Ardent

ARDENT

BY

LCAMILE

FANDOM: AU SMALLVILLE

SUMMARY: THE LOVING INTENSIFYS AS OLD YET MYSTERIOUS MEMORIES BEGIN TO EMERGE.

RATING: R. IT CONTAINS MILD LOVE SCENES.

SERIES: MARMALADE

DISCLAIMER: SMALLVILLE IS PROPERTY OF DC COMICS.

CHAPTER I-Mabel's Story

I called home and told Ariel that I had a date this evening as I talked to her on my cell phone while I sat in my parked Camaro that was in the studio parking lot. I wore a long-sleeved fuchsia shirt, black/fuchsia koala vest, black stretch boot-cut Ponte pants, black plus-calf leather boots, black leather hooded coat, and black medium leather backpack. Just then Lionel's limo parked near mine. After I ended the phone call, I unbounded my hair, reapplied my cherry wine lip gloss, and sprayed breath fresher in my mouth before I locked and left my car. His chauffeur greeted me as he opened the limo's door. I returned the greeting with a "hello" and a smile. As I entered the limo, I noticed Lionel as he wore a black long-sleeved shirt, dark trousers, dark blazer, dark loafers, and purple shades. His hands rested on his cane as he sat in the back seat. I sat beside him and kissed him. Lionel was the first Earth guy that I ever dated. For three weeks, I directed several scenes in and around the LuthorCorp Building since I discovered that he was a sponsor of some of my shows.

Although he was still frustrated about his life's reconstruction from his new blindness, I unknowingly gave him the strength to carry on. While he was still in the hospital, I visited him each day. Lex discovered about my visits during my third visit when I bumped into him as I was about to leave while he was about to arrive. During that time, Lionel and I became more intimate yet I was cautious because of his injuries.

"Hello," he smiled as I hungrily licked my lips at him. After he removed his shades, I took them and began to clean his shades with my colorful handkerchief as I smelled his expensive yet seductive cologne. When I returned his shades, he smiled and put in his jacket's pocket.

"What were you doing to my glasses?"

"I was cleaning them," I answered as he wiped his watery eyes with his dark handkerchief.

The next day came as a bright morning when I woke up in Lionel's bed at the Luthor Mansion. I was in my white tank top and mauve-colored boxer panties as I rested in Lionel's arms. He continued to sleep as the heather gray satin sheets covered him from the waist down. He wore a tiny smile as he held me closer. I kissed amorously his swollen lips as I lightly stroked his furry chin while the Moments' "With You" played in my mind. Lionel opened his eyes as his smile widened.

"Good morning." He said as he held my face in his hands and kissed me back. I loved his kisses since he always tasted scrumptious.

"Good morning," I smiled as I embraced him and later kissed him on his chin. My lips moved to his neck and covered it with kisses.

Shortly afterwards, I shared a bath with Lionel and changed into a long-sleeved dark pink rayon blouse, dark blue shin-length skirt, matching jacket, dark blue 5-inched strapless Mary Janes, and cranberry lip-gloss while my tresses hung down with middle part. It was one of the outfits that Lionel gave me when we went shopping in Metropolis two weeks ago. Presently most of the outfits were in a bedroom closet that was next door to Lionel's bedroom of the Luthor Mansion. During the bath, I washed his hair as I sat behind him. After the bath, I dried and brushed his dark locks as he sat on the bed in his dark robe. When I finished, he changed into a black mock turtleneck, dark green trousers, dark blazer, and dark loafers.

An hour had passed when we had breakfast alone as we sat beside each other since Lex was still on a business trip. I watched silently yet lovingly at him as he drank his glass of orange juice. When he finished it and put it down, his free hand began to fondle me underneath the table. Shortly later, he stopped as his other hand wiped his mouth with his napkin. He smiled devilishly and licked his lips before he pushed both his plate and his glass away.

        "You are like satin and silk," Lionel whispered seductively as he wrapped his arms around me after he came closer.
        His voice gave me a sonic boom of excitement since I was under his spell.  Part of me wanted to break away from him since I knew he had several evil intentions.  However, it now didn't seem to matter. Since my first very encounter with Lionel, I had done experimental things.  Last week, I bedded him and did the first move of seduction.  I never had done it before.  During that late Saturday night, I discovered that he was like a fine aged wine and tasted delectable.  The thought of that intimate night never escaped my mind.  

      Ariel and Bobbi Jane had started to notice my slow yet mysterious transformation.   Furthermore, I was having a sexual awakening with the abet of Haze Heat.   Two evenings ago, I received a cell phone call from Lionel.  He told me that he was free for their next date.   I was thrilled so we both decided to meet at the studios.  I suspected that Bobby Jane heard the end of the phone discussion as she entered the living room. She was recovering from her injuries.  Her guest room was next door to my room.  She was the first to conjecture that Lionel was my boyfriend.  Bobby Jane's father, Khalis was Lionel's former business associate and knew Lionel for several years.  She recently met Lionel and Lex last week at Downtown Sycamore Hills Square with me.   Despite his new blindness, Lionel seemed well.

        As Bobbi Jane sat on the dark sofa, she ran her hand through her dark mane when I joined her on the sofa after I put my cell phone in my pocket.  Ariel was still in her bedroom as she played Linda Ronstadt's "Tracks of My Tears" on her saxophone.  Many, including Bobbi Jane and I, thought that Ariel was an accomplished saxophone player as well as a gifted singer.  For three years, Ariel was part of the Sky Motorists.  They consisted of six members and sounded like a mixture of the Commodores and Heart.  The Sky Motorists were developed at the Crump Academy as their gigs grew from small gatherings to weekend club shows.   Last year, the band broke up.  However, Ariel performed with Vijul Bihar, the former Sky Motorists' lead singer/bassist on Vijul's recent album, "Cloud Ark".  Vijul, who was a former Crump Academy student, was a Thungaran Marvel.   She moved to Jodhpur, India with her family when she was two months old.  Her family later settled in Tuskegee, Alabama when she was eight.  She and Ariel bumped into each other while in Metropolis last month.   Ariel later became Vijul's surprise musical guest at one of Metropolis gigs.  Ariel did three duets with her as well as played saxophone on most of Vijul's songs. The audience loved Ariel and gave her a standing ovation before she bowed and left. 

        The next day, the house was completely silenced since Bobbi Jane went to the Sycamore Hills Music Festival and I was on my date so Ariel was in the art room as she did an oil painting of a red-haired boy who occasionally appeared in her dreams. Recently he materialized in some of her memories.  She now knew that he was a former classmate and his name was Alexander.   She discovered the wooly information from Jill when she recognized him from one of Ariel's earlier paintings.  Ariel started painting when she was fourteen as a hobby yet it later matured as she made her own comic book the next year.  Her comic book, "Fire Eyes" was a shadowy romantic magazine with humorous undertones.  The first five editions of the comic book were finally published last year by Autonomy Comics and became a mild hit.  The Autonomy Comics' co-owner, Bruce Wayne, was secretly a fan of the comic book yet he never met the creator.

        As Ariel added more blue paint to the canvas, she began to sing Bob Marley's "Is It Love".  She didn't care about her singing since she thought that she had little talent for it, yet many thought differently.  She cleaned her hands after she finished her painting for the day.  She removed her smock and locked the door as "Reasons" by Earth, Wind, and Fire began to play in her mind.  It always gave her chills.

CHAPTER TWO

Ariel ran her fingers through her hair as she drove to the Luthor Mansion. Although last night's dinner with the Luthors was successful, her first real date with Lex was three days away. The dinner renewed the Braxtons' friendship with the Luthors. During the dinner, Ariel sat right next to Lex. Ariel wore a light tan long-sleeved floral dress, tan moccasin-styled boots, and dark peach lip-gloss. Her straight thick mane hung down with a crooked left part. Lex wore a dark suit, a white long-sleeved shirt, dark tie, and dark loafers. When they ate dessert, Ariel and Lex held hands underneath the table.

After she entered the mansion, she heard a piano playing classical music. She followed the music and discovered that it was Lionel as she looked in a nearby opened room. She watched him briefly as he continued to play. Lionel wore a white long-sleeved business shirt, dark purple tie, dark slacks, and dark loafers as he played on his dark grand piano. Her heart raced as she came closer and his cologne's scent became stronger.

"Hello Lionel." She smiled as she wore a peach/white paisley long-sleeved shirt with butterfly collar, dark peach leather pants, matching jacket, dark peach leather ankle boots, light peach lip gloss, and black leather backpack. The sides of her straight locks were in a ponytail while the rest hung down.

"Hello Ariel," he smiled and continued to play as Ariel sat beside him. After the song ended, he turned to her as brief silence followed.

Twenty moments passed as Ariel walked with Lionel down the hall. The young Brazilian held his arm gently as he began to reminisce about one of her pre-accident visits while Lex and Ariel both still were in school. As Lionel softly patted her hand that rested on his arm, Ariel began to smell white lilies. She noticed that several in a large clear vase on a nearby round brown table. Then an image of a large harp came to her mind as she briefly turned around.

"Lillian, A.J.'s Mom," she said with great astonishment as she released her grasp and sojourned.

"Yes, that was my late wife's name." He remarked as he stopped and turned to Ariel. Shortly after Lex's twelfth birthday, Ariel met Lex's mother. AJ introduced Ariel to her. Ariel later learned that he talked exceptionally well about Ariel to his Mom. She was a tall woman with long red hair, lovely pale skin, and warm smile. The young preteen thought that she was very pretty as well as indulgent while Mrs. Luthor thought that Ariel was sweet and charismatic. AJ was thrilled that they both went along together well.

        Within an hour Lex arrived from his visit at the Kents.  Ariel and Lionel were in the study as they listened to Madame Butterfly on Lionel's CD player when Lex found them.  He wasn't surprised when he saw Ariel since she and Lionel was now good friends.   Lex recently discovered that Ariel was the only girlfriend that Lionel liked with great respect. Also Lionel wanted Lex to marry Ariel instead of Desiree when Lionel first learned of Lex's marriage to Desiree.
        "Hello AJ," she smiled when she noticed Lex as he entered the room.

"Hello Ariel. I see that you are enjoying your evening with Dad." He smiled calmly with his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, I am." She modestly blushed with a sweet chuckle.

        A short time has passed as the first date of Lex and Ariel came.   Lex arrived at Ariel's house early evening in his late 2000 blue Jaguar.  When Havana opened the door and greeted him, Lex wore a dark suit, green tie, dark loafers, and a long dark coat as he held a bouquet of pink roses which were Ariel's favorite. Havana wore a green long-sleeved Imagination t-shirt, black cargo pants, black hiker boots, and a braided ponytail. As he came in, Ariel walked down the stairs and wore mauve/silver long-sleeved gown, matching three-inched thick pumps, black wrap, dark pink lip-gloss, and a ponytail.
        "Hello AJ," Ariel smiled as Ariel and Lex stood face-to-face.

        "Hello Ariel.  You look stunning.  These are for you."  He handed the bouquet as he smiled.

        "Thank you," She remarked breathily as she gently took the bouquet and kissed AJ softly on his lips.

THE END