The Lesser of Two Evils - NC-17, Chapter 56 (May 27, 2016)

[cbrunberg]

its is strange to see lex do something normal.but it is nice.glad that they are trying.can't wait to see what happens on there date.

[Kit Merlot]

I love how cute and adorable Chloe and Lex are together--I feel like this is a good start for them

[kitten]

Chapter Fifty-three


Somewhere in Metropolis, a news stand was barren, Chloe thought dazedly. She had accepted an offer of good company on bad movie night, not an invitation to a research project into her first quasi-date with Lex Luthor.

However, her cousin had spent what looked like a full pay-cheque on newspapers and magazines. She settled in to let Lois have her say. It was slightly awkward when the other woman only scanned photos shot with zoom lenses. Eventually, once Chloe started mixing their traditional movie margaritas, her cousin looked up.

"It says here you guys were holding hands when you sat on the bench," Lois said, her eyes narrowed with accusation.

Chloe looked up from her careful measure of a shot into a blender, then shook her head. "No. No hand holding. He walked his dog, I walked with them. No touching."

Her cousin leaned on the countertop that doubled as a kitchen table in her small apartment. "Fine! But how do you explain all the smiling?"

It was startling to imagine they had been smiling. It hadn't felt particularly happy. Cara, the dog, did a few funny things that made her laugh briefly. Lex had been polite, but his smile was the tight, closed expression he wore during press conferences. Her expression had gotten away from her after a few minutes of careful small talk.

"I was trying to be sociable." Blushing, looking away and clamming up like a shy child could be passably flirtatious, she told herself.

"With him? You remember all the stuff with him, right? I don't mean to be cruel, but you do remember?"

Hitting the blend button harder than needed, Chloe walked into the living room to get away from the two kinds of noise. She was going to have to make the next date the day before a busy work day for Lois, or the detailed dismantling of every action would require a month of ducking Lois' calls.

"I remember it. I also remember he helped me, and he's willing to try to help me again," Chloe said. "Dr. Concord-"

"She is not a real therapist," Lois interrupted.

In the first desperate weeks after the rape, Lois had bullied her for her own good and supported Chloe unwaveringly. The emotional turmoil had left the memories of that time blurry. Lois had sat up with her more nights than either of them had slept, never complaining of strain. Lois had suggested Gabe should know what really happened to his daughter, but only once. It was a real example of love and self-sacrifice. Neither of them was known for meekness.

Years later, as Chloe became stronger, Lois was less afraid to offer opinions on Luthors, doctors and Chloe's coping methods. She asked about Dr. Concord with a peevish tendency to interpret everything in the worst light. Getting a new doctor meant somehow telling that doctor about most of what happened, without getting any mob guys suspicious Chloe was telling people about the night they killed Lionel Luthor. Therapy needed honesty, and honesty was not a safe option. Swinging back to turn off the blender, she shrugged.

"But she's my therapist, Lo. She did learn about psychiatry, it's just not her specialty. She thinks the reason I'm hung up about sex is because I need a starting point with a man. I've had sex with Lex before. I wasn't happy about it, it wasn't as much my choice as it should have been. He's my only sexual partner ever. This makes sense. It does. I can't lay it out for you with statistics or anything. It feels like an idea that can work."

Lois pushed past her bad mood to take down glasses and produce lime slices. She used the shot glass to dip into the blender for a test sip.

"I'm all for you getting yours, little cousin, as long as it really is a good idea. Don't let him rush you."

She offered the margarita shot and Chloe downed it with a wince. She rubbed her eyes and let the alcohol hit her.

"I think it might actually be the opposite," she said. "Lex is pretty terrified of even looking at me for too long. If he wanted to get laid, I'm sure he has easier ways. This is a big favour I'm asking from him."

Lois gave a moue of doubt and dug in a drawer for a knife. "So what is he getting?"

"Closure, I guess? We're going to be able to follow through with whatever we felt about one another before. It's supposed to let us move past what his father did to both of us."

Chloe knew she was being vague, but she really didn't know exactly what being around Lex would do for either of them. It did feel slightly better than doing nothing to make herself more comfortable around other people.

Lois had stopped making faces and was concentrating on pouring perfect drinks. "It sounds bonkers, but I'll allow it for now. You guys might want to find more private places to hang out, though."

The dorm was no place to bring a famous kind-of boyfriend, and Lex's apartment was full of dangerous memories. Hotels felt tacky and going out of town every time they met up was avoiding most of the issue. Chloe didn't want to go to society events with him. She was betting you didn't invite Lex to a pizza place with 80s decor and 99 cent slices. Her college budget didn't take her anywhere much fancier.

"Privacy is kind of nerve-wracking. We could sneak around, but we used to do that. It feels like I need exactly the opposite relationship we had before." They'd had no clear idea what they were to each years ago, so doing the opposite was a constant adjustment without set boundaries.

Lois perched a lime slice on the lip of a glass. "Are you expecting to land the golden goose? Lex has been nice to you, but that doesn't mean romantic feelings are there. I don't want you to, settle for him, strange as that sounds," her cousin said quietly.

Solemnity always brought up the helpless despair Chloe never wanted to feel. She shook her head, searching her mind for a way to sketch her own thin certainty for another person.

"I can't explain what happened to me without putting people in danger. So I can date a normal guy, but all he'll get to know about me is that I'm a damaged person. He won't know anything about me when I wasn't, so to him all I'll be is this damaged person who doesn't have any friends she can bear to be around for more than ten minutes. Lex knows. That makes it complicated but possible. I'm not expecting anything except a decent, respectful man who might be able to help me get over my issues with sex. If I can help him, I'll do that, too. But I'm nowhere near intimate enough with Lex to know what he needs."

Her cousin paused, clearly picking through the unexpected speech to find a place to unravel it. Lois frowned, defeated by the very lack of specifics. Chloe was winging it, and absence of strategy didn't give any obvious targets.

"It's the weirdest plan, little cousin. It's so dangerous to depend on a guy who hurt you." Taking the two perfect margaritas, they turned to the living room.

It was irrational to be hurt Lois didn't trust her to have instincts about Lex, but Chloe tried to be reasonable. Lex had met Lois on a terrible day, fraught with his failures and the terror of indecision. Neither her cousin or her . . . boyfriend were patient, docile people at their best.

"He hurt me once, a long time ago. One time he hurt me, and I helped manipulate him into it. When he realized he'd hurt me, he was immediately very sorry. He never would have touched me again. I'm not in love with him. Love usually comes after dating and sex. I can't even get to the date part yet. But I made plans with him and we spent the morning together. It's literally the only date I've even been on, so I'm calling it a success."

Slumping into her corner of sofa, Lois rolled her eyes. "He took you to a hot dog cart."

"His dog gets to choose where they have lunch on Saturdays. She picked the hot dog cart."

They took big sips of alcohol, the strength of the drink making Chloe's eyes tear.

"Okay, that's pretty adorable," Lois mumbled.

"Yes! He's not a bad person," the blonde said firmly. "He's funny but tactful. He's smart but doesn't flaunt it all the time. He's interesting but he listens to me when I speak."

The serious part of the conversation was washed away by liquor. Lois brought her knees up and gave a dreamy stare into nothing.

"So what you're saying is you need Lucas and I to be best man and maid of honour at the wedding next month?"

"Yes, absolutely. That wouldn't be rushing it at all." Chloe started drinking faster, the initial burn down her throat gone.

"We could double date," Lois suggested.

That was too far with the silliness. Lex barely admitted his brother existed. It was sad, but not her problem to solve. "Oh, not on your life!"

"So . . . how does the dog pay for lunch?"

"There's a clear pocket on her collar for a debit card, " Chloe puckered around the slice of lime she'd stupidly decided to eat. "All the hot dog vendors know her."

"God, that's cute. Lex Luthor is either a secret nice guy or a serial killer."

"He's a person, Lois, like I'm a person, or you can be after your coffee," Chloe joked. "If you run into him, or something, don't be horrible just because."

Lois leaned forward and posed as The Thinker for a few seconds, feigning thoughtful reflection. "Oh, it's never just because. I always have my reasons," she corrected.

Slapping her cousin's arm lightly, Chloe shook her head. "You barely spoke to him, so no you don't. Don't be mean."

"I'll be civil to your fake boyfriend," the brunette sighed. "If you marry him, though, then he's family, so he gets the real me."

The blonde's shiver as she took a big sip of her drink was only partially from cold. Lex would run screaming from one minute of Lois' real talk.

"I'm not going to marry him," she said uneasily. "I'm going to . . . date him and sleep with him."

"Yeah, courtship just dead-ends right there at screwing until you're really comfortable with one another. I don't know what I was thinking," Lois said archly.

[tatie87]

Lex and the dog are adorable

[Kit Merlot]

I love that Chloe has Lois to talk to about the real situation and of course Lois is sarcastic at the same time as being supportive--that's why we love her

Continued lovely work on this truly emotional story.

[cbrunberg]

can't wait to see what happens next.loved that lex was walking he dog.

[RevDorothyL]

Just re-read the last 10 chapters or so, in order to be prepared in case of an update any time in the near future. You know, just to be on the safe side, and not in any way to pressure or cajole for an update ('cuz of course I'd NEVER do that!).

[Rachet]

I have. Been gone so long I got a two for one update. Sweet date.

[zulucnjy]

This is such an awesome story. You've really covered all aspects of the desperation this situation created for both Chloe & Lex, from different perspectives. Really loving the way Chloe & Lex are slowly moving to really heal, to move beyond just getting over the horror of so much suffering. Whatever that end may be for each of them, this is truly inspiring writing! Waiting anxiously for next update!!

[Ree]

Wow. Your writing is amazing. I can't stop reading your stories. They are multi layered, as are the characters. It's raw and heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time. Thank you for coming back and updating. I hope you finish this story because I am captivated by it.