Strictly Business [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 02-16-2017
After it was all said and done, Owen took very little pleasure in bringing the hammer down on Drusilla. She’d reacted … rather as expected. Like a frightened kitten. Though he thought venting his anger at her would requital for the way she’d treated him, but it felt overblown. And he was left with the sour taste of guilt in the back of his mouth. Or was that just nausea from the previous night’s drinking?
Though he felt that way, he didn’t bother making up with Drusilla, but rather went about treating her as he usually did. He was somewhat more gentle with her in the first few days that followed the incident. Once the tension died down he was back to treating her as normal quickly enough. And they never discussed what had transpired between them any further but merely resettled into their usual roles.
___
It had taken the CAF long enough to approve the Lieutenant Colonel to host a private military server for his work in his own home. Once the approval rolled through, a technician was scheduled to finish the server setup and launch security measures. Such an end was what brought the Covenant of Allied Forces Computer Defense and Intelligence Analyst and Systems Development Specialist Renton F. Bell to Owen’s door. He smoothed the lapel to his black jacket before knocking rapidly on the door. When his knocking stopped, he took the moment while waiting for the door to open to pull out his identification and hold it out. The I.D. displayed his name and title and the fact that he was a consultant with the CAF.
Renton had heard rumors about Owen’s fetching little assistant but had not the pleasure to meet her. He … struck a pose of sorts for her. A pair of faux black rimmed glasses were poised on his sharp almost too sculpted nose. The I.D. was held out and his free hand relaxed naturally in the pocket of his tailored black slacks.
When the door opened, he held the I.D. up long enough for it to be reviewed and promptly tucked back into the interior pocket of his jacket coat. “Why hello.” He greeted her with easy charm flashing a white smile. An unnecessary adjustment to the glasses on his nose followed his offering of a handshake. “You must be Miss Drusilla Haven. I’ve heard so much about you. Much lovelier in person.” He released her hand and gestured at the threshold of the home requesting entrance.
“May I?”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 02-17-2017
She won’t be staying. That’s what Owen had said with a look of disbelief. That’s what Owen had said before she had taken her jealousy out on him. That’s what he had said before he had yelled at her. Her ears fell to the crown of her head as she snatched Sophia’s jacket from the arm of the couch. A light blue zip-up hoodie. She folded it over her arm and moved to the entry to hang it up.
Not staying, but apparently she was going to keep coming back. Owen was going to keep inviting her back. The brunette had started leaving in the morning, if she bothered staying the night. She didn’t know if it was Owen or the knowledge that she would have to face Drusilla in the mornings that kept her from lingering. Nothing, however, could keep her from leaving things behind. And all over the place. Drusilla’s tail twitched behind her head as she kicked a pair of shoes closer to the wall. Gaudy heels decorated in sequins. Dru frowned at them before bending down and sitting them upright. She sighed, as she stood, smoothing the fabric of her pink and blue floral patterned dress over her hips. She adjusted her matching pink cardigan as well, just for something to do with her hands.
Drusilla almost regretted her diligent nature. She was already out of paperwork to do, and the house was in order. She was waiting on the dryer, she was waiting on the dishwasher. She had nothing to do but make herself look busy until Owen gave her a task, or until the consultant they were waiting for came over. Whichever came first. She checked her watch, heels echoing in the foyer as she moved away from the door.
She paused. Ears swiveled towards the door as she heard someone approach. She waited until they knocked to move back towards it. She pulled the door open, surprised by the look the man on the other side of it. Because he was attractive. Too attractive. Almost suspiciously so, but only because thanks to Sanders, she was wary of handsome men that appeared on Owen’s doorstep. Or she hadn’t been until that very moment when this second one had shown up.
Was he posing?
Her eyes dropped away from devastating blue ones hidden behind black rimmed glasses to the ID he held out for her. She committed the details to memory before it was whisked away from her. “Good morning, Agent Bell,” she greeted in return, having little else to say as he commanded the conversation. Drusilla forced a smile when he complimented her. She wondered what he could have possibly heard and from whom. She stepped away from the door to allow him entry upon his request. Closing it, she followed behind him. She admired the cut of his suit and the fall of his hair, before sidling past him to lead him towards the kitchen. She found the room to be warmer than living room. It also still smelled like pancakes and coffee.
“Can I get you anything?” she offered, gesturing for him to take a seat at the nook if he desired. “Coffee?” She bustled around the kitchen, looking almost as if she belonged there. Sanders kept calling her Owen’s work wife, and she wasn’t particularly fond of the term. She tried not to think about it, and she tried not to frown about it. Ears fell until she forced them upright once more.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 03-01-2017
Renton crossed the threshold of the house once granted permission by Drusilla. Although he had been over to Owen’s place numerous time before, he enjoyed the ritual of being invited in by his charming little assistant. They lingered a moment in the foyer as she greeted him good morning. He pruned for her benefit, sweeping his hand down the front of his tie. A glint of something caught his eye and he frowned down at the tacky sequin heels on the floor. He wrinkled his nose at the shoes having concluded they couldn’t have possibly belonged to Drusilla. Besides he’d heard about Owen’s newest...playmate.He followed Drusilla as she practically glided through the home. He adored her instantly. Owen’s little work wifey. She was just perfect. He slid gracefully into the nook, relieving the button of his suit jacket with a subtle movement of his hand out of habit.
“Yes, coffee would be lovely.”
He made a show of checking his watch, “Ah, I’m a little early. We have some time to chat before my appointment with the Lieutenant Colonel.” Renton said all this as if he wasn’t one of Owen’s closest friends. He lowered his sleeve and crossed his leg, letting his ankle rest on his knee.
“So, let’s get right to it. Tell me about those godawful shoes. I know they couldn’t possibly be yours. Do those belong to his new...whatever she is? Have you met her? He’s quite secretive about these things. When I heard Owen was sleeping with someone new I assumed it was you!” Renton laughed goodnaturedly before sighing and adding, “Well that’ll teach me to believe the rumors.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 03-03-2017
Drusilla moved around the kitchen with a comfortable efficiency. It wasn’t long before she settled a cup of coffee before Renton on the tidy table of the nook. The cup was a cool blue color that matched the fabric currently folded over the cushions of the booth. Drusilla had bought them, not only to match, but also because she had not found the stark, black Central Command mugs to be very attractive. Owen didn’t have much in the way of company, and he could care less what the coffee mugs looked like, but she had replaced them regardless. One of her ears fell lopsided as Renton suggested that they could chat. She quickly recalled the chat she’d had with Sanders when he had come to visit. A faint smile appeared as he commented on the shoes, and she moved to retrieve cream and sugar, pushing up the sleeves of her soft, pink cardigan as she did so. “They are not my shoes,” she reassured him. Finally, she pulled a bottle of juice for herself from the fridge and joined him at the nook. One hand smoothed her dress down the back of her legs as she gracefully slid into the settee. She approached the topic of Sophia carefully, tail tapping gently against the booth as she crossed one leg over the other. Gossiping about her boss’ hookup wasn’t very professional.
An involuntary sort of laugh escaped her when Renton suggested that she was the one Owen was sleeping with. It was a nervous sound, staccato and breathy. “No, no. It’s certainly not me. I don’t...mingle my sex and professional lives to much.” Not that she had ever had the opportunity, as working for Owen was her first job, but she decided then and there that the statement would be a good policy.
“I have met her.” Drusilla twisted the cap off of the bottle, taking a small sip. Her ears pinned backwards briefly, but popped to attention. She wanted to ask about the rumors he had mentioned, but decided against it for now. If anything, she could probably guess what people were saying. “She’s nice,” she lied. “And pretty.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 03-17-2017
Renton made a pleased look when the mug was set before him. Lips pursed and his eyes rolled upwards to gaze at Drusilla appreciatively. Baby blues through naturally thick eyelashes. The man was blessed. He pushed at the rims of his glasses and sipped the hot beverage as Dru settled across from him. He liked the way she held herself and the way she moved. With a sort of practiced classy elegance. There was something to that but he didn’t know what.What was such a polished woman doing as the executive assistant of the (arguably) most fucked up Central Command Officer? What a match indeed.
Her breathy laugh was followed by his full throated chortle. He covered his mouth, giving her a barely disguised coy look over the back of his hand. “Oh honey.” He giggled. “Have you been to Central Command? The mingling of sex and professionals is the entire...” he waved his hand searching for the word, “culture and milieu of the place.” Blue eyes glittered with untold michevisim.
What did the technie know about Central Command and sex?
Truth was: a lot.
But he wasn’t telling….yet.
With a self-satisfied and smug look Renton went back to sipping at his coffee as Drusilla lied through her pretty lips about Sophia. He put the cup down sharply and pressed his hands flat against the table staring at her for a hard moment. He wasn’t hardly so good at staring as the Lieutenant Colonel and quickly cracked into a grin.
“No. She’s not.” He countered and then waved his hand in the air. “She’s so-so looking. I’ve seen her a couple of times.” Glancing out the window he considered what else he could say of Owen’s new bedroom plaything. “She’s got resting bitch face.” He lowered his voice and even his posture, looking behind Dru's shoulder before he rubbed at his nose pointedly. "I've heard she likes a little powder on her nose. If you know what I mean."
He scrunched up his nose. "She's trashy," was his final assessment. "But enough about her. Let's talk about you."
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 03-27-2017
Drusilla couldn’t resist a smile at the sound of Renton’s unabashed laughter and the teasing way he called her honey. “I’ve been to Central Command, yes,” she replied with a faux exasperation as she nodded her head. There was an entertained glitter to her eyes as she rolled them sarcastically before taking another sip of her juice. Her free hand turned the cap over in her manicured fingers. “There is certainly a…” she paused, fingers closed around the cap to wave her hand as she searched for the words. “A ‘tension’ about the place.” Which was true. Too many attractive and stressed out people in one place. Overworked and looking for an outlet for relief. Flirting and casual relations seemed to be the preferred method of stress relief among the officers of the C.A.F.
Screwing the cap back onto the juice, she pushed it to the side to discontinue from fiddling it. It bumped against a stack of files and a thick, moleskine journal embossed with gold flowers. Her hands disappeared into her lap and her ears twitched as she stared back at him. If it had been a staring contest she would have a won, because Renton quickly broke. He wanted to gossip more, and honestly Drusilla couldn’t blame him. The Lieutenant Colonel was an interesting man.
The assistant cleared her throat and shifted in the seat, her tail fell over the edge of the booth and swayed slightly. One of her ears fell lopsided as Renton went over his assessment of Owen’s current fling. “I couldn’t say,” she answered quickly with a shrug as if she was not acutely aware of the the other woman’s preference for illegal substances. And Owen’s. Drusilla tried not to frown and
not to think of the messes to refused to clean. “We see very little of each other, honestly. I mostly see what she leaves behind.” This straight-faced comment was the only revelation that Drusilla had an opinion on Sophia other than the little white and pleasant lies that she told.
Ears pushed to attention and her tail picked up to appear behind her shoulder. She blinked across the nook at the technician. “Me?” Her voice pitched as she reiterated his request. She opened her mouth, closed it, coral painted lips pressing together. She laughed once, a nervous sound. “What could you possibly want to know about me?”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 04-11-2017
When Drusilla described CAF Central command as a tense place a sharp laugh - really a cackle - exploded from Renton. He clapped his hands together once and nodded. “Yes. Indeed.” He agreed enthusiastically while snickering. Though she cloaked her true meaning in diplomatic terms, he knew that she knew Central Command officer spent as much energy on sexual gratification as they did their work. Except for a certain Central Command officer whose name Renton refused to think about. Busy man with no time for flirty techs.
He sipped at his coffee and fixed his gossip partner with a clear blue-eyed gaze. He was hanging on her every word as she described her knowledge of the notorious Sophia. She answered too fast with too straight of a face for Renton to believe entirely the description of the other woman. He didn’t press her further knowing they had very little trust to go on for her to start immediately bashing her boss’ girlfriend to him.
He hummed. A judgmental sound in the back of his throat. “Fair enough.” Renton wrinkled his nose and glanced out the window thinking up what he wanted to know about Drusilla.
“A mutual friend of ours, Sanders, had nothing but praise for you, Dru. Can I call you Dru?” He didn’t wait for the answer. “He claims to have lassoed you right there in the backyard. Is that true? Did you let that cowboy rope you?” He laughed but again barrelled right through without really waiting for the response.
“I can’t imagine Owen’s face when he saw that. Oh and that was the day after that terrible fall. Poor thing. How do you like working for him, by the way? He’s had trouble keeping people, you know.” He lowered his voice confidentially and leaned a little over the table towards Drusilla.
“It’s his mood, you know. He has a lot of stress. Carries a lot of unresolved grief, I think. Doesn’t sleep. You know about his parents, right? His whole family.” Renton tsked. “Tragic.”
Renton had a way of speaking when he was intrigued. Many thoughts and questions tumbled out at once and his conversation partner was left to sort through what was to be acknowledged and what was to be left unanswered.
“Well!” He perked right up, switching back to the topic of Drusilla in a heartbeat. “About you. What do you do for fun when you’re off work? He does give you days off right?”
He sipped again at his coffee and then frowned. “Is this decaf? I usually only drink decaf.”
Then again maybe his conversation style at this particular moment could be attributed to an over caffeinated giddiness.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 04-16-2017
Drusilla found herself swept away by the tide of Renton’s conversation. There was hardly enough pause between topics for her to respond, if she found herself wanting. Brows lifted as he mentioned Sanders, and she couldn’t even think as to what the Captain could have possibly said about her, but it was interesting to Drusilla that they were acquainted. She nodded when he requested the use of a nickname, though she doubted he would have been turned off of the idea even if she had declined. A mutual friend.
Which made it very likely that Renton was also friends with Owen. Interesting.
Reaching for her juice again, Dru breathed a quick laugh about Sanders lassoing her, amusement in the sound though her tail tapped an irritated rhythm against the booth. The noise was affirmation enough for Renton to continue with his train of thought. She remembered how angry Owen had seemed when he stalked out into the yard and pulled the rope off of her. She did not, in turn, mention this to Renton.
“I like working for him,” she said quickly. For some reason she felt the need to make that point very known. She didn’t quite lean into the conversation as Renton had. She made a face as if in thought. Carefully choosing her next response. Ears pushed towards the crown of her head before standing at attention. “I...don’t mind his moods,” she explained, since it was useless to say something like she didn’t notice them.
She noticed them.
Drusilla turned her head and looked out the window when Renton mentioned Owen’s family. Tragic. Certainly. Her brow furrowed and she swallowed hard, before policing her expression and looking back to the excited technician. “Fun,” she repeated, lilting a question as if to buy herself some time to answer. She blinked when he mentioned decaf. “Oh, no, it’s not. Would you like me to make some?” She was sliding out of the seat before he’d had a chance to answer; gliding across the kitchen and towards the coffee pot as she adjusted her cardigan.
“I like...the same things as most people.” Her tail swayed behind her knees. “Going out. Reading. Watching TV. I’m...really not that exciting.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 04-19-2017
“I’d love some, thank you!” Renton rested his cheek on his fist and his elbow on the table. He twisted a bit to watch Drusilla float across the room. He sighed longingly at the display. She was just so refined. Poised. Feminine. Or something. He couldn’t quite put a finger on it. There was something different about her than the typical secretary or assistant at the CAF.
“God. Where did he find you.” If there was a complaint in his voice it was only because Renton almost wanted to be like her. He knew his personality was large and though he came across as put together he was really a mess underneath. It didn’t occur to him that Drusilla might have the same kind of phenomenon going on. That is to say, a well-crafted facade.
“Where did who find who?”
Owen asked as he crossed the threshold from the dining room into the kitchen. He held an empty mug of coffee in his hand.
Renton startled, as he hadn’t heard Owen’s approach and his face slipped off of his own hand. He sat up straight and adjusted his glasses before beaming up at his friend and finger waved. “Good morning, Lieutenant Colonel.” He crooned.
Owen rolled his eyes and muttered the greeting, "hey Ren," and walked past making a B-line for the coffee pot and Drusilla who blocked his path. He touched the small of her back and sidled up next to her before reaching for the pot to refill his mug. The blonde held up the coffee pot in an offering to Renton, “You want more, or am I going to kill this?”
Renton made a thousand mental snap shots of the display the two made together. They moved perfectly. As if in some weird synchrony. His answer to Owen was a half-second delayed as he'd been taken with watching the obvious couple. He spread his hands and shook his head. “Oh no. Dru’s making me decaf.”
The briefest of frowns marred Owen’s brow before he arched his eyebrow at his assistant. Mostly because apparently she and Ren were already on a nickname basis. “Traitor.” The accusation was mostly for Renton, but Owen also included Dru in it too. How dare she progress faster with his friends than he. Owen replaced the coffee pot and turned around to lean against the counter.
Ren smacked his lips and scoffed under his breath., “You’ll never forgive me for making the switch will you?”
“Nope.” Owen answered almost before Renton had finished asking the question. He seemed amused however. There was a glint in his eyes as if this banter were simply part of a well-practiced routine he had going with Renton.
The techie rose from the breakfast nook and moved towards Owen. He fastened the button back to his jacket as he moved and stopped in front of his friend. He plucked at the hem of Owen’s grey Henley and smiled mischievously, gazing up at the taller man from over the tops of his glasses. “You miss seeing my face in Central don’t you?”
Owen’s face remained neutral. He stared easily down at Renton and blinked once slowly before answering. “Nope.” A dubious sort of expression crossed Owen’s face. “Besides everyone knows you only come up there to look for a rich husband.”
Renton gasped in mock offense. “How dare you!” He playfully batted at Owen’s free hand. “You know I’d settle for a moderately well-off husband. With a career trajectory. But he’d need to be pretty hot.” He pursed his lips as if he was considering the veracity of that statement.
Owen rolled his eyes, “You've set a high bar there, my friend.”
Blue eyes traced up and down the length of Owen’s body as if sizing him up. He ignored Owen's comment and made his own. “Kind of like you, Owen. Right Dru?” Renton nudged the woman standing nearby to draw her into their banter. “He’d be a fair catch, don’t you think? He’s got the whole... package.”
Renton leaned into Drusilla as if they were best friends and snickered against her shoulder.
Owen exhaled loudly through his mouth and muttered, “I can’t with you,” into his coffee. He watched Renton and Drusilla over the rim of his cup. He liked the way they looked together. Already so familiar. That was Renton’s way, but Owen liked the fact that his friends, so far, had taken immediately to her. Even if he was a little bit jealous.
Renton leaned harder into Drusilla, “What about you darling? What do you look for in a man?”
Owen tried to look more interested in the mug in hand, but wasn’t about to interfere with prying questions from Renton when they were pointed at his assistant.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 04-20-2017
Drusilla chimed a small laugh at Renton’s comment, but didn’t acknowledge Owen until he was next to her, smoothing fingers across her back as she moved in time with him to allow him access to the coffee pot. Her tail pinwheeled loosely towards her spine when he touched her, and fell again, curling just above the floor when his hand was removed. She smiled at Owen softly, briefly brushing her hand across his arm, before stepping towards another cabinet. One ear fell lopsided as she discarded spent coffee grounds in the trash, noticing the look she received from Owen in regards to the decaf. Traitor, he called one of them, perhaps both of them, and she only smiled and shrugged her shoulders, before lifting on her toes to pull coffee filters and a small container of decaffeinated coffee beans from a cabinet.
Drusilla was quiet as she moved around Owen, who had decided to remain nearby, as she prepared the new pot of coffee. Her only brief interruption of the playful banter was the sharp whir of the coffee grinder. She chuckled quietly at their back and forth joking, ears poised in the direction of the conversation, as her tail swayed slightly above the floor.
With new coffee now percolating, Drusilla turned to the two men just in time to be pulled into the conversation. Renton was asking her an opinion on Owen. Ears pushed to attention and she couldn’t help but look over the tall blonde who lounged against her counter tops, now that the attention was solely upon him. She cocked her head, pursing her lips as she played into Renton’s energy and pretended to give his question some serious thought.
“A fair catch,” she replied, jokingly, lifting a hand into the air and waving it back and forth in a so-so gesture. Her coy smile was enough to give her away. She turned her face to Ren and giggled when he pressed against her shoulder. Fast friends, it seemed.
She was not quite supporting him, but Drusilla was uninhibited by Renton’s weight on her. Her tail was making longer sweeps behind her back now, one ear lopsided with her amusement. The coffee pot beeped, but she didn’t immediately move away from the duo. “I wouldn’t say that I am looking,” she said, lifting one shoulder in a shrug as to not disturb Renton who leaned against the other. Eyes rolled upwards and she glanced at Owen, before turning her attention to the techie again. “But you can’t really go wrong with a moderately well-off man, with a career trajectory, who is also pretty hot.” She laughed, before gently pulling away from Ren to continue managing the coffee situation.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 04-24-2017
The ease and comfort of Owen and Drusilla’s movements with one another impressed upon Renton the truth of Sanders’ claim: that Dru was Owen’s girl. The way they touched one another with gentleness and familiarity. That smile she gave him that was clearly just for him.Ren and Sanders had had a discussion about Dru after Sanders' not-date with her. The cowboy impressed upon his friend that he wouldn’t traverse any boundaries with Dru that would hurt Owen’s feelings. Whether Owen knew or didn’t know or would admit or not that he had feelings for Dru that could be hurt by a frisky cowboy was not in question. Sanders was honorable to a fault probably but Renton understood why he didn't make a move on Drusilla almost immediately.
Owen rolled his eyes at being called a ‘fair catch’ and that playful wiggle of her hand that suggested perhaps he was even less than fair. “I’m not into marriage anyways so move it along ladies.” He muttered into his coffee. The commentary went largely ignored because of Dru and Ren’s giggling.
Renton nodded enthusiastically with Dru’s determination that one couldn’t go wrong with a description of a man that sounded just like Owen. He sighed almost longingly and poked at Owen’s ribs. The blonde suppressed a giggle and batted Renton’s hand away.
“Too bad this one’s gone and got himself taken already, eh?” Renton ignored the way Owen had shoved his hand away. The shorter techie crossed his arms across his chest and fixed his friend with a knowing look. “So is she the one, Owen? Sophia? You going to marry her?”
“What? No” Owen answered too quickly, obviously uncomfortable. The swiftness that he had answered that question sounded bad. Real bad. Renton’s eyebrows crept towards his hairline, clearly amused with that shut down. “I don’t know.” Owen said to make up for how bad he sounded after glancing guiltily at Drusilla. That little look conveyed that he was worried about how Dru saw him. “So what are you doing with her then?” Renton asked meaning to be absolutely confrontational.
Owen gestured searchingly with his hand. “We’re just - dating, I guess?” His hand slapped back down to his thigh.
“So what’s the point? If you already know you’re not marrying her.” Renton continued to push back.
Owen’s expression went from a defensive look to blank. The shifting demonstrating in real time the man as he shut down. “Aren’t you here to install a server?” He asked as he pushed away from the cabinets, moving to leave the room almost as if he hadn’t heard the question at all.
“Answer the question first.” Renton pushed harder this time.
Owen turned around slowly to fix his friend with a cold stare. “I don’t appreciate this line of questioning in front of my assistant, Bell. It’s not appropriate. Install the server.”
“I just remembered... I forgot my stuff. I actually can’t install the server today.” Renton shrugged and smiled whimsically at his friend as if to say ‘oh you know me.’ “Whoops.” He added for good measure. It was sassier than it needed to be.
Owen’s nostrils flared. He was not amused. “Then stop wasting my time. Reschedule the installation with Miss Haven and ensure you have the supplies next time, Agent Bell.” After he’d given his instructions, Owen turned to leave the kitchen.
Renton scoffed at Owen’s back and before giving Drusilla a look of exasperation. “Now look what you did.” He joked, nudging at Drusilla. “Made him all mad. Let’s reschedule for next week around just before lunchtime so we can go somewhere expensive afterwards. Oh, and use Owen’s credit card to pay for it.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 04-25-2017
Her motions with the coffee pot slowed as the topic of Sophia was thrown into play. Drusilla listened intently, but pretended she wasn't, even though the conversation was happening right next to her. Her ears twitched inresponse to Owen’s too-quick answer and she looked up at him in time to see that guilty glance in her direction. That brief look confused her because she couldn't fathom any reason for him to look at her that way. His relationship with Sophia wasn't any of her business and even though she wouldn't say so, she did agree with Renton, but it wasn't like she couldn't understand the benefits of ‘dating.’ And just like that Renton had pushed too far and the fun was over. Drusilla noted the change in Owen’s expression. The calm before the storm that denoted the sudden plummet of his mood. Her own expression fell as well, her joking with Ren was pushed aside for a more professional countenance. For a moment, they had all seemed like friends, but Owen was quick to remind the room that she was just his assistant and that there was a solid line between his personal and professional life. She had crossed it once before and had quickly been put in her place.
As Owen left the kitchen, she turned back to Renton, fresh mug of hot decaf steaming in her hands. Handing it off to him her ears dropped and she traded exasperated looks with him. “You started it,” she complained. Her tail swayed behind her knees as she moved back towards the nook to retrieve the planner she had abandoned there. Leaning over the table, she flipped it open to the coming weeks calendar and reached for a pen. She chose a heavy fountain pen with a pointed nib. It was filled with a royal purple ink that shone with metallic gold flecks. She had heard the color as soon as he introduced himself.
Days of the week were spread across the page and filled with Drusilla’s delicate and precise handwriting in a multitude of colors. Each detailed a different meeting, or appointment or assignment that the Lieutenant Colonel was expected to be present for. “Around lunch?” she repeated, settling into the booth again and flipping a page. “Wednesday?” She looked up at Renton and then back to the journal. “Or Friday? He will be on base every other day.” She idly doodled a curlicue design in the corner of the page in shimmer violet ink, while she waited for Renton to decide.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 04-25-2017
Renton accepted the mug of decaf, he let his hands cup hers when she handed it to him. It seemed he was determined to touch her. It was both because he liked the way she felt and because he wanted a closeness with her. Renton craved closeness with anyone and Drusilla gave out a vibe of also needing that. He felt suddenly that they could fill some need each other had. If only temporarily. Renton’s lips pulled into a smile and he rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. “He started it. With his dumb face dating stupid girls who aren’t right for him.” Renton sighed into the mug, blowing steam off the top with the action. He drank deeply and before resting the edge of the cup against his lower lip. “He needs to be pushed around a little bit sometimes. You should try it sometimes. I bet he would respond to you.”
He moved up next to her at the table and set his coffee down next to the book she’d opened. He crowded near her to pour over the page she’d revealed. “Look at this!” He exclaimed completely neglecting to answer her question. “It’s gorgeous! Did you do the calligraphy yourself?” He started to reach for the book and then his hand recoiled as if he would ruin it if he touched it. “Can I flip through it?”
He leaned over the book and flipped through a few pages, running his hand over the fine printing on each. “I just love this.” The impressions made into the paper by the pen was a very pleasing tactile sensation to Renton as he ran his fingers carefully over the pages.
“I think maybe Friday? If we get a little dolled up for lunch then we can maybe go out for drinks that night downtown somewhere? Maybe Sanders will go with us.” He smiled as he flipped the book back to the next week for her to record their appointment. “What do you think?”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 04-25-2017
Drusilla quipped a short laugh and shook her head as she punctuated her paisley design with a few quick dots. “I am not doing that,” she replied, rolling her eyes upwards to look at Renton as he moved closer to her. “Especially not when it comes to Sophia.” Sophia had not been the specific reason for their disagreement the week before, but she was perhaps an auxiliary cause of it. If nothing else a close second and now she remained a peculiar thorn in Drusilla’s side. “I like my job, thank you, and I have no intention of harassing my boss about his personal life.” Ears flickered in surprise as he gushed over her planner. She had never found the organizer to be anything particularly interesting, but she pushed it towards him. Heavy pages in an ivory color that wouldn't bleed ink or ruin the colors that she mixed herself as a sort of hobby. One of her ears fell lopsided and her cheeks felt warmer. “Yeah...I did everything.” Everything indicating the previously blank pages had been decorated with a custom calendar in seasonal colors and filled with her notes. “It’s excessive, probably, but I like to keep busy.” She set the pen on the table and hid her fidgeting hands in her lap as Ren flipped a bit through the book.
Ears pushed to attention as he spoke of getting dolled up and going out with captain cowboy. Her tail appeared behind her head, swaying back and forth in an amused fashion. Picking up the pen again as he returned her notebook, she smiled. “I could do that,” she agreed, penning him into the blank spot. Server Installation. "I haven't been out with Sanders in a while." And then slightly below it: Lunch - Renton. All in her impeccable handwriting and shimmering purple ink. “Only a few drinks though,” she teased lightly. “I still have to work on Saturday.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-01-2017
Renton rolled his eyes at Drusilla’s hyperbole that she would potentially lose her job if she pushed Owen about Sophia. A derisive sort of laugh snorted from his nose. “I doubt that would ever happen.”He passed the calendar back to Drusilla for her to fill out with the agreed upon lunch date. The idea of their going out for drinks seemed pleasing to her, if the motion of her tail was any sign. Renton smiled and breathed in the steam of his mug. He nodded curtly agreeing to a limited amount of drinks.
Though to be fair few as a term was vague and could mean anything from three to complete black out. He smiled mischievously betting that Drusilla was even cuter when intoxicated.
“Great! I look forward to it.” He pulled his phone out from his pocket and set it on the table unlocked for Drusilla. “Give me your phone number. Oh! And bring someone on Friday. I don’t like outings with odd numbers of people. Cute male friends are welcome. But we'll make do with any cute female friends you might have.” He nudged her teasingly.