Private Old habits die hard

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess stepped into the lift after her, shaking a thin line of rain from the edge of her sleeve before the doors slid shut behind them with a quiet, expensive sigh. The interior smelled faintly of polished wood and something floral, subtle and deliberate. Soft lighting caught the gold trim and reflected in the mirrors, multiplying them into warm, well-dressed versions of themselves.

Her hazel eyes lifted to Lily’s reflection rather than the real thing at first, studying the way rain had darkened her jacket, the way she carried herself even while leaning casually against the wall. There was always that readiness under the ease, like a coiled wire pretending to be slack. Vess found herself faintly amused by the contrast between dripping underworld operative and luxury elevator backdrop.

“Honestly? Tried it. It got boring,” she said mildly, pressing the panel for the seventy-third floor, “I live for the challenge more than anything.” The lift began its smooth ascent, so quiet it barely felt like movement. She leaned back against the opposite wall, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. “And for the record, I had more than a few minutes. I’ve been inside that hotel’s booking system before. Their security architecture is lazy. All shine, no substance.”

Her gaze shifted fully to Lily now, closer in the confined space, rain still glistening faintly along her collarbone where it had slipped beneath fabric. Vess let her eyes linger just long enough to be deliberate before looking back up.

“You’d hate it anyway,” she added. “Luxury every day means predictability. Predictability means someone eventually figures out where you sleep.”

The corner of her mouth curved again, softer this time. “This way we get the champagne, the bath, and the view without the long-term liability.”

The lift chimed gently as they neared their floor.

“Trust me,” she said, voice quieter but edged with that same dry confidence, “I curate very well under pressure. Imagine what I can do with time.” Vess walked to the end of the hall. She keyed in a sequence to the door and stepped inside. The hotel, per Ves' instructions, had provided a few wardrobe options for dinner. "We can't exactly wander into a fancy restaurant looking like waifs, can we?" She raised an eyebrow at Lily. She peeled off her damp jacket and threw it on the floor before flopping onto the plush sofa and sprawling out like a cat basking in the sun. "You can take the bath first if you like," she waved over the back of the sofa.

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

Lily watched Vess feeling her gaze through the mirrors reflection as she set the heels of her hands on the golden rail, fingers tapping lightly as the lift began its smooth ascent. She gave a half shrug. “I could go with a little bit of boring.” Everything had been a challenge since she’d found her family, and now doing everything to stay away from them made life all the more difficult.

She shifted under Vess’s gaze when it moved from reflection to her properly, not uncomfortable, just…aware, a flutter of something shifting in her stomach. She lowered her gaze briefly with a small chuckle before looking back up with a grin. “Wow, I did not realise I was that easy to read.”

Lily pushed herself off the wall as the lift chimed, letting Vess take the lead into the suite. Lily’s jaw dropped as she stepped through the doors, everything was pristine, smooth marble floors, pale wood panelled walls, each piece of furniture bespoke and decorated with carvings of some descript and a vast wall of windows opposite the granted them a view of the city below.

“I think you just became my new favourite person.”

The slap of a wet jacket on the floor drew her out of her shock and she let out a small squeal of excitement, tugging her own jacket free and tossing it aside as Vess sprawled on the enormous sofa. “Don’t have to say that twice!” Lily practically skipped across the room heading for the bathroom. White and gold accented tiles covered the room, a shower set behind a clear glass panel was set on one side of a long vanity set with two sinks, the other end an obscenely big bath tub was half sunk in the floor, she didn’t bother to shut the door.

She set about filling it, sniffing the different bubbles available before adding some of all of them until the water was throwing clouds of perfumed steam into the air, its surface thick with bubbles. It didn’t take her long to strip and sink neck deep into the water, the heat stinging cold fingers and toes where the rain had chilled her. She let out a contented sigh, tipping her head back against the side and she closed her eyes letting out a content hum.

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess stayed where she was on the couch for a moment after Lily disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the suite as the tub began to fill. The quiet that followed the job settled in slowly, broken only by the steady rain against the massive windows and the faint clinking of glass bottles somewhere in the bathroom as Lily explored the luxury of the place.

The smell of whatever mixture of bath oils and soaps Lily had poured into the tub began to drift into the main room, warm and faintly sweet. Vess leaned back into the cushions for a few seconds, letting the tension drain out of her shoulders before a chuckle slipped out at the unmistakably content hum that followed.

“Glad someone’s enjoying the amenities,” she called toward the bathroom, her voice carrying easily down the short hallway.

She pushed herself up from the couch and crossed the room, pausing by the small pile they had created near the door. Her own jacket and Lily’s still lay where they had been tossed, damp leather slowly bleeding rainwater onto the marble. Vess crouched and gathered them both without much thought, giving each one a quick shake before walking them over to a polished wooden stand near the entrance.

She hung them carefully, smoothing the sleeves out of habit more than necessity. It was a small thing, but leaving gear in a heap on the floor felt wrong in a place like this. As she straightened, the city lights beyond the glass wall caught her attention again. From this high up, the streets below looked distant and orderly, the kind of illusion wealth was very good at maintaining.

Behind her, the steam from the bathroom had begun creeping into the suite.

“You might want to leave some hot water for the rest of us,” she added casually toward the open doorway with a smile on her lips.

Vess wandered toward the window, then, resting one hand against the cool glass as rain streaked down its surface. After a moment, she reached for the chilled bottle of champagne waiting in its bucket nearby, turning it slowly in her hand as condensation gathered along her fingers.

“And for the record,” she said, tone lighter now that the night had settled into something calmer, “dinner’s in about forty minutes. Plenty of time to enjoy the bath without turning into a prune.”

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

Lily opened her eyes as Vess's voice drifted down the hall drawing a grin as she lifted one foot out of the water, watching the bubbles trickle down her leg, noting the weight had lifted from her tone, her comment about hot water drawing an eye roll from Lily. A retort danced across the edge of her tongue, but she bit it back shaking her head, reminding herself that she did not know Vess well enough to invite her to join her.

Yet.

She tipped her head back once more closing her eyes, the heat burning tension away in her muscles when her voice drifted through again, and Lily's eyes snapped open. "Ugh, fine!" she grumbled shifting from the baths edge and tipping her head back into the water, fingers working to get the worst of the grime from her hair before she submerged herself entirely, the water muting everything save the gentle beat of her own heart in her ears.

Lily rose slowly from the water returning to baths edge to relax for a few more minutes before realisation dawned she still had to get dressed. Reluctantly she hauled herself out of the hot water, drying herself before wrapping her hair and body into a towel. Scooping up her clothes in one hand and her boots in the other she padded barefoot from the bathroom, moving to stand near Vess, peering over her shoulder at the champagne bottle.

"Fancy," she said hovering a beat longer before moving past her, closer than she needed to, flashing a smile over her shoulder. "Bath is all yours."

She disappeared into the first room, dumping her clothes and boots in a corner she flopped down on the bed, the soft sheets cool against her hot skin. Lily would have stayed there, if her stomach didn't grumble. She sat up, pulling the towel free from her hair rising to inspect what the hotel wardrobe had to offer.

A beautiful woman was taking her to dinner, and she absolutely was going to make it worth her while.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess heard the soft pad of bare feet before she turned, the faint shift of air behind her enough to draw her attention from the champagne bottle she had been slowly turning in her hands. Her hazel eyes lifted first to Lily’s reflection in the dark glass of the window before she looked at her directly. Water still clung faintly to her skin from the bath, dampening strands of hair. Vess’s expression warmed with quiet amusement as she noticed the way Lily leaned beside her, close enough to share the view of the bottle.

At Lily’s comment about the champagne being fancy, Vess simply gave a small shrug as she returned the bottle to the ice bucket. “It seemed like the kind of night that deserved it,” she said, her tone easy and unassuming. When Lily lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary before slipping past her toward the bedroom, Vess caught the moment and the closeness that came with it. The corner of her mouth curved faintly as she watched her go.

Lily disappeared into the bedroom with that grin tossed back over her shoulder, leaving the suite briefly quiet except for the rain tracing lines down the tall windows. Vess stood there another moment, listening to the rustle of fabric from the other room before pushing herself away from the counter.

“I just hope you left some hot water for me,” she called after Lily when the offer of the bath reached her.

The bathroom was still warm from Lily’s bath, steam hanging lightly in the air, and the faint scent of soaps and oils drifting through the room. Vess stepped inside and shut the door partway behind her. For a moment, she simply stood there, letting the warmth chase the last chill of the rain from her skin before she began peeling off the damp layers she had worn during the job.

Her shirt followed her jacket onto the marble floor, then the rest of the rain-soaked gear piece by piece until the night’s grime and tension finally felt like something she could leave behind. She turned the water again and stepped into the bath Lily had left behind, the heat still deep in the water as she lowered herself in. The warmth worked its way through muscles that had been tight since the job began, and she leaned back against the smooth edge of the tub with a quiet breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

For a few minutes, she simply existed there in the quiet, rinsing rain and city grit from her hair and skin while the room slowly filled again with steam. When she finally rose, she wrapped herself in one of the thick hotel towels and took a moment to dry off before crossing back into the suite.

The bedroom light spilled across the floor as she stepped inside, the wardrobe doors still open where Lily had been searching through them. Vess moved toward the selection of clothes the hotel had provided, a dark blue dress, a dangerous dip of the neckline accentuated by the bottom of the dress coming very up on the thigh. By the time she finished dressing, the woman who stepped back into the main suite looked far less like someone who had just climbed out of a storm and far more like someone who belonged in a place like this.

She paused near the doorway, as her gaze drifted toward the bedroom where Lily was still getting ready.

“I should warn you,” she called lightly across the suite, her voice carrying the faintest thread of amusement, “I clean up pretty well.”

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

Lily slid the final pin into her hair before leaning back from the mirror to admire her handiwork, Vess voice drifted in through the door her warning making her smirk. "So she's confident and a show off. Good to know." She called back. Lily picked a red dress, it's a-line shape hugging her waist before flaring in an elegant skit that stopped just below the knee. Thin straps left her shoulders bare and the deep plunging neckline left little for the imagination.

Her gaze flicked towards the chrono on the bedside, five mins left. She snatched up the heels she'd chosen, hopping from one foot to the other as she donned them on her way to the bedroom door, pausing to brush the loose strands of hair she'd left to frame her face a aside before she stepped out into the hall, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor as she made her way towards Vess.

"Well," Lily said, her voice low, eyes wandering lingering briefly at the top of exposed thigh and the soft curves the deep neckline of Vess's dress exposed, before settling on her face with a crooked smile, "You weren't lying." The smile softened as she met her eyes stepping in close enough that the heat could build without contact. "You look amazing."

She held her gaze for a moment longer before reaching for her hand and turning to tug her towards the door. "I am starving. Let's go."

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess was standing near the wide windows that overlooked the rain-washed city below. One hand rested loosely on the back of the sofa while her thoughts wandered somewhere between the job they’d just pulled off and the promise of actual food. The soft click of heels on marble drew her attention before she saw Lily fully, and when she turned, her gaze paused.

For a brief second, she simply took her in.

The red dress caught the warm light of the suite, its movement subtle as Lily crossed the room. Vess’s hazel eyes flicked down instinctively before lifting again, the corner of her mouth curling with quiet amusement as she straightened slightly.

“Well,” she said slowly, as if reconsidering something she had already decided. “I see I'm not the only one who cleans up well.”

When Lily stepped closer and offered the compliment, Vess gave a soft breath of a laugh, the warmth of it showing in her expression even if she tried to keep her composure. “Careful,” she said, tone easy but edged with playful meaning. “You keep looking at me like that, and I might cancel the reservation and order room service instead.”

There was just enough humor in the way she said it to keep the moment light, though her eyes lingered a fraction longer than usual before Lily reached for her hand. The sudden tug toward the door caught her off guard, and Vess laughed quietly as she allowed herself to be pulled along.

“Alright, alright,” she said, grabbing the small clutch she’d left on the table as they passed it. They stepped out into the quiet hallway and made their way to the lift together, the soft corridor lighting reflected in the polished floors beneath their feet. The elevator ride down was quick and silent, the doors opening onto a lower level where the hotel's restaurant overlooked the city through another wall of glass. Warm amber lights hung low over polished tables, and the murmur of conversation blended with soft music drifting through the room.

Vess guided them toward the host with the easy confidence of someone who had already handled the arrangements hours ago. A brief exchange and a glance at the reservation list later, they were led deeper into the dining room toward a table set near the windows where the city lights stretched out beneath them like a sea of gold.

"Not bad, right?" Vess said as she pulled Lily's chair back before taking the seat across from her. She settled in comfortably, resting one elbow on the table while her chin came to rest lightly against her hand. In the warm candlelight and close setting, the details of her Keshian heritage became easier to notice. Her hazel eyes seemed a little larger in the low light, catching the glow of the candles as she watched Lily with quiet amusement.

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

The idea of room service made Lily hesitate for the briefest of moments, tempted for a heartbeat by the possibility of staying right where she was and maybe luring Vess back into the bathtub with her. But, it passed in a rumble of hunger and a reminder that she got all dressed up for this, cancelling was not an option.

Lily let Vess take the lead content to hang back just a little to enjoy the view that was definitely just as good as the front. All her respectful admiration of Vess's little blue dress came to a halt when the reached the hotel lobby. The soft click of they're heels echoing on the polished marble floors as they made their way to the restaurant and a host who was far too stiff for Lily's liking. All her thoughts about how rich people must really have rods of steel shoved up their backsides evaporated when they were led into the dining room.

The low hung lights cast a warm glow over perfectly set tables, crystal glass reflecting it like soft star light. It was a whole other world she'd never explored before and it was beautiful.

Lily gave Vess a warm smile as she pulled the chair out for her, slipping into it and smoothing the skirts of her dress as she tucked under the table, her eyes drifting over the city lights blurred by the rain streaked window. She looked back round as Vess spoke setting her forearms on the table as she leaned in slightly. "I'd say so. I don't think I've ever eaten in a place like this." she tilted her head in thought and shook her head. "No, I've done a couple of balls and a wedding but nothing like this."

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess listened as Lily spoke, her chin still resting lightly in her hand while the candlelight flickered softly between them. The corner of her mouth lifted into a mischievous smile, playful and every ounce of it trouble. "Then I am definitely happy to spoil you for the evening," she said easily. "Luxury like this is only fun if you have somebody to share it with after all."

She let her gaze drift briefly toward the window, the rain streaking down the wet glass turning the city lights outside into a blurred, muted gold. It really was a beautiful setting. Warm, quiet, the sort of place people with very different lives probably took for granted. For Vess, though, the room itself was only part of the appeal tonight.

Her attention returned naturally to the woman seated across from her. The deep cut of Lily's dress and the bold red fabric caught the warm light every time she shifted, drawing Vess's hazel eyes back more than once despite herself. The contrast of it against her skin made it difficult not to notice, and the faint silver of Lily's hair seemed to pick up the candlelight in a way that held Vess's attention just as easily.

She studied her for a moment before letting out a quiet, amused breath. "Well," she said lightly, reaching for one of the menus the server had left behind and sliding the other across the table toward Lily, "we'll have to make sure the food lives up to your expectations."

Her eyes flicked back up again, a hint of warmth there.

"I would hate to disappoint, and I would certainly hate to ruin your first proper fancy dinner."

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

Lily quirked an eyebrow. "Just for the evening? I'll have to make sure I make the most of everything offered then." She replied as Vess turned he eyes to look out the window, the golden glow of the city lights reflecting in her large hazel eyes before she swung them back to Lily, her gaze dropping more than once from Lily's face.

Lily moved deliberately, leaning forward just a touch more as her smile sifted into a smirk. "If you keep looking at me like that, we're not going to make it through dinner." she said in a low voice, biting her lower lip her own gaze flicking over the edge of the fabric that rested against Vess's pale skin before she straightened in her seat, accepting the menu Vess has slid over to her, lifting it high enough to obscure her view, peering over the menu top at those large hazel eyes she winked, before her gaze dropped to the food list in front of her.

She was easily pleased when it came to food, but when you spent a childhood snatching and grabbing whatever was edible, how it tasted became much less important than how long it would last. Half the menu listed dishes she couldn't pronounce never mind understand what was in them. "I have no idea what I'm looking at." she admitted, lowering the menu to look back at her dinner date.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess listened to Lily’s remark about just for the evening, and she broke into a broad, genuine smile. It softened the normally careful edges of her expression, with warmth and a little mischievousness, showing through.

“I didn’t want to presume,” she said lightly. “Seemed safer to start with one evening and see how it goes.”

For a moment, her gaze drifted to the rain-streaked window beside them, the golden haze of city lights faintly reflecting in her hazel eyes before it returned to Lily. The longer she sat there, the more her attention kept pulling back across the table. The bold red of Lily’s dress caught the warm light every time she shifted, and Vess found herself noticing the contrast more often than she meant to. This was supposed to be a casual dinner, which is what she had planned anyway.

When Lily leaned forward with that smirk and lowered voice, the confidence Vess usually wore so comfortably cracked just a little. The comment landed with enough force that a faint warmth crept across her cheeks before she could quite hide it.

“Well,” she murmured, a quiet laugh slipping through as she lifted her glass for a small sip of water, “that would make this a very short dinner.”

When Lily raised the menu and winked over the top of it, something small and quick fluttered in Vess’s chest before she could stop it. It wasn’t obvious, barely more than a fraction of a second, but it was enough to make her blink once in mild surprise before her smile returned, a little softer now.

When Lily admitted she had no idea what she was looking at, Vess let out an easy chuckle and glanced down at her own menu.

“Yeah,” she said. “Same, honestly.”

She leaned forward slightly across the table to show Lily one of the menu items, turning the page so it faced her. In doing so, the deep V of her dress shifted just enough to reveal a little more than she probably intended. Vess didn't notice it immediately, still focused on the menu.

“Rule number one for places like this,” she said, tapping a finger lightly against one of the lines on the menu before angling it so Lily could see. “If you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably good. It's all about confidence.”

Her eyes lifted back to Lily’s again, a hint of playful warmth lingering there.

“And if all else fails,” she added with a small shrug, “We go for that room service later for something less refined.” The mischievous smile returned, and her tone dropped, ever so slightly suggestive.

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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[Lily Rhodes]

Lily wasn't sure how it was possible but the flush of pink that briefly dusted Vess's cheeks made her all the more beautiful, maybe it was the contrast against her pale skin. All Lily knew was that she wanted to see it again. She considered telling her, but decided she'd save that one for later. It never hurt to have an armoury of compliments.

When Vess leaned over the table, Lily's breath caught. She could see all the different flecks of colour in her hazel eyes as she pointed things out on the menu, Lily let her gaze wonder, tracing the line of her jaw down to her collarbone and lower still to skin that Vess absolutely did not intend to expose. Flicking her gaze back up to her face, Lily slid her hand across the table, fingers brushing Vess's skin as she caught the fabric of her dress and wordlessly tugged it gently back into position as her own cheeks flushed with colour.

She cleared her throat. "Unpronounceable, means probably tasty." she repeated back to her in a low voice. "Got it."

It was suddenly very difficult to concentrate on the menu in her hand.

"How about we pick two each and share?"

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess was still leaning slightly over the table when Lily's hand slid across the surface toward her. For a brief second, she didn't quite understand what she was doing, until she felt the light brush of Lily's fingers against her skin and the gentle tug of fabric being pulled back into place. Her breath caught softly and involuntarily, her eyes finding Lily's. The realization followed a heartbeat later.

Color rose quickly to her cheeks as she straightened, easing back into her chair while smoothing the edge of the dress with one hand. There was a quiet laugh under her breath, half amused at herself, embarrassed by the moment. "Well," she murmured, glancing down briefly before her hazel eyes lifted back to Lily, "that could have been… disastrous, thank you."

The warmth still lingering across her cheeks betrayed that she had very much felt the moment. When Lily repeated her rule about the menu, Vess smiled and shook her head slightly, grateful for the shift in conversation even if her composure hadn't entirely settled yet.

"That's the spirit." At the suggestion of picking two dishes each and sharing, one of her brows lifted thoughtfully. She leaned back a little further into the chair now, fingers idly tapping the edge of her menu as she considered it.

"Two each?" she repeated, a hint of playful approval in her voice. Her gaze dropped briefly to the menu before drifting back to Lily again, the earlier fluster slowly giving way to her usual calm.

"I like it," she said. "That way, if one of us orders something questionable, the other person has to suffer through it too."

TAG: Lily Rhodes
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