NS Advent Calendar 2007 - Gifts of Meaning - Complete

[somethingeasy]

Chapters Seven and Eight
LOL! The fic is still as hilarious as ever. Although I still feel both so frustratingly irritated with as well as sincerely sorry for poor, idiot Lex. On one hand, it’s so sad seeing him working so hard for a present, trying to make his Christmas proposal as perfect as possible, not knowing that his relationship is falling to pieces while his back is turned. The poor, oblivious sap! I hope he enjoys this ignorance of the upcoming disaster as long as possible, because it’s going to be devastating for him to find out that Chloe has rebounded to another guy because he wasn’t paying her the right kind of attention.

It’s really ironic, but very plausible on how such a thing could have happened. Lex has a tendency to become very blind-sided and single-minded when faced with a challenging task. And THIS is something that going to be very important to him, to get it as wonderfully sublime and perfect as possible. The problem is that Lex thinks a big, extravagant gesture is what’s needed… it’s the flamboyant showman in him that pressurizes him to make a huge dramatic presentation of ‘everything’, LOL!

You’ve captured that aspect of his obsessively single-minded personality perfectly, Nonky! Excellent work! I can really see how Lex ‘could’ allow his wonderful relationship to fall apart, not from lack of attention and appreciation, but because of lack in attention in the right places. Poor Chloe.

Lex's nose itched at the dusty and poorly ventilated smell of old books. The room he stood in was only a small shop, but it was supposed to have what he was looking for. In the 1950s there had been a publishing firm called Chloe, and they produced hardback copies of classic books in green velvet so near Chloe's eye colour he had been amazed when he saw a picture of one. The company had long been defunct, and their books were only available in far flung second hand shops.

He was unlucky enough to have found them only in Europe, where a single collector seemed to have brought them and sold them by individual volumes. There were one hundred titles in the complete set and he wanted it for Chloe. To make life more difficult, he had made a rule that he needed to go and get the books for the gift to count. He had to go to the bookstore, look around and buy them without any assistance.

This was a BRILLAINT present for Lex to give to Chloe. It seemed custom made for her… LOL, actually, it WAS custom-made for her.... Nonky really knows how to dangle the perfect temptation to distract and lead Lex away from Chloe during her most dire time of need, LOL! Sneaky Nonky!

Hoping his ears were failing, the younger man leaned in. “I'm sorry, did you say sorted by colour? As in the colour of the book jacket?”

After a nod that spanned a decade, the man turned back to his work. The thousands of books, perhaps edging up to tens of thousands, were sorted by colour. Not author, year, publisher or title. There were red books filling one shelf, the next white, the next shades of yellow or gold. Somewhere in the back there were green books, every green book they had, apparently. Lex shrugged out of his jacket and picked up a basket, heading into the musty unknown.

He kicked over a stack of books with every step into the gloom that was 'the back.' Wishing for a flashlight, Lex strained his eyes glancing between one large and shadowed bookcase and the one next to it. After getting nose to nose with a shelf he decided the left was green, albeit a very dark forest green, and the other was black. And he assumed he still had five fingers on each hand, despite not being able to see them directly in front of his face.

ROTFLMAO! Oh dear me! No WAY! Rare, dusty, collectable books in a second hand book store sorted out by COLOUR??!!? As if I needed further proof on how much Lex loves Chloe, but THIS??!! This really goes above and beyond. This was a brilliant, hilarious, cruel and unusual kind of punishment Nonky devised for her latest Lex. Isn’t it lovely when she starts torturing him for all of our amusement? ROTFL!

London rain dripped off his face as he entered the bookstore later that night. It was near closing, but they only had three books he needed. It couldn't take that long to find three books. He was happy to see labels on shelves, and multi-coloured hues. The books weren't arranged by colour.

He didn't bother speaking to the bored twenty-something clerk, just followed the helpful labels. The new books were out front where they could sell more and the older, rarer volumes sat further back waiting to be discovered. It made sense from a business standpoint and Lex could appreciate that. He was also pleased there was adequate lighting and a true sense of organization.

LOL! London weather is horrible, the service is terrible and the food is always something that has to be choked down… but the books almost always make up for everything I like the way you captured London, Nonky! It was as if you had actually been there, LOL!

He followed the corridors of books logically, thinking the 1950s would be near the 1940s and 1930s. He was wrong. There were more classics in Latin, Greek classics, Gothic novels, and finally a case devoted to The Bible. Lex retraced his steps, found the 1950s and headed in the only other direction he could go. He passed the encyclopaedias and reference books. He found a section of romance novels. His shoulder knocked an illustrated volume of Kama Sutra down to a page so artistically sexual he took the book with him to buy. He counted his steps, tried to think of an overview of the store by picturing the layout from above. He scanned for the Chloe green and felt his eyes burning. There were barely enough hours of the day for the travel he'd done, and his schedule hadn't included four hours in a single store.

Darn, now I want a copy of that beautifully illustrated volume of Kama Sutra that caught Lex Luthor’s eye. I can see that the book browsing is a little bit easier over here than at the store where everything was organized by (ROTFLMAO) colour, but it’s still hard, dusty work… and I don’t want to imagine the paper cuts he might have gotten, lol!

“I'm looking for the Chloe books,” he nearly screamed.

A pair of headphones pulled leisurely down, the guy spoke in a London drawl. “These th'uns ere?”

He picked up three books in green, gold seals reading Chloe across the spines. Lex took them and turned to the title pages, making sure they were the right ones. He smiled. There were 11 books in Hamburg and 46 in Paris. He would be able to continue that night and sleep on the plane. He was reaching for his wallet when he felt the first twinge.

It was too easy, he thought.

ROTFLMAO! If only he had thought to ask the clerk before spending all those hours browsing through the shelves. Oh well! At least he found a lovely copy of the Kama Sutra through all his searching.

“Canlytekash.”

The clerk pushed the credit card back to Lex with the baffling statement. Perhaps his piercings were getting in the way.

“I'm sorry?”

The pseudo-punk shrugged and said more clearly, “We c'nly take cash.”

The books weren't expensive, less than $75 dollars each, but Lex didn't have it. He had cash before he arrived in Amsterdam and had to have it converted to buy the first forty books. He asked for some British pounds, but only enough to get a taxi to the store and back to the airport. He wasn't intending to stay long and didn't bring his employees with him. Usually they would have made maps and local currency available. It was their role to make his life seamless.

LOL! I should have expected that Nonky would be putting in this bit of tortured complication in Lex’s life. Even AFTER he finds the merchandise, he finds out he can’t pay for it. Now that’s a problem that I can imagine Lex has never faced before… it will do him some good to understand how ‘regular folk’ feel when they can’t instantly purchase whatever fulfills their heart’s desire, LOL!

It wasn't that the books were an expensive present. They represented Chloe's love of the written word, his sincere belief that one day her name would be on a novel or a full-length investigative book instead of a newspaper column. He respected her tenacity to dig back through time and attempts to hide to fill her articles with reliable information. He loved her work ethic. The velvet coverings of the books even felt like her; softness with strength and longevity underneath.

ROTFL! Loved this! It was hilarious seeing Lex liken Chloe to the book in such a besotted, smitten, poetic fashion. It’s so much fun seeing how ridiculous and ‘stupid’ Lex can become when he’s in love, ROTFL! Lovely writing, Nonky! I really enjoyed your portrayal of Lex Luthor in this fic. It was lovely, sweet, heartwarming and also so darned hilarious, ROTFLOL!

It hurt to hand the books back to the disgruntled youth, but Lex stayed civil. He asked for them to be held until the next day, and he flicked up his collar to walk to the taxi he had paid to wait for him. At least at The Savoy they would take his credit.

LOL! Ouch! I remember that heart-wrenching emotion one feels when you find the ‘perfect buy’ in some store, but you have to hand it back to the clerk, or put it back on the shelf after seeing the price-tag. It’s a horrible feeling, and I’m feeling a nasty sense of malicious satisfaction in seeing Lex Luthor also suffering from this ‘new and alien’ feeling of merchandise denial, LOL!

Lex slept only as long as he could justify and called for room service early in the morning. He was insistent there would be no more delays. He would pay in cash, move quickly and efficiently, and he would not strangle the irritating people he was likely to meet.

At least it's too early for muggers, he thought, looking around at the foggy morning that could pass for twilight.

ROTFL! Don’t count on it Lex. It’s London, AND you have Nonky watching your every move just waiting for a chance to inflict misfortune, LOL! Actually, I’m impressed that Nonky managed to abstain from throwing a gang of muggers at Lex on his way to the book-store… Perhaps later when he’s leaving the book-store?

He checked out of his hotel and called the pilot to have the plane readied. The bookstore opened on time, and he was waiting outside when the elderly owner arrived. She looked him up and down, saw he was cold and took an extra few minutes to dig her keys from her purse. Her eyes narrowed under blue shaded lids, and she lit a cigarette.

“S'only five to,” she said, and strolled away to pollute her lungs.

Heh, sadly enough, this is actually typical of the kind of sales service one gets in London,

Lex gritted his teeth. He was not going to let himself be shaken. There was time for a five minute delay. He leaned on the building and imagined Chloe's reaction when she had her own selection of novels taking up a shelf in his library. He had no qualms about giving her part of his space because she would be so happy. She might go into one of her rare giggling sprees and need to be kissed out of it.

He was smiling to himself when the woman came back to unlock the store. She ducked inside quickly, presumably to punch in an alarm code, then eyed him unkindly. Thinking his brooding was making her suspicious, Lex smiled with as much warmth as he could. Her mouth twisted into a maroon sneer, and she walked away from the door. Lex took that to mean he was allowed inside, so he let himself in.

Again, it was so hilarious, cute, heartwarming, sweet and FUN to see how incredibly happy Lex becomes even from the thought of Chloe. No matter how miserable his situation, Chloe always manages to lift his spirits. No wonder he needs her so much. He adores her too much to be able to live without her… yikes! Heartbreak warning up ahead? Excellent!

She stared for so long he felt obliged to explain himself, sincerely regretting the impulse buy. The influence of an elderly British woman was making him feel like a pervert trying to buy girlie magazines. He was an educated man and he did occasionally enjoy erotic literature, but it was literature first and foremost. He was not a pervert. She was really making him angry and he didn't have to justify himself to her. His personal life was quite full without having to drool salaciously over strange women.

ROTFL! Oh poor Lex! And now he feels like a perverted lech. It’s so much FUN seeing Lex experience this sensation of being ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ over his sexual inclinations and preferences. I can imagine Lex has indulged in all kinds of depravities without apologizing to anyone, but this one time… he bought a classic piece of literature and he’s embarrassed about it, ROTFMAO! That was brilliant, Nonky! Love it! And I don’t think I’ll be getting these two chapters of Lex’s book-buying escapades out of my head for a very long time, LOL!

She took Lex's money, gave his change back, and put the books neatly into a bag. As the receipt was printing he mentally rolled his eyes. All the sneaking around was making him paranoid and crabby. He would be much happier once Chloe knew everything and was making fun of all his troubles. She always enjoyed that and made him laugh at things.

Awww, so sweet and cute. I really enjoyed how Lex is looking forward to being mocked by Chloe. He really does enjoy every single aspect of her personality, even when she’s turning that personality against him.

He said a polite goodbye and took a taxi to the airport. He was trying to make Hamburg the quickest stop yet, so he paid exorbitant interest to have his money exchanged at the airport. Chloe was back in Metropolis and she hadn't been feeling well. From her voice on the phone he could tell she wasn't fully recovered. He hoped the gift basket had helped until he could be there in person.

It was about Chloe, otherwise he wouldn't have left her at all.

Heh, Lex is in for a nasty surprise on his homecoming. AND he’s going to be getting some nasty lessons on the value of prioritizing when he gets home too. I loved the ending sentence, Nonky! It summed up everything that Lex is doing wrong, and even WHY he’s doing wrong. Excellent work! I look forward to seeing how future chapters turn out. Good luck!

[skauble]

I totally put the feedback for this story in the wrong thread. *facepalm*


This is the greatest story in the history of EVER!!!

It is a wonderful premise, it has delicious humor, compelling angst, and amazing writing. But this…this…there are no words for the heights this story has reached.

Chip!

Wonderful amazing Chip has made an appearance. It’s like Christmas has come early. *sniff*

Poor, poor Lex. Why must his life be so hard? All he wants to do is conclusively prove his love by doing extraordinary and often difficult and demanding things. It should be easy, no?

I loved how defensive he was in the bookstore.

She stared for so long he felt obliged to explain himself, sincerely regretting the impulse buy. The influence of an elderly British woman was making him feel like a pervert trying to buy girlie magazines. He was an educated man and he did occasionally enjoy erotic literature, but it was literature first and foremost. He was not a pervert. She was really making him angry and he didn't have to justify himself to her. His personal life was quite full without having to drool salaciously over strange women.

LMAO He is so a perv. I bet he has a special safe for porn at the penthouse…and probably two in the mansion.

Is it wrong of me to enjoy everything going so wrong for Lex? It’s just that he’s usually so good at everything, but all the things that he decided were the most important…not so much. lol

She stared for so long he felt obliged to explain himself, sincerely regretting the impulse buy. The influence of an elderly British woman was making him feel like a pervert trying to buy girlie magazines. He was an educated man and he did occasionally enjoy erotic literature, but it was literature first and foremost. He was not a pervert. She was really making him angry and he didn't have to justify himself to her. His personal life was quite full without having to drool salaciously over strange women.

I was glad to see that the gift basket was an intentional choice by him and not that he asked one of his staff to send her something to cheer her up. It was a personal gift; it just felt generic to poor Chloe.

It was about Chloe, otherwise he wouldn't have left her at all.

Irony is really a bitch sometimes, huh?

Excellent work, nonky. Still loving the misadventures of Lex’s and waiting for the misunderstandings of Chloe’s. And with the inclusion of Chip you have clearly surpassed even the good book as the greatest story ever told!

I’d say please update soon, but I know that you have to so I have no need to beg.

~Sarah~

[somethingeasy]

Chapter Nine

At least my looks are getting me somewhere, he mused. My brain alone isn't up to bringing me where I need to be.

He leafed through all 46 before turning to carry his basket to the front of the store. The audience had grown and a camera flash blinded him.

“For our scrapbook,” he was told.

Despite the puzzling statement, Lex agreed to pose with them. They introduced themselves as Jean-Jean; Jean-Pierre and Jean-Louis, and he had no idea why they'd want to merge into a conglomerate name, but he used it because he had no idea who belonged to which Jean moniker. He posed shaking hands with them, reading one of their books, and signing their scrapbook. If he wasn't careful he thought he'd be invited to do a dramatic reading of Les Miserables. Luckily it didn't come to that and he dodged the farewell kisses.

ROTFLOL! I'm glad to see that Lex got a little bit of a break in Paris. Although it must have been disconcerting to go from a country where the sales staff barely tolerated your presence to a country where they absolutely fawned over you. LOL! Not that I blame them... French people are very sensitive and appreciative of everything that is pretty and sexy, and Lex is VERY pretty and sexy! I'm surprised they let him leave the country, ROTFL!

He showed the address again and the driver nodded, pointing to the warehouse. He tapped the meter. Lex stared for a few seconds, cursing himself for feeling calm and optimistic. He should know better. He asked the taxi driver to wait, but he didn't speak German and the man pretended not to understand with exaggerated facial expressions.

I've never been to Germany, so I don't know anything about the people or service available over there, but I thought Nonky's interpretation of this place (of ALL the places) seemed very apt and hilarious. LOL! So we've gone back to surly and unfriendly locals who hate tourists. Poor Lex. Is it against the rules of gift giving for him to have hired translators to accompany him everywhere? Or perhaps just huge bodyguards to initimidate 'friendliness' from the locals? lol!

“What the – It's a warehouse!”

Lex yelled it, but his dismay was hardly satisfied with the outburst. Instead of a stuffy little cubby, or a modern marketplace bookstore, he was looking at crates packed on scaffolding. He was standing next to a forklift. The man next to him was wearing a hard hat and offered one to the devastated billionaire. It was lime green, perfectly clashing with the brown parka.

ROTFLAMO! Lovely, Nonky! Yet another way to devastate Lex's romanticized view of buying rare, second hand books, LOL! A warehouse? He's been forced to go for his exquisite books in a huge, cold warehouse? oh, the disilllusionment if it all, LOL! I just loved how Lex's metrosexual vanity shone through when he was so peeved about wearing a hard hat that clashed horribly with his very expensive, stylish parka, LOL!

The man wrote a code down, and pointed to the left of the huge space. It was not the kind of adventure buying books normally required.

It nears repeating... OH, the disillusionment of it all, ROTFL!

He jammed the hard hat on and called his flight crew. He would be keeping them from their families one more night, but he would make it up to them, he promised. He called a very expensive hotel and made sure all the rooms had room service, mini bar, spa treatments and movies billed to him. He really didn't want to have to hire a new pilot. The current one was very understanding.

heh, I've been worrying about Lex neglecting his relatiosnhip with Chloe, and I spared no consideration for the entourage that is accompanying him. Surely THEY are also feeling guilty about being away from their spouses, partners and families this close to Christmas time. I hope Lex has been giving them plenty of money to go shopping in all these lovely places so THEY can also make huge extravagent gestures to make up their absence to THEIR loved one, lol! It was heartening to know that Lex is taking pains to take care of them and compensate them for all their over-time. Spa treatments too? wow! What a GREAT boss

The flurry of German in response seemed to boil down to the man staying behind with the forklift, where he was sitting. He pulled out a paper bag and started setting his lunch out. Lex thought about yelling or bribery, but the man was so relaxed and nonchalant. Not knowing the German word for eviscerate was making things impossible.

ROTFLMAO! Oh poor Lexie! He's really torn himself out of his element during all these trips. He's been exposing himself to environments where his money and influence counts for nothing. Poor thing! Still, it will do him good to stretch out his experiences like this.

“I should have driven the forklift,” he mumbled. “I know I can after that damn loader.”

LOL! I just loved how PETULANT he sounded over here. He's so cute when he's being sulky, lol!

He hit a corner and turned right again, finding another section of the warehouse. It was mildly interesting to see the different things stored there, including a beautiful Porsche he was tempted to buy himself. He was beginning to think it was either an illegal operation or a tax shelter, but he was getting Chloe's books.

ROTFL! I would have said Lex was being cynical, but it actually sounds like a plausible explanation for the existence of this warehouse. How the heck did Lex get wind of a place like this?!

He turned again and it was a dead end, so Lex spun around. He sighed. He was lost, the careful memorization of turns lost somewhere in his irritation. He was lost and Chloe would only know he was going to marry her when someone found his skeleton clutching his proposal ideas.

“What's German for 'come find me, you idiot,'” he asked the emptiness.

Dear sweet hopeless, hapless man! It's so much FUN seeing him being tortured by being made to seem foolish and helpless, ROTFL!

Back and to the left didn't take him anywhere recognizable. If he could find that sweet car he could get back to the front and yell at the cheerfully uncomprehending workman. He tried right and peered into the distance. It was worst than the time Chloe took him to a discount department store, then lost him in the electronics section. He had to have her paged.

oh dear me! How on earth did Chloe get Lex to set foot in a discount electronic store in the first place? I'm going to bet that was the first and absolute LAST time that happened, and Lex refused to follow her around to department stores again. And he probably held firm to this resolve for an entire week until Chloe realized she needed cutlery or something, LOL!

He smiled, Chloe's voice working immediately to make him happy. “Hi, sweetheart, how are you?”

She sighed. “I'm okay, busy. I was wondering if you're still getting back tomorrow morning?”

He kept walking, and a flash of a bumper caught his eye. He lowered the phone and ran toward it, but it was another car, not the Porsche. He brought the phone to his ear and suppressed the urge to tell her his troubles. It was her surprise he was trying to achieve.

“I ran into some difficulties, so I think it will be another day,” he growled, glaring at the warehouse. “I'm really confused, Chloe. I have no idea where I am. Can I call you later? I need to think right now.”

She nodded slowly, absorbing her idiocy. At least he was admitting something was wrong.

“Okay, but I want to talk soon. I hope you figure it out,” she said quietly.

heh, it wasn't a rescue party, but it was so darned cute how Lex perked up immediately from the sound of Chloe's voice. He was lost, alone, helpless and frustrated beyond all measure, but Chloe's voice brught that dazed, happy look right back into his eyes. lol, he's such a smitten-kitten, lol!
*sigh* he might have been cheered by the phone call, but his brusque manner only confirmed Chloe's mounting fears about an upcoming breakup. Poor girl, and idiot man! But I understand where this behaviour is coming from... Lex is focused completely on completing this task right now, and is incapable of seeing how badly Chloe needs attention and reassurance. I feeling equal parts dread and equal parts gleeful anticipation to seeing his reaction when he finds out how badly he screwed things up in his obsessive compulsive need to 'prove' his love to her.

She hung up first, and Lex shook himself back into action. He would follow a wall, get back to the front and scream nonsensical insults until he felt better. Then he would pay a million dollars for that guy to find the books for him, because everyone seemed to get the idea of a large wad of cash.

He guessed at a direction, strode quickly, and turned, bumping into his old friend lazy German guy. He glared magnificently, but the man only slapped him on the back, and pointed. There were the books, in a nice little box all ready for him. His name was printed in block letters if he needed one more sign.

Lazy German guy was not getting a tip.

ROTFLAMO! This was a hilarious ending to Lex's adventures in the warehouse jungle. But at least he's finally got hold of all the books now, right? Now he can return home... and find Chloe in bed with someone else?

heeee, it's going to be so much fun! Let's get ready for fireworks in the next few days. I look forward to seeing tomorrow's update, Nonky. Good luck!

[Kit Merlot]

Just caught up, and while Lex is being sweet, Chloe is completely freaking out. Lois gave her some good advice, and I like that she is listening to her big cuz

And orange soda is one of my favorites, too--Chloe has great taste in soda

[hfce]

I just read day 10.

Chloe you need a new friend because Lois sucks. That was God awful advice. What the hell. What the heck was that crap. What she should have said is Chloe you need to talk to him tell him how you feel. All this wondering is driving you crazy. Lex has been good to you. He deserves the chance to tell his side. That Lois is what is called good advice.

God I really hate Lois. She is a waste.

[hfce]

Part 11:

Lex in a mall Lord that was funny as heck. He was so cute at how scared he gets. I love how he knew exactly what Chloe needed for her journalism career. He is just to sick and sweet for words.

[superag]

This is all so freaking hilarious. And all for the woman of his dreams that apparently doesn't think that of herself. Oh well, won't she be embarrassed when she finds out how much trouble he's been too. The mall....funny...Lex, just buy the mall and fire all the idiots and hire only people that can get what Chloe needs.

[somethingeasy]

I apologize for the lateness of the review, but it’s been a very busy couple of days, and I don’t think the rest of the week is going to get much better. Fortunately it’s been busy in a good, fun sense of the word

Chapter Nine
I really enjoyed seeing the Lois and Chloe bonding session. It was so sweet, cute and funny. And the interaction rang true… it seemed as real as any close family interaction that I’ve ever been a part of. I loved how it started with Chloe and Lois snarking at each other in their playfully-hostile kind of way. I can easily imagine a pair of dominant, volatile pair of females like Lois and Chloe having fun in a mock-vicious kind of way… like a pair of lionesses hitting and batting at each other with their claws drawn in.

LOL! I wonder what it’s like when Lex is drawn into these cousinly bonding session. Does he jump right in and fit perfectly with all the playful flying barbs, or just he just duck his head and hope that he doesn’t get hurt? LOL!

Awwww, and I LOVED the description on how Lex has become a comfortable accepted part of the Sullivan and Lane family. Even if Lois had not mentioned it, it would have been obvious that he’s already accepted as Chloe’s ‘husband’ even if they have not taken official vows yet. It actually seems like Lex enjoys being part of a huge family now. He LIKES spending time with his wife’s relatives (as much as it’s possible for someone to enjoy spending time non-blood family), and that is such a lovely thing to see.

Heh, I wonder what Lionel thinks of Lex bonding with another family? Does he feel jealous that HIS only son is spending family holidays with other people? Does he resent the Sullivan-Lanes for taking his own only family away from him? Heh, has Lionel ever tried to drop in during any of these Sullivan-Lane get-togethers to find out what’s going on? Now ‘that’ would have been a fun party, LOL!

Where is Lionel in this fic anyway?

“'I'm really confused. I have no idea where I am right now.' That's what he said,” Chloe quoted dully. “He's going to be out of town more than he's here right until Christmas. What do I do?”

oh dear, OUCH! I didn’t fully appreciate how horrible these words sounded when Chloe didn’t realize where they were coming from, but I can see how easily and naturally they can be misconstrued into meaning that Lex is rethinking his relationship status and he wants a break from Chloe. Poor Chloe! Lex said the absolute worst thing possible at the worst time possible… and the truly tragic thing is that the idiot is completely oblivious to the kind of damage he’s inflicting on his relationship.

That was good advice from Lois though… it was a great deal more sensible and reasonable that I would have given her credit for being capable of. I would have expected her to give Chloe advice to go to a male strip club and drink her self-pity away… instead she’s told Chloe not to panic and just to take care of herself. It’s great to know that Chloe has someone rational and reasonable on her side during this time of emotional breakdown.

Chapter Ten
Oh dear heaven!!! WHAT the heck is Lex doing? First the home-grown coffee beans in the personally created greenhouse, then the obsession with the Chloe books in their beautiful green hard covers, and now THIS?!

I serious think Lex must have suffered a nervous breakdown after he first thought of the idea to propose during Christmas. This obsession with showering Chloe with the a lifetime’s worth of the most meaningful, heartfelt gifts EVER is a symptom of his broken-down mind. He’s skipped over being attentive and sweet and gone into SK-Lex levels of insanity and obsession.

ROTFL! Fortunately, GoM-Lex’s insanity is a great deal more amusing (and safer) than SK-Lex’s way of expressing affection, LOL! But that doesn’t make it any less psychotic.

It was immensely funny to see the chapter beginning with Lex trying to calm himself down from a minor anxiety-attack. He panics if he ever has to go to the mall? I can’t imagine what kind of a reaction he would show upon setting foot in a dollar store, ROTFL!

Snob! I’m sure all those stores (and the warehouse) he went to in Europe were no more ‘classy’ than the mall, but just BECAUSE they were European, that made it more bearable? ROTFL!

I really loved the part where Lex had a list of all the ‘silly little things’ that Chloe prefers in her day to day life. Such as the kind of manila folders she prefers to work with, or the kind of key-chains she likes… He still keeps on surprising me with the meticulous attention he pays for Chloe… and then I just giggle again thinking about how, for all the attention he pays to all the details about her, he CANNOT see how he’ driving her to breaking up with him. LOL! Poor sad little fools.

ROTFLMAO! Oh, that clerk was hilarious! I didn’t think anyone could have beat the surly Londerner, the lazy German or those annoying French sales persons…but the sheer stupidity of this American clerk? That beats all of them, ROTFL!

Heh, at least the manager, even though he didn’t look impressive, was competent enough to deal with Lex’s orders quickly and efficiently. That is yet another check on Lex’s obsessive ‘stuff I have to get to prove to Chloe I’m good husband material’ list. Now he has to go get nail polish? Oh the poor masochist! ROTFLMAO!

These were an excellent, fun pair of chapters, Nonky. I look forward to tomorrow’s update. Good luck!

[hfce]

LMAO!! This is to funny for words. Lex you just make me LOL!!! I love your mini adventure to the mall just for your love Chloe. You are so sweet but anal as heck! LOL!!

[somethingeasy]

Chapter Eleven
I was ROTFLMAO throughout this entire chapter. It was a LOT of fun to read through, and I honestly believe it was good for Lex to broaden his experience in this manner. And I think he really enjoyed this ‘plebeian’ experience of shopping in ‘common supermarkets’, purchasing goods worth less than his pocket lint, and meeting all kinds of ‘common folk’ who didn’t fawn all over him for being Lex Luthor, LOL!

It was just adorable how he was intimidated by all the nail-polish colours available on the shelf… and how he was so darned grateful that he only had to concern himself with shades of whites for Chloe.

“White, plain white,” he muttered to himself. When she had a day off Chloe pulled a pillow from the sofa, sat in front of the television and gave herself French tips. Her meticulous painting with the little brushes was mesmerizing, and Lex had fallen into an unaccustomed nap many times watching her.

I really loved the description of this scene. It was a beautiful glimpse into how Lex takes delight in domestic intimacy with Chloe. I loved the idea that he finds just watching Chloe to be so soothing and relaxing… a way for him to release all the tension that is always present from being a corporate animal-shark of billionaire proportions. I love catching all these little glimpses into how Chloe has improved his life in all these little, tiny, careless ways, just by being present in his life. It’s beautiful!

I adored the drag queen shopping companion Lex became acquainted with. The interaction between them was adorable and funny. And I was really pleased to see that even Lex himself was amused by the whole experience, especially since the experience included being mistaken for an impersonator of himself, ROTFL!

LOL! Green skittles! I caught the reference!

Oh, and the poor naïve man. He really went into the store having NO idea about the variety of shampoo choices available to the average consumer? LOL! Poor Lex… Thank heaven he memorized, not only the brand, but also the graphics and colours of Chloe’s favourite shampoo. If he had JUST found out about the brand… he would have been driven into a breakdown wondering whether Chloe needed something for ‘dry, normal or oily’ hair. And then proceeded to go nuts wondering about whether she needed something for Curly, Sleek and Shiny or Damaged, LOL!

Smiling ironically, Lex took slow steps and looked for foxes. “I woke up one day looking like Lex Luthor and thought there's no reason not to make a living on it,” he replied.

I loved this answer. He spoke the complete truth while giving the drag queen whatever impression he wanted to derive from it. LOL, I love it when Lex is being verbally evasive, LOL!

LOL! I really enjoyed how Lex fell short of the challenge of selecting Chloe’s make-up for her. Which was a wise decision, even the average woman would never be able to pick makeup for her closest friend without getting explicit instructions… A man picking out his girl-friend’s makeup? That’s just ludicrous! LOL!

Actually it would have been more fun to see him try to pick out feminine hygiene products for Chloe. Did he forget about that? Or did he decide to go by the same decision made for the make-up and not even bother trying, LOL!

And I was LOL at the idea of Lex picking out a lump of coal for the MB! I personally think Lionel would be very pleased by such a gift… he delights in being thought of as evil, and the coal would have validated his efforts to being ‘naughty’ this year, LOL!

It was fascinating seeing Lex stocking his penthouse full of Chloe’s stuff. He’s really intent on making sure Chloe sees the apartment as ‘home’ before he proposes she comes in and lives with him. This is actually a good idea! To stock the penthouse with all of Chloe’s stuff so that the transition of moving in with Lex wouldn’t be very jarring. If only Lex realized it would have been SO much better if he had brought her along for this shopping spree instead of doing it while keeping her completely in the dark about his going ons.

LOL! The last sentence was a killer, Nonky! His life was full of hope? LOL! You’re a cruel, CRUEL person who is taking special ironic delight in building up his happiness and optimism before leading him down the inevitable fall towards despair, ROTFLMAO! I can’t wait to see how it turns out… ooooh, the pain, the anguish! LOL!