Just fucking take me back already!
Apr. 17th, 2003 11:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hackthis_archivePoint the first. Everyone’s who’s keening over ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rosenho’s ‘Futura’ needs to go back and read her ‘Achromatic.’ It was her first SV/Homicide split and how I became one of her devout worshipers. Don’t sleep, y’all. Read it!
Point the second. My Lex voice has been very reticent recently. He’s bitter with me over something – although there are too many possibilities for me to pick one. This makes me greatly upset. Fucker.
Smallville
Platonic
Ten thousand dollars is what it cost Lex to have the simulation of his death recreated.
Nine security measures are in place to prevent Helen from entering this room again. Not the least of which is her own evident disgust.
Eight sides to the missing metallic talisman that Lex very much wants back.
Seven steps from the door to the floor. Lex can walk them in his sleep.
Six plasma screens are currently in use.
Five screens have been replaced after being subjected to Lex’s anger at Clark’s prevaricating.
Four days since Clark has last called.
Three Kents.
Two light switches are on the wall.
One obsession.
Plato called love ‘the grave mental disease.’
Lex is not in love. Lex is obsessed, which is disease of an entirely different stripe.
It wouldn’t be the first misdiagnosis on Lex’s behalf, however, his brother is the sociopath, not him. And yet, perhaps if Lex could convince himself that this was just about love then maybe he wouldn’t be so proud of his accomplishment. The Room is an accomplishment. It’s an homage to Lex's gathering skills and the keenness of his scientific mind. It anything, Lex is in love with science, and love makes people do strange, perverse, insane things.
Lex is not insane. Lex is fully rational. He’s calm and collected, and covetous. ‘Crazy’ also begins with ‘c,’ but no, Lex isn’t crazy. He’s a scientist. He’s exploring and discovering, and doing what comes naturally to him. He’s learning about a subject that fascinates him: Clark. That’s what science is about in its basest form. Discovery.
The Room is built for discovery.
It’s not about love, or not just about love, because love doesn’t have Lex breaking fifteen thousand dollar screens every time Clark lies or talks about Lana. No, that’s not love, that’s jealousy. That’s anger that someone else is tampering with Lex’s experiment and potentially tainting his results.
In The Room, no one can touch Lex’s experiment. In The Room, Lex is not in love.
When that door closes and the lights come on, Lex is just another scientist spending time with his pet project.
Love is not responsible for Lex’s fifty-dollar screen cleaner and the hours he spends sitting on the hood of a wrecked Porsche telling a black and white Clark about his day and his plans for Lex Corp.
It’s not about love. It’s about pride.
Lex is proud of his accomplishments, and he wants to share them with Clark; but Clark doesn’t have the time or the inclination, or he’s just not the Clark that Lex wants. Clark wants an Honest Clark and a Truthful Clark, and maybe one day, if he can’t have this Clark in that way, he’ll make himself another one. It is possible. Anything is possible, which is why the simulation of his death runs loops. Lex should be dead. But he’s not. And he’s obsessed with what could have been but now isn’t.
That’s why The Room was built in the first place, and as time has gone on, Lex has simple added and expanded his catalogue of information and evidence.
Lex is obsessed with the tape from the art museum and a wrinkled family tree that was drawn in red and yellow pencil. Lex is obsessed with a family that has no farmhands on a running farm.
Lex is a scientist who keeps finding things that should be impossible, but quite clearly aren’t.
He just wants answers.
It’s not even about Clark anymore. It’s not just about Clark anymore. Now it’s about the secrets that Lex allows Clark to keep. The Room was born of Lex’s need to know, and he doesn’t need Clark to tell him because he’ll find out on his own. With or without Clark’s help.
Lex isn’t obsessed with every truth, just this truth and that will not change until all his questions are answered. He’ll find out, and if it kills him, so be it. He needs to know that he’s not crazy. He needs to know what the hell is going on, just for his own sense of self.
He's not stupid. He's not dense. He will not play Oedipus for anyone.
The room isn’t about Clark. It’s about Lex. It’s about Lex reminding himself of all the lies he lets Clark tell him, and all the reasons that he’s quite obviously not in love. The Room reminds Lex that his feelings for Clark are purely platonic. Apart from the jealousy and obsession.
No, it doesn’t hurt Lex when Clark lies to face.
He’s not in denial either.
He’s just diseased and looking for a cure.
-fin-
Notes: This is an exercise for my own edification. I'm quite fascinated with The Room, I just can't quite figure out what I want it to mean.
rosenho’s ‘Futura’ needs to go back and read her ‘Achromatic.’ It was her first SV/Homicide split and how I became one of her devout worshipers. Don’t sleep, y’all. Read it!Point the second. My Lex voice has been very reticent recently. He’s bitter with me over something – although there are too many possibilities for me to pick one. This makes me greatly upset. Fucker.
Smallville
Platonic
Ten thousand dollars is what it cost Lex to have the simulation of his death recreated.
Nine security measures are in place to prevent Helen from entering this room again. Not the least of which is her own evident disgust.
Eight sides to the missing metallic talisman that Lex very much wants back.
Seven steps from the door to the floor. Lex can walk them in his sleep.
Six plasma screens are currently in use.
Five screens have been replaced after being subjected to Lex’s anger at Clark’s prevaricating.
Four days since Clark has last called.
Three Kents.
Two light switches are on the wall.
One obsession.
Plato called love ‘the grave mental disease.’
Lex is not in love. Lex is obsessed, which is disease of an entirely different stripe.
It wouldn’t be the first misdiagnosis on Lex’s behalf, however, his brother is the sociopath, not him. And yet, perhaps if Lex could convince himself that this was just about love then maybe he wouldn’t be so proud of his accomplishment. The Room is an accomplishment. It’s an homage to Lex's gathering skills and the keenness of his scientific mind. It anything, Lex is in love with science, and love makes people do strange, perverse, insane things.
Lex is not insane. Lex is fully rational. He’s calm and collected, and covetous. ‘Crazy’ also begins with ‘c,’ but no, Lex isn’t crazy. He’s a scientist. He’s exploring and discovering, and doing what comes naturally to him. He’s learning about a subject that fascinates him: Clark. That’s what science is about in its basest form. Discovery.
The Room is built for discovery.
It’s not about love, or not just about love, because love doesn’t have Lex breaking fifteen thousand dollar screens every time Clark lies or talks about Lana. No, that’s not love, that’s jealousy. That’s anger that someone else is tampering with Lex’s experiment and potentially tainting his results.
In The Room, no one can touch Lex’s experiment. In The Room, Lex is not in love.
When that door closes and the lights come on, Lex is just another scientist spending time with his pet project.
Love is not responsible for Lex’s fifty-dollar screen cleaner and the hours he spends sitting on the hood of a wrecked Porsche telling a black and white Clark about his day and his plans for Lex Corp.
It’s not about love. It’s about pride.
Lex is proud of his accomplishments, and he wants to share them with Clark; but Clark doesn’t have the time or the inclination, or he’s just not the Clark that Lex wants. Clark wants an Honest Clark and a Truthful Clark, and maybe one day, if he can’t have this Clark in that way, he’ll make himself another one. It is possible. Anything is possible, which is why the simulation of his death runs loops. Lex should be dead. But he’s not. And he’s obsessed with what could have been but now isn’t.
That’s why The Room was built in the first place, and as time has gone on, Lex has simple added and expanded his catalogue of information and evidence.
Lex is obsessed with the tape from the art museum and a wrinkled family tree that was drawn in red and yellow pencil. Lex is obsessed with a family that has no farmhands on a running farm.
Lex is a scientist who keeps finding things that should be impossible, but quite clearly aren’t.
He just wants answers.
It’s not even about Clark anymore. It’s not just about Clark anymore. Now it’s about the secrets that Lex allows Clark to keep. The Room was born of Lex’s need to know, and he doesn’t need Clark to tell him because he’ll find out on his own. With or without Clark’s help.
Lex isn’t obsessed with every truth, just this truth and that will not change until all his questions are answered. He’ll find out, and if it kills him, so be it. He needs to know that he’s not crazy. He needs to know what the hell is going on, just for his own sense of self.
He's not stupid. He's not dense. He will not play Oedipus for anyone.
The room isn’t about Clark. It’s about Lex. It’s about Lex reminding himself of all the lies he lets Clark tell him, and all the reasons that he’s quite obviously not in love. The Room reminds Lex that his feelings for Clark are purely platonic. Apart from the jealousy and obsession.
No, it doesn’t hurt Lex when Clark lies to face.
He’s not in denial either.
He’s just diseased and looking for a cure.
-fin-
Notes: This is an exercise for my own edification. I'm quite fascinated with The Room, I just can't quite figure out what I want it to mean.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 11:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:38 pm (UTC)I'm glad you think I've got a grasp on Visitor!Lex, but I'll feel better when I don't require a negotiator to talk to him, you know?
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 07:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 11:46 am (UTC)Really well-done.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:40 pm (UTC)Really well-done.
Your icon cracks me up. I'm glad you enjoyed this, as well, thank you!
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:45 pm (UTC)Why, if I didn't know better...I'd say that people aren't very fond of the princess.
Say it is not so!
Bwahahahaha!!!!
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 12:47 pm (UTC)Superb work. Eerie and full of frightening imagery.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:43 pm (UTC)Superb work. Eerie and full of frightening imagery.
Thank you.
I think a little bit of both would go a long way with Lex. As much as I adore him, he is going to be an evil mother one day as
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 01:52 pm (UTC)That line just nailed the level of deranged obsessiveness that Lex can spiral to. I had a shiver as soon as I read it.
Great fic!
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:45 pm (UTC)That line just nailed the level of deranged obsessiveness that Lex can spiral to. I had a shiver as soon as I read it.
Great fic!
That's probably my favorite line from this ficlet, and yes, as much as I adore Lex he's going to become a whopping great nutter.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:17 pm (UTC)Okay, kid. I almost started crying, and I'm having a very happy, extended weekend! Knock it off with the good stuff! *g* I loooove this story. That poor woobie.
And may I suggest that perhaps he's pissed off at you for having to spend so much time with Marshall? *eg*
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 02:52 pm (UTC)Okay, kid. I almost started crying, and I'm having a very happy, extended weekend! Knock it off with the good stuff! *g* I loooove this story. That poor woobie.
And may I suggest that perhaps he's pissed off at you for having to spend so much time with Marshall? *eg*
How can he not be happy about spending time with Marshall? Everybody loves Marshall! *cracks up* I'm slightly delusional right now, you may not have noticed. It's only going to get more entertaining next week I expect, and if Lex won't talk to me then so be it, I'll just go play with the other toys.
However, I would like to take this moment to point out that as you are the mother of three and at least two of them are mentally-unstable boys, surely it's only a matter of time before I lose it as well. Excited?
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 04:06 pm (UTC)You don't KNOW from reticent. I've been wandering around all frickin day with my head cocked to one side like a complete loon saying "Lex, honey, talk to me! What have you done to Clark? I promise I won't be judgemental! I'll always love you!!"
He didn't reply. Luthor bastard.
Hmm- though now I think about it, maybe my determination to love him whatever is exactly the cause of my block... *cocks head to one side and begins conversation with Lex again*
*giggles at use of word 'cocks'*
no subject
Date: 2003-04-17 07:48 pm (UTC)I especially love the use of the countdown at the beginning.
It’s not about love. It’s about pride.
Lex is proud of his accomplishments, and he wants to share them with Clark; but Clark doesn’t have the time or the inclination, or he’s just not the Clark that Lex wants. Clark wants an Honest Clark and a Truthful Clark, and maybe one day, if he can’t have this Clark in that way, he’ll make himself another one. It is possible. Anything is possible, which is why the simulation of his death runs loops. Lex should be dead. But he’s not. And he’s obsessed with what could have been but now isn’t.
Mmm, yes. The Room is and isn't about Clark, in the most amazingly complex ways. And one of the things that always gets me about Lex's interaction with Clark is how Lex constantly seems to expect Clark to be better than him, better than anyone, maybe even himself. I think it's part of why Lex has such a double standard with Clark where lying is concerned--Lex lies, of course, but he hates it when Clark lies because he should be better than that.
And oh lord, now you've got me thinking of Lex making Clark clones. *babbles incoherently*
no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 09:34 am (UTC)You know you want to. You could read
no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 12:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 03:30 pm (UTC)Umm, could be that he's, well, not jealous, but maybe a little wrathful that he doesn't have your complete focus. He's trying to tell you something about obsession and you're not really listening.
Other than that, I think you did this brilliantly... you fooled me with the absence of passion, because of course this is just the way things *are*
no subject
Date: 2003-04-22 09:13 am (UTC)I have to share him with how many people and he's giving me shit because I'm actually trying to have my needs met for a change? That is so.... typical. He's feeling wrathful? Does he have any idea how *I* feel? Huh. I am a little PMT-heavy today. Give
Re:
Date: 2003-04-26 08:05 pm (UTC)Spasticat? For sure. I should see her tomorrow night, I've been in Rotorua with my parents for the last two weeks.
I'll try and check your lj and blog soon.