Page 25 of Saving Little Clark

I nodded. "He's right, Lex. Having some structure can be really good for you. Especially considering how prone to mischief you can be at times."

Alex gasped, clutching at his chest in mock-outrage. "Mischief? Moi? I'll have you know I am a perfect angel, thank you very much. A paragon of virtue and good behavior."

Will snorted, shaking his head fondly. "Sure you are, kiddo. And I'm the Queen of England."

Alex giggled, booping Will on the nose with a cheeky grin. "Well, Your Majesty, I hate to break it to you, but you're looking a little scruffy for a lady.”

Will laughed, tickling Alex's sides until he squealed and squirmed away. "Alright, you little sass-monster. Enough stalling. It's time to talk about these rules.”

Alex pouted, looking like a grumpy toddler being told it was naptime. "Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I reserve the right to negotiate. And by negotiate, I mean whine and complain until I get my way."

I bit back a grin, shaking my head at his antics. "Of course you do," I said dryly. "Because heaven forbid you make things easy for once in your life."

Alex stuck his tongue out at me. "Easy is for losers," he declared, tossing his head like a defiant prince. "I prefer to live life on the edge, thank you very much."

Will just smiled, pulling Alex back into his lap with gentle, insistent hands. "Alright, my little daredevil. Negotiations are welcome, but the final say rests with me and Clark. Deal?"

Alex sighed dramatically, but I could see the excitement in his eyes, the way he leaned into Will's touch like a flower seeking the sun. "Deal," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But I'm warning you now, I drive a hard bargain. You might want to break out the big guns, like extra cookies or late bedtimes."

"Duly noted," Will said. "Now, rule number one. No swearing. Little boys should use kind, polite words at all times."

Alex's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in horror. "But how will I express my innermost thoughts and feelings? Howwill I convey the depth of my existential angst and tortured soul?"

I rolled my eyes. "There are plenty of other ways to express yourself."

Alex glared at me, sticking out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. "You're dead to me, Clark.”

Will just laughed, giving Alex a gentle squeeze. "Alright, then no swearing, unless it's for a really good reason. Like if you see a spider or something."

Alex tilted his head thoughtfully. "Okay, but I also want to addif someone tries to make me eat broccolito the list of acceptable swearing situations. Because that stuff is straight-up nasty, and I reserve the right to express my disgust in the most colorful language possible."

Will nodded. "Rule number two. No lying or keeping secrets from me.”

Alex's face fell, his lower lip trembling slightly. "But what if I do something bad and I'm scared you'll be mad at me?”

Will's expression softened. "Oh, sweetheart. I promise I’ll never be mad at you for telling the truth. I might be disappointed if you do something wrong, but I’ll always be proud of you for being honest with me. That's what being a good boy is all about, yeah?"

Alex buried his face in Will's chest. "Yeah," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the fabric of Will's shirt. "I'll try my best. I promise."

Will smiled. "Remember, you don't have to deal with anything alone, okay?"

Alex nodded, peeking up at Will with big eyes.

"Now," Will said. "We've still got a few more rules to go over, and I have a feeling they're going to be doozies."

Alex groaned, flopping back against Will's chest with a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, fine. Lay 'em on me, boss man. But I reserve the right to protest and throw a tantrum if I don't like what I hear."

"Duly noted. Now, rule number three. No staying up past bedtime. Boys need their rest.”

Alex gasped, clutching at his chest like he'd been shot. "But that's when the fairies come out to play, and the monsters have their tea parties, and the unicorns do their synchronized swimming routines."

I bit back a laugh. "And how would you know, considering you're usually snoring away by 9pm sharp?"

Alex sniffed, turning up his nose haughtily. "I have my sources," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Reliable, trustworthy sources who definitely aren't imaginary or anything."

"Uh-huh," Will said, his voice dry. "Well, I'm afraid your sources are going to have to find a new informant, because there will be no more late-night shenanigans on my watch. Bedtime is bedtime, end of story."

Alex pouted, his lower lip jutting out. "But what if I have too much energy to sleep?"

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