#lex luthor-centric

[tyffi82]

Fic: Falling Through the Rabbit Hole: Coffee, Chaos, and Contracts

The ringing of his phone shattered the quiet of the study. Reluctantly, he reached for it, already knowing who it would be. No one else had the audacity to call him at this hour, much less the gall to expect a response. ‟Dad,” Lex answered, his voice smooth but laced with ice. ‟Lex, I trust I'm not disturbing you.” Lionel's deep, authoritative tone carried through the receiver, every syllable weighted with both amusement and menace. ‟You usually reserve your calls for when you're about to ruin my day. Why break with the tradition now?” Lionel chuckled softly. ‟You wound me, son. I merely wanted to discuss some pressing matters regarding your… overtures.” ‟LexCorp is none of your concern,” Lex said sharply, sitting upright. ‟Unless, of course, you're planning to sabotage me from the shadows again — in which case, we're right on schedule.” ‟Oh, Lex, always so paranoid. If your business overtures are faltering, perhaps you should look inward rather than casting blame outward.”

Chapter 9 is now on AO3

[tyffi82]

Fic: Falling Through the Rabbit Hole: Coffee, Chaos, and Contracts

‟So, congratulations are in order…” Chris blinked, and when Lex pointed at her head, she slowly reached up, remembering that Emily had made her wear that stupid birthday tiara. Crinkling her nose, she pulled the tiara out of her hair. ‟Friends… from Harvard… Idiots,” she muttered. ‟They sort of adopted me as their baby sister… Charity case, I don't know.” She looked up at him. ‟What are you doing here? I never took you for the clubbing type.” ‟Friends… from Princeton… Probably idiots, too,” he replied with a smirk. ‟So, twenty-one… big milestone.” The way he looked at her made Chris shiver with pleasure, yet left her feeling confused. ‟Happy birthday, Chris.” He gently touched her elbow and breathed a kiss on her cheek. At that moment, Fitz approached them and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist. ‟Hey, baby doll. Sorry, I'm late.” She exchanged a look with Lex and couldn't help but giggle. ‟Indeed, you are.” She pointed at Lex with her chin. ‟He already came to my rescue.” Fitz looked at her for a moment, his eyes lingering on Lex a little longer than necessary. Probably to make sure he was friend and not foe. But, he could also be checking him out. He would do that, occasionally. ‟Lex, this is Colin Luthor. Fitz, this is Lex Fitzpatrick. Friend, client… No… wait, that doesn't sound right…” She scratched her temple and took a deep breath. She couldn't be drunk already, could she? She certainly didn't feel drunk… ‟Baby doll, I think we can figure out who's who on our own. She's an idiot, but a nice one,” Fitz added as he shook Lex's hand. He glanced at her, and instantly, Chris knew there were more comments about her love life coming her way once she returned to their table. ‟She's my lawyer,” Lex replied dryly. ‟Oh, in that case… She's a brilliant idiot!” Fitz turned to her and gave her a quizzical look, but she just smiled and shook her head. There was no need for him to come to her rescue. He gave Lex one last look before they exchanged a few more pleasantries. Then, he returned to the rest of the gang. Not without reassuring himself one last time that Chris was in safe hands. She gave him two thumbs up and shooed him away.

Chapter 8 is now live on AO3

[tyffi82]

Fic: Falling Through the Rabbit Hole: Coffee, Chaos, and Contracts

"Did my father approach you, or did you contact him immediately after I left your office?" he hissed through clenched teeth, glaring at her. Chris blinked. "Huh… I like your train of thought and the very Dickensian derailment, but that doesn't answer my question about the pumpkins."

Chapter 4 is now on AO3.

[tyffi82]

Fic: Falling Through the Rabbit Hole: Coffee, Chaos and Contracts

‟First of all, I'd like to apologize for the delay and… this. The shirt… There's no need to apologize for my breasts.” Chris looked him straight in the eyes, testing the waters of how to handle him. ‟I have been blessed with them.” ‟A fact the shirt makes abundantly clear.” Lex didn't even flinch but held her gaze, causing a tingling sensation in the small of her back. Oh boy, this is gonna be something… Don't blush, you've started this after all. ‟I had a small accident shortly before you arrived —” ‟Right… drinking coffee and not bathing in it.” Chris rolled her tongue in her mouth and tried to keep her features under control. Had her little tirade been loud enough to be heard throughout the entire office? ‟Well, we have an intern who's, uhm, adjusting to… work life.” Lex leaned slightly forward, the hint of a smile twisting at his lips. She couldn't help but stare at the little scar on his upper lip. She wondered where he got it from. It definitely wasn't a harelip scar. ‟I can tell you from personal experience that interns normally function better when you don't go at them like ten sailors on leave.” Chris blinked. ‟Well… Anyone less calm and collected than me would have flayed him alive.” She noticed her voice sounding calm and confident again and less squirrelly as though she were an intimidated school girl. ‟You're certainly not at a loss for words.” Chuckling, he made himself more comfortable in his seat. ‟Anyway… before we discuss my case, I'd really like to know what a rabbit is doing in a law firm.”

Read the rest on AO3.