Upstairs - For Jim

[have_no_mercy]

As promised, Tess' room is not fancy. It's a mid-sized standard Milliways room, with a bed, dresser, a couple of arm chairs and a bathroom en suite. Just a big bedroom and nothing else. Well, besides the wet bar. It wouldn't be a Luthor room without one.

She follows Jim in and wastes no time in dropping her shoes and sweater on one of the chairs.

Her skirt hits the floor not long after.

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

Tess props herself up on one elbow and watches as he putters around and then returns to the bed.

"One of the better birthdays I've had."

Now she's going to have to air freshen her room. Thanks, Jim.

[just_cant_lose]

He thinks he's earned a cigarette. She can deal.

'Why? Have the others been actively bad, or just full of angst because-'

He makes a hand gesture. Adoption, issues with parents, all of that.

[have_no_mercy]

She'll deal, because he has earned it.

"Both. I found out it was my birthday by being kidnapped by aliens."

[just_cant_lose]

'...well, that just sounds like a good story to eat out on.'

How many other people have anything as interesting to say?

'Unless you're talking about when you were five, because I suppose you didn't have a lot of dinner engagements then.'

[have_no_mercy]

"No, it was a few years ago, but it's the same aliens who ran the orphanage I went to and who brought me back to life."

They really seem to like her.

[just_cant_lose]

'You said they won't be coming back again, didn't you?'

He blows a stream of smoke towards the ceiling, stretches his back out and looks around for something to ash his cigarette in to. He's restless, which is probably understandable, but not short with her. He's played the post-coital chat scene many times in his life, he can reproduce it again.

'How did you die?'

He doesn't think he ever got that bit of the story, but it's equally possible he tuned it out.

[have_no_mercy]

"I don't think they will be."

But she has no way to be one hundred percent certain on that.

"Zod killed me. He heat visioned my face. They obviously fixed that, too."

She nods toward the garbage can for his ashes.

"You know, you don't have to stay."

[just_cant_lose]

'And you still want to find him, and not to murder him?'

It goes a way to explaining why he likes her. Most people would be boringly predictable about such things. He gets up to the bin - what's your problem with the floor, Tess, other people clean these rooms - and paces up and down for a moment or two. Then he shrugs, and pulls his jeans on.

'If you want me to go, just say.'

Another reason he likes her. She can want him gone, and he can want to go, and it's fine.

[have_no_mercy]

"That's right."

Maybe she'd try to kill him after she got what she wanted out of him, but leaving him where he is is also satisfactory.

She smiles.

"I do need to shower and probably have a nap, so your presence is no longer required."

Then she gets up and walks over to him to give him one last kiss. Not on the cheek.

[just_cant_lose]

He smirks and takes the kiss. Even gives it back.

'Just remember why you need a shower and a nap, darling.'

It's all fine. He needs a shower and a wank. He pecks her on the lips again, and picks his shirt up.

'Find me soon, so we can start the moon project. Don't make me wait.'

[have_no_mercy]

"I won't forget."

She sits back on the edge of the bed.

"Still so bossy. I'll find you soon enough."

[just_cant_lose]

'I think we've proved you don't mind.'

And he can get a lot more bossy than this. Irrelevant now, though; he pulls shoes on, grabs his shorts and opens the door.

'Have a good sleep, my dear.'

One last grin, a wink in her direction, and he's gone.