Started: April 7, 2003
Finished: April 8, 2003
Last Episode Seen Before Writing: Rosetta
Pairing: Chloe/Pete
Rating: PG
Category: Humor
Spoilers: None
Summary: Pete has a word that starts a whole conversation, ending in exactly what he'd been hoping for.
Disclaimer: No owning is done here!
Author's Note: With the Smallville RPG, I haven't written in ages. So, here's another ABC fic to get the juices flowing. Mucho thanks to Nanders for the starting word, and the first half of the "k" sentence!
Amalgam
"Amalgam," Pete announced, walking into Chloe's room.
"Big word," Chloe teased, grinning from her spot on the bed.
"Come on, Chloe. I'm not that bad," Pete pouted, slumping to the bed.
"Did you have a reason for announcing that particular word, or were you just being Pete?" Chloe asked, pushing Pete playfully when he tried to look at her laptop.
"Everything has a reason," Pete said, pausing with a grin. "And you like it when I'm just being Pete."
"Fine, you know I do," Chloe said, laughing. "So, reason?"
"Good question. Do you know what it means?" Pete asked, looking at her inquisitively.
"Hard question," Chloe said, rolling her eyes. "Amalgam is a mixture of different elements. Why is that in your vocabulary at the moment?"
"I don't know," Pete said, fidgeting with Chloe's bedspread.
"Just tell me, Pete. I know you have a reason," Chloe said, reaching out to make him stop fidgeting. "You won't look at me now. There's something up."
"Keeping up the face is hard, Chloe," Pete said, forcing himself to look at her. "When there's such a mixture of things there. But you have to hide them, because you can't let the other person know what's really there."
"Like," Chloe prompted, her face registering confusion. "What are you talking about Pete? What things? Who do you have to hide from?"
"Maybe I should just go," Pete said, starting to stand.
"No," Chloe replied softly, taking his hand to pull him back to the bed. "Tell me what's wrong. Now you have me worried."
"Of all the people who've seen it, I'm surprised you haven't. You're this great reporter and you don't even see it," Pete said, his voice tinted with sadness.
"Please tell me, Pete," Chloe pressed, still holding Pete's hand. "You can tell me."
Quickly Pete pulled his hand back. "I like you, Chloe. Like you," Pete said, pausing to gather his thoughts. "Like you used to like Clark. Now that you don't… I just needed to tell you."
"Really?" Chloe asked softly, almost in shock.
"Since you first came to Smallville," Pete answered, looking into Chloe's face as if trying to read her eyes. "Say something, Chloe. What do you think?"
"That you should have told me sooner," Chloe replied, taking his hand without breaking her gaze.
"Uh, Chloe?" Pete asked, shifting uncomfortably.
"Venture out of your comfort zone, Pete," Chloe said, moving closer. She smiled softly. "I'm glad you told me."
"Why?" Pete asked in confusion. "I know you don't-"
"X the excuses, Pete," Chloe said, looking up at him. "I feel the same way. Why else do you think I stopped liking Clark?"
"You do?" Pete asked, a grin starting to form.
Zoning in on his mouth with her own, Chloe stopped Pete, giving him a much better thing to do. Not that Pete minded one bit.