lay now, arms around each other, getting down to the other business they were here for.

They discussed work completed and still to be done, the scheming and plotting that would see them rulers of all they surveyed when the time came.

The Green Arrow and his band of merry freaks, as Lex liked to refer to them, had no idea that Chloe was working an angle. They called her WatchTower, but Lex called her his partner, his queen, and his goddess; that meant the world and more. Lana saw a precious husband when she looked into his eyes, but Chloe saw her friend, her lover, and the man she would always want more than any other - it was all Lex could really crave to be.

Alone, each of them was strong and resourceful enough, but together they were a force no-one would dare reckon with. Together they would bring the world crashing to its knees; all it would take now was time.

When they met like this, they allowed themselves to dream of the future they were secretly building, and tonight more than ever Chloe needed to believe they were going to make it there. Lex’s reaction to the news she must now share didn’t bother her, she already knew what it would be, but she dare not make mention of it until her needs were met, until their plans were settled, or nothing would have been achieved at all.

“One last point for the agenda, Mr Luthor” she said, laying her head on his chest.

“Given all that we've covered so far, Miss Sullivan" he replied in kind, running his fingers lazily over her naked skin, “I can't imagine what there is left but... a repeat performance?” he teased her, with words and touches both.

Though she was so very tempted to succumb, Chloe had something even more important than pleasure on her mind.

“It was the last encore from our previous meeting that’s brought us here” she said, her eyes darting up to meet his in the semi-dark of the bedroom, “I’m pregnant, Lex” she told him simply, waiting for the inevitable smile to cross his face… and there it was.

He saved those looks for her, of genuine joy, pleasure, contentment. The Luthors wielded so much power over so many, but this was Chloe’s alone and over him. He wanted an heir, be it boy or girl, he wouldn’t care, she was sure of it, and when he kissed her, he reaffirmed what she already knew.

“I know the timing’s lousy” she admitted when he pulled away, “but... our baby, Lex” she said with a smile, moving his hand over her body until it came to lie where their child would grow.

“Screw the timing, Chloe” he told her seriously, “This is perfect, you’re perfect...” he insisted as he looked down into her eyes, at a loss for words.

“Rendered speechless by little number seven” she teased him, at which he frowned, the phrasing obviously lost on him, caught up in euphoria at her news still, “Seven for a secret never to be told” she recalled the rhyme she’d learnt long ago.

“We have a lot of those right now” he reminded her, unable to shift the smile from his face, loving the sight of her similar expression as he moved her hair aside.

“And this isn’t even the biggest” she sighed, “Wait until the world realises that Lex Luthor has a heart” she said, her fingers gently grazing his chest where said heart resided.

“I don’t” he told her, making her look at him strangely a moment, “You stole it, a very long time ago” he whispered as he moved in to kiss her again.

After this, they might not be alone together for a week, maybe two, but he could not wait another month to hold her. A few of these secrets they held had to come out before long and yet they would be no less strong for it. The world would see their power and kneel before them, as they should have from the beginning.

It was only a matter of time now.

Story Three


Sour Times
AU Future Fic

Mr. And Mrs. Alexander Luthor were enjoying a quiet afternoon at home when their butler Vlad announced that a Miss Lana Lang wished to see them.

Chloe and Lex exchanged curious looks before Lex nodded to Vlad to allow their former friend entrance.

The couple hadn’t seen any of their Smallville friends since the day they had announced their engagement, more then four years ago. Clark, Lana and even Lois stopped speaking to Chloe when she revealed that she had been secretly seeing Lex for an entire year.

Predictably, they felt that Chloe had betrayed their trust when she didn’t confide in them about her feelings for the billionaire. Chloe patiently explained that it wasn’t any of their business who she was in a relationship with.

So, instead of trusting in her judgement, her three friends turned on her, calling her a traitor and Lex Luthor’s spy.

In fact, the only people from Smallville truly happy for them was Chloe’s dad, Gabe and Martha Kent and as far as Lex and Chloe were concerned, that was all that mattered.

So, it was a huge shock for them that Lana Lang was knocking on their door, asking to talk to them.

Vlad walked into the study, holding open the door for an obviously distraught Lana.

She barely acknowledged Chloe or Lex before collapsing onto their couch, crying hysterically.

This time the couple exchanged helpless glances and then Chloe bravely stepped forward. She smiled gently at Lana and asked in her most soothing voice, “Lana, is anything the matter?”

Lana looked up, tears flowing messily down from her red rimmed eyes. “Please, I need help. I..I.. don’t understand what this paper means.”

Chloe gave the emotional woman some more tissues, while Lana handed an obviously battered document to Lex.

He held up the paper for his wife to see, and shook his head in amusement. “Lana, what happened to this contract? It looks like a dog chewed on it and spit it back up!”

Lana wrinkled her face in distaste at the image Lex’s words created. “No, I threw the paper out but the townhouse manager told me I had to fill it out.”

She turned imploring eyes on them, trying her best to look helplessly feminine, despite her blotchy face. “You are the two smartest people I know and I came here, hoping you’ll be able to explain it to me.”

Chloe forced herself not to roll her eyes at Lana’s display and instead patted her former friend’s arm comfortingly. “Alright, just give us a moment to read it.”

But Lex was already finished reading and Chloe could tell he was trying not to laugh. He had to clear his throat several times before he succeeded in stifling his mirth. “Lana, I’m not sure what your misunderstanding about this document is. It’s a simple renter’s contract.”

His only answer was Lana’s puzzled silence.

Lex frowned slightly and Chloe quickly intervened. “You know, it’s the contract you sign when you rent an apartment, or in your case, a townhouse. The contract explains what you are liable for in case of an damages, how much your rent and utilities are. How much your...”

Lana interrupted Chloe’s speech, confusion marring her features. “I’m sorry Chloe, but did you say ‘Rent’?”

Chloe smiled uncertainly as she spook. “Yes, rent. What a person has to pay each month so that they have a place to live.”

Lana’s mouth opened and closed several times but she couldn’t even squeak any response out. Chloe glanced over at her husband to ask if he knew what to do, when she saw his guilty face.

She took a deep, fortifying breath before she could ask, “Lex, what’s going on?”

He stepped forward and took his wife’s hand in his, “I’m sorry, Chloe, but I’ve been keeping a huge secret from you.” He looked over at their former friend and continued, “It’s about Lana.”

When he saw that he both women’s complete attention, he began to speak. “Lana, your aunt Nell has been paying your rent for the past ten years.”

Chloe and Lana gasped at the same time and Lex continued to speak. “She knew that no one would ever be able to put up with you as a roommate, so she had to make it financially solvent for them to take you in.”

Lana shook her head in denial. “That’s not true, I lived with Chloe and her dad for a year and half and Mr. Sullivan never once asked me for any money.”

“That’s because Nell offered him a thousand dollars a month to let you stay with him and Chloe,” Lex responded.

He turned to Chloe, “Remember how your dad bought a new car and your college fund suddenly increased when Lana moved in?”

Chloe nodded, comprehension dawning. “And we got the bathroom remodeled and Dad bought that diamond mine.”

She shook her head, smiling in understanding. “Now I know why he cried himself to sleep that first week Lana moved to Paris.”

Lex smiled back at Chloe, “And Nell paid me fifteen hundred dollars to let Lana live in The Talon apartment and she paid Clark five thousand dollars to let her stay at the Kent farm.”

Chloe snorted in amusement. “So that’s how Clark was able to afford that new milking machine!”

Husband and wife grinned at each other, but then Lex shook his head resignedly, “Of course, Nell’s now completely destitute and living on the streets, but she swears it was worth it.”

He then turned a pitying gaze onto Lana. “It’s time for you to join the real grown up world, Lana.”

By this time Lana had stood up, clearly agitated. “I’m not too sure what you’re both going on about, but I don’t pay rent.”

She paused for dramatic effect. “I’m Lana Lang!”

And with that, she flounced out the door.

Chloe and Lex watched her leave the room, too shocked to actually reply.

Finally, Chloe was able to speak. “What do you think she’ll do?”

At Lex’s quizzical eyebrow lift, Chloe explained. “She doesn’t think she has to pay rent to live somewhere.”

Lex snorted derisively. “She’ll probably just advertise in the Planet!”

A week later Chloe was reading The Daily Planet when she came across an ad in the classifieds: Lana Lang looking for a place to stay. Kindly leave resumes at the Women’s Shelter at 54th and Chrenshaw. Will accept the best offer.

I love that there were three completely different versions of the challenge and I think that all of the "Secrets" were inspired--great work:grin3:

They are all very well writen and they are so differnt that it is going to be hard to chose. It's like taking your favorite comidy, drama, and action movie and then having to tell someone which one is the best.

Story One - Tell Me...
I thought this was an excellent fic. Usually I like a little more action as well as introspection, but I always make an exception for Chloe and/or Lex introspections because they’re always so interesting and unexpected.

I liked Chloe’s soul-searching revealed in this story. The poor girl is obviously conflicted, unhappy and guilt-ridden… and all of her conflict and misery comes from forces outside of herself. The secret that she’s burdened with to protect someone else, the guilt that she’s feeling from making the mistake of being tricked and manipulated by the Magnificent Bastard… and most of all, the desire that she feels for this beautiful, brilliant, amazing man that she can’t being herself to trust completely.

All of Chloe’s miseries come from being pulled in just too many directions at once. Where her conscience, intellect and desire are all conflicting with each other. It’s making a mess of her life and internal system, and it’s only a matter of time before she breaks under all that pressure. It will take a while for Chloe to break, because she’s quite strong, but that very same strength is being played against her because it’s her own intellect, conscience and desires that are pulling her apart at the seams.

This was a brilliant fic encapsulating Chloe’s self-destructive, conflicting urges… and how something had got to give eventually. In the end, she’s going to have to abandon or betray something… Perhaps I’m just selfish enough to hope that Chloe damns the world to hell, as long as she satisfies her own desires first. GO Chlex!!


Story Two - Fraternising with the Enemy
This was my favourite story from the bunch. I think I have a special weakness for fics which involve Lex and Chloe working together to take over the world. And it certainly helps that it’s well engaging and well-written :D

First of all, I loved that Chloe and Lex were obviously equal partners in this plan to take over the world. Oh it’s obvious that they both tease each other saying that the plan and takeover is a ‘personal’ plan, but they both know it’s a joint execution and effort that’s going to secure them both the victory that they deserve.

I did appreciate, however, that Lex was shown to be as ‘slightly’ senior partner in this enterprise. That’s because he’s the one who has the practice and experience in putting this plan together, as well as maintaining it and fine-tuning it whenever the needs arises. Chloe is great on tactical planning, but LEX is the long-term strategic planner.

So I liked the way that Lex occasionally needs to soothe Chloe’s passions and jealousies in order to make sure that she maintains the façade that she’s constructed. heh, and he soothes so VERY well, doesn’t he, lol! I was initially enraged to find out that Lex had carried his façade to the extent where he’s married to Lana… but I forgave him, a little bit, with his impassioned speech about how he can ONLY bear to be with Lana by desperately pretending that he’s touching Chloe.

aaargh! Still, Lex had better be prepared to grovel big-time for Chloe when the time comes for him to dump his fake marriage with Lana and go public with his real relationship with Chloe. He has a lot to make up for, for putting Chloe through watching her man marry and bed another woman.

Still, it’s good to know that Chloe is getting a little bit of revenge using Jimmy. Yes, I know it’s petty, but it’s probably the only thing that allows Chloe to keep her sanity and feel that she’s on equal footing with Lex. If she has to watch her lover kiss and fuck another woman, then Lex also had to suffer his beloved having an affair with another man.

The ending was fantastic!!! I was pretty certain that Lex was not fooling around with Chloe, and just stringing her along in a double-fake relationship, but it was great to get confirmation of that by his reaction to the news to her pregnancy. You can’t fake that kind of doting delight! Lex is most definitely genuinely in love with Chloe, and he despises being with Lana almost as much as Chloe despises seeing him with Lana. I’m so GLAD that a pregnancy was added onto the tail end of this fic, because it was really needed to confirm the sincerity of Lex’s commitment to Chloe.

*sigh* it would be nice to get an epilogue to this fic, showing the two of them actually surveying over a world that they rule together. But I’ll settle for just imagining them being the supreme overlords of Earth.


Story Three - Sour Times
ROTFLMAO! It’s been a long time since I’ve read a really good and funny Lana-bashing fic. Lana-bashing is admittedly fun (to write as well as to read), but it’s been done so many times that it’s hard to find a new angle to write and/or read. Which is why I loved this ficlet, which actually made me laugh out loud, enjoying Lana’s specially prescribed torment. ROTFL!

The fic started out with me suspecting that it was a Lana-bashing fic, considering that our Chlex couple seemed completely unconcerned, and even a little amused, when they saw Lana approaching them in distraught hysteria.

The plot got even funnier when Lana revealed her complete inability to comprehend the real world when she showed that she can’t even read proper official documents, much less plan a response to them. LOL! She needs the ‘smartest people she knows’ in order to understand a simple renter’s contract? The fact that Lana thinks she needs ‘super-smart’ people in order to read the notice from her landlord suggests, in itself, how completely clueless and oblivious she was to official papers and contracts. She doesn’t seem to realize that she could have approached even Clark or Lois or anyone, and they would have been able to help her in ‘translating’ that scary piece of paper. BUT, she obviously saw the official documentation as so arcane and inexplicable, that, in her view, it required a genius to understand and translate it.

I know that her Aunt Nell was trying to make life easier for her, but it might have been kinder to just shoot Lana as a teenager rather than provide the kind of ‘help’ that Aunt Nell did.

heh… it was rather satisfying (albeit implausible) fun to find out that all of Lana’s previous homes had been given to her for obscene renting fees. That is wasn’t the incandescence of her company that had people falling over themselves offering her a place to stay… it was the thousand dollar checks that she represented that had people welcoming her into their homes.

I was ROTFLOL imagining how Lana represented a new bathroom, Chloe’s universities fees, Clark’s new milking machine and all other kinds of lovely accessories to people. So THAT is the reason why people smiled at her so darned often. It wasn’t because she was sooo pretty or such good company. It was simply because she came with a mess of money to sweeten the deal, ROTFL!

ROTFLMAO! The punchline was a killer. Especially the final line ‘will accept the best offer’… as if Lana truly accepted there to be a deluge of responses from people begging to have her in their homes, and she was going to have the luxury of picking the best offer from the bunch.

Actually, I think it might be a good idea for Chloe, Lex and/or Clark to keep an eye on her… just to make sure she doesn’t sell herself into slavery or something. The only type of person to respond to an ad like that would be someone who is interested in procuring a pretty girl in order to exploit her, and Lana is just foolish enough to go along with such an offer without realizing the danger she’s in until it’s too late.

We don’t like the girl, but that doesn’t mean we want her raped and murdered… right?

Great fic. Funny as heck. Thanks for posting!

Ooh, these were lovely. It's a difficult choice between angsty introspection, Chexy procreation and Lana bashing. Thanks authors!

I'm just wondering when this poll closes, and if you haven't voted yet, please do so as soon as you can:grin3:

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Originally Posted by Kit Merlot

I'm just wondering when this poll closes, and if you haven't voted yet, please do so as soon as you can:grin3:

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Yes, I asked Julie the same thing because Sarah seems to have forgotten to add the deadline in her first post.I suppose it'll be open till the twenty-seventh or the thirtieth... since the new prompt should be posted soon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kit Merlot

I'm just wondering when this poll closes, and if you haven't voted yet, please do so as soon as you can:grin3:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by lexie

Yes, I asked Julie the same thing because Sarah seems to have forgotten to add the deadline in her first post.I suppose it'll be open till the twenty-seventh or the thirtieth... since the new prompt should be posted soon.

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I forwarded the question to Sarah, I guess she just hasn't seen it yet :)

But if you haven't voted yet, you should, because at the moment there's a tie ;)

The stories are really great!!
Sorry but the third OMG!!! so good and so truth!! By the way i hate lana so i love this story!!!! thank you for everyone who write all stories!!

Hey all! Sorry I haven't gotten to the before now.

The voting will go until the 21st. I'm going to post the new challenge on the 1st. This month we're going to start the Round Robin (sign up here *hint hint* :) ) so hopefully we'll get that rhythm going a little and then have a new challenge for July.

So we'll let the voting go a little longer, but get your votes in soon everyone! :D

~Sarah~

They're all so nice and so well written! very good work authors! But the first is the one I most liked, it's so introspective!Thank to all the authors for these great stories!

All right everyone, don't forget to cast your vote in the poll at the top here if you haven't already! :)

The deadline is approaching faaa~aast (21st)!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Julie

I forwarded the question to Sarah, I guess she just hasn't seen it yet :)

But if you haven't voted yet, you should, because at the moment there's a tie ;)

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oooh, so someone has to casy a tiebreaker vote. Oh, the excitement! The nerve-tingling agony of it all!! Someone is going to enjoy the power of picking the winner. Some forum member will hav the thrill of knowing that her/his vote pushed the balance between first and 'non-first' place.
... Can I cast a second vote? I want power, dammit!!

There was a tie, and then there wasn't... And now there's a tie again :P

It seems this month most authors felt like bashing the brunette. :D

Good work, ladies.

I'm crossing my fingers for these challenges to stay alive and healthy. Only seventeen votes? Come on. guys, we're over two hundred active members!!! You don't even have to leave feedback- although I'm sure the authors would appreciate it; it takes only a click of your anonymous mouse to ensure you'll have a bunch of new fics every month.

Hurry up, the deadline is but a few hours away!

I guess Sarah got busy again since its been a week since voting ended and we don't have a result yet... Maybe its a 3 way tie now :P

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Originally Posted by Ultra

I guess Sarah got busy again since its been a week since voting ended and we don't have a result yet... Maybe its a 3 way tie now :P

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I'm also curious. Sarah was around a couple of days ago. Even posted in some threads. I'm sure she'll be back soon and put us out of our misery. LOL

Hey everyone. Sorry for the long delay guys. As soon as I declared that my computer problem was fixed it, of course, broke again and I couldn't get back online until now. Now on to the winner -

Well, the voting was certainly tight, but the winner of this month's challenge is -

Kit Merlot!!!

Congratulations Kit and thanks to everyone who voted and participated. Chlex hugs to you all! :hug:


A quick question: I'm not completely used to the new board and I was wondering - was the poll was set so that everyone could see the results?

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Originally Posted by skauble

Hey everyone. Sorry for the long delay guys. As soon as I declared that my computer problem was fixed it, of course, broke again and I couldn't get back online until now. Now on to the winner -

Well, the voting was certainly tight, but the winner of this month's challenge is -

Kit Merlot!!!

Congratulations Kit and thanks to everyone who voted and participated. Chlex hugs to you all! :hug: ?

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WOO HOO!! Thanks to everyone who voted for my story, it is very much appreciated!:grin3:

I noticed that in some of the reviews, my fic was called "Lana bashing" and I just want to say that I wasn't trying to bash the character as much as I was making fun of the Smallville writers ridiculous Lana-worship.

And in that spirit, I really tried to make the story as absurd, as humorous, as over the top and as "implausible" as I could, so if it made anyone laugh then I’m glad it worked. I mean, Gabe bought a diamond mine–a DIAMOND MINE??!!

Lastly, I really think Lana’s either going to realize that she has to get a job and pay her own way, or she’ll live in that shelter for the rest of her life, because short of Prince William offering her the use of a castle, I don’t think Lana will think any offer is good enough for her :D

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Originally Posted by skauble

A quick question: I'm not completely used to the new board and I was wondering - was the poll was set so that everyone could see the results?

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I know that I couldn't see the poll results--in fact I still can't see them:P

Congratulations, Kit. I had a hunch you were the author. :grin3:

Mine was Story #1, by the way. Thanks to electrageira for voting it- and to whomever else might have picked it.

Sarah, I can't see the results either. You'd set the poll to be visible but Julie changed it to invisible on the very same day. I really don't know how to fix that because I've never posted any polls.:P

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

Story One - Tell Me...
I thought this was an excellent fic. Usually I like a little more action as well as introspection, but I always make an exception for Chloe and/or Lex introspections because they’re always so interesting and unexpected.

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Glad you enjoyed it. I tend to go for introspection in my short fics- especially when they're this short. I knew it would probably play against me as soon as I read Lana was in the other two fics, but there's always an audience for every kind of fic.:grin3:

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

I liked Chloe’s soul-searching revealed in this story. The poor girl is obviously conflicted, unhappy and guilt-ridden… and all of her conflict and misery comes from forces outside of herself. The secret that she’s burdened with to protect someone else, the guilt that she’s feeling from making the mistake of being tricked and manipulated by the Magnificent Bastard… and most of all, the desire that she feels for this beautiful, brilliant, amazing man that she can’t being herself to trust completely.

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This was an unusual fic for me in the sense that I very rarely focus 100% on Chloe - well,I should say never. I'm a Lex-girl and he's always the centre of the piece; although it's true that his role in this ficlet is as important as Chloe's because he's the one who triggers the conflict in her and whose presence and attraction provokes all this angsty introspection.

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

All of Chloe’s miseries come from being pulled in just too many directions at once. Where her conscience, intellect and desire are all conflicting with each other. It’s making a mess of her life and internal system, and it’s only a matter of time before she breaks under all that pressure. It will take a while for Chloe to break, because she’s quite strong, but that very same strength is being played against her because it’s her own intellect, conscience and desires that are pulling her apart at the seams.

This was a brilliant fic encapsulating Chloe’s self-destructive, conflicting urges… and how something had got to give eventually. In the end, she’s going to have to abandon or betray something… Perhaps I’m just selfish enough to hope that Chloe damns the world to hell, as long as she satisfies her own desires first. GO Chlex!!

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I wish something like this had happened on the show- that is Chloe questioning herself as to whether her keeping Clark's secret and sacrificing her life for him was worth it. And, of course, I'd have jumped up and down if she'd come apart at the seams and turned to Lex.

In my world this story ends up with Chloe thinking about herself and her needs for a change. Go Chlex indeed!

Thanks for the nice review, somethingeasy.:blinkkiss

Congratulations, Kit :D

And thanks for the awesome reply to my feedback, Lexie!

Congrats, Kit :D Story 2 was mine, and I'd be interested to see how close the votes were - shame the results can't be viewed now its all over...

Thanks to all who voted for me anyway, assuming there was more than one person! :P

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

This was my favourite story from the bunch. I think I have a special weakness for fics which involve Lex and Chloe working together to take over the world. And it certainly helps that it’s well engaging and well-written.

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Thank you so much, sabrina :)

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

First of all, I loved that Chloe and Lex were obviously equal partners in this plan to take over the world. Oh it’s obvious that they both tease each other saying that the plan and takeover is a ‘personal’ plan, but they both know it’s a joint execution and effort that’s going to secure them both the victory that they deserve.

I did appreciate, however, that Lex was shown to be as ‘slightly’ senior partner in this enterprise. That’s because he’s the one who has the practice and experience in putting this plan together, as well as maintaining it and fine-tuning it whenever the needs arises. Chloe is great on tactical planning, but LEX is the long-term strategic planner.

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I just didn't think Chloe would stand for being seen as less important than Lex in all this, even though he's always going to be the richer and more devious of the two.

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

So I liked the way that Lex occasionally needs to soothe Chloe’s passions and jealousies in order to make sure that she maintains the façade that she’s constructed. heh, and he soothes so VERY well, doesn’t he, lol! I was initially enraged to find out that Lex had carried his façade to the extent where he’s married to Lana… but I forgave him, a little bit, with his impassioned speech about how he can ONLY bear to be with Lana by desperately pretending that he’s touching Chloe.

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I wanted to fit so much into this fic, the devious plotting and the sexy angle too. Honestly, when I watch the episodes of Smallville in which Lex and Lana get close, the only way I can deal is to imagine he's thinking of Chloe, so I guess thats where that came from! lol

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

aaargh! Still, Lex had better be prepared to grovel big-time for Chloe when the time comes for him to dump his fake marriage with Lana and go public with his real relationship with Chloe. He has a lot to make up for, for putting Chloe through watching her man marry and bed another woman.

Still, it’s good to know that Chloe is getting a little bit of revenge using Jimmy. Yes, I know it’s petty, but it’s probably the only thing that allows Chloe to keep her sanity and feel that she’s on equal footing with Lex. If she has to watch her lover kiss and fuck another woman, then Lex also had to suffer his beloved having an affair with another man.

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Again, she was never going to let Lex have the upper hand. If he was going to be with Lana, she was going to attempt in making him just as jealous by fake-dating Jimmy. It just made sense to me. :)

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

The ending was fantastic!!! I was pretty certain that Lex was not fooling around with Chloe, and just stringing her along in a double-fake relationship, but it was great to get confirmation of that by his reaction to the news to her pregnancy. You can’t fake that kind of doting delight! Lex is most definitely genuinely in love with Chloe, and he despises being with Lana almost as much as Chloe despises seeing him with Lana. I’m so GLAD that a pregnancy was added onto the tail end of this fic, because it was really needed to confirm the sincerity of Lex’s commitment to Chloe.

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Honestly, I almost didn't put the pregnancy in, I thought maybe it'd be a step too far, but I so wanted to use it. The affair, the devious plot to take over the world, and the pregnancy were all seperate idea I had for fics to answer this challenge. In the end, because I could not choose between them, I attempted to shove them all into one big super-fic! Still wasn't enough to win, but I am very glad you liked it ;)

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

*sigh* it would be nice to get an epilogue to this fic, showing the two of them actually surveying over a world that they rule together. But I’ll settle for just imagining them being the supreme overlords of Earth.

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Hmm, an Epilogue, huh? Could happen, I guess... ;)

Lexie and Ultra, I enjoyed your stories as well and I loved seeing everybody's different versions of a Smallville secret.

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Originally Posted by somethingeasy

Story Three - Sour Times
ROTFLMAO! It’s been a long time since I’ve read a really good and funny Lana-bashing fic. Lana-bashing is admittedly fun (to write as well as to read), but it’s been done so many times that it’s hard to find a new angle to write and/or read. Which is why I loved this ficlet, which actually made me laugh out loud, enjoying Lana’s specially prescribed torment. ROTFL!

The fic started out with me suspecting that it was a Lana-bashing fic, considering that our Chlex couple seemed completely unconcerned, and even a little amused, when they saw Lana approaching them in distraught hysteria.

The plot got even funnier when Lana revealed her complete inability to comprehend the real world when she showed that she can’t even read proper official documents, much less plan a response to them. LOL! She needs the ‘smartest people she knows’ in order to understand a simple renter’s contract? The fact that Lana thinks she needs ‘super-smart’ people in order to read the notice from her landlord suggests, in itself, how completely clueless and oblivious she was to official papers and contracts. She doesn’t seem to realize that she could have approached even Clark or Lois or anyone, and they would have been able to help her in ‘translating’ that scary piece of paper. BUT, she obviously saw the official documentation as so arcane and inexplicable, that, in her view, it required a genius to understand and translate it.

I know that her Aunt Nell was trying to make life easier for her, but it might have been kinder to just shoot Lana as a teenager rather than provide the kind of ‘help’ that Aunt Nell did.

heh… it was rather satisfying (albeit implausible) fun to find out that all of Lana’s previous homes had been given to her for obscene renting fees. That is wasn’t the incandescence of her company that had people falling over themselves offering her a place to stay… it was the thousand dollar checks that she represented that had people welcoming her into their homes.

I was ROTFLOL imagining how Lana represented a new bathroom, Chloe’s universities fees, Clark’s new milking machine and all other kinds of lovely accessories to people. So THAT is the reason why people smiled at her so darned often. It wasn’t because she was sooo pretty or such good company. It was simply because she came with a mess of money to sweeten the deal, ROTFL!

ROTFLMAO! The punchline was a killer. Especially the final line ‘will accept the best offer’… as if Lana truly accepted there to be a deluge of responses from people begging to have her in their homes, and she was going to have the luxury of picking the best offer from the bunch.

Actually, I think it might be a good idea for Chloe, Lex and/or Clark to keep an eye on her… just to make sure she doesn’t sell herself into slavery or something. The only type of person to respond to an ad like that would be someone who is interested in procuring a pretty girl in order to exploit her, and Lana is just foolish enough to go along with such an offer without realizing the danger she’s in until it’s too late.

We don’t like the girl, but that doesn’t mean we want her raped and murdered… right?

Great fic. Funny as heck. Thanks for posting!

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Thanks for giving me such wonderful feedback Sabrina, but truthfully I never saw this as bashing just making fun of the writers excessive worship of the Lang:grin3:

Congrats Kit!

I've edited the poll, so everyone should be able to see the results :)

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Originally Posted by Julie

I've edited the poll, so everyone should be able to see the results :)

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Thanks, Jules. It was a very tight win... It could have gone any way.

Wow, that really was close!

Just wondering if the July challenge was ever announced? I read the first post here, and it said that there would be a round robin then a new challenge for July. Please direct me towards it, if I've missed it. Thanks.

I loved these 3 stories. Going with secrets, it would have been easy to just focus on Clark's (the biggest one looming over Chloe and Lex's heads), but to actually create a whole intrigue from scratch (in a short story no less), instead of focusing on the existing ideas from the show is extremely noteworthy.
What is also great are the different types of the stories and their posting order; you start with a dash of angst, switch to anger and end up with humor to wash it all down :)
Great read! Can't wait for next time

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Originally Posted by ~*~Tasha~*~

Just wondering if the July challenge was ever announced? I read the first post here, and it said that there would be a round robin then a new challenge for July. Please direct me towards it, if I've missed it. Thanks.

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You can find the threads for the summer round robin here:

http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/...active-Stories

:)

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Originally Posted by ~*~Tasha~*~

Just wondering if the July challenge was ever announced? I read the first post here, and it said that there would be a round robin then a new challenge for July. Please direct me towards it, if I've missed it. Thanks.

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The July challenge has been announced, Tasha. You can find the thread here

i loved all the stories they were great.