Disclaimer: Smallville and all related characters... and especially Clark and Lex, do not and never will belong to me. So sad.
Christmas Blues
Christmas morning.
Lex Luthor sat at his desk in his office trying to concentrate on his work… trying not to think of what day it was or the fact that he had no one to spend it with… trying to tell himself it was no big deal.
Christmas was just another workday, after all.
Lionel had taught him that.
Lex sighed. He doubted thinking of his father would improve his mood or help him to concentrate.
Slowly he leaned back in his chair. His mother had loved Christmas. Loved everything about it. The carols, the decorations… especially the Christmas trees.
Lex didn't have a tree, had in fact refused to decorate at all.
When his mother had died Christmas had ceased to be a celebration. And Lex had never had anyone to spend it with anyway. His father refused to celebrate it, not that he found the idea of spending it with Lionel particularly appealing anyway.
Lex sighed, glancing to his pool table where a lone present sat in the middle.
This year… this year there was Clark and for the first time in years Lex had someone he'd wanted to shop for.
Clark had a family though and couldn't be here today and Lex couldn't bring himself to begrudge Clark that. It was right that he would spend Christmas with his family. If Lex had a family like the Kents that's where he would be. Lex chuckled grimly, imagining himself sitting at a Christmas table with Jonathan Kent.
That would never happen.
Shaking his head he attempted to force his attention back to the plant's quarterly report on his laptop screen.
Feeling sorry for himself wouldn't do any good. It was ridiculous to be jealous of what Clark Kent had, and as far as Clark himself went, he would see him later in the week. And that would have to do.
"Lex?"
Looking up, Lex blinked in surprise. Clark Kent stood in the doorway of his office in all of his flannel glory. "It's Christmas, Clark. I thought you'd be roasting chestnuts in front of the fire with your parents."
"So you do know what day it is," Clark chuckled, looking around at the decoration free office.
Lex shrugged, walking around the desk and motioning his friend into the room. "There was no one to decorate for," he admitted and Clark's eyes softened.
"I brought you a present," he said after a moment, holding up a small sloppily wrapped box.
Lex smiled, his first genuine smile of the day.
"Thank you, Clark," he said softly, accepting the present. "I got you a gift too," he said, retrieving the box on his pool table. "I think your father will let you keep this one," he said, watching as Clark's eyes lit up as he grinned.
Lex smiled as he watched his friend open the present, marveling at the contentment he felt after only a few minutes in Clark's company.
Clark, who had apparently left his family to make sure he had company on Christmas.
With faint smugness Lex wondered what Jonathan thought of where his son was right now. Lex wasn't sure what to think about having a friend who cared about him enough to brave Jonathan Kent's disapproval, something lesser men would quake under… something even he had trouble dealing with… and to do it for him, on Christmas Day no less.
Clark was truly a wonder.
Lex smiled, feeling warm inside for the first Christmas in years. If this was what the holiday season was about… maybe Christmas was more than just another workday after all.
End.