Watchtower

[have_no_mercy]

When they leave Milliways, Tess and Jim enter what looks very much like an elevator. That's because it is. Steel all around with a camera up in one corner.

Smile, Jim, you're on TessTV!

She presses the button for the top floor and then waits.

Comments

[just_cant_lose]

'Fair enough.'

He fully understands why that would be wrong. Besides, you can't repopulate a planet or species with two people. Not healthily. Someone should really point that out to people who insist on following the Bible to a T. Adam and Eve? Really?

Mind you, it would explain the worldwide bred-in stupidity.

He looks back at Mars. It might be a mess, but he still wants to get his hands on it.

'What happened to the rest of them, then?'

[have_no_mercy]

"We don't know and neither do they, though it seems both species are extinct. Or will be at some time in the relatively near future."

Tess can make guesses, but that's all they are.

"They were somewhat engaged in civil war, so it's possible that caused it."

[just_cant_lose]

'How can you not know? If they're that close, are you not watching them? Is there no communication?'

Shoddy.

[have_no_mercy]

"She was raised on Earth, She knows nothing about Mars. Manhunter, I don't know. He claims not to have any memory of anything happening, just that he found himself on Earth as well."

[just_cant_lose]

'They did know humans existed, yes? And you all must have known they did. Was there no conversation with whoever was in charge there?'

Even his backwardass planet can send probes to Mars, for God's sake. It's impossible they can't have known of the existence of a whole two species living up there.

[have_no_mercy]

Another shake of her head.

"It seems this all took place before we had any kind of technology. We never knew they existed. It's possible time travel was involved."

She huffs out a short laugh.

"Hell, I didn't even believe in aliens until one walked up and smacked me in the face."

You know, literally.

[just_cant_lose]

This sounds interesting. And just like everything else interesting, it's outside of his reach.

He sighs, and goes to find the bow again.

'I don't know why you needed a smack in the face from an alien, but I suppose you must have deserved it for something.'

[have_no_mercy]

"It was a misunderstanding."

No, really. But Jim looks so disappointed about, well, everything right now, it almost makes her want to do something to cheer him up. Almost.

"Are you ready to go back?"

[just_cant_lose]

'I don't get to fuck you on your desk?'

Eh. Possibly for the best. He wanders to the window and kneels on the ledge to look out, pressing fingertips to the glass.

[have_no_mercy]

"You don't really seem to be in the mood."

Not that he seemed it before, but she doesn't pretend to know how his mind works.

[just_cant_lose]

'You think that'd stop me?'

He turns his head, and smirks at her.

'As long as I can get you in the mood, you'd enjoy yourself. And you know I can.'

He looks back at the outside, and adds, 'if I was to just walk out of in here, and go play out there, would you have me killed?'

[have_no_mercy]

"I'm not disputing that. I merely don't comprehend why you'd want to go through all that if you're not getting anything out of it."

Which is how it seems to her.

"You can't get past the elevator. And even if you could, no. I'd have you returned."

[just_cant_lose]

Eh. Boring.

'What makes you think I'm not getting anything out of it?'

He turns, and sits with his back against the glass.

[have_no_mercy]

She might no go after him at all. After all, how much can he really do in three days? And what happens when those three days are over?

"You must be, or you wouldn't do it, but I can't think of what it could be. You're... disassociated, somehow."

[just_cant_lose]

He's snorts a laugh at that, genuinely amused.

'I'm permanently disassociated, darling. It's apparently a side effect of being, you know-'

Batshit insane. She'll get that from his vague wave of the hand, right?

'What you really mean is that I don't get off. You shouldn't take it personally. I am about ninety per cent queer, after all.'

[have_no_mercy]

"You seem more so than usual."

Yes, she gets it.

"I actually didn't mean that at all."

She gets that, too. She's not Sherlock.

"But if not that, what do you get out of it?"

[just_cant_lose]

He eyes her with a lazy smile.

'Why would you ask me questions you don't want the answer to?'

Maybe she doesn't know she doesn't want the answer yet.

[have_no_mercy]

Maybe she doesn't want the answer. Maybe she can handle the answer. She doesn't put much sentiment in sex, after all.

"What, it's to shut me up? Or am I a passable distraction at times?"

[just_cant_lose]

'Shut you up? God, no. Why would I want that when we're fucking?'

Yes yes, he got what she really meant. Jim shrugs.

'You're a passable distraction, yes, that's part of it. You're a good lay. I don't mind your company, when you're not being boring. You'd be more fun if you cut loose more, but far be it from me to dictate how you live.'

None of this is the real reason, which is far more childish. But it doesn't distract from the fact that he does like her! As much as he likes anyone.

'You're a strong woman, with a lot of power, a lot of influence, and the potential to do a lot of damage. I like turning you into a quivering wreck.'

Also not the real reason. Not quite. He's fine with her believing it if she wants to, but he's really just teasing to see what she'll do.

[have_no_mercy]

Yes, she knew all that already and as for that excuse? She knows better than to believe that.

"You can do better."

Not than her, that's not what she means at all. Although he probably could in that sense. She means the reason.

[just_cant_lose]

'Maybe. But if I tell the truth, it might mean I don't get to make you say my name the way you do when you come, and that'd be a crying shame.'

He gets up and walks towards her, eyeing her up and down.

'What does it matter, anyway? You like getting off, you're not going to get emotionally involved with me - though I think you'd love to with somebody - and I can give you what you need. What else is important?'

[have_no_mercy]

"You really think I'd be that offended?"

Now she's more curious than ever.

"It's too good to be true. Someone who focusses entirely on me and doesn't want strings. There has to be a wrinkle in there somewhere."

She doesn't even want to ask if he means a specific someone because then she might get annoyed.

[just_cant_lose]

He doesn't think he needs to mention anyone specific. She's the one with the hang-up.

Jim shrugs then, leaning into her space a little, hands in his pockets and not really caring if she likes him less for this.

'You like me. You like me to the point of indulgence, recently. It's not your fault - I know you get bored too, and you're dissatisfied; I know I'm interesting, I know you like a bad boy and you're not that good yourself. But even I didn't expect you to fuck me at sixteen, so you must actually see something that most others don't. Either that, or you're secretly into kids.'

He doesn't think she's into kids. Point is, she's good for his ego. And the more he teases her, the better the sex, the more she gives him what he wants. He has fun, she gets off, he gets to misbehave and still get his own way. Plus a distraction. Plus a power trip. Plus he gets off on himself playing her body like a fiddle.

'It's funny, to me. Also, it'll piss Sherlock off.'

[have_no_mercy]

If he means Oliver or, god forbid, Clark, she might laugh in his face. But then, it would really be in him to understand the nuances in her relationships with either of them.

"You thought I'd be upset over any of that? And stop sounding so scandalized over me screwing you at sixteen. You're not. Sixteen is hardly a child."

That point hits home a little, though she's not about to rise to the bait at the moment.

"So I amuse you. What else is new?"

[just_cant_lose]

'Sixteen's not a child when you're sixteen. When you're thirty-four and female, it's different. Not by my standards, you know I don't give a fuck. But you know you'd be judged.'

The fact that she doesn't care is one of the reasons he genuinely likes her. He waves a hand.

'Lets go with amused, and leave it at that.'

He thinks of her as a toy. And acknowledges that she probably knows it on some level, and assumes she's using him back. The fact she still gets what she wants out of it is only going to make him respect her, but it doesn't mean he'll value her. Yes, he assumes if she knew the depths of his disdain for even people he likes, she'd be turned off. But he's not going to show that. Not today, anyway.