Chapter 193: Forces At Work Part 5

After their encounter in front of the room Raven was put in, Arias and Diana went further up to his residential floor.

There, she invited herself to bathing with him, an activity that had become quite common between the two.

It was the only time Diana could express her curiosities and observations to Arias about the world outside her home.

Some time had now passed and she was slowly becoming more knowledgeable on matters and people but was still largely ignorant.

Even now, as she and Arias relaxed in a large hot bath, leaning on opposite edges, she couldn't help but spark a loaded conversation.

"Although I like that your former accusations were proven false, I can't help but miss your island home, it reminded me of my own. It was peaceful and calming… in comparison to your big cities."

Diana sighed regretfully and leaned her head back while staring at the large reflective glass walls that allowed one to gaze at the stunning view offered by Arias's private penthouse suite.

He himself followed her gaze and gave a light nod. "True, but strangely enough… I personally find it harder to relax in calm places."

Diana looked to meet Arias's gaze with a worried expression. "My mother once told me the greatest of warriors can never experience true peace, until all which troubles them is gone and even then, it's rare that their minds recover. I think that's what you're feeling."

Arias couldn't help but smile slightly, realizing Diana's words carried some truths.

He did indeed prefer his mind being kept sharp, with threats lurking around him in different forms. But as of late, that began to change into something… far more.

"Perhaps. Only time will tell. But shouldn't that apply to you too? You said it yourself, you're second only to your mother." Arias shifted the focus of the conversation from himself to Diana, his intent unclear.

Diana, completely comfortable around Arias, didn't suspect a thing. To her, his words already carried the wise truth of a kind and trustworthy person.

With an image like that in her mind, she no longer hesitated when speaking about her people in front of him.

"I thought so too, but to be quite honest, around you, I feel safe, as I do when I'm home around my sisters but different somehow. You could've fooled me like your government, filled my mind with lies, but instead, you showed me friendship, and shared with me your true thoughts… I can't help but feel peace around you."

Diana spoke honestly and proudly, never one to feel shy or mince her words, speaking only honestly and truthfully.

Arias found her words interesting, considering they were completely honest, one could think of them to be moving, but Arias only saw them as naive.

To him, he felt if he didn't bring her to her side with his manipulation, someone would've surely done the same, be it the side of good or bad, Arias feeling he belonged to neither, pursuing no grand purpose aside from his own.

"That is because you're honest Diana, you have firm principles and live by them… not blindly though. You are smart enough to realize when tough actions are necessary, and are unafraid to pursue them, I admire that nature of yours."

Arias spoke half-truthfully to Diana, mixing factual words with false emotions, causing her to smile at him proudly, her loyalty and trust rising to higher levels.

With that in mind Diana felt complex feelings looking at Arias. She felt a strong desire to be closer with him, a burning and yearning feeling deep inside her that she couldn't explain.

Unlike most of her thoughts, she found it very hard to voice this feeling in words.

Soon her lips parted and she was ready to speak but Arias's phone, which sat on the edge of bath, rang.

Without showing much of a reaction, Arias reached for it and answered.

"Mercy?"

[ Hey, is your little side stop over? I've managed to arrange an off radar flight for you to Metropolis, exactly 43 minutes from now. Or have you changed your mind? ]

"No, nothings changed. Thanks, I'll communicate with you once I'm done."

[ Right, just do me favor and make sure that Lois bitch knows her place, always hated her uppity know it all attitude when she dated Lex. ]

"I'll see what I can do. Click~•"

Arias cut the call and sighed before standing from the bath, his gaze focused on Diana as he revealed, "It's time I leave, let's revisit this conversation when I'm back."

Diana, unsurprised but disappointed at the revelation could only show acceptance for Arias's decision. "Travel safe, I shall hold you to your words then Arias. I expect you'll bring tales of victory from your trip, I shall await them eagerly."

Arias turned to leave but gave Diana a departing smile as he did so. "I'll try not to disappoint then," he cryptically replied.

…

Later that night, as most considered the day to be reaching its end, a smiling Lois Lane left her office at the Daily planet in high spirits.

'A reporters work is never done.' She sighed as she exited the building, vigor feeling her moves as she actively waived for a taxi.

It stopped like clockwork and she confidently entered before she instructed the familiar man, "working late again Joe? Martha isn't gonna like that."

The driver laughed heartily at the comment, "you know me Lois, my day ain't over until high rollers like you clock out. You still staying at the same place?"

"No need to mock a gal Joe, where else am I gonna stay with my shit pay. I'm nothing but a pretty little face in this testosterone run industry." Lois jokingly replied, her face though showing visible displeasure.

At that point though, the driver named Joe started the car and continued the conversation.

"It's a tough world for all of us out there miss Lane, we can't all be like those flashy billionaire playboys. Quite frankly I'm glad you're bringing out the truth that the government is trying to hide." The driver proudly showed support for Lois's recent stories which caught media fire.

She could only show a smile but was inwardly concerned over the story herself.

After pursuing stories of Superman relentlessly, she found herself worrying for the metropolis hero more than she had thought.

The rest of drive was nothing but idle chatter until Lois finally reached her destination, a penthouse in Metropolis's middle class district.

Before she could even enter the building though, she saw a familiar figure leaning against the hood of a luxurious sedan, his gaze directed at her.

"Arias Markovic…" Lois muttered softly, a part of her concerned by his appearance.

Arias however soon showed a faint smile and asked, "may I have a word, miss lane?"

A/N: To those who pump stones into this book daily, I appreciate the loyalty. To those who don't, *spits*