title: metropolitan boy
author: jessica
mail: thegirlinglasses@illuminatedtext.com
date: october 07, 2003
notes: for raincitygirl. improv: nicky, lex's office, a bottle of liquor.
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Nicky wasn't too big to ride on Daddy's shoulders, but they wouldn't fit in the elevator with him up there. He stood next to Daddy and held onto his hand instead. He laughed and made faces at himself in the mirrors.
"So, where are we going to go for lunch?"
"Metropolitan Joe's!"
"Yeah? And what are you going to have?"
"I want grilled cheese, and chicken strips, and a butterscotch milkshake in a really big glass."
The elevator stopped, and Nicky led the way, swinging their hands between them. Papa's building was tall and shiny. There were windows everywhere. Nicky liked to press his nose against the glass and look down at all the tiny cars. Daddy only let him do that if Nicky held onto his hand.
"C'mon, Nicky." Daddy pulled him away. "Papa's waiting."
It's not a long walk from the elevator to Papa's office, but there are so many people in the hallway. Daddy knows a lot of them; he waves and says 'hello'. A lot of them know Nicky, but he stays close to Daddy's leg. He gives Ralph a hug, though.
Ralph is Papa's assistant. He sits at a desk right outside Papa's big doors and always hugs Nicky back.
"Hiya, Ralph!"
Nicky breaks free of Daddy's grip when they come around the corner. Ralph shakes Nicky's hand and says, "Good afternoon, Mr. Luthor." Then he hugs him while Nicky's still giggling.
He shakes Daddy's hand, too. "Hey, Clark."
"Ralph." Daddy pronounces it funny, like it doesn't have an L. But 'Ralph' has to be right because Papa said so.
"Lex will be right back. He just ran down to the lab."
Daddy makes his thinking sound. "Did you remind him?"
"He'll be right back, Clark."
Nicky climbs up onto Ralph's chair. It spins. He uses his hands on the desk to make it go faster. He gets in seven spins before Daddy tells him to stop.
"C'mon, let's wait inside. Ralph needs to get some work done."
Daddy grabs his hand and lets Nicky jump out of the chair. Ralph waves just before the big doors to Papa's office close. The chair at Papa's desk is bigger and spins even faster. He counts Daddy's blurry face ten times, then leans back to watch the ceiling spin.
"I'm thirsty."
Papa has tiny fridge where he keeps pretty blue bottles. But Nicky goes for the fancy clear bottles on the shelf just above it.
"Um, I don't think so."
'But I'm thirsty."
Daddy opens his mouth, getting ready to say something, and he'll probably wave his hands around, too. But then the door opens and Papa is back.
"Where's that boy of mine?" Papa says. Nicky lifts his arms to be picked up, but Papa stops to kiss Daddy first. Nicky doesn't have to wait too long. "Hey, kiddo. So, where are we going for lunch?"
"Metropolitan Joe's!"
Daddy holds the door open and they all wave goodbye to Ralph.
"Bye, Ralph!" Nicky yells over Papa's shoulder. Papa laughs, and Daddy does, too.