Buyouts, Hostile Takeovers & Matchmaking (PG-13/R)

[cwong]

Stubborn old man, gotta love that tenacity. Lex and Chloe are so cute together!

[SinnerSaint]

Wonderful , wonderful chapter. Can't wait for more. In fact I will be checking repeatedly to see if there is any more !

[arkakitty]

Loved the chapter! GO LEX!

[dreamerjules]

Loved the dads' reaction. One would think that someone as smart as Lionel would be able to make some headway with Lex. Nah. Where's the fun in that?

Julie

[sylvia]

Lex Luthor gobsmacked had to be even better than Lionel Luthor anxious.

Gobsmacked... heh. I can just picture it now. <3 And I love the idea of Lionel having his own private Make Lex Love Me project, complete with all the same types of data (timelines of significant events, grudge-bearing indexes... ). Yay for the stubborn old man!

[meg20]

Poor Lionel and I'm afraid that the next time he tries anything with Lex again, there'll be bigger problems than bleeding nose.
It was nice to hear more of the fathers!
Next time I hope there's the meeting between Chlex, I want to know what Lex does!

[Kit Merlot]

Great update!

I like that Gabe, Lionel and even Celeste know that Lex is falling for Chloe. But the question remains, when will Lex realize it?

I'm glad that Lionel isn't giving up on reaching out to Lex, but he needs to change tactics, or else Lex is going to keep kicking his ass

[BlueSabby]

A/N: Sabby: It's bonding time! No, not bondage! Bonding. Father daughter time to be specific. Oh but don't you worry, there's Chlex, too. Enjoy and Feedback is always loved and adored.

A/N: Blue: We've got your Gabe, your Chloe, your Lex and some flirting. But only between two of them you sick, sick freaks you. Enjoy!



Father/daughter day was quickly drawing to a close and, as usual, Chloe had to persuade her father to stop buying her things. This was why she insisted that they didn’t meet up and spend the whole day together. It would put her dad in the poor house.

They were in Chinatown and her father was looking at a ridiculously expensive Japanese green silk kimono dress. Chloe dragged him away by his elbow and pushed him in the direction of their favorite little restaurant. Her actions where hampered by the bags that she was already carrying full of both cooking supplies for her father and the little odds and ends he had bought her throughout the day.

Once settled at a table outside where they could look at the passersby, Chloe asked, “Why are you in such a good mood today?” Her father had been damn chipper the whole day and Chloe was suspicious about it.

Gabe had known about the kiss between Chloe and Lex for three days now, counting this day. Yet, up until now he had not been able to turn the topic on to Lex. Chloe and him hadn't even spoken until yesterday evening, because of work and both their schedule's being packed. Thank goodness there were father/daughter Saturdays.

“Okay, okay. No more nice things. But you would look good in that kimono. How often does an old man get the chance to spoil his daughter when she's all grown up?”

Not to mention, he wondered if she'd wear that special dress to one of her dates with Lex. It was elegant and attractive yet not overly suggestive. It would have been a damn good eye-catcher. He'd go back later and buy it anyway.

“If the old man, as you’re calling yourself, which I object to by the way, is you, then every Saturday is the answer to your question.” Chloe picked up her glass of water and took a small sip. She knew that her father was trying to make up for everything that she didn’t have as a teenager but it was ridiculous.

Chloe had never wanted anything fancy and her father had kept a roof over their heads. She couldn’t have asked for anything more. It was strange to think that her father was possibly trying to repay a debt that didn’t exist in Chloe’s head.

“But, you do realize that if you spoil me, I’m going to spoil you right back.” She smiled wickedly over at him as she thought of the new set of cooking knives that had just been released on the market. “So, I don’t want to hear your hemming and hawing the next time I give you something nice.”

“But sweetheart,” he protested. “You're not supposed to do that.”

It was downright embarrassing that Chloe bought him something for the kitchen almost as often as he made her gifts that he thought she would be able to use or would just plain look nice on her or amuse her. “You can still spoil me when I'm old and senile and need a place to stay,” he ribbed.

And hopefully, if that ever came to pass, it would be in a house full of grandchildren. He needed something to look forward to when he became too old to work, which wasn't so far in the future, maybe ten years at best.

“Anyway, let's get something to eat now, shall we?”

Chloe nodded enthusiastically. Having her father drag her from one store to another was always exhausting. Talking him out of spending every cent on her was a full time job and took a lot out of a girl.

Besides, they both knew that arguing was useless. Each of them would continue to buy presents for the other no matter what was said. Chloe had gotten used to it and she loved her father for it. What woman didn’t love random gifts?

The day had turned out to be gorgeous and Chloe thought that she might have even gotten a little color. Which was a nice change from the angry red color that she usually turned after a day in the sun. The mood had been easy between them and they hadn’t fought once about either of their life choices. A rare thing for them.

Deciding to jump into the fray she asked, “So, dad, any hot young things at work for you to chase around the desk?”

She saw her father’s face register shock, especially since there was a waiter at his elbow that Chloe hadn’t noticed.

Gabe's jaw almost dropped, but he recovered himself enough to laugh, shaking his head.

“No, and even if there were I wouldn't have the time for dallying around like that. There's more important things to think about.” Like hooking up his daughter for example.

Usually he would have asked her in return if there was someone in her life, but he didn't want to draw attention to the fact that there in deed wasn't. So instead he needed to come up with something different. Subtly lead the topic away and around to end up on her and Lex.

“Lionel's been a slave driver the last few days,” Which was true, except that he hadn't been too much affected by it. He had a feeling that had had something to do with Lex as well. “I have no idea what happened, but he's keeping everyone on their toes.”

Chloe waited until her father had ordered for them before commenting, “He’s an odd duck, that one. I forgot to tell you that I ran into him and he was actually nice.” She paused. “And helpful.” Another pause. “It was really weird.”

She still hadn’t been able to figure out if he was trying to be nice to her because he worked with her dad or if there was some other reason. She hadn’t given it much thought all week. She’d been busy looking up stuff on DeHaven. Her new obsession.

The piece on all of the architects was almost done but she’d been talking to Patterson about looking into DeHaven. He wasn’t too keen on the idea but she would keep working on him, he’d have to come around.

Gabe's brows furrowed. He'd told Lionel that Chloe wouldn't just accept it when he was nice; that she'd get suspicious and that it would be better if he stayed completely away from her for now. Did the man ever listen to anything he was being told? For a moment Gabe imagined how horribly wild a child he must've been. Even Lex probably paled in comparison.

“Hrm, maybe he was looking for some good publicity, never hurts, does it? Did he say anything about the ‘scandal’ last month? I mean the last you've spoken to him was before that, right?” He didn't exactly remember, but this would be the best way to get on the subject of Lex in a round about way, in any case.

Chloe couldn’t remember when the last time was that she had spoken to Lionel Luthor before the shit had hit the fan. But she knew that they had definitely not discussed what had happened between herself and Lex. That she would have remembered.

“He didn’t mention it when we spoke,” Chloe said, vaguely. She didn’t know why but the thought of her father knowing that she was seeing Lex didn’t sit well with her. She realized it was because she didn’t know where her father stood on the topic of Lex.

Chloe was so accustomed to having to defend her social choices to her dad that she didn’t want to open up another can of worms. He liked Lex in a business way, that much she knew, but that didn’t mean that he would want her spending time with him.

Not that she would listen to him if he had an opinion on the matter contrary to her own.

Well that had gotten him nowhere fast. But there was still a last chance, to get her to answer how he wanted her to. “What where you doing in the office anyway?”

It was a last ditch effort, but he was sure Chloe wouldn't outright lie to him when it came down to it. He had a feeling he knew why she wasn't very open and in sharing mood when it came to Lex. She didn't know how he would take it, considering he'd always berated her on her previous choices in man. But damnit, who could blame him; she'd always chosen to go with complete losers that weren't worth her time.

Chloe looked up at her father and decided whether or not to lie to him. She really didn’t want to. She was sick of it, really. Besides, she was a grown woman and her father didn’t need to approve of everything that she did.

“I was on my way to see Lex,” she said, simply. “I poked my head in your office but you weren’t there and then ran into Lionel.”

Gabe was a little disappointed that she had to think about it. Maybe he should've been a little constructive in his criticism of her choice of men. He suppressed a sigh and focused on the matter at hand.

“You were visiting, Lex. Business or private,” he asked trying to sound interested, but not too much.

Here was his chance to push Chloe in the right direction and make sure to give her the go ahead from his side. The tricky thing about it was to not sound like he was shoving Lex at her, or too eagerly accepting of the man. Chloe would get immediately suspicious.

This was odd. Chloe never had a problem discussing her private life with her father. She was always blunt and straight forward about it. But, she found herself hesitating again. She knew it was because she cared what her father thought and was having a good time with Lex. Things might be about to get very complicated.

“Private,” she said. “I went out to get something to eat with him. Or, well, tried to,” she said, smiling at the memory of Lex rigging their way out of the restaurant.

Gabe smiled, trying to seem reassuring, but not all over it. “Tried to? Did you get into another fight?”

He'd have to time it right, find the best opportunity to let his own opinion of Lex shine through in the conversation.

Chloe laughed. “No, father,” her eyes narrowed at him, “we did not get into another fight. There was a nosy member of the press about so we had to get out of there. It was very cloak and dagger of us.”

She shrugged one shoulder, “So, we just went back to his place and hung out for awhile.” Chloe thought it was best to leave out any mention of an exploding TV or her plans to get Lex a cat so he could put it in a mini Aston Martin.

“I’m actually seeing him again tomorrow.” Once Chloe started to talk to her father about Lex, she decided that full disclosure was best. The food came and she waited until the waiter left before asking her father, “So, questions, comments, concerns?”

Gabe smiled and leaned back. “Well, since you're offering so freely,” he said in a smug tone.

Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all. “You must've had a really good time with him if you're seeing him again, so the next question would be what you're aiming at with the man.”

This time it actually worked to his advantage that Chloe had always been blunt with him about what she did and why she did it.

The question surprised Chloe. Her dad didn’t usually ask where she thought the relationship was going with the men she dated. Probably because it would cause him great pain to hear her answer.

“I did have a good time,” Chloe said, slowly, trying to work things out in her head. She hadn’t thought much about the question her father was asking her. Mostly because she didn’t want to hear her own answer.

“Well, for right now, we’re just having fun together and enjoying each other’s company.” She speared some of her chicken and added, “We’re just friends though. Lex doesn’t want another relationship.”

“Hrm,” he commented, trying to figure out how to word things right. Maybe Chloe would be less suspicious if he spoke good about Lex thinking that Gabe didn't think him to be a threat. But that could work against him as much as for him.

“I can't blame the man. He's had tough luck whenever it came to relationships. I'm not sure how much of that was ever his fault.” He frowned, remembering the times of Desiree and Helen. “But in any case, I'm glad you're finally spending time with someone you can hold an intelligent conversation with.”

“Me, too,” Chloe said, honestly. Now that she was spending time with Lex, she saw what had left her wanting in her previous relationships. The feeling that the person was her equal and not just some sex toy for her to use. This knowledge might help her the next time around.

“But, I still think that he shouldn’t give up so easily,” she commented as she took another sip of water. “He won’t listen, though. He’s too stubborn for his own good and if you make some comment about how he sounds like someone else you know I will jab my fork somewhere very uncomfortable.”

Gabe laughed outright, as he'd indeed been about to say just that. He made a motion of his hand, like zipping his mouth and shook his head, still trying to get the laughter under control behind closed lips. When he'd finally gotten himself back under control, he took a deep breath before he answered.

“You're right though, he shouldn't give up yet. He's still young.” Gabe contemplated the thought for a moment before looking back up at Chloe. “Maybe all he needs is someone to show him that it's worth it.” He shrugged.

That was as far as he could push it, any further and Chloe would get suspicious. So he left it at that and dug into his food instead.

“Thank you!” Chloe exclaimed the words a little loudly but she was excited to see that her father agreed with her on this one. At least she knew that she wasn’t being too naïve and falsely optimistic if her father agreed with her.

“But,” she added, mixing her rice and chicken, “I doubt that you backing me up would carry any weight with Lex.”

~*~*~*~

Lex offered Mai a last charming smile and was out the door, elegantly designed bag in hand. The new purchases had indeed interested him. Special oils, tea and some original spices that would be a nice addition to his own kitchen stack. Not to mention a priceless porcelain vase from the Ching dynasty that had coincidentally found its way into the hands of Mai's grandfather.

Lex smirked as he put on his dark shades and started on his way down the noisy and busy streets of Chinatown, Metropolis. It hadn't been an altogether bad Saturday. He'd made it out of work earlier than expected and had been able to devote most of the afternoon to his hobbies. Namely, he'd given Bill Myers a call to see if he could get the rights for his model car.

He rounded the corner into the next bigger street, passing a clothing vendor. A rather nice green kimono caught his eye for a moment, but since he had no-one to buy it for, he kept going without a second glance.

~~~~

For a relaxing day, her father was making her work way too hard. After their meal, her father had said that he needed to go back to one of the small shops to get some spices for his kitchen. She had been very full and therefore a little lethargic so she hadn’t thought much about it.

After a few minutes, she realized that the last shop that they had seen that had any spices was at least a twenty minute walk. There was no way her father would let her wait by the restaurant for forty minutes…which meant that he had lied to her. Now, why ever would he do that, she wondered sarcastically.

Groaning, she made her way determinedly to the small shop that they had just passed before getting to the restaurant. That damn man was buying her that damn dress. God, she was going to have to get her father reprogrammed, he just did not listen.

She still didn’t know why it was taking him so long, though. Usually when her father tried to go behind her back and do something stealthy, he did it quickly so he wouldn’t be caught.

Chloe walked back into the shop and took off her sunglasses, scanning the aisles for her father. She heard his laughter and started walking in the direction of it. He was standing at the register and she couldn’t see who he was talking to because the other person was blocked by a display.

Lex's lips curled into a smirk at Gabe's laughter. He'd bumped into him just as he'd been about to veer off into the side road where he'd parked his car. A surprise, but even more of one had been when Gabe had actually stopped to engage him in a conversation that had almost too easily turned onto the topic of Chloe.

Not sure what she had told her father about them, Lex had been surprised again, when Gabe made it obvious that he knew about their budding friendship; said that he'd left his daughter waiting in the restaurant just a few shops down and asked if Lex wanted to join them.

When Gabe had somehow veered them back to the clothes vendors and taken the green kimono from the rack, Lex had instinctively followed him inside the shop to pay, reluctant to let go of the conversation quite yet. This was the father of someone he would like to be good friends with and it could never hurt to be in a good light.

Gabe and he had worked together closely at the plant back in Smallville, but lost contact pretty soon after Lex started to get reacquainted with city life and taking over more responsibility for LuthorCorp. Lex wasn't sure if the man still thought of him as a good person but he hoped it was still the case.

Gabe took the money from the girl behind the cash register and turned back to Lex, a friendly grin still in place. When he'd bumped into the man out of pure chance, he'd jumped at the chance without even thinking about it.

If he could convince Lex to join him and Chloe at the restaurant, he might be able to subtly drive the point home that there was no objection from his side if the two decided to be friends, or more. Seeing the younger man up close for the first time in a long while had fortified his conviction that Lex needed Chloe in his life as much as her daughter needed a man like Lex.

A throat clearing behind him made him turn around, just as Lex's eyes strayed over Gabe's shoulder and to the entrance of the little shop. Without knowing it, Lex's expression slipped into a smile.

At first Chloe had been slightly shocked when she saw who her father was talking to. The odds of just running into Lex weren’t that great, in her estimation. That could have been because she imagined that Lex would hole himself up in his office for the whole day.

Even more surprising was the stance of Lex’s body. He looked just as relaxed around her father as he did with her. Which usually wasn’t the case with people he worked with. Of course, Chloe had only ever seen Lex interact with his coworkers at work so that might have something to do with it.

They both had smiles on their faces and she got a sinking feeling that she was the topic of conversation that caused the men to be so amused.

She cleared her throat and waited until they turned around. She walked over to them slowly and said, “Lex, don’t you think that dress is a little too small for my dad?” She gave her father a pointed look. She had caught him red handed and couldn’t wait to see what sort of excuse he would come up with.

Lex smirked and cast another glance at the dress. The one he'd admired earlier when he'd caught a glance of it. The same one that would now belong to Chloe. A rather amusing twist of fate.

Exchanging a glance with Gabe who looked slightly chagrined at his daughter's comment, he made a split-second decision. “Oh, I'm afraid that dress isn't meant for your father at all.” He caught the bag from the sales-girl who was just about to hand it to Gabe. “It's mine,” he grinned.

“Oh,” Chloe said, slowly. She didn’t trust either man as far as she could throw them but she couldn’t rule out the possibility that Lex was buying the dress for one of his numerous conquests.

She walked over to stand next to her father and mock whispered, “Do you think we should tell him that green really isn’t his color?” She kept her eyes on Lex and smiled over at him as she spoke.

Because she hadn’t had time to process that her father was speaking to Lex just a few minutes after finding out about them, she hadn’t had time to freak out about it. Instead, she felt at ease with the two men in the same space. Had it happened another way, she couldn’t be sure that she would have reacted as well.

Biting down on the inside of his cheek to suppress a laugh, he affected a thoughtful expression. “Really?”

He pulled the dress from the bag with a flourish, giving it a short flick before he held it up in front of him, turning regally towards the full size mirror a few steps away.

“Yes, now that you mention it,” he cocked his head to the side. “It does make me look rather sickly, pale, doesn't it?”

Turning back around, he walked around Chloe until he was behind her. He swung the dress over her shoulder and held it up in front of her, quirking a brow.

“Quite contrary, it does flatter your complexion.” He said as he took a step to the side, letting his gaze suggestively travel down the cleavage shown by the shirt she was wearing. Slowly looking back up and into her eyes as she turned her head to look at him he continued, “And it brings out the color of your eyes.”

Stepping back, he nodded decisively. “Keep it,” and threw the dress over her shoulder once more. “I'll just have to find something else, don't you agree Gabe?”

Gabe bit down hard on the inside of his cheek and nodded mutely as he watched the interplay between Lex and his daughter, trying not to crack up. He'd definitely have to tell Lionel all about this if Celeste's men weren't lurking about somewhere to record all of it.

“I'm afraid so, Lex,” he forced out.

Chloe was finding it very difficult to be angry at being outplayed by her father and Lex. Maybe it was because she liked seeing Lex so relaxed for once, and with her father nonetheless. Or, maybe it was because the dress was so very pretty and she now decided that she did want it.

“Why,” she started as she took the dress carefully off of her body, “do I feel as if I’m being ganged up on?” She looked between her father and Lex and they both had looks of absolute innocence on their faces. Which did not suit either of them.

“Fine, fine,” she said, picking up the bag from where Lex had left it, “you guys win. But, please take those ‘who me?’ looks off of your faces, they are quite unsettling.”

Yes, this banter was good, it would distract her from the feeling that had zig zagged through her body when Lex had looked her over. Best not to dwell on that.

“I hope you both do realize that retribution will soon be on its way, though.” She pointed between the two men. Her father started to chuckle, knowing that he would soon get a present. Lex merely raised an eyebrow as way of asking for an explanation. “You can raise that eyebrow all the way off of your bald head for all I care, you’re just going to have to wait and see what constitutes payback in a situation such as this one.”

Gabe released the piece of flesh between his teeth as he realized he'd bitten clean through the inside of his cheek. The sting of pain was the only thing that kept him from grinning gleefully.

Chloe intended to give Lex a present. He couldn't even fully describe the implications of that. The boy was as good as family now. Gabe's hands fidgeted in his pockets. Perfect, plain perfect.

The intrigued look on Lex's face made Gabe anxiously wait for the day already, when the younger man would receive his gift. Knowing Chloe it would hit right on the mark and if that wouldn't make Lex aware, Gabe would eat an entire plate of sashimi, nasty stuff that it was.

Lex's gaze wandered over to the other man for a split second but Chloe's last comment made him focus right back on her. Usually people didn't dare comment on his lack of hair. If they did, they either made damn sure to be out of earshot or they did it in a purposely baleful way, trying to inflict hurt.

Chloe had just nonchalantly thrown the comment his way, no intention behind it other than to show him she couldn't be derailed by his countenance and expression. Well, if that was the case, he'd just have to go through Gabe to find out what was considered 'revenge' in the Sullivan family.

“Should I hire security,” he asked the older man over Chloe's shoulder.

Gabe shook his head, still trying to bite back a smile, though not literally anymore. “That won't be necessary. It would be utterly useless anyway.”

Chloe had a way of getting around such things as security. Which had been a major problem when she'd still been into the dangerous affairs of investigative journalism. Thankfully stints like that didn't happen too often anymore and she was now capable of coping should something happen.

Lex nodded and turned his gaze back to Chloe once again. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips and he regarded her carefully, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Judging by the almost identical grins on Chloe and Gabe's faces, there was nothing to fear.

“I'll be patiently awaiting your revenge then,” he said.

“But in any case, I actually have to leave. I'm waiting for an important phone call to start on a new project,” he stated vaguely, smiling as he thought about the possibility that he could start on the Aston in as soon as a few hours from now.

Chloe’s eyes narrowed at the small smile that appeared on Lex’s face but she decided not to call him on it. She’d perhaps ask him about it tomorrow. Not that Lex would tell her anything that he didn’t want to. He was maddening in that way.

“Ok, we’ll see you later then, Lex,” Chloe said as she rejoined her father at the register. “Thanks for the dress,” she said, holding up the bag. She was already going through her closet to see if she had shoes that would go with it. If not, she’d have to get them before tomorrow night.

Lex nodded towards Gabe and gave Chloe a last smirk. “Nothing to thank me for, but I expect to see you wear it some time,” he answered.
With that he put his shades back on and turned to leave, making his way out of the shop and down the street towards his car without looking back. That had gone pleasantly well and he had a feeling he'd managed to put himself on Gabe's good side, which was all the better.

Chloe watched Lex leave, she smiled at his retreating back. She had gotten the message loud and clear from his last statement. It was rather forward of him but she didn’t mind it at all. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her father grinning over at her.

She cleared her throat and took the smile off of her face quickly. Her father’s grin widened and she said defensively, “What?” Her father didn’t say anything and started to walk out of the store. “Dad, what?” she asked as she trailed after him.

Gabe kept his mouth shut. He was not about to tell his daughter just what he was grinning about. The silly notion to whistle a tune struck him, but he decided to forgo that or Chloe could be easily swayed into attacking him.

“Nothing, sweetheart,” he answered instead, turning back to look at his frustrated daughter. “So, want to go see a movie?”

[Kit Merlot]

This was a very cool update!

I liked the casual interplay between Gabe, Chloe and Lex--very refreshing to see Lex so relaxed with both Sullivans.

And I loved how Lex handled giving Chloe the green dress--very suave

[kimmie]

They were so obviously flirting!!! Can't wait for their date and Lex's reaction to Chloe in the new dress!!!

I also loved the Chloe/Gabe interaction, he's a really great dad and so sweet!!!

Update again ASAP...PLEASE!!!

Kimmie