Page 30 of Saving Little Clark

Alex launched himself at Brody with a happy squeal, wrapping his arms and legs around him like a koala clinging to a tree. "Me too, Uncle Brody," he said, his voice muffled against Brody's chest. "Thank you for playing with me, and taking care of me, and being my friend."

"Always, kiddo," he rasped.

And then he was setting Alex down, ruffling his hair one last time before turning to Will with a grin. "You've got yourself a hell of a boy there," he said, clapping Will on the shoulder with a proud nod. "Don't ever forget how lucky you are."

Will pulled Brody into a rough, back-slapping hug. "Believe me, I won't," he said hoarsely.

Brody stepped back and turned to look at me.

"Clark," he said softly. "I know this might seem out of the blue, but would you like to go on a date with me sometime? A real date, I mean. Not just hanging out as friends or coworkers."

"Yes, I’d love to," I whispered, the word slipping out before I could overthink it.

His face lit up like the sun breaking through the clouds, his eyes sparkling with joy, relief and adoration. And then he was striding towards me, crossing the distance between us in three quick strides and pulling me into his arms.

"Can’t wait," he breathed, his lips brushing against mine in a soft kiss.

Chapter 12: Clark

Today was the day, my first official date with Brody. As excited as I was, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety as well. I wanted everything to be perfect, from the ambiance of my living room to the carefully curated playlist humming softly in the background.

Of course, Alex was having none of my neurotic fretting.

"Oh no!" he gasped, clutching at his chest with exaggerated horror as he watched me fluff and re-fluff the same throw pillow for the tenth time. "The cushion is one degree off-center. The entire date is ruined."

He threw himself onto the couch with a dramatic wail, his arms flailing like a man drowning in a sea of decorative textiles. "How will you ever recover from this devastating blow?”

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a nearby stuffed animal and chucking it at his head with a huff of laughter. "Excuse me for wanting my apartment to look nice for my first real date in... well, pretty much ever."

Alex sat up, his expression softening as he tossed the stuffed animal back to me. "Brody isn't going to care about the angle of your throw pillows or the feng shui of your bookshelf. He's coming here to spend time with you, not to judge your interior decorating skills."

I sighed, flopping down beside him on the couch and resting my head on his shoulder. "I just don't want to screw it up like I always do."

Alex frowned, poking me gently in the side. "That's just your anxiety brain talking, and we both know that bitch can't be trusted. And this is Brody we're talking about. The sameBrody who has listened to you ramble on about comic book continuity for hours on end, who has literally caught you when you stumbled and fell on your ass in front of the entire office. Do you really think a slightly crooked pillow is going to send him running for the hills?"

I bit my lip, feeling a flush of warmth bloom in my chest at the reminder of all the ways Brody had been there for me over the past few weeks.

"I know it's stupid," I mumbled. "But I worry he'll realize that I'm too much work, and too Little for someone like him."

"Oh, Clark," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. "You are so much more than your Little side, you know that, right?”

"I want to believe that," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. "But the last time someone found out about my Little side, it didn't exactly end well."

Alex winced, his expression turning pained and angry all at once. "Liam," he said flatly, his free hand clenching into a fist at his side. "That absolute bastard. I still can't believe he ghosted you like that, just because he couldn't handle a little age play."

I shrugged, feeling a dull ache throb in my chest. It had been during our senior year of college. Liam had been the first man I had ever dared to imagine a future with. We’d been dating for a few months. One night, he had accidentally walked in on me in my Little headspace, surrounded by stuffies and coloring books.

The look of shock and disgust on his face had haunted me for months afterwards, had sent me spiraling into a pit of self-loathing and despair.

But Alex had been there, had pulled me back from the brink with his unwavering love and support. He had held me while I cried, had made me laugh with his ridiculous jokes and over-the-top impressions, had reminded me that I was worthy of love.

"You saved my life, you know," I said softly, leaning into his embrace with a shaky sigh. "Back then, after Liam, I don't know what I would’ve done without you, Lex. You were the one person who never made me feel ashamed or broken or wrong."

"That's because you're not, Clarkie. And if I ever see that smarmy little prick again, I'm going to kick his ass so hard he'll be tasting shoe leather for weeks."

I laughed. "My hero," I teased, bumping my forehead against his affectionately. "Always ready to defend my honor with violence and bad puns."

"Damn straight," Alex said, puffing out his chest with exaggerated bravado. "Nobody messes with my best boy and gets away with it. Not even some two-bit, wannabe frat bro with a trust fund and a stick up his ass."

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