Bluesabby strikes again! :clap:
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Bluesabby strikes again! :clap:
Great beginning, I can't wait for the scheming to begin!
Love the story can't wait to see what Lionel and Gabe have instore for Lex and Chloe!
Gabe-Lionel... Mmm... There is a lethal combination if I ever saw one!
Don't you dare stop, Sabby... And you too Blue! Or I'll... hunt you down and force you to finish. And just cause I'm petit don't think that I can't! (Tries looking menacing and random passer-by laughs).
Oh, well, I tried. Now you finish it and all's better.
:chlexsign1:
:yay: :yay: :yay:
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORAY!
get ready for a wild ride!!! :huh: :huh:
I can't wait-- *can't wait*-- for you guys to update. I'm looking forward to meeting your chlex in this! I'm already loving the complicity betw. Gabe and Lionel ...
Soon please??!
:chlexsign4:
PLEASE?
I don't know why, but I absolutely love the idea of there being gullibility scales.Quote:
Lionel spared one last glance into the room as the door closed. The table was covered with personality reports, compatibility charts and, perhaps most importantly, gullibility scales. Yes, this was a job that only a madman would tackle. Or, perhaps, two.
That was a great start and I'm looking forward to your next update.
:biggrin: I love this fic so far - Lionel and Gabe are too funny. Update soon please.
A/N: Sabby: Ok here be an update. Some hatching and lots of Gabe and Lionel and, yeah enjoy!
A/N: Blue: And on with the show....... You got yourself some Lex, but no Chloe yet. However, that's not important right now. You've got scheming Lionel. Enjoy!
Two months ago:
Keeping his face impassive was a talent that Lionel had honed years ago. However, his son always seemed to be the one to test it the most. Yet, he was able to remain looking aloof when he heard of his son’s plan to marry again. The man in question sat across the desk from Lionel. As he digested the unhappy news, Lionel wondered if it was some sort of plan that Lex had hatched in order to induce him into having a heart attack.
“Her name is Skylar? Charming, Lex. And, which of the finer establishments with a pole did you find her in?” As soon as his son was out the door he would run a check on this woman, both of them knew it, but he found that it was best to get as much information out of Lex sooner rather than later.
Lex's eyes narrowed dangerously at his father. What was his problem, anyway? It wasn't like Lex was looking for true love or anything. He just wanted to get the hell over the damn marrying business and get on with his life. It wasn't his fault that the women he ended up with didn't manage to cope with him. He'd tried. The reason he went for the lower end of the food chain was that he didn't trust a smart woman not to try to kill him for his money.
So he'd gotten married 5 times within the last 4 years, subsequently to Candie, Bunnie, Fyre, Daisy, and Angel. None of the marriages had worked out and the alimony bills would be killing him if three of the five hadn't decided to marry again. Ironically enough two of the three had gone for business partners of Lex's.
“I met her at the Metropolis art gallery, dad. She happens to have a very sweet personality and seems not to mind the fact that I have various important obligations.”
“She’s sweet,” Lionel queried incredulously, his rancor right on the surface. Sweet was not something that Lex would be able to abide by. Also, if that was the primary word that his son chose to describe her, it was actually code for ‘dumb as a post.’
While Lex’s life was his own, or Lionel tried to pretend so every now and again, it was also tied up with his own. Putting aside what Lionel knew what was best for Lex, there was also the prestige of the Luthor name to think of.
It had already taken numerous hits with the cut-throat business deals, the fact that Lex seemed to marry indiscriminately and the constant malarkey that Lucas partook in. Lionel was worried about the name carrying on. Or, more specifically, what the next generation of Luthors would be like.
He was not about to have imbeciles for grandchildren, he simply would not abide by it. Lionel had worked far too hard, both inside and outside the lines of the law, to have his empire torpedoed by the progeny of his son and some simpleton with the name of Skylar.
After Lex’s thirtieth birthday, he had hoped that his son would straighten out and fly right. However, he had subsequently gotten married to women with stripper names that were not even spelled properly. It was time for the boy to grow up whether he was ready for it or not.
“Did she enjoy all of the pretty colors that she saw?’ Lex would do what he wished so Lionel would get in the digs while he could. He knew that it only made Lex more resolute in his decisions, but the compulsion was too great to resist.
Lionel rose from his desk and poured a hefty helping of scotch into his glass. “Your obligations are of no concern to her because she cannot comprehend them. She will only view your job as something that will give her more time to shop and fuck whatever various members of the help that she can find.”
The liquid burned its way down his throat. That should be enough for Lex to storm out of the office with a biting comment on his lips. After that, Lionel would be forced to come up with a plan to stop his son. Both of their futures were dwindling away before Lionel’s eyes.
Thankfully, Lex’s past few wives hadn’t been homicidal so Lionel didn’t think he had that to worry about. Just the weak, dim genes that would be passed on to his grandchildren.
Then there was the fact that Lionel fully believed that powerful men needed a formidable woman to keep them on their toes. The stupidity that Lex surrounded himself would eventually catch up with him.
Bottom line: this cycle needed to be put a stop to. And, if Lex was unable or unwilling to do it himself then Lionel would step in himself.
Lex's jaw clenched involuntarily at his father's dig. Of course Skylar hadn't shown any particular knowledge about any paintings or sculptures, but that wasn't the point. If he wanted intelligent conversation, he'd look for a person who shared an interest, not a wife.
Frankly, he'd had enough of this conversation, and even more of the constant meddling of his father's where his personal life was concerned. It was tiresome and annoying. “Interesting you should bring that up, dad. Considering your loose definition of matrimonial fidelity. What makes you think I care?”
Getting up from his own chair, he made his way towards the door. “This discussion is over. Since you didn't bother showing up the last four times, I'll see you after we get back from Bahli.”
He made his way out of the office at a normal pace, closing the door behind him in a polite manner. Five years ago, he might have slammed it shut, but he was not a child anymore.
~~~~
Lionel walked aimlessly around the offices of LuthorCorp. He could see that it unsettled his employees but he paid them no mind. When tasked with a puzzle, he had to keep in constant motion in order to figure out the best course of action.
Lex was going to continue to get married until he got himself killed or bankrupted his personal fortune with all of the alimony he was forced to pay. The solution was to get Lex a wife that that would neither make an attempt on his life nor leave him. Not an easy bill to fill.
He turned a corner and nodded at various employees as he made his way through the hallways. There was a constant chatter in the air that he enjoyed a great deal. People going about their business ensuring the stability of the company…and of his own wallet. If only Lex could do the same for him.
So, he had to find his son a suitable wife. One that wouldn’t be offput by the fact that Lex had been married seven, now going on eight, times. She would have to be intelligent and able to put up with Lex.
A brief frown marred his face as he continued on his stroll. These attributes would be difficult, if not impossible, to find. He also was not in the mood to deal with a vapid twenty year old as a daughter-in-law so he ruled out women that were young and impressionable who could be molded into what Lionel needed for Lex.
The somewhat familiar voice, full of a tone akin with what he had been using with his son in the beginning of their conversation, wafting over to him from the opened door of an office caused Lionel to pause in his stride.
“Teddy?” Gabe paused to take a deep breath and resign himself to the situation, again. “And which bar did you pick that specimen up in?” Heaving a heavy sigh, he shook his head, pushing away the papers in front of him with disgust. “He's cute,” he couldn't help sneering at that. God, if that was the only qualification needed these days to be fit to date his daughter, the world was coming to an end. “Yes, I'm sure it's not a problem for him to go along with your schedule considering he's likely sleeping the entire day while you do your work.”
Impossible. Just downright unacceptable. He'd never gotten too involved with the dating habits of his daughter, but the vast array of men she had been through within the last four years was slowly but surely pushing Gabe to the brink of his resolve, and sanity. Something would have to be done.
“No, honestly, I am not happy about this, Chloe. You deserve better than a bartender at a run down shack at the seedier side of town.” He closed his eyes as the voice of his daughters reprimand washed over him in a fit of temper. “No, it's not my life and yes, you are an adult, but I wish you'd act accordingly and actually make some adult choices for a change.” Another flurry of words and then the dial-tone.
“Great,” he mumbled to himself.
They'd talk about it again, in the evening, when both their tempers had cooled down and they could talk about it level-headed and reasonable. That didn't do anything about the fact that Gabe wanted to take something and throw it against the wall though. “God, dammit!”
“Why do I get the distinct feeling that you were talking to your daughter, Gabe?” Lionel had stood in his employee’s doorway for the tail end of the conversation and the other man hadn’t noticed.
If Gabe was anything like himself when he was arguing with the stubborn ass that was his son, everything else seemed to fade into the background. That could be the only explanation for why Gabe hadn’t noticed him lurking about. Lionel regarded the other man and thought about the words that he had gritted into the receiver of the phone.
“Has she decided to pursue another relationship that you don’t approve of?” Lionel was truly interested in Gabe’s predicament. The two of them had spent numerous hours in meetings together. Afterwards, they would sometimes complain to each other about their children’s ineptitude in the romantic realm of their lives, never getting into specifics. It was a sort of competition between them. Though, with Lex’s marrying tic, Lionel always won.
Now, Lionel realized that the answer to the Luthors’ problems had been right in front of him the whole time.
Chloe Sullivan had always been stubborn, head strong and infuriating. She was also terribly quick witted, intelligent and had grown into an incredibly attractive young woman. These attributes would suit Lex very well. Which is probably why his son had never made any overtures in that direction.
Gabe jerked up in his chair, surprised to find his boss ambling into his office, a smirk pasted on his face. “Teddy,” he grit out the name. “She met him in a bar and he's cute, they plan to move in together.” He shuddered.
Why Chloe never had managed to find a man in her own league was frankly, beyond Gabe. She dragged in the most horrible candidates and it never lasted longer than a couple of months. He'd seen each and every one of them and his reactions had ranged from simple disgust to pure astounded incredulity.
“Lex?” He dared to ask, having heard a rumor from his own secretary and knowing for a fact that the younger Luthor had had a meeting with his father that morning.
Lionel walked over and parked himself in the chair across Gabe’s desk, crossing one leg over the other. “Her name is Skylar. Apparently, she’s sweet.” The word came out sounding like ‘bitch.’ Lionel ran a hand over his face. “My grandchildren will most likely take three years to discover their own feet what with the rocket scientists that Lex marries.”
Trying to give Gabe some hope, he said, “At least your Chloe only lives with them.” He paused and tilted his head to the side, as if considering something, “Perhaps we should introduce Teddy to Skylar. I think that they’d be perfect together.”
Lionel looked at his watch and then asked, “Is ten thirty in the morning too early to start drinking?”
Gabe had winced in sympathy at the description of Lex's newest acquisition. The man had a point, though. So far, at least Chloe hadn't even considered marrying any of the turds she dragged in. The last question threw him off a little, making him wonder what the right answer would be. On the one hand, the man in front of him was his boss and drinking during office hours was not in any way legit. On the other hand. Teddy and Skylar.
“Can I offer you a beer?” He got up from his chair and crossed to the small fridge next to the door that led into the small en-suite bathroom.
It was just incomprehensible that both their children would be so blind as to hook up with people that were clearly not of their own league. The handful of women Lex had married in the last few years had been so far below, it hurt. The younger Luthor was a passionate, ruthless business man who thrived on challenges and spoke his mind, not afraid to venture into risky territory if there could be benefits to it.
A small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth as he thought of another person with quite similar attitude. It was a shame that she wouldn't look in the direction of someone like Lex instead of the mostly brainless, lazy couch potatoes without any potential ambitions.
Lionel rose out of his chair, his mind made up now on the issue. Lex and Chloe’s poor choices had driven both himself and Gabe to drink at work. This was unacceptable. If they could not make the proper choices on their own, well, it was a parent’s job to correct their children’s behavior.
“Gabe, how many times do I have to tell you that that swill is beneath you?” Gabe stopped in his motion to open the mini-fridge. “Much like Chloe’s choice in men, if you’d allow me to draw an over the top parallel.”
He stole a glance at the man’s desk and saw that it was littered with work. But this took precedence over anything. “I have an excellent bottle of scotch in the office. I just received it as a gift. I’d like you to join me for a drink.” He paused and then said, “There is a certain delicate matter that I’d like to discuss with you.”
Lionel couldn’t help the smirk that appeared on his face. It was brought about by imagining the reactions of both of their children’s faces if they knew what he was up to.
Gabe closed the door to the fridge and turned around. Seeing the expression on Lionel Luthor's face just then, a cold shudder slithered down his spine. This was not good, in any way shape or form. And the worst was, he couldn't even begin to fathom what the man was up to now, but he had this nervous inkling that it had something to do with what they'd just been talking about, and that he was going to be involved, like it or not.
“Alright,” he answered slowly, looking at the taller man with as much suspicion as he dared, “I'll just sort out the reports and close the file.” Walking over to his desk, he did just that, avoiding the other man's gaze for a moment, trying to figure out what the devious bastard could be up to now.
On the upside, he'd be treated to scotch, which was never a bad thing. Usually he favored beer, but that was because familiarity made habit and since he couldn't often afford a good scotch and was in no way inclined to put up with the cheap stuff, just to have any.
~~~~
Instead of sitting across from Gabe, Lionel had chosen to take the one of the chairs next to him in his office. He knew that the other man was wary of what was going on because of his body language and expression.
It would only go downhill from there once he explained what he wanted to happen. However, Lionel had a feeling that it would only take a little cajoling to get the man on his side. He decided to use the name ‘Teddy’ as much as he had to.
Once they were both seated and Gabe had taken a few sips from the drink, Lionel spoke. The most direct way was best.
“I would like for Lex and Chloe to marry.” He paused. “Each other, that is. What are your feelings on that?” Lionel made sure to deliver the line once Gabe had swallowed his last gulp of the liquid.
Gabe was thankful he had swallowed already, so he only choked on his own intake of air. He couldn't help stare at Lionel incredulously, sure he must've heard wrong there, because there was no way Lionel Luther had just said what Gabe thought he'd said.
“Come again?”
Lex and Chloe? The two had hardly met after both of them had left Smallville and went separate ways, Chloe to college in New York and Lex to Metropolis to start business. And Lionel honestly wanted them to get married? Proposed it like it was just a matter of signing a contract between himself and Gabe. Like they were two emperors somewhere in the Dark Ages drawing up a marriage contract for the benefits of two countries.
“With all due respect, Mr. Luthor,” he shook his head, “Have you lost your mind?”
“Gabe, this is the last time that I’m going to tell you to call me Lionel. Consider it an order if it makes it easier on you.” They had to get formality out of the way between them, it was a first step to working together on this.
He took another sip of the scotch. It really was an excellent bottle and he made a note to get some more. “And, while Lex’s escapades have caused me more than a few gray hairs, I can assure you that my mind is still in tact.” Lionel placed his glass back on his desk.
“Think about it. Our children keep finding their Teddys and Skylars. Their relationships never work out because the people that they are choosing to let into their lives can’t even begin to understand them.” He spoke forcefully, allowing just the slightest emotion to color his voice.
“They both find people who are lesser than they are. All of the ex-Mrs. Luthors are idiots while Chloe keeps dating troglodytes. If we allow them to continue on in this way,” he shrugged, “we both may lose our minds.”
He studied the man, who appeared to still be speechless. “I know what you’re thinking. That Chloe is an obvious step up for Lex but the same may not hold true for your daughter. Lex respects her, that much I know. And, for Lex, that is very unique. I think that we can help them to build on what they have to get to something that they could both prosper from and enjoy immensely.”
Gabe shook his head. In theory it all sounded good, but in life? That was a whole different matter entirely. It just didn't seem feasible that there was a way to play matchmaker. Not with these two. Downright impossible. And work on what they have? He took a deep gulp of his drink, relishing the burn and the warmth settling in his stomach.
“Build on what they have? They don't have anything, Lionel. I don't even remember the last time they met face to face, do you?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Gabe leaned back in his seat. “Don't get me wrong, in theory it sounds good. Hell I'd be all for it to have Chloe finally get with someone who is worth her time and effort, but this is just impossible!”
Not to mention the fact that when Chloe got wind of it, and she would get wind of it if there was anything going on, there'd be hell to pay. Gabe was sure that the same held true for Lex.
So, Gabe wasn’t totally opposed to the idea. It was a pleasant surprise. Now all he would have to do was convince him that it was a brilliant idea.
“They build on what they had when they were both in Smallville. As I’ve told you, I know that he respected her. And, if you’ll forgive me for saying so, I know that my son wasn’t blind to her physical attractiveness.” Lionel knew that he had to be careful here. Fathers were very protective of their daughter’s virtues and he knew that Gabe would be no exception.
Moving on quickly, Lionel said, “I do know that their dealings were usually amicable…until one of them was too obstinate to listen to the other one. Then things quickly went down hill.” Lionel said the last part almost to himself. He had studied up on all of the people that Lex came into contact with in Smallville and Chloe had been no exception.
He shook his head. “I think that it can be done. It may take some doing but I do believe if they would just open their eyes to the possibility then half of the battle will be over. And,” a certain devious sparkle appeared in his eyes, “if both of us were to come down hard against it,” he shrugged, “I believe that we both know what will happen.”
Gabe's brow arched as he regarded Lionel carefully. Again, the man did have a point, the two had gotten along in the brief time that they had interacted in Smallville. Still, it seemed highly unlikely. He didn't give Lionel's comment about the physical attraction a second thought. He wasn't naive by a long shot and whatever virtue Chloe might have had at some point was surely long gone and buried.
He could see though, that a plan was already taking shape in Lionel's mind and from the effort the other man put into convincing him, Gabe was sure he wouldn't let it go until he'd gotten his will. It was somewhere between ridiculous and downright horrifying. “So you want to convince our children to start a relationship, using reverse psychology? First pushing them together, then forbidding them to see each other just to make sure they go through with it?”
Yepp, definitely ridiculous and downright horrifying.
Lionel chuckled. “Not exactly. I think that we both know that if either of our children catch a whiff of us having a hand in it then the plan will be over before it really begins.” Lionel grabbed his drink and downed it and then motioned for Gabe to do the same. He took the two empty glasses back over to refill them.
“I propose that we just make sure that they interact with one another and let nature take its course. With a little help from us, that is.” He poured two more drinks and then sat back down next to Gabe, handing him his glass.
“We’ll play it by ear and see how much encouragement either or both of them will need. I don’t expect it to happen overnight or easily but I do believe that they got their tenacity from somewhere. I assure you that I can be just as stubborn as my son, Gabe. And, I see some of Chloe’s bull headedness in you, as well.”
He took a sip of his drink. “If we join forces, I am sure that we will come out the victors in this. And, therefore, our children will as well.”
Gabe took a healthy swig of his drink, contemplating his options. Either, he could sit by and watch his daughter make her way through an endless array of Teddies, Tobies, Markies and other various -ies. Or, he could go along with Lionel's plan and at least have a shot at finally seeing his daughter with a man worthy of her. Looking at things from that angle, there really was no question. Consequences be damned.
“I believe you got yourself a deal, Lionel.” He raised his glass towards the other man and finalized the deal, hoping that the end-result wasn't apocalyptic in effect.
A true smile broke over Lionel’s face. “Excellent. I promise you won’t regret it, Gabe.” Reconsidering his words he said, “Well, you may and at many points in the next few months, but I’m certain that we’ll get the desired result.”
Lionel clinked his glass against Gabe’s. “To the happy couple.”
:biggrin: WONDERFULLL!!!! man oh man, I have never in my life seen such a great convo between the two, and this premis is just fab! please post more as soon as ya can! :blinkkiss:
:worship2: :worship2: that was a totally excellent update. Bring on the matchmaking