(So, some time after ubertodd's bad day, which led to the previous chapter, there was somebody else on my f-list whose cat died just before her birthday. She was very sad, naturally, and people were trying to cheer her up, writing her little ficlets and so on, so I did a little happyfic sequel.)
Happyfic for Astrea
Clark popped the last strawberry into his mouth. "They'll have fresh sourdough bread in twenty minutes."
"You're always hungry," Lex griped, smiling.
"And you don't eat enough to keep a bird alive," Clark smiled back. It was an old argument, too old to have any meaning left in it. "Come on, Lex. You like farmers' markets."
Lex muttered something that sounded like, "I like farmers," but when Clark whipped his head around to challenge him on the plural, he was looking ostentatiously innocent, which was extremely cute.
The previous day's rain had left the little seaside town smelling sweeter than anywhere had a right to smell, in this modern age. The sidewalk had a few puddles left on it, just enough to catch the brilliant morning sun and turn it into a billion spangles of reflected light.
On vacation, Clark liked to dress the way Lex liked to see him, within reason. His worn blue jeans and tight black t-shirt blended in with the locals and vacationers well enough.
The beauty of having kidnapped Lex to get him to come along on this trip was that it had let Clark pick Lex's clothes, too. Lex was looking tropical and wonderful in a white linen suit, and Clark was wondering whether it might not be better to let Lex talk him out of the farmers' market after all, and head back to the house to satisfy other appetites.
"Um, Lex? We don't have to stay for the..."
"Look!" Lex cut him off. He un-self-consciously took Clark's hand, and Clark marveled at how much good a vacation could do. Lex pulled Clark over to the edge of the crowd. Two girls had set up a box on a card table, with a beach umbrella over it. Their hand-lettered sign said, "Kittens Free to Good Home."