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butterflyI'm uncertain where this came from. It isn't a story, yet. Just a fragment.
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Luthor," Lois said, making sure that her smile showed none of her uncertainty -- she'd learned years ago that that was death for a reporter. Lex waved a hand casually and she seated herself in front of the desk, amused, as always, by Lex's obvious need to assert control.
"It's a pleasure, Ms. Lane." Lex said, matching her formality for formality.
"I have to admit that I was surprised when you agreed to meet with me. You did tell me once that you'd never talk to me again once I was a 'real reporter'." Lois let her smile soften, as if caught in a fond memory. Lex's expression didn't change at all, but she hadn't really expected that -- he was a cagey opponent. Hell, he'd been a cagey lover, burnt three times over before they'd even met.
"We all say things in the heat of youth that we regret later on in life," Lex said, his voice as smooth as ever. The man was pure cream -- vocal cords, skin, and mind. Best of the best and he knew it. Very dangerous, as she'd been reminded this morning -- 'Don't play his game,' Clark warned, eyes gentle and worried. Lois laughed softly, not resisting the urge to remind him that she'd had a relationship with Lex at one point.
"I know I did," Lois said, confident that Lex would assume the worst from her words. He always did.
He had again, judging by the slight twist to his smile. Lex liked to think that he was above predictability, but she knew his sore points better than most. "Ms. Lane, I think you know why I allowed you this meeting."
"It's about Clark Kent," Lois said, without a moment of hesitation. "You found me looking into his past, so when I asked to see you, you decided to take the chance to warn me off."
Lex's surprise showed in his eyes for a second before he controlled himself. He'd gotten so much better at that in just a few short years. Lois would have laughed if anyone had called the Lex that she'd slept with 'emotionally available' but he'd been light-years ahead of this Lex. "And what led you to that conclusion, Ms. Lane?"
"People who look into Clark Kent's past don't have a high survival rate -- I haven't just been checking up on Clark, I've been checking up on you, Lex." And this was the most dangerous part of all of this. Her cards were on the table and now she just needed to get out of this room intact. "I know that you're protecting him. But you know the funny thing? Clark doesn't know it."
Lex's lips tightened, the scar on his lip whitening. Then he relaxed, the corners of his lips turning up into a lazy and, damn it, still annoyingly sexy smile. "I'm assuming, from the present tense, that you haven't told your partner this odd deduction?"
"Clark has this blind spot when it comes to you." Lois realized that she was gripping the arms of the chair and let go, forcing herself to appear calm. "He thinks, despite everything, that you don't murder people. For some reason, he thinks that you have limits. That there are lines that you won't cross. But we know better, don't we?"
"And from your sudden and rather bizarre tangent, I'm going to deduce that you have no evidence that supports this theory and that it isn't something that you'll be bringing to Mr. Kent's attention." Lex leaned forward, bracing himself on the desk. "Ms. Lane, I do believe that you asked to come here to strike some sort of deal with me. Am I right?"
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Luthor," Lois said, making sure that her smile showed none of her uncertainty -- she'd learned years ago that that was death for a reporter. Lex waved a hand casually and she seated herself in front of the desk, amused, as always, by Lex's obvious need to assert control.
"It's a pleasure, Ms. Lane." Lex said, matching her formality for formality.
"I have to admit that I was surprised when you agreed to meet with me. You did tell me once that you'd never talk to me again once I was a 'real reporter'." Lois let her smile soften, as if caught in a fond memory. Lex's expression didn't change at all, but she hadn't really expected that -- he was a cagey opponent. Hell, he'd been a cagey lover, burnt three times over before they'd even met.
"We all say things in the heat of youth that we regret later on in life," Lex said, his voice as smooth as ever. The man was pure cream -- vocal cords, skin, and mind. Best of the best and he knew it. Very dangerous, as she'd been reminded this morning -- 'Don't play his game,' Clark warned, eyes gentle and worried. Lois laughed softly, not resisting the urge to remind him that she'd had a relationship with Lex at one point.
"I know I did," Lois said, confident that Lex would assume the worst from her words. He always did.
He had again, judging by the slight twist to his smile. Lex liked to think that he was above predictability, but she knew his sore points better than most. "Ms. Lane, I think you know why I allowed you this meeting."
"It's about Clark Kent," Lois said, without a moment of hesitation. "You found me looking into his past, so when I asked to see you, you decided to take the chance to warn me off."
Lex's surprise showed in his eyes for a second before he controlled himself. He'd gotten so much better at that in just a few short years. Lois would have laughed if anyone had called the Lex that she'd slept with 'emotionally available' but he'd been light-years ahead of this Lex. "And what led you to that conclusion, Ms. Lane?"
"People who look into Clark Kent's past don't have a high survival rate -- I haven't just been checking up on Clark, I've been checking up on you, Lex." And this was the most dangerous part of all of this. Her cards were on the table and now she just needed to get out of this room intact. "I know that you're protecting him. But you know the funny thing? Clark doesn't know it."
Lex's lips tightened, the scar on his lip whitening. Then he relaxed, the corners of his lips turning up into a lazy and, damn it, still annoyingly sexy smile. "I'm assuming, from the present tense, that you haven't told your partner this odd deduction?"
"Clark has this blind spot when it comes to you." Lois realized that she was gripping the arms of the chair and let go, forcing herself to appear calm. "He thinks, despite everything, that you don't murder people. For some reason, he thinks that you have limits. That there are lines that you won't cross. But we know better, don't we?"
"And from your sudden and rather bizarre tangent, I'm going to deduce that you have no evidence that supports this theory and that it isn't something that you'll be bringing to Mr. Kent's attention." Lex leaned forward, bracing himself on the desk. "Ms. Lane, I do believe that you asked to come here to strike some sort of deal with me. Am I right?"