AN: Were you guys aware that Buffy the Vampire Slayer has an all penguin AU, while Smallville does not? Well I was, and I could not let this injustice stand!

The penguins here in are chinstrap penguins in honor of Roy and Silo, my two favorite penguins of all time.]

Now available in Chinese translation at Archive of Our Own, with the Story ID:457744

Depressed, Clark waddled morosely across the snow. You see, Clark was all alone. He had tried to convince Lana to come join him in the nest he had built, but after much wavering back and forth, Lana had finally chosen Whitney over Clark. And, by the time she had come to a decision, all of Clark's other friends had already picked mates. Chloe had paired up with Jimmy, Lois with Oliver, and Tess with Emil. Clark couldn't even commiserate on his loneliness with Pete, as his best friend had begun courting Jody. That just left Clark, standing all by himself and looking out over the ocean.

He was so caught up in his brooding that Clark didn't notice the panicked squawking behind him until it was too late. He turned around and caught the briefest glimpse of something speeding across the snow straight for him before he was knocked into the water.

Clark was stunned for a moment, but shook it off and began inspecting the area around him, trying to find what he had been hit by. He was startled to see it had been another penguin, one who was, by all appearances, full-grown, but still had the downy soft feathers of a chick. Still, Clark didn't have time to worry about that right now, because the other penguin seemed to have been knocked unconscious when he ran into Clark's unusually tough body, and would soon drown if Clark didn't save him.

Thanking Penguin God for his super strength, Clark gripped the other penguin with his beak and pulled them both up onto the shore. The penguin didn't move at first, and Clark nudged him with his beak and flapped at his chest a few times in an attempt to rouse him. Finally, after coughing up some sea water, he opened his eyes.

"Kraark," the other penguin said, certain that he had knocked both of them into the ocean.

"Kraark," agreed Clark, before admonishing him to be more careful.

The penguin hung his head contritely for a moment, before looking back up at Clark. "Kraark," Lex said, introducing himself.

Clark flapped his flippers in surprise. Lex was the penguin that had that huge nest at the top of the hill. His father Lionel had had it brought over all the way from Scott Island, stone by stone. "Kraark," he said, returning the introduction once he remembered his manners. Then, because he couldn't help himself, Clark reached out and gently touched Lex's feathers in question.

"Kraark," explained Lex, voice easy despite the clearly upsetting nature of the story, and the derogatory way he called himself a freak.

"Kra-Kraark!" Clark protested. Lex wasn't a freak. His feathers were beautiful, even if Clark did worry that Lex might get could without the protective outer coat.

"Kraark," Lex admitted.

That's when Clark got a great idea. He was much warmer than other penguins, everyone always told him so. If Lex got cold a lot, then Clark could help warm him up. "Kraark!"

Lex looked hopeful for a second, before slumping in disappointment. "Kraark," he said ruefully. Surely Clark had other friends, and a mate. He shouldn't worry about spending time helping Lex, just because Lex was cold and all alone.

Clark brightened. Lex was alone too? Then maybe…

Cautiously Clark waddled up to Lex, who watched him in confusion. Once he was right up next to the other penguin, Clark lowered his head and twined his neck around Lex's, trilling softly. Unfortunately, Lex did not reciprocate these affections like Clark had hoped, standing there frozen in shock instead. Embarrassed, Clark pulled away.

"Kraark!" Lex objected suddenly, before entwining their necks again and returning Clark's trilling as though his life depended on it.

Clark leaned back into the embrace happily. Finally, Clark had found his mate.