Arias noticed Lois's hurriedness, but he certainly didn't comment on it.
According to Luthor's knowledge of Superman, she and he worked closely. More recently, Lex Luthor began to speculate that she and Superman had an intimate connection, at the very least. That was more than enough of a lead for Arias to work with. He had more than enough confidence in getting the rest done by himself.
As the duo were led to their table, Arias feigned being a gentleman and pulled out Lois's seat for her, a normal gesture that she indeed appreciated.
She was no stranger to some of the men she interviewed having certain sexual desires toward her. Lois was always smart enough to elude them and never mix business with pleasure because deep down, she knew they just wanted to sleep with her and move on.
Women like her, who weren't as delusional, were tricky to get close to, as they understood the game to some extent.
Just by looking at her and from what he had learned, Arias could discern her type.
It was actually obvious, given her past relationship history and occupation. Reporters like her and Vicki were always attracted to mysterious things... men included.
The more mysterious and unspoken the man was, the more they would feel attracted and want to learn more. And the more they learned, the more they either grew attracted or lost interest.
In Luthor's case, Lois lost interest because Luthor cared for himself more than anything and regarded her as more of a chore than anything else.
With Superman, she was attracted to the mystery behind the well-built and handsome alien who kept their streets safe. It was only more recently that he became more public with his words, but even then, the interest remained.
As for Arias... well, it was Arias. More than anything, she had a good opinion of him ever since the time he spoke down to Luthor at the gathering in Washington.
Meeting him now, he seemed like a standard template of a young and rich businessman. Perhaps the exception was his rugged good looks and dominant demeanor.
She eyed him up and down as he took his seat, as if sizing him up. She abruptly took out a recorder, placed it on the table, and pressed start while looking at him.
"So, Mr. Arias Markovic, what made you—"
Before she could gain control of the direction of the conversation, Arias interrupted her and spoke. "Just Arias. We can skip the boring questions your employer wanted you to ask and just get right to what you're curious about."
His reply surprised her, as most weren't perceptive or caring enough to notice. They simply accepted the interview for the chance to meet a lovely reporter they might get to sleep with.
Arias's statement made her realize she had to take a different route here, and that not all men would instantly want to please her.
Lois cleared her throat and chuckled beautifully before looking at him more sensually, as if moved by his words.
This front wasn't enough to fool Arias into thinking his tactics wouldn't work. Women like her were as cunning as Latina prostitutes, and he wouldn't easily believe anything that left their mouths... literally.
"A busy man, I see. Alright, I'll be sure to be quick so as not to waste your time," she stated softly, but Arias shook his head and laughed charmingly.
"It's more that I dislike people who pretend in front of me. Having seen it my whole life, it's become a sight I just can't seem to stand," he revealed while taking a sip from his poured glass of wine.
Arias spoke while maintaining firm eye contact, making it hard for Lois not to be moved by his words.
They weren't meant to have a big impact, just to insert the illusion that if she pretended any more, she risked him losing interest in the interview entirely.
This was a situation he was sure she had never come across with a male interviewer, so he knew her foundation would be shaken... and he was right.
"Oh, um, I apologize. I suppose I'll do that," she replied, more embarrassed at being caught and called out than anything.
Like it or not, Arias was a major figure who rarely did interviews. If she blew this, she'd obviously be in trouble with her workplace.
Her usual bold and somewhat pushy attitude took a back seat as she began acting more cautiously with Arias.
He looked at her face and showed a gentle smile. "I didn't mean that you should walk on eggshells when talking to me, you know? Though the sight of you flustered is certainly entertaining," he joked to lighten the mood.
Lois smiled along and felt way more relaxed than before. "I was more scared than flustered. I haven't fumbled an interview in years; you made me think that might change today," she revealed, showing relief.
"Well, anything can happen," he said, a bit more seriously. This made Lois immediately frown again. "Wait, are you serious?" she asked, laughing a bit nervously.
"Of course not. I just want to keep you on your toes the same way you planned to do to me," he revealed while leaning back into his seat and raising a glass toward her.
Lois was flabbergasted when she realized he had just played her the entire time. Worse, he played her the same way she had planned to play him, thinking he'd be sexually attracted to her, leading him on with misleading or vague words and letting his imagination run wild.
She looked at Arias, a bit speechless for a moment before smiling, raising her glass, and clearing her throat. "Let me introduce myself, then. I'm Lois Lane, and I'm here to bust your balls."
Arias raised a brow at her. He could tell his actions had caused her to become annoyed, or even angry. But that was the goal.
"Oh? Did my reversal of the situation make you a little angry? Cute," he mocked while smiling even more.
Lois was obviously angry, but she just couldn't bring herself not to be curious or interested in continuing the interaction.
"You have no idea. I'm going to show you that the real me isn't something you can handle. Then we'll see who's... cute."
An unfazed Arias just tipped his glass against hers and placed it down. "If that's your goal, then I hope you have no other pressing matters. You'll find I'm not someone you can crack in a short amount of time."
Lois, her pride too hurt, put everything to the back of her mind. "Consider my schedule cleared... just for you," she said, a bit threateningly even.
Arias just smiled and nodded.
"Perfect."