RP for horsewoman_lana

[have_no_mercy]

The flight to New York is, thankfully, uneventful, although Tess is half amazed she managed to make it to the airport without a Kandorian escort demanding a minute-by-minute itinerary. The other half is marginally proud.

She's the first to the hotel, which is fine with her. It gives her more time to prepare for any and every possible outcome and Tess is nothing if not obsessed with preparation. Acting isn't as easy when you're caught off guard. It also allows her to convince herself to actually go through with this. It's not like she and Lana Lang are friends.

When Lana does arrives, they exchange slightly awkward pleasantries followed by a more relaxed dinner in one of the hotel's restaurants. Still, the conversation rarely veers toward anything serious, both women keeping a guard up, if only due to their lack of real knowledge of each other. The martinis don't hurt, either.

By the time they retire back to their suite, the air seems to have relaxed between them. Tess pours them both a glass of wine and settles on one of the couches in the lounge area, leaning her head back against the cushions.

She almost feels better already.

Comments

[manorsuperman]

Lana still isn't quite sure how this had happened. Somehow this vacation had gone from a pleasant suggestion to a reality. As she reclines and sips her wine, she can't decide how she should feel. Relaxation is what she wants, and she's there to a good extent, but how relaxed can she afford to be around this particular woman? She's comfortable enough with herself to acknowledge the attraction she feels. She lets herself dance close to that line between the lighthearted conversation and outright flirting, never crossing it, but that line is getting more and more thin, harder to determine. It worries her a little, but not enough to ruin the mood.

Lana glance over at her companion with a soft grin. "I'm glad we decided to do this."

[have_no_mercy]

A relaxed atmosphere can be subjective. Tess still sort of feels like they're two marginally vindictive ex-wives of the same man. Which may not be true on any official level, but the thought amuses her, anyway. Whatever it is, they definitely have a connection that only seems to get stronger the more they let their guards down.

So Tess is trying not to do that. She sips her wine lazily and offers a small smile in return. "So am I. The last few months have been exceedingly stressful."

[manorsuperman]

She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment, just taking in the quiet and the comfort, things she doesn't often allow herself these days. "I think I could fall asleep right here."

[have_no_mercy]

Quiet Tess has in spades, despite the ever-nagging presence of one alien dictator. And certainly, she has made herself comfortable enough in the mansion she all but stole from Lex.

It's luxury she's been missing and the ability to simply do whatever she wants, when she wants.

"It is tempting," Tess can't help but agree. "The beds do seem so awfully far away."

[manorsuperman]

The beds. The mention of them sends Lana's mind places she knows it shouldn't go, but she enjoys the fantasy anyway. It's the best way to keep her face in that same peaceful expression. "They do."

When the thoughts slip away she opens her eyes again and reaches down to slip off her shoes.

[have_no_mercy]

It's calm silence between them for a moment, before Tess rises to get yet more wine, bringing the bottle back to the couch with her. Her shoes are also discarded and she pulls her feet up onto the cushions as well.

"Are you happy, Lana?" It may seem an odd and serious question, but it's one Tess has been trying not to ask since halfway through dinner.

[manorsuperman]

The question is one that requires some thought, maybe even a little discomfort, but she answers as honestly as she can.

"I don't know. Maybe." There's another pause as she considers her words. "Sometimes I wonder if I really know what happy feels like."

[have_no_mercy]

"I know what you mean." The response is quiet, punctuated with a sigh. Then Tess continues, thoughtfully, "You know, I'm not even sure I know what it is you're doing these days."

[manorsuperman]

[ooc: I guess since Tess is canon, I'll go with a more canon Lana than I usually play.]

Lana takes another drink of wine. There are things she didn't want to get into, but she can give her something. "I've gone back to school. I never really finished the first time around. There were complications, you know."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess doesn't really expect anything less. Brutal honesty is rarely something she assumes anyone offers, including herself.

"Ah, yes. Dark Thursday. Becoming Mrs. Luthor. Complications, indeed." There's only a trace of bitterness in her voice at this point. "Still, I have to say I'm impressed. It isn't easy at any age."

[manorsuperman]

The thought of Lex rolls off her like water. He's not worth much more, if any, and he wouldn't ruin this vacation.

Lana grins a little. "Easy would be boring."

[have_no_mercy]

Easy would be if Tess were able to let go of Lex as her companion has, but then, Lana is more right than she knows. And Tess has always been one to hold a grudge.

"That it would." She half smiles and inclines her head toward the other woman. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but sometimes I wonder if boring wouldn't be a nice change."

[manorsuperman]

Lana chuckles as she leans forward just a bit. "I guess it would be." She falls silent for a moment, her eyes traveling in a quick, small circle around her companion's face. "But if it makes you feel better, this could turn out to be very boring."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess raises an eyebrow ever so slightly, her smile widening. "I wasn't talking about this."

[manorsuperman]

Lana grins back, almost smugly. "Let's hope not." Even she isn't sure just what exactly she meant by that.

[have_no_mercy]

Tess almost thinks that's rather the point: Keep people guessing. Let them think what they want and if they're wrong, it only looks bad for them, not you.

"So," she says after a moment, running a finger along the rim of her wineglass, "in the mood for dessert?"

[manorsuperman]

She licks her lips, taking 'dessert' a little further in her mind than she really should have. "You just said the magic word."

[have_no_mercy]

"I thought it might be." Tess sips the last of her wine slowly. "And I think it's only fair that you can have anything you want."

[manorsuperman]

Anything she wants, hm?

"That may require some thought."

[have_no_mercy]

"Careful. You never know how long the offer will last," Tess cautions softly.

[manorsuperman]

Lana sips the last of her wine as she weighs her options, doing her best to keep her eyes on the woman in front of her. It's now or possibly never.

What the hell.

As soon as her glass is lowered, she slowly leans toward the redhead to brush her lips against hers.

[have_no_mercy]

If Tess is surprised about anything, it's that Lana actually took action. In this particular way. Not that she has any intention of complaining, of course.

Tess returns the favour, lingering just a moment or two before leaning back.

[manorsuperman]

Lana feels a slight smirk come across her face, though it's closer to a twitch of the lips. "You did say anything."

[ooc: I'm frickin' freezing over here, Mr. Bigglesworth!]

[have_no_mercy]

"I did," Tess agrees softly, a smile of her own tracing her lips. "I suppose there's still part of me that's surprised you chose what you did."


[[OOC: Blankets! Being Canadian, it's the only advice I can offer. Well, that and toques.]]

[manorsuperman]

"It's not the first time I've thought about it," she admits.

[ooc: Right. I knew that. It's so obvious it escaped me!]

[have_no_mercy]

"No?" Tess is attempting to sound surprised. It's probably not working.

"I suppose I should admit the same. Now where does that put us?"

[manorsuperman]

Lana brings up a hand to push back a bit of red hair.

"That's a good question."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess' eyes drift shut briefly at the contact, something she so rarely gets.

"Where would you like it to put us?"

[manorsuperman]

Lana's fingers lace through her hair. "Vacations are about indulgence." She kisses her cheek and then just below the ear. "Why not?"

[have_no_mercy]

Why not?

Indulgence isn't something Tess allows herself often, especially of this kind. And this wasn't the intent of their little vacation, though she'd be lying if she said it hadn't at least crossed her mind once or twice.

But then, it isn't called an indulgence for nothing. She runs a hand lightly along Lana's arm and up to cup the other woman's cheek. "Why not."

[manorsuperman]

That's all Lana needs to hear before she kisses her again, deeper this time around.

[have_no_mercy]

She can feel Lana start to close the distance between them, what little there is left of it, but Tess can't say she's completely prepared. It's like nothing she's ever felt before, exquisite and unique and Lana.

Tess returns the kiss eagerly, her own hand moving to tangle in Lana's hair, teasing down the nape of her neck.

[manorsuperman]

Lana pulls Tess closer, wrapping an arm around her. She has to admit this is something like she had in mind when she made the offer, she just hadn't expected it to happen. She wanted an excuse to touch her, but now that she's where she really wanted to be, that seemed rather ridiculous.