Strictly Business [Closed] - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Strictly Business [Closed] (/showthread.php?tid=688)

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 10-18-2019

Julianna didn't love that Renton pushed Sophia's attention back to her. She would have rather he continued to keep her occupied in his sassy way until she tired of them and stomped off like she often did. Knowing where Owen was, was one of her more essential job functions, but she was amused by the way Ren used it as a jab at Sophia. Her ears twitched playfully before she answered. "He's in Conference Room B, but you'll have to wait for his meeting to end."

Sophia wrinkled her nose at Renton for the unwanted epithet, before turning her attention back to the other woman just long enough to hear the location she was looking for. Without thanking either of them, she turned on her heel and exited the room, punctuating her departure with a slamming door.

Her ears twitched again at the unnecessary noise, but Renton calling her Dru earlier had reminded her of something. "Can I tell you something?" she asked, ears standing at attention, but her tail was still where it fell over the side of the chair. "Not something about what happened with Owen, but something about me?"

Her ears pinned backwards. Her tail picking up a nervous sway. She forced herself to look at Renton even though she wanted to shy away from him. She was trying to be better about her self-conscious nature. "My name isn't Drusilla. Well, not really. It's Julianna."

A birth name wasn't much to give her away. She inhaled slowly. She didn't know how much Renton paid attention to world politics, didn't know if this reveal was honestly going to be shock him in any way.

"Julianna Maxillion."

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 10-20-2019

Renton blinked looking rather perturbed at the loud slamming of the door.

Entirely unnecessary.

The entire woman was. He could not for the life of him see what Owen saw in Sophia. She had a pretty face but it stopped there. Plenty of people had pretty faces and were more pleasant than her. Hell, even a less pretty face would do with a personality just a fraction less abrasive.

He had a mind to just charm her. Just once. So he could get some peace when she was around.

But no. That would be breaking the rules of his game.

“Hm?” Renton was lost in thought, questioning his entire existence on this plane as Drusilla was requesting he let her confide in him. He softened his face. “Of course. You can tell me anything.”

Renton usually wasn’t one to police his expression and this confession didn’t change that. His well manicured brows lifted towards his hair line and he blinked again, slowly, as he digested the information.

“Oh? Oh.” His voice modulated as he comprehended what she was telling him. The name scratched at the back of his mind. Where had he heard it before. He looked off to the side and momentarily frowned, but he couldn’t place it.

“I’m sorry, Julianna. Of course I will call you by whatever you like.... I will need a new nickname of course.” He smiled, charmingly, trying to make her feel comfortable in the wake of her revelation. “But, forgive me, what is it about that name? Julianna Maxilion, I’ve heard that before. Am I crazy?” He paused and then pointed at her. “Does Owen know about this?”

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 10-21-2019

The breath she had been holding flooded out of her as a laugh. A breathy chuckle. She was grateful that is was so anticlimactic but she considered, for a moment, not bothering to further explain the nature of her revelation. Juliana knew that would defeat the purpose. If she wanted to pursue Owen, she should be honestly with his friends. Especially those who had become her friends as well.

"I'm...a queen." It felt so strange saying it out loud. "The queen of the Veridian Isles." She felt suddenly self-conscious about the whole thing. Did it seem like she was bragging? Or trying to show off?

Did she seem like she was desperate to make some sort of impression.

"Owen knows," she explained. She watched her fingers twist in her lap. Her ears stood at attention. "He's always known," she admitted. Which was the truth, but didn't reveal any of the implications of that truth.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 10-30-2019

Renton, an ancient archfey, was frankly, floored at the revelation. He laughed and it sounded somewhat giddy. He wasn’t laughing so much at her but it was a combination of his own surprise and pure delight that brought the sound bubbling out of him.

He clapped his hands, “Of course you are! Look at you!” He gestured at her as if the way she looked justified the title she revealed. In this moment, it surely did not. She looked a bit like a frightened kitten. But his point was valid when she was all dolled up to perfection and using that regal stoneface of hers. That was a queen.

And Owen knew.

That struck him as very interesting, particularly in the way she said it. As if there was something else there. With Owen, wasn’t there always something else? He was a tall, blonde jock and an asshole but hadn’t Renton come to know there were hidden depths there when Owen chose to show them? Just what did he know about this queen anyways.

Renton stood and rounded the desk. He knelt down and took Julianna’s hands that had been twisting themselves into knots. He kissed the back of her fingers lightly to comfort her. “Thank you for telling me.”

He relinquished her hands and stood suddenly, rising to his full height. “Since we are sharing secrets...” His brown arched and his smile was more menacing as he gestured with his index finger at the lock on the office door. It clicked into place.

“Would you like to see my secret?” How could she not when he enticed her with a demonstration of magic that no one knew he had.

The air around him shimmered and the human form Renton had assumed melted into a humanoid that had Renton’s striking face but his features softened and became more characteristic of elves. His cheekbones shifted slightly higher and his ears elongated into delicate points that were pierced with gold rings and glittering studs. His skin seemed to shimmer as if he were glowing subtly. A dark waterfall of hair fell around his shoulders and down his chest and back. Large wings in bright colors unfurled. The underside feathers were a soft baby blue while the large outer feathers heavily featured a crystalline ultramarine and bled out into orangey sunset tones at the tips. The colors of his eyes matched his wings. There was an inner ring of gold closest to his pupils seemed to slowly rotate hypnotically.

He gestured to display himself with fingers adorned with rings. He had broken every rule he set for himself revealing his Fey nature to Julianna, the bashful queen.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 11-04-2019

Julianna popped up out of her chair with a squeal of delight that was half-feminine and half-feline. Renton's reveal was such a shock that it was all she could do to make some sort of exclamation in Veridian. He'd had her attention as soon as he'd shown off that little bit of magic. An easy enough trick, but still, it was magic.

Her hands hovered near her face. Julianna was so excited she was still speaking in Veridian. "Oh my goddess," she managed to say, finally, after a deep inhale. Julianna had forgotten all about her own secrets and the anxiety she had felt in telling him. He was always so gentle with her that her fears were mostly dispersed before the elegant reveal.

"Renton!" She was at a loss for words. She cupped his face in her hands, and then touched his shoulders and the locks of dark hair that now tumbled over them. "You're fae?" She breathed. She looked up at him in awe. Her tail swayed behind her head. "You're beautiful! I mean... you're always beautiful! You have wings!"

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 11-05-2019

Renton was caught up in Julianna’s uncontrolled bout of excitement. She chattered at him in her native tongue. Entirely charming in her thrill. His eyes widened and a permanent smile was fixed to his face. He shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes luxuriating in her admiring touch.

Renton took Julianna’s hands in his own and leaned closer. “I’m sorry, did I steal your moment?” His manicured brow furrowed momentarily. Then he laughed and leaned back, “What am I saying,” his hands gestured towards himself and then her and back again, “we’re having a moment. This is our little secret. Not even Owen knows.”

He turned to the side showing her his profile, “Do you want to touch my wings? It’s been so long since anybody touched my wings.”

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 11-16-2019

Julianna was as flustered as she had ever been. Usual so eloquent, and well-spoken she was stumbling over her own works in her excitement for Renton's revelation. She squeezed his hands tightly. "It is our moment! " She giggled, dancing back and forth on her feet. "Oh, thank you so much for telling me! I'm so honored."

She pulled him into a quick hug. "No one knows, except me now?" She asked in disbelief. He turned, giving easier access to his wings and she marveled at the colors. She touched them at his offering. Gingerly at first, fingertips grazing over a few individual feathers, before she pet him in full. "This is so amazing."

When her watched chimed a little alarm she glanced at it. She caught sight of the time and frowned. "I guess, I have to do some work," she complained. "I need to pick up some things from the fifth floor." She rolled her eyes. She hated the Intelligence wing, they were so obnoxiously snobby.

"Go grab your stuff, and meet me back here for lunch. Okay?"

Julianna gathered up a stack of files from Owen's desk. When Renton's glamour was securely in place they left the office together. She blew him charming and friendly kisses as they parted ways to complete their tasks.

Meanwhile, Owen’s meeting was finishing up. Sophia waited until the generals and other agents were milling out of the room, to push her way in and lean against the far wall. Owen stood at the opposite end of the room. He had clearly lying been the focus of the meeting. .

She knew he saw her. Sharp, grey eyes glanced at her while he continued his conversation with the Commander General. Darcy, sharp as ever, noticed to look at looked at her over his shoulder.

Their conversation came to an end and the Commander parted ways. Leaving the conference room as well. Even though she was only contractually connected to the CAF, like Drusilla, she saluted the Commander as he walked by.

Darcy nodded but did not return the gesture as he left the room.

When it was just the two of them Sophia bounded across the room to where Owen stood. “Hey!” She said cheerfully. “I missed you.” Which was true. Despite her bad attitude and his own shortcomings, she did care for him.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 11-18-2019

Renton gave Julianna an extra squeeze when she hugged him. He felt so relieved to have shared the burden of his secret with someone. He had underestimated the weight that it had been to carry that around on his shoulders day in and day out, to never be truly known or seen for who he really was had been difficult. Though that was a humbling admission for the fae who’d come to think of himself as an entirely sophisticated being. Centuries of spending time with himself and he still didn’t know his own depths.

He turned and let Julianna pet his wings, shuddering with delight at the satisfying contact. Perhaps she’d be amenable to rubbing some oils on them at some point.

How he missed that.

“Nobody knows.” Renton admitted spinning around again. “Not even Owen. Just you.” He planted his hands on her shoulders, stopping her from leaving the room to attend to her work errands. “Today is a really good day.” He said sighing with a smile. He played with her curls some, bouncing them upwards with the palm of his hand. “I’m happy for you and Owen.”

They parted in their typical fashion. Blowing air kisses and finger wiggles at each other. Anyone who knew them knew they were thick as thieves. Work besties. And now, it felt like, they were more than that. Much closer than just friends at work.

Owen’s posture telegraphed his obvious tension. He felt as if his limbs were being pulled by taut marionette strings. The meeting had gone poorly. Though, the board loved to ever sing his praises and loved to issue promises of his meteoric rise through the ranks, they loved to shoot down any idea he had for how to run operations.

They wanted everything done their way.

Their way.

Darcy was doing his best to talk Owen off the ledge his mood was set on. Owen was stubbornly refusing to be comforted. He crossed his arms over his chest and shut himself off to the gentle and firm imploring by Darcy that things would work out.

And then Sophia appeared. It was all Owen could do not to roll his eyes.

He did not want to do this today.

A well of dread opened up inside him.

He hated breaking up with people. It was better not to start relationships to begin with. And yet here he was ending one to start another. What a mess. He supposed if ever there was a relationship worth the trouble, worth potential disaster, it would be with Julianna. So sure, why not fuck himself up some more. Darcy’s words were falling on deaf ears and he seemed to notice so he made his exit.

“Talk later.” Owen managed to promise to his father’s retreating back.

Sophia’s demeanor changed once they were alone. From perfect soldier to chipper girlfriend, she ran to him, and he caught her by her waist. “Hey.” His voice was strained and the kiss he planted on her lips was chaste and lacking any emotion whatsoever. It was the last kiss they’d ever share. Perhaps would have been better to have left it at their last goodbye kiss before she’d gone on assignment. Post-sex goodbye kiss. That one had been much better, though similarly lacking emotion on his account.

“You’re back.” His hands left her body and one went up to rake fingers through his hair, pushing it back and ensuring it was in place. “We need to talk.”

The four words everyone knew spelled the beginning to the end of every relationship.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 11-18-2019

"I sure am," she sang when he pointed out her being back-ness. Sophia clearly wasn't happy with they way that he kissed her and shot up on her toes for more, but he skirted her somehow. Her brow furrowed, but she didn't try again. Not one who settled easily into rejection. She dropped back on her toes, forced the smile to remain on her face. Determined not to make a big deal out of what was probably nothing. She was trying to be better in that way, better for him and to him.

Sophia was disappointed in the way he decided to keep his hands to himself. Even in their less than savory moments he always found a to touch her. Grabbing her ass or her ponytail, or something of that nature that advertised a a desire for her, even if it lead to angry fucking.

He didn't waste much time into getting to the root of the issue and cutting through all her thoughts about what could be wrong. She knew what those words meant. Maybe, she could salvage it. Maybe she could dissolve whatever concerns he had thought up in her absence. Sophia tried to put her arms around him okay. "Okay," she tried to sound mild, oblivious. "Let's talk then."

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 11-20-2019

Owen’s mouth snapped shut on the words he had planned to say to her. She was hugging him around his waist and looking up at him. She looked entirely like she hadn’t gotten the gist of the message yet.

He sighed. “Sophia.”

He took her arms, carefully removing them from his body. He kept his hands on her arms, holding her at a small distance so that their bodies weren’t touching.

“This isn’t working for me. I’m not --” he paused over the word, “Happy.”

That was the lamest way to describe what he was feeling. But Owen never claimed to be good at describing feelings.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 11-20-2019

The problem was Sophia was hearing the message. She was reading him loud and clear so to speak, she just didn't want to believe it. She wanted to think that if maybe she looked enticing enough, and charming enough he would change his mind. Maybe if she smiled a bit more and deferred to him a bit more he would see that it could work between them.

Maybe if she could be more like Drusilla he would want her.

Sophia tsked at him. A sharp noise of her tongue hitting her top row of teeth. She lifted her arms to break the contact between them. They fell back to her side with a gentle slap against her fatigues. She looked upset, a frown twisting her features. Her eyes were glossing over, but she looked like she would get mad before she would cry.

"You didn't try." She snapped this accusation at him. It sounded like something she had thought about before. As if she had anticipated this moment. "This is because of Drusilla, right?" She was daring him to try and deny it.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 11-20-2019

Glassy brown eyes filled Owen with a unique sense of dread. He did not want to make her cry. Though, he supposed there was no avoiding that. He did not want to witness her crying because of him. He could feel his face freezing up into that mask he always wore.

“I --” He didn’t have a response to her complaint about his efforts in the relationship.

“Yes. I have feelings for her. I have for some time now. I tried to ignore it but I’m just -- I’m really attracted to her.” He clamped his mouth shut after admitting this. His teeth grinding made the muscles of his jaw flex repeatedly. His hand went out to touch her arm, a reflex to comfort her after he dropped the bomb with the slow burning fuse that had been between them. It stopped short and dropped back to his side, uselessly. He balled his hand into a fist. A focal point for all the tension in the room.

“I can’t give you what you want. What -- you -- deserve, really.”

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 11-20-2019

Sophia's feelings, that had been teetering on the edges of anger and sadness toppled over into rage at his admission. How dare he, she thought to herself. It sounded like he was trying to chalk this whole thing up to an accident. I didn't mean to like her but I do. "I knew it," she complained at him. When he reached for her she backed away, even though he he didn't follow through with trying. "I've known since the beginning."

She remembered the first night she had stayed at his house. Drusilla had been there in the morning, serving coffee and avoiding his gaze. They had not hit it off, and they had never really clicked. Maybe, they could have been friends if Sophia had not been so insistent on pushing her way between them because she liked Owen.

"I just can't-"

It seemed like she had more to say, but could not put the words together. "And you had the audacity-"

Another failed attempt. She was just so mad at him. Pissed off about all the times that they had fought about his closeness to Drusilla. All the times that he had blown off her accusations and made her out to be the bad guy for not trusting him. For condemning his behavior towards her.

Owen said something about not being what she deserved and there was no long any hint of sadness in her heated gaze. "Go fuck yourself, Owen," she settled on this, instead of all the other condemnations that she had been working on. She looked him over one last time. "You didn't even fucking try," she reminded him again, before turning on her heel and leaving him alone in the conference room. Sophia had half a mind to find Drusilla again and tell the both where they could fucking shove it, but ultimately decided against it.

She did send Owen a text that she was going to his house to get her stuff.

>I'll leave the key on the table.

Julianna rode the back down to the fifth floor. She brushed at a wrinkle in her skirt as she descended. Her tail swayed slowly back and forth behind her knees. She was still thinking about her recent interaction with Renton. Spending time with him while Owen was otherwise occupied always brightened what was usually a routine day at the CAF base.

She checked her watch again as she exited the elevator. Her heels clicked rhythmically as she walked towards the reception desk to the Intelligence offices.

"Good morning," she greeted pleasantly to the woman seated behind the desk. She pushed her ID care towards her. "I am retrieving documents for Lieutenant Colonel Hart. They should be prepared for him, already."

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 01-08-2020

Shrader Jehorem was also on business on the 5th Floor. It was a routine day on his second week as a newly promoted Inspector. An internal affairs investigator. He wasn’t a warrant officer anymore. He traded his ugly AR for a fancy badge now. Though, of course, he carried the requisite side arm, a much subtler touch than his previous weapon.

He exited his office and rounded a corner to find an interesting subject at the circulation desk. His routine day was turning out to be more interesting. And wasn’t that how his promotion had started? He’d messed with the Lieutenant Colonel’s secretary out of boredom, causing an incident which garnered him some attention, and afforded him an opportunity to advance.

He was sure that she didn’t see him because she was making idle chit chat with the secretary. He skirted around behind her. He took up a position with his hands folded in front of him, looking very much like an officer of the law.

“Still on business for the Lieutenant Colonel?” He asked, his voice raised enough to get “Drusilla’s” attention. He had questions about whether that was her real name. “He’s still Lieutenant Colonel, huh?” Shrader asked the question more to emphasize that Owen had not gotten any promotions lately, unlike Shrader. Nevermind that it took much longer to advance in the highest offices of Central Command.

Owen wasn’t unused to facing conflict and rarely did it bother him. Except today, he was reeling from the emotional response from Sophia. He, stupidly, had not been prepared for her to react with so much pain. Of course, she’d played it off like she was tough, but he knew better than that. And he was left with a feeling of guilt that grated his nerves.

“Where is she?” He demanded, impatiently, of Renton, who had his feet up on Owen’s desk.

“Is she your girlfriend now?” Renton asked imitating a teasing school kid’s tone of voice.

Owen rounded the desk and unceremoniously shoved Renton’s feet to the floor. “Where is she?” He gestured with his hands and looked around the room obviously lacking Julianna.

Renton protested with a gutteral scoff at the treatment. “She went somewhere to get something.” He shrugged. “She’ll be right back.”

Owen seemed satisfied with the answer. “Get out of my chair.”

Renton scoffed protests again. “I set up to work in here.”

“Fine. Work in here. But get out of my chair.”

Renton’s lips pressed together as he slowly relinquished the chair to the proper owner. He sat plopped back down in the seat Julianna had abandoned earlier. “You sure are in a mood today.”

“The meeting was shit and I broke up with Sophia. Get off my dick.”

Renton gasped dramatically and leaned forward. “Soooo she’s your girlfriend now?”

Owen was already engaged in work, typing aggressively on his keyboard. He was seemingly content to ignore Renton. They both fell silent, Renton typing on his own laptop, and Owen on his computer. They worked in silence for a while. Renton knew Owen would talk when he felt like it.

Suddenly, Owen stopped typing realizing what had started bothering him. An anxiety had crept into the back of his mind. He stood up in a rush. He pointed his index finger accusingly at Renton who only looked askance back. “You had one fucking job. You were supposed to babysit her. Where did you say she went?”

“I -- fifth floor?”

“Jesus fuck. Every fucking time.” Owen cussed under his breath as he rushed out of his office to locate Julianna who had been gone for too long for a mere quick errand.

“What did I do?” Renton called after Owen as the door slammed shut.

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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 01-08-2020

Julianna had the files she requested and her conversation with the darling reception was coming to a close. Her tail swayed at her knees as they both laughed at something that was said. The woman had complimented Julianna's outfit, and expressed the desire to have a friend to take her shopping that could help her be so stylish. Of course, the good-natured Julianna offered her services and they set a date for a girl's shopping trip.

Just as she was about to turn around and leave, a dreadful shiver ran down her spine. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on edge, as if she sensed danger before he even spoke to her. Shrader spoke and she felt blood turn to ice. Her tail fluffed up and pinwheeled to the middle of her back. Her fingers gripped the files and her ears rotated to the sound of the man still talking behind her. The agent at the desk seemed to note her concern and cocked her head in question. Julianna smiled politely, told her to have a lovely, day and turned to face her fears so to speak.

Even though she was determined not to be afraid of him. A challenge since she still bore the scar on her bottom lip from the last time she had encountered the man. A pale pink line just barely hidden beneath her red lipstick. Eyes darted over him. She noted the absence of a rifle, but the sidearm was not lost in her quick assessment. She recognized the new badge as being similar to the one Agent Lexington-Meredith-wore. Internal affairs? So, that's what the CAF did with cocky MPs that detain and beat up innocent people.

Somehow, she wasn't surprised.

"Inspector Jehorem," she replied politely, with a hint of sarcasm. "I am always on business for the Lieutenant Colonel," she continued blandly. She forced her ears to stand at attention, but her tail wouldn't cooperate. Still curled against her back. He backhanded comment drew a laugh from her, unexpectedly. A quick chuckle. "Lieutenant Colonel is a much higher rank than you will ever attain in what will probably be a very short career. " This bit of bite from her encouraged her to lift her chin, her shoulders squared. "He'll be expecting me," she said. It was a warning: that Shrader shouldn't fuck with her or Owen would come for him again.

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