Title: Should the Teacher Stand So Near?
Part: 6/8
Author: Cam
Author's email: Camerada2006@yahoo.com
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Summary: Lex tutors Chloe
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, guys. Keep them coming!
*~*~*~*
By study session eight, Chloe could almost pretend nothing had happened. Almost. Sometimes, she'd imagine that Lex was looking at her a certain way. Or in the midst of a lesson about systems of equations, she'd fall into a rather explicit day-dream involving his lips.
But mostly, things were the same, if not better than before. Often, after the hour was up, she and Lex would sit in the Talon, discussing various currents events, ranging from global news to the latest rumors at Smallville High.
And things were better with Clark, too. Sometimes, he would join her and Lex while they debated. Mostly, he would add a comment or two, and sometimes Chloe could swear he was staring when she laughed at something Lex said.
If she didn't know better, she'd think Clark was jealous. But that was ridiculous.
At any rate, here Chloe was, at Lex's birthday party. With Clark. Lana couldn't make it – Chloe's dad had insisted she stay in bed with a head cold, and Pete decided that keeping Lana company was a great excuse not to attend the Luthor soiree.
For a soiree it was. Silk and satin, pearls and diamonds, sashayed past Chloe and Clark on the dance floor. And that was just the men.
Chloe, who, a few days before had been worried about looking drab, was equal to any of the attendees. Lex had sent an indigo blue dress that draped gracefully over her curves, ending in a full skirt on the floor.
The dress provided Chloe with a boost of confidence, and when Daily Planet society editor Abigail Madden asked her if she was one of the San Francisco Sullivans, Chloe simply laughed.
"Hey," Clark murmured. "I see Lex." Chloe felt a little sorry for Clark, who was so obviously uncomfortable, and smiled encouragingly as he led her over to where his friend was standing.
When Lex saw them, Chloe could feel him appraising her appearance. Her confidence faltered for a moment, but she squared her shoulders.
"Lex," a very pouty brunette was saying, "it's so quaint to have your party here in Smallville. Charming little town."
"Quite," added a handsome man. Chloe recognized him – but couldn't place a name.
Lex ignored the comments, and turned to Clark and Chloe. "Having fun?"
"Lots," Chloe said cheerfully. "Right, Clark?"
Clark offered a grimace. "It's really fancy, Lex."
The familiar-looking hottie glided toward Chloe. She wasn't quite sure how he managed it, but he seemed to move without picking up his feet.
"Bruce Wayne," he said, extending a cool hand.
"Chloe Sullivan," she replied, quickly hiding her surprise.
"Chloe," he rolled her name on his tongue as if savoring something sweet. "Care to dance?"
"Certainly, Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce," he murmured as he swept her out onto the dance floor.
He was elegant – so like Lex. Chloe wondered if it was in the water.
"Do you drink Ty Nant?" she asked suddenly.
"No," he chuckled after a momentary pause. "Only A drinks that stuff by the gallon."
"A?"
"Short for Alexander, Lex's first name," he explained. "Tap water's good enough for me."
"Is that so?"
"Well, my butler does use a Brita filter," he amended.
Chloe laughed. As they danced, she noticed Lex's eyes following them. When she made eye-contact, he looked away.
She secured her arms around Bruce's neck, and sighed as he pulled her closer.
"You're a lovely young woman, Chloe," Bruce said. "No wonder A's enamored."
Chloe was taken aback to say the least. "What?"
"He's intrigued by you," Bruce added, pulling back enough to look her in the eyes. "As am I."
Chloe looked a question at him.
"However, as A is one of my oldest and closest friends, I couldn't possibly pursue a woman whom he obviously cares for . . ."
"Lex has made it abundantly clear that there is nothing but friendship between us," Chloe said, struggling to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"In that case," Bruce lowered his head to murmur against her ear, and she felt a shiver go through her. "I'd love to have the pleasure of being your dinner partner, Chloe."
"Clark . . ." Chloe began, but was quickly silenced by Bruce's lips on hers.
So different to Lex, whose kiss had been tentative and soft, Bruce's mouth was brutal and breathtaking. Her mouth opened in a moan, and his tongue entered – a touch gentler than the initial kiss, still demanding, but more engaging. She felt a little bad about kissing Lex's friend, but if Lex wasn't going to kiss her, somebody should.
When he finally pulled away, Chloe had trouble breathing. Heart pounding, head swimming, she swallowed hard.
Bruce smiled down at her brilliant and bright, and she couldn't help but return it.
"Do you jitterbug?" He asked suddenly.
"What?"
"It's a dance."
"Umm."
"Follow my lead."
Before she could nod in assent, Bruce had pulled away. The music had changed to an unfamiliar, but catchy song.
I found my love in Avalon
Beside the Bay
I left my love in Avalon
And sailed away
I dream of her and Avalon
From Dusk 'til Dawn
And so I think I'll travel on
To Avalon
Chloe was laughing breathlessly as she tried to keep up with Bruce. He danced quickly, smoothly, pulling her to him, swinging her back, and she had never imagined anyone could be so fast, yet graceful.
When the song ended, he led her to a chair and brought champagne. "So?"
"That was fun," she said, hesitating half a moment before taking the proffered flute. "You're fun."
"I hate being bored," he replied, taking a seat beside her. "I have to be doing something all the time. Lex thinks I have a problem."
"He's so serious most of the time," Chloe began, sipping the champagne. "You two seem so different, it's hard to believe you're friends."
"Yeah, well, we weren't at first. Lex was quite unpopular in preparatory school. He was rather moody, which didn't go over well with the other guys. Plus, he didn't like sports, whereas I was a member of every team."
"You were a jock, and he was a nerd?" Chloe could imagine it, since, besides their physical differences, Bruce was far more extroverted.
"To put it succinctly," Bruce smiled. "But then I needed a math tutor, and well, you know how good he is at that."
"Absolutely," Chloe grinned. "So after he helped you, you guys became fast friends."
"Well," Bruce paused, "eventually. We didn't like each other very much initially, but we realized there were more commonalities than differences."
Chloe looked at Lex, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring her, and sighed. "I know what you mean."
*~*~*~*
TBC
Part: 6/8
Author: Cam
Author's email: Camerada2006@yahoo.com
Pairing: Chloe/Lex
Summary: Lex tutors Chloe
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, guys. Keep them coming!
*~*~*~*
By study session eight, Chloe could almost pretend nothing had happened. Almost. Sometimes, she'd imagine that Lex was looking at her a certain way. Or in the midst of a lesson about systems of equations, she'd fall into a rather explicit day-dream involving his lips.
But mostly, things were the same, if not better than before. Often, after the hour was up, she and Lex would sit in the Talon, discussing various currents events, ranging from global news to the latest rumors at Smallville High.
And things were better with Clark, too. Sometimes, he would join her and Lex while they debated. Mostly, he would add a comment or two, and sometimes Chloe could swear he was staring when she laughed at something Lex said.
If she didn't know better, she'd think Clark was jealous. But that was ridiculous.
At any rate, here Chloe was, at Lex's birthday party. With Clark. Lana couldn't make it – Chloe's dad had insisted she stay in bed with a head cold, and Pete decided that keeping Lana company was a great excuse not to attend the Luthor soiree.
For a soiree it was. Silk and satin, pearls and diamonds, sashayed past Chloe and Clark on the dance floor. And that was just the men.
Chloe, who, a few days before had been worried about looking drab, was equal to any of the attendees. Lex had sent an indigo blue dress that draped gracefully over her curves, ending in a full skirt on the floor.
The dress provided Chloe with a boost of confidence, and when Daily Planet society editor Abigail Madden asked her if she was one of the San Francisco Sullivans, Chloe simply laughed.
"Hey," Clark murmured. "I see Lex." Chloe felt a little sorry for Clark, who was so obviously uncomfortable, and smiled encouragingly as he led her over to where his friend was standing.
When Lex saw them, Chloe could feel him appraising her appearance. Her confidence faltered for a moment, but she squared her shoulders.
"Lex," a very pouty brunette was saying, "it's so quaint to have your party here in Smallville. Charming little town."
"Quite," added a handsome man. Chloe recognized him – but couldn't place a name.
Lex ignored the comments, and turned to Clark and Chloe. "Having fun?"
"Lots," Chloe said cheerfully. "Right, Clark?"
Clark offered a grimace. "It's really fancy, Lex."
The familiar-looking hottie glided toward Chloe. She wasn't quite sure how he managed it, but he seemed to move without picking up his feet.
"Bruce Wayne," he said, extending a cool hand.
"Chloe Sullivan," she replied, quickly hiding her surprise.
"Chloe," he rolled her name on his tongue as if savoring something sweet. "Care to dance?"
"Certainly, Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce," he murmured as he swept her out onto the dance floor.
He was elegant – so like Lex. Chloe wondered if it was in the water.
"Do you drink Ty Nant?" she asked suddenly.
"No," he chuckled after a momentary pause. "Only A drinks that stuff by the gallon."
"A?"
"Short for Alexander, Lex's first name," he explained. "Tap water's good enough for me."
"Is that so?"
"Well, my butler does use a Brita filter," he amended.
Chloe laughed. As they danced, she noticed Lex's eyes following them. When she made eye-contact, he looked away.
She secured her arms around Bruce's neck, and sighed as he pulled her closer.
"You're a lovely young woman, Chloe," Bruce said. "No wonder A's enamored."
Chloe was taken aback to say the least. "What?"
"He's intrigued by you," Bruce added, pulling back enough to look her in the eyes. "As am I."
Chloe looked a question at him.
"However, as A is one of my oldest and closest friends, I couldn't possibly pursue a woman whom he obviously cares for . . ."
"Lex has made it abundantly clear that there is nothing but friendship between us," Chloe said, struggling to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"In that case," Bruce lowered his head to murmur against her ear, and she felt a shiver go through her. "I'd love to have the pleasure of being your dinner partner, Chloe."
"Clark . . ." Chloe began, but was quickly silenced by Bruce's lips on hers.
So different to Lex, whose kiss had been tentative and soft, Bruce's mouth was brutal and breathtaking. Her mouth opened in a moan, and his tongue entered – a touch gentler than the initial kiss, still demanding, but more engaging. She felt a little bad about kissing Lex's friend, but if Lex wasn't going to kiss her, somebody should.
When he finally pulled away, Chloe had trouble breathing. Heart pounding, head swimming, she swallowed hard.
Bruce smiled down at her brilliant and bright, and she couldn't help but return it.
"Do you jitterbug?" He asked suddenly.
"What?"
"It's a dance."
"Umm."
"Follow my lead."
Before she could nod in assent, Bruce had pulled away. The music had changed to an unfamiliar, but catchy song.
I found my love in Avalon
Beside the Bay
I left my love in Avalon
And sailed away
I dream of her and Avalon
From Dusk 'til Dawn
And so I think I'll travel on
To Avalon
Chloe was laughing breathlessly as she tried to keep up with Bruce. He danced quickly, smoothly, pulling her to him, swinging her back, and she had never imagined anyone could be so fast, yet graceful.
When the song ended, he led her to a chair and brought champagne. "So?"
"That was fun," she said, hesitating half a moment before taking the proffered flute. "You're fun."
"I hate being bored," he replied, taking a seat beside her. "I have to be doing something all the time. Lex thinks I have a problem."
"He's so serious most of the time," Chloe began, sipping the champagne. "You two seem so different, it's hard to believe you're friends."
"Yeah, well, we weren't at first. Lex was quite unpopular in preparatory school. He was rather moody, which didn't go over well with the other guys. Plus, he didn't like sports, whereas I was a member of every team."
"You were a jock, and he was a nerd?" Chloe could imagine it, since, besides their physical differences, Bruce was far more extroverted.
"To put it succinctly," Bruce smiled. "But then I needed a math tutor, and well, you know how good he is at that."
"Absolutely," Chloe grinned. "So after he helped you, you guys became fast friends."
"Well," Bruce paused, "eventually. We didn't like each other very much initially, but we realized there were more commonalities than differences."
Chloe looked at Lex, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring her, and sighed. "I know what you mean."
*~*~*~*
TBC