Title: The Gift Exchange
Author: superag
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Smallville or any of its characters are not owned by me and I make no money off anything that I write. Those people that own DC, WB have all the luck and all the ownership. I just do this for fun.
Synopsis: See the title.
A/N – Short ficlet that came to me in my merry and romantic holiday mood. Hope you enjoy the first part.
…………………
“What’s up with the box?” Lex pointed out the incredibly bright packaging sitting on the counter at the Talon. Looking over at Clark, he rolled his eyes.
“Lana’s idea to drum up the Christmas spirit, which she has thought is somehow lacking.” Clark picked up one of the small pieces of paper and offered one to Lex. Grudgingly, Lex pulled his pen and stared at the shiny gold paper.
“Lex, don’t tell me Mr. ‘I haven’t celebrated Christmas for twenty years’ is actually going to participate in this? Don’t get me wrong – the more the merrier, but you don’t have to.”
Lex wrote his name simply and folded the paper and handed it to Lana. Taking both Clark and Lex’s paper, she shoved them in the small hole in the box and smiled before disappearing into the storeroom.
“So when do we find out what in the world we have to do?”
“Tomorrow night we’re drawing names. Just come by and get one.”
“See you then.” Lex picked up the latte that had been set in front of him and halfway nodded in Clark’s direction. Turning and starting out the door, he halfway sidestepped to miss Chloe Sullivan.
“Sorry Lex. Have you seen Lana?”
“Follow the happy humming or Clark,” he casually dropped and pointed in the direction that Clark disappeared to.
Halfway grunting in frustration, Chloe tried to break a smile, “Thanks, for what it’s worth.”
“Don’t mention it. By the way, make sure Lana sees you enter the gift exchange program. She seems very adamant on chasing people around with those little gold slips of paper.” Lex halfway smirked and took a drink.
“Already done. Guess who got stuck wrapping the box.” Chloe smiled and walked toward the counter.
Lex nodded again in amusement as he exited the Talon.
…………….
The next night Lex pulled in front of his coffee house and stared at the place. Even if he didn’t know where it was, he could have found it a mile away. Bright red lights covered the entire outside of the building. Getting out of the car, he put his sunglasses on. She had to be kidding, right?
“She’s not kidding,” Chloe quipped. “She and Clark spent most of last night cleaning out all of Nell’s old lights and went a little overboard. Have fun telling her to take them down. I don’t think you’re going to convince her. Come on.”
Lex opened the door up and suddenly thought he had entered Santa’s North Pole. Eyeing Lana from across the room, he took a deep breath. “Excuse me Chloe.”
Chloe watched as Lex purposely strolled away and then busted out laughing. “She’s so going to pay.”
“What?” Clark walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. Chloe pointed slightly over at the two arguing.
“Guess Lex could only handle so much Christmas spirit.”
Chloe looked up at him and laughed. “Lex, spirit? I bet everything will be down before we even draw names.” Chloe and Clark both laughed before walking in and sitting down in the overly obvious circle that Lana had set up around the box.
Sitting down, Clark saved two seats before the rest of the seats were taken by various high school jock and cheerleaders hoping to draw each other. Lex shoved his hands in pockets in partial defeat over the decorative scheme and sat down next to Clark and some other random girl.
Leaning over in Clark’s direction, he whispered, “How do I get sucked into these things?”
“Because your father stuck you in a town you don’t belong and then went to prison and you haven’t left.” Clark and Lex shared a subtle giggle and both sat back in the chairs as if the next few minutes would compare to physical torture.
“Hello and welcome everyone to the first Talon gift exchange. As part of Christmas holidays, we are going to all draw names and buy gifts based on the listed hobbies and interests of the people that are on each paper. Then there’s cookies and eggnog on the house.” Lana smiled and picked up the box. “Now, who’s first?”
Lana walked around with the box and teased several boys before the cheerleaders all drew names and whispered about each other’s draws. Coming around the circle, she stood in front of both Lex and Clark, beaming.
“Make it interesting boys. I have to actually write about this in the Torch tomorrow,” Chloe smirked. She pointed teasingly at Lex when he rolled his eyes at her in response.
Clark drew his name first and shoved it in his pocket. Lana looked down at Lex as if she was begging for him to participate. He couldn’t back out now; the number would be uneven and he would ruin everything. He sighed and took one of the last pieces of paper out of the box and shoved it in his coat pocket.
“Who’d you get?” Clark questioned.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll get my secretary to pick up something nice for whoever it is. I just feel bad for the person that thinks they have to actually get my something.”
“Yeah,” Clark agreed and looked at Chloe, who had drawn her name. Opening it up like a very unlucky fortune, her face contorted into dismay and confusion. “You?”
“Not telling,” she covered as she shoved the name in the pocket of her purse. “I gotta get going. I actually have a paper to put bed before tomorrow and some studying.” Getting up, she passed Lex and looked at him, “See ya.”
“Bye,” Lex quickly dropped as Chloe went out of the door. Getting up from his seat, he looked over the free spread that no one was eating and then looked at Clark. “She ok?”
“I don’t know. Apparently she didn’t like the name that she got for the gift exchange, like it freaked her.”
“No more so than me; I'm just along for the ride. I have to go – early meeting. Say bye to Lana for me. And tell her the lights have to come down.” Before Clark could respond, Lex was out the door, and Clark could hear the car speed off.
………………….
Lex sat his desk and pulled the small piece of paper out of his coat pocket. He waited for the name of the head cheerleader to appear and know a pair of earrings would do. His eyes widened at the name. Not believing his luck, he halfway smirked and laid the paper on the desk.
Name: Chloe Sullivan
Interests: Writing for the Torch
Present Ideas: something unique….
Sitting back in his chair, he realized that no secretary would handle this; he would do something so unique, so different she would never know it was him, at least not until the right time.
TBC
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I´m looking forward to the next instalment.
I'm assuming somehow Chloe also got Lex's name? But even if she didn't I love that he got her, and can't wait to see what unique thing he's going to get for her. Please post more very soon! 
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Re: The Gift Exchange (PG) new 12/6/07
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