capable_of | Where there's truth, there will be lies?

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Where there's truth, there will be lies?

Getting away from the studio had been easier then Lex had thought. Of course, Trumper throwing a temper tantrum and distracting all the reporters helped immensely. And Anatoly had been just as ready to get out of their as Lex had been.

Though, the closer their cab got back to the hotel, the more anxious Anatoly got and by the time they arrived, Lex had a hand in the Russian's curls and was saying soft Russian sayings in his ear to get him to focus and calm down. Lex, on the other hand, was just more keyed up, back in his element, in a game he'd been trained from birth to play.

Once back at the hotel, Lex had to practically drag Anatoly up to his room, once he got the number out of him. There they stood by the closed door, the only barrier now between them and Florence Vassey. Ideally, Lex didn't want the coming conversation with Anatoly's former lover either, but it had to be done. After glancing around to be sure the hallway was empty, Lex pulled Anatoly close to him by the hand he'd placed at the small of the Russian's back in it's usual comfort place so that their foreheads touched. "Just remember. We owe this to her. Better she finds out from us then De Courcey or Trumper. And I'll be with you, the entire time, I swear Tolya." He placed a soft kiss on Anatoly's lips then released him to open the hotel room door.

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For a fleeting moment, Anatoly considered bolting. Almost anything would be better than this. But even if he could have gotten past Lex, something he very much doubted was possible, he couldn't have lived with himself or consequences. He had loved Florence once, and she had moved heaven and earth for him as his second. She deserved better. She deserved the truth.

Hoping Lex would understand, he squeezed her hand gently then brought his free hand up to lightly caress her cheek. "Please understand that this isn't easy for me to explain. I don't even know how to begin."

He paused for a moment, gently dislodging his hand. He glanced over at Lex for a moment, seeking reassurance in his presence. If only there was another way... but there was none, nothing he could see.

"I was acting strangely this morning. I need to tell you why. I was not... I was not expecting to wake up here. For the past year, I've been living on a desert island. Somehow, someway, I was brought back here. With Lex."

Even knowing it was the truth, he couldn't help but shudder. She was going to think he was crazy.

He'd finally snapped. The intense, unfair pressure the media had been putting on Anatoly had gotten to him and he'd completely and utterly lost him. Florence just stared at him in disbelief, unable to think anything else.

"You've... all right." She grabbed for his hand again, pulling him over to the nearest chair and pushing him down. "I'll - talk to the Arbiter, we'll get this match postponed, and you can get some rest, I'll get the doctors to look after you... you'll be fine. We'll be fine."

In rage, she whirled around to face Lex. "Look, I don't who you think you are or where you get off driving my player past his breaking point, but it ends now. Get out before I throw you out!"

Well, while the reaction was expected and understandable, Lex was not going to sit by and let this continue. His expression hardened, after meeting Anatoly's eyes and offering any comfort in one look that he could. He'd have gone over there, but pushing his way past Florence wouldn't help their situation.

"Anatoly tells you the truth and you deem him crazy. I see how much faith you have in him." Lex began sarcastically, unable to help the barb. "No matter how crazy or absurd it sounds, it is the truth and if you ask Anatoly, I don't believe he wants me to leave. Though if I recall...I was the one who saved him from the mental barrage of the inane reporters. Where were you, oh trusted second?" If she was going to accuse him of hurting Anatoly, then he was going to point out her failings towards him.

Florence flushed with rage, unwilling to accept such criticism from someone who'd just burst on the scene from nowhere. He certainly didn't know Anatoly as well as she did. The sooner she got him out, the sooner she could get Anatoly the help and care he desperately needed.

She crossed her arms, staring him down. "I don't work for you and I don't have to explain anything to you. Now, get out of here before I have you thrown out. I won't tell you again."

From his chair, Anatoly watched the scene with dawning horror. He had known this confrontation would be bad, but he hadn't imagined it would go south this quickly. He put his face in his hands with a shudder, wishing he'd been able to take a harder line with Lex. Replaying the game against Freddie was going to be hard enough and all this in the background would make concentration damn near impossible.

"You have no authority over me here. No one does and least of all you." Lex had yet to truly explore that sentiment but he'd had a moment of total shock when he had realized it earlier that morning. No one...not his father or his father's reputation. He could truly play this his way. And at the moment, that way was taking care of Anatoly. "And I'm not leaving him."

And frankly, he'd had enough of this woman standing between them. He easily side stepped her and moved to kneel down by the Russian's chair. He put his hands over Anatoly and said softly in Russian, "Tolya...I'm sorry. We can leave if this is upsetting you too much..." Despite the tension in the room, he completely ignored Florence behind him, his attention fully on Anatoly.

Anatoly clung to Lex's hands like a lifeline, leaning his forehead against the other man's. It wasn't the time or place for such an intimate gesture, especially how things were going now, but he needed the comfort that only Lex could give.

"No, it's all right. This conversation had to happen," Anatoly murmured helplessly, drawing a few shuddering breaths as he tried to pull himself together. Left alone to their own devices, Florence and Lex would surely tear the place down. He had to try to mediate.

Hoping Lex would understand, he pulled his hands away and looked up at his second. "Please, Florence. I'm asking you to trust me. I know it's crazy and you must think I've lost my mind, but please, please trust me. You've asked me to trust you so many times, can't you do the same for me?"

Florence watched them, turning pale as she took in how close they seemed, how Anatoly looked to Lex for reassurance, the way they touched. With a sinking feeling, she was starting to realize that whether Anatoly was telling the truth or not, he was lost to her.

She stepped back unsteadily, this realization too much face on top of everything else. She took a few quick breaths, feeling as if the room was closing in on her. "I... I must have been a fool to think we could have been happy together." It was not what she meant to say and she winced. Still, once the words started pouring out, she found she couldn't hold them back. "I don't know why - no. It doesn't matter. I thought you were different, and you know, maybe you are. At least Freddie, for all of his many faults, was up-front about what he was."

Before Anatoly let him go, Lex tried to give him as much comfort and confidence as he could. He knew this was hard for the Russian but Lex was so very proud of how he was facing this. Head on, completely out of character expect for rare occasions...like punching out farmboys who weren't acting like themselves.

As Anatoly faced her, Lex stood up and moved to stand beside his chair, showing his support. And his brain tried to salvage the situation. While Lex didn't think they needed her...they could use all the allies they could get. "Please, Ms Vassey. We've explained the situation as best we can. And Anatoly never had the opportunity to be up front with you. He didn't know I was here until the incident at the studio. If he knew otherwise, I know he would have told you." He defended Anatoly firmly, in his best business tone, urging her to believe him. "I assure you...I'm only here to help. I have intimate knowledge of how men like De Courcey and Molokov work and I'd rather not see you and Anatoly as their pawns."

"I'm sure you do," Florence said, unable to refrain from the slight barb at Lex's expense. "And what is your part? Loyal rook? Bishop? Kingmaker?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. The whole situation was simply intolerable and she could do nothing to change it. She didn't trust this man, but she trusted de Courcey even less and as much as it hurt to admit it, Anatoly seemed rational. Stressed beyond belief, but rational.

"You know? Never mind. I don't want to know. I don't want to know anything - excuses, explanations... none of it." She turned to face Anatoly squarely, letting him see the hurt in her eyes. "It's your career, Anatoly. I did the best I could. I hope you'll remember that."

She took a deep breath and turned to leave, needing to get out while she had a shred of dignity left. She paused with her hand on the door and turned to face them once more. "Handle the game and I'll handle the press. You won't have to see me until after it's over."

Kingmaker was the reply on the tip of Lex's tongue but he knew better then to say it out loud in this situation. Though he had every intention of making sure Anatoly came out on top this time.

As Florence rounded on Anatoly, Lex took a step in front of him. "Florence," He said her name pointedly, to get her to stop. "We appreciate your help. And any information about the situation you can provide would be most helpful."

He paused, stealing himself before finding the words to say, "I am sorry. For what this is putting you through." It was an apology, completely out of character for Lex, but he meant it. She was an amazing woman, from what Anatoly had told him and from the little he'd seen. She didn't deserve this...but Lex wasn't going to give up Anatoly for the world. So a sincere apology was all he could give her.

The unexpected apology threw her off her guard and she stared at Lex, rather taken aback. What it was worth, she didn't know. He didn't seem the kind to make apologies lightly, but he was certainly the type to make them if it would turn the situation to his advantage.

"I would think you would know more about the political situation than I do, Mr. Luthor," she said coldly. "Anatoly knows what he needs to do to win the game. It seems clear to me that I can offer nothing else."

Without waiting for a response, she left the room, closing the door behind her with a loud bang.

Anatoly buried his face in his hands as she left, unwilling to see how hurt she must be. It was painfully clear from her tone; what use would watching her leave be? He had more than enough guilt to go around. As hard-hearted and cold as it might be, he had to put all thoughts and emotion aside for the sake of the game. Afterward, and only then, he could manage the situation.

Lex stood straight and tall, not backing down an inch physically until the door had clicked shut behind her. While he regretted Florence's hurt feelings, as long she wasn't going to work against them, this turn of events wasn't bad. He would have preferred to have her as more of ally so Anatoly could concentrate fully on the game instead of funneling Lex the information he needed, but he could work with this.

Finally, Lex moved to kneel in front of Anatoly again. He...honestly didn't know what to do. The people he loved tended to try to kill him instead of just walking out so he was unfamiliar with this situation. So he just put his hands on Anatoly's knees, offering any comfort he could.

Anatoly took Lex's hands, squeezing them tightly. That he was here at all was a miracle in Anatoly's eyes and that very fact was more reassuring than words could ever express. Together, they could get through this match and everything after. They had to; there was no other way.

"I'm sorry," Anatoly murmured after a few moments. "This - it all could have gone better."

"Don't apologize." Lex said softly, squeezing back and lifting up so he could kiss Anatoly's forehead. "It will all be fine. You'll see."

Lex would make sure of it.

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Where there's truth, there will be lies?

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