She was surprised that dinner was already on the table. And she was pleased to see that the place settings were in the same position as when she moved to sit next to Lex the night before. "The main floor would be all the merchandise and some chairs and couches to relax in. And there would be a second floor that wrapped around the inside of the warehouse, like a wide balcony," she tried to clarify her vision.
Lex nodded again as he pulled out her chair.
She sat down after a barely noticeable hesitation. She was very slowly adjusting to this chivalry thing…
"What's there?" he asked, pushing her chair in.
"More chairs and couches," she watched him seat himself, "but mostly gaming tables."
"Do you think that you'll ever get to do it?" he asked as they both started eating.
Never, I'll be dead before then, she thought. She knew it was realistic, the way she lived, the chances she took. No one could expect to see a ripe old age at the rate she was going. "One day," she said, "I just don't think today is that day." It was getting easier though, to do her job – almost too easy as of late.
Lex wished that he could understand why today wasn't that day. He thought to himself for a moment.
It was as though she was reading his thoughts. She knew he was going to push the subject if she didn't change it. He was – persistent. "I'm slightly disappointed with you, Mr. Luthor," she said as she looked over the vast expanse of table before them. He looked up at her, elbow on the table, and his empty fork a few inches from his mouth. "I thought you would try to impress me by getting a big table in here before dinner tonight. It looks like we'll just have to cut that god damn tree down ourselves," she said almost absently, as though she was just speaking her inner monologue. She allowed herself only the faintest of smiles.
She watched as a small smile slowly found its way to his lips. She watched the smile increase until it was almost Clark-like in magnitude – about 900,000 watts. Then he turned his head away and moved his fork-holding hand to cover his mouth.
She didn't really know what he was doing so she continued to watch him. He moved his left hand to his stomach. She noticed him shaking – no. He was laughing, genuinely laughing. Then she heard it; it was wonderfully harmonious.
Well, she knew as soon as you made a sound, he thought. He turned to face her again, laughing. He hadn't laughed like that since -- he didn't know when. He didn't know why it stuck him as being so amusing. She had said funnier and cleverer things to him since they had met. Maybe that was why he was laughing so hard. He never took the time out to before and now he was laughing for all of her humorous comments – for her.
She looked at him with a wide-eyed expression. She didn't analyze if her shock had come from the fact that she had made him actually laugh or that she had just witnessed perfect beauty for the only time in her life. She had known that he was an Adonis just by looking at him, of course. But there was something about knowing that he was truly happy, even if it was just for the moment, which made him even more appealing.
His laughter subsided. He wondered if he should take her hand and just hold it; he didn't know how else to thank her. Well, he did, but so far she didn't seem interested in that sort of -- interaction. Maybe I should fake choking so she will have to give me the Heimlich, he thought to himself. He had a vivid vision of her arms wrapped around him…
She didn't want to bring attention to his laughing. He obviously kept such expressions of emotion to himself or just didn't have them at all. But yet, she wanted to hear that sound again, see that smile again…
"Now that suits you," she smiled and tried to convey her honesty at the same time. He looked down at the food he was eating, still a small hint of a smile on his face. She decided not to mention it further. Was that embarrassment or just modesty because he himself knew that laughter made him even more attractive?
Just as they had the previous night, they talked as they slowly ate dinner. Lex wondered how he had ever enjoyed a meal without her, without the meaningful conversation.
When they finished, she began to stack the dishes as she had done the night before. She was just sitting there anyway.
"Have you ever considered a career bussing tables?" he asked as they stood.
"You mean if the whole government minion thing doesn't work out for me? Only every day of my life," she said with a smile.
They began walking toward his office. He looked her seriously. "You are not a minion, or a lackey," he added remembering her earlier statement.
"Can I tell you a secret, Mr. Luthor?" she said looking at him sideways as they walked down the hallway.
He looked at her in a you-know-you-can way.
"I don't believe that you believe what you just said," she said in a matter of fact way.
He looked at her as though she had hurt him, "I would not have…"
"I think that you believe that the government is something to be – outsmarted or circumvented. It is conducted in an inefficient bureaucratic way that, in the long run, only damages your bottom line and all of its employees perpetuate that system," she said with little emotion.
He had thought that before he met her, and most of it was still true. But something about her told him that she didn't perpetuate that system. She was different; his employees had told him how efficient she was. "I never said that," he said.
"Well, you should, because it would be true. 99.9% of government is exactly like that," she said. The other .1% were people like her who thrived on efficiency and effectiveness. But then, people like her didn't really exist -- officially. And because of that, they didn't have to obey the same rules as, well, anyone else.
He allowed himself a smirk. At least she could see the flaws of her surroundings. Most people that are immersed in something cannot see its defects.
They entered the room in which they had been so diligently making their comic book. Rhone walked to the table and began to pick up the art supplies that were littering the area that they had occupied.
"Are we finished?" he asked coolly. He didn't let his voice betray the sudden mixture of disappointment and melancholy that he was feeling.
"I think that I'll allow my gracious host some much deserved rest," she said as she was carefully packing away the actual pages of the comic book.
He had to admit, he was tired. But he knew that he wouldn't sleep that much anyway. He would rather spend that time with her, not alone in this castle. No, he would rather spend that time with her than doing anything else that he could think of. However, she didn't sleep at all whereas he had gotten a small nap in. "If you're tired, maybe you shouldn't drive," he thought quickly. "I'll have a room made up for you," he suggested as he began to walk for the phone in his office to call Mark and have him prepare a room.
"That's unnecessary, Mr. Luthor," she said from behind him. It really was, considering she didn't sleep. She didn't want to leave, but knew that he needed the rest. And as far as he knew, she needed it too. She had to go along with that. She finished packing up the things that had been left on the table and began walking towards the door.
"The only thing that is unnecessary is your persistence in calling me Mr. Luthor," then he added softly, "It's Lex." He didn't know why she insisted on calling him Mr. Luthor. They were friends, she had said so herself. That is definitely grounds for a first name basis. He accompanied her to the adjacent room where he had to move swiftly to pick up her laptop case before she did. He was slightly disappointed that she remembered to take it with her.
She didn't acknowledge his comment about calling him Lex. Normally, she would call anyone whatever they wanted, but he was different. Calling him Lex meant that they were really friends. Even though she didn't mind it and she knew that they were, she had even called him a friend last night. But for some reason, it would also be admitting that she couldn't just get up and walk out of the room and never see him again. It would mean that she was attached to him. And she just couldn't have that. It was better this way.
They began walking out of the room, towards her car. "Can I expect you for dinner tomorrow?" he asked.
"I think I've imposed enough for one week," she said with a faint smile.
Imposed? His time with her was something that he had come to look forward to. …Ok, so he hadn't been even remotely this happy since before his mother died. But this definitely felt different than a mother and son bond and he was glad for that. No one could ever replace that; he didn't want them to. "You could never impose," he said hoping to convey his honestly. "And besides," he added, "We have to work on our – project." He pointed to the portfolio she was carrying.
She smiled. "We really need a name for it," she said. He was looking at her, waiting for an answer to his dinner invitation. After a moment she looked at him sideways, "As if I would say no."
"And you still have to show me that," he hesitated, "Masterpiece Theater show."
"You mean Mystery Science Theater 3000," she said with a small laugh.
"That," he said with a small amount of discomfiture.
"You know, you would hate it," she said, looking straight ahead. He looked at her, waiting for an explanation. "It has a lot of references to pop culture and…" she trailed off.
"And what?" he asked.
"And it's funny," she said.
What did that mean? Like he didn't have a sense of humor? He laughed today for god's sake. Hard. What more did she want? "Your predilection for it speaks very highly of it," Lex said smoothly.
"And you value my unrefined opinion so highly?" she asked with a smirk.
"Yes," he said as he opened the front door for her.
"Thanks," she hesitated for a moment before she walked out the door. It was just too damn weird having someone doing that for you all the time -- not that it wasn't nice…
They began walking towards her car. Lex admired it from afar. He wondered what he would have to do to get a ride in it – or how much it would cost to take it off her hands.
"So, when should I expect to see you around the plant? Two, three o'clock?" she joked as she opened her car door and threw her portfolio inside.
He chuckled. "If I decide to get an early start," he joked as he handed her the laptop case. He placed his hand on the open door of her car.
She smiled at him as she got into her car. "Thanks for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Luthor," she said.
He gave her a small smile and shut the door. Lex, he said his name to himself as she pulled away.
Lex walked into his bedroom, quite tired. He gave a glance to the red sheets and matching comforter that adorned his bed. In the few hours since Rhone left, he had completed some paper work that he had been neglecting. He never realized how boring it was before. Well, he knew it was boring, but the tedious nature of it was especially evident today. Maybe because of what you are comparing it to, he thought to himself.
He pulled off his clothes and opened a dresser drawer. He slowly stepped into the pair of silky red boxer shorts he retrieved. Brought on by the fresh clean scent of the drawer, Lex remembered the way Rhone had smelled him. The memory brought a small smile to his lips. He could not place what she smelled like.
He had found his way into his bathroom and started brushing his teeth. Lex looked around the bathroom as he brushed. When finished, he picked up a few of the toiletries that he had and smelled them. None of them were even close to what Rhone smelled like. All of the products smelled – artificial. Maybe her smell was unique, like her. He smiled faintly again. But it reminded him of something, something from a long time ago. What was it?