Public Relations [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 01-20-2018
Sleep did not come easy to Julianna that night. She lay flat on her back, staring up at her ceiling in the dark with Renton cuddled against her. He mostly clung to her, like one would a stuffed animal for comfort, but she didn’t mind. His breathing was warm against her neck, a relaxed and meditative rhythm. She pet his hair. Continuously pushing dark brown lock away from his forehead and feeling them fall forward again. Every now and again she would turn her head just so, and her lips would press gently against his hairline.You’re welcome. She had said to him earlier. You’re can stay anytime you like. She wondered if he known what she had really meant.
Her mind remained busy throughout the night. The day’s events and problems of her own swirled around noisily. She wondered if Owen was nosing around her Facebook. She reminded herself to call her mother’s doctor some time tomorrow. She needed to prepare Ren for an upcoming interview and follow up with Commander Weatherfare about the name tag thing. She had handled upwards of thirty clients at a time and had never found herself lying awake at night like this.
But to be fair. She’d never felt this way about any of her clients.
At some point, she had fallen asleep. She had to assume very briefly, because she felt lethargic when she was woken by Ren shifting next to her. When Julianna opened her eyes, there was enough light filter through her curtains for her to see Renton gazing back at her. “Good morning,” she said quietly and before he could answer inspiration struck her and she leaned in and pressed her mouth to his.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 01-21-2018
The natural sunlight that came through the drapes in Julianna’s room woke Renton. When he opened his eyes, Julianna was already awake and looking at him. He smiled sleepily at her when she said good morning. He combed at his hair and was about to greet her himself when she began moving towards him with an intention that was clear enough despite his still sleepy state. He felt his heart leap in his chest. For a stunned second, their mouths were pressed together and his eyes were still open. He let his eyes fall closed. Instead of leaning into the kiss, he brought his hand to the back of her neck under her curls and sank back against the pillow bringing her with him. He returned the kiss for a moment and then broke the seal of their mouths.
“Good morning?” He asked bright eyed and kind of breathless. His gaze darted back and forth between her eyes as if asking if she had meant to do that or if they should write it off as an awkward fluke. Friends...or colleague friends...or whatever they were sometimes kissed by accident, right?
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 01-30-2018
Julianna almost pulled away. She misread the hesitation of his surprise for distaste and an embarrassment flooded her in the mere seconds in which he didn’t react. But then his hand found her hair and his body relaxed and he was kissing her back. She rolled into her side to follow his lips and when he pulled away she was looking down at him. “Good morning,” she repeated. Her voice was low and soft and her ears flickered at attention. Her tail swayed lazily behind her shoulders and one corner of her mouth curled upwards in a shy smile.
There was a question in his gaze that she answered by brushing her mouth over his before propping her head in her hands. Well, she hoped that would answer it. He had been receptive of her and she felt no need to play it off as a fluke or an accident, but she continued with the morning like kissing was just something they did now.
“What colors did you bring?” She was asking about his outfit for work. Putting together matching outfits had become a fun part of her day. “Do you want to go to Starbuck’s before base?”
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 02-03-2018
Already a very smiley person, Renton couldn’t help the crooked one that adorned his face. He felt a bit slap happy about the kiss. He hadn’t realized just how much he wanted it and how attracted to Julianna he had begun to feel. It had started like the most subtle of seeds from the moment he stopped resisting her job title to when she bailed him out of jail and now this.“Grey suit, fire engine red tie.” He responded without missing a beat. He knew exactly what she meant by ‘colors.’ Renton leaned forward and pressed another experimental kiss on her mouth. “I’ll buy.” He offered. “Since you hosted.” Renton rolled away from her and out of bed to begin his morning routine.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 02-04-2018
“Sounds like a plan.” Renton’s little experiment earned him a smile. It split her features and displayed a neat row of teeth accented by noticeably longer canines. Her ears twitched playfully and she sat up as he rolled out away from her. She was feeling impossibly light and her tail tapped a happy rhythm against the sheets. As he readied himself, Jules got out of and made the bed. She arranged the sheets and the comforter and piled it high with unnecessary and decorative pillows. The took turns utilizing the bathroom and when she had finished she found something to wear that would match him. They had developed a style of their own wordlessly in a few days of dressing together. While the colors matched they were opposite in the notion that the color of the day would be an accent with Ren’s accessories and the statement on Jules. Often matching her shirt to her shoes and her jewelry. Today she chose a lacy off the shoulder blouse, though the shoulders and her scars would be covered by a grey blazer. She also chose a pencil skirt, form-fitting and cut just below the knee, the opposite of her usual choice which would have been something pleated, but she was feeling good today. Julianna finished her look with red pumps and a silver watch with a crimson face.
“Why are we always late,” she complained, playfully, noticing the time as she secured the watch to her wrist.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 02-17-2018
Renton couldn’t help but notice the natural ease between them as they shared the one bathroom to go about their morning routine. When Julianna was finished getting ready, Renton stood evaluating her with his hands on his hips. “Beauty takes time.” He commented meaning the compliment for himself as much as he meant her.
“Besides, I don’t think anyone cares whether we’re there on time.” Renton rolled his eyes dramatically and huffed. “What are they gonna do, fire me?” He asked with a heavy sardonic lilt to his tone. An obvious mockery of his position as a compulsory agent.
As it would turn out, someone would mind whether the two of them were late that day. When Julianna and Renton arrived on base with their Starbucks drinks in hand, they were almost immediately accosted by a worried looking assistant belonging to the Brigadier General, who, as it turned out, was waiting for them for an impromptu personal defense training session that he had promised to give. Renton shared a worried glance with Julianna before they were given the instructions to report immediately to the Headquarters Joint Readiness Training Center fitness room E4.
As they walked, Renton turned to Julianna. He tried to hide his strained face behind his coffee. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.” He admitted in reference to his so recent attack. He hadn’t expected a personal defense training session to so quickly follow.
The room Owen had selected for their training session was set up quite similar to a boxing gym. The walls were lined with several punching bags and dummies. The center of the floor was empty save for the mats on the floors, obviously, for being thrown on to or falling on.
Owen, busy landing brutal blows onto a particularly unlucky dummy, was covered in a sheen of sweat which told them how long the grumpy general had been waiting on them. He was dressed in a plain white t-shirt, gym shorts, and tennis shoes and his hands were wrapped with boxing tape. He turned his head towards them when he heard the door open.
“You’re both late.” He said with obvious ire from across the room before whipping around to kick the dummy in the head hard enough to knock it over.
“Show off.” Renton muttered in Julianna’s ear as Owen righted the dummy.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 02-22-2018
They were both equally surprised to find that Ms. Tiesel had been waiting for them. Julianna’s specific instructions had been for Owen’s assistant to get in touch with her about scheduling opportunities for the defense lesson that she was currently informing them that they were late for. She frowned behind the Chai tea latte she had ordered, before thanking the polite blonde. Her ears twitched, noticing Renton’s concerned expression out of the corner of her eye. “We don’t have to do this today,” she offered in reassurance. They’d stopped by her office to deposit her tablet and other belongings so she was able to take his hand in hers. She squeezed his fingers between hers to comfort him.
When the entered the training room Owen was already at work. Though she had released his hand before they’d slipped in the door, Julianna still stood close enough to Renton that he’d only had to slightly turn his head to confide in her upright ears. Her tail was swaying agitatedly.
“I asked you to have your assistant work with me on the best time for everyone,” she reminded him. “This was wholly unexpected and wildly conflicts with our schedules. ”
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 02-23-2018
Renton was glad for the reassurance that her comforting touch provided, though it still came as a surprise. He squeezed her hand back and assured her that he would be okay. He didn’t want to show too much weakness in front of the challenging general who sometimes seemed to want to watch Renton fall on his face. The details of their matching outfits and the close way the two of them stood together. The confiding whisper. Her receptive ears. Owen noticed it all. He was used to taking note of details and making quick evaluations in his line of work. He didn’t quite know what it all meant, but it spoke to a certain conclusion he wasn’t going to jump to just yet. He didn’t even bother to hide the way his eyes moved analytically over the two of them. Whether he had any judgments about them was hidden behind his usual frown.
Owen turned his eyes fully on Julianna as she made a valiant effort to chide him about his impromptu class. He was entirely unmoved.
“One of the most difficult to surmount obstacles in personal defense is often the enemy’s element of surprise. We so rarely get to confer with our attackers as to whether it’s a good time for assault or whether next Wednesday would be better for all of us.” He delivered this lesson with cool indifference and folded his hands behind his back resuming the posture of a soldier at ease. “I note and appreciate your flexibility.”
His eyes fixed on the drink that Renton held in his hands then they flicked to the one in Julianna’s hands.
“Interesting choice of weapon.” He remarked with a wry smile. “May I?” He held his hand out for Renton’s drink.
The darker haired man spared a questioning glance Julianna’s way before he handed over the beverage. Owen immediately brought it to his lips to give it a taste.
“Not nearly hot enough to injure an attacker but!” - he lifted his index finger smartly before taking another sip and passed it back to Renton “-delicious nonetheless.”
Owen turned to Julianna and held his hand out fully expecting her to comply as readily as Renton had.
Renton didn’t seem to mind the treatment. He smiled sheepishly at Owen’s joke and sipped his coffee while he eyed Julianna to see how she would respond to their feisty instructor.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 03-04-2018
Julianna stared up at the general as he lectured her with her mouth set in a red-painted line. Her expression was immovable but her tail swayed quickly behind her knees. Her eyes flicked downwards to take note of his change in posture, before settling on his face once more. One of her ears fell off the side of her head, the only indication of how nervous and patronized she felt as Owen continued to speak. Luckily, neither of the men yet knew her well enough to decipher the movements. She exhaled sharply through her nose and squared her shoulders. “Of course,” she replied, short and tight before a professional smile split her pretty features. Owen was being incorrigible and she felt like she had no choice but to let him. Renton seemed perfectly content at the attention the general was showing him, and her ears pushed to attention as she felt a brief shock of jealousy.
“This is an unusual lesson,” she complained, dropping her drink into Owen’s outstretched hand. It was a nearly cold chai tea latte that she didn’t actually want anymore, but for whatever reason she didn’t want Owen to have it either. Her tail had stopped swaying, and instead curled loosely towards the small of her back as she waited for her cup to be returned.
It was almost as if the general was in a...good mood. Perhaps, he was looking forward to tossing them around in his impromptu lesson.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 03-04-2018
Owen almost smirked when Julianna handed her drink off to him. He ignored her complaints while he tasted the beverage. He looked pleased and went back for a second sip. “Chai tea latte,” was his assessment. His eyebrow arched, “Basic as fuck.”Renton practically snorted into his own coffee. He put his hand over his mouth to hide the liquid that had leaked from between his lips.
Owen took a third sip of Julianna’s coffee, giving Renton a cursory glance. “Yes, I’m versed in the parlance of teenage girls. I got a thing for TMZ alright. You got something to say?”
Renton shook his head rapidly and tried but failed to hide his amused smile.
Owen passed Julianna’s cup to Renton. “Hold this. Okay, let’s see what we’re working with.” He said as he circled Julianna looking her over. “Now don’t take this the wrong way. You look lovely. But this outfit. So impractical. You ever watch action flicks?”
The question was for them both. Renton just nodded, shrugging.
“You know how the guy in the suit always loses the jacket before a fight? Yeah, you’re going to need to take that off. It’s tailored beautifully, but you’re not going to have any range of motion in that. Same for you Renton.”
Renton nodded. “Oh sure.” He put the drinks aside on a bench along the wall and unbuttoned his jacket to slide out of it.
Owen was analyzing Julianna’s skirt. “In a combat situation that skirt is much more of a liability. You’d have to tear it or cut a sizeable slit up the back to give yourself the kind of leg room you’d need to run. But we’ll spare it for today.”
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 03-11-2018
Julianna gaped as Owen openly judged her choice of drink. She even made one of those high-pitched incredulous noises from the back of her throat. Her ears were twitching rapidly on top of her head, and her tail remained curled close to her body. She glared at Renton as he made a noise of his own, and thrust her hand out to retrieve her coffee. When the beverage was instead handed off to Renton, her tail uncurled and bristled. She was not nearly as amused by the usually grumpy general and his upbeat attitude. He was almost being fun, but unfortunately Julianna was not amused. Or at least, she didn’t like that Renton was amused by him.
Her ears stilled as he started to circle her. The pushed to attention, and she watched him walk around her over either shoulder. She had yet to be sucked into his game and let Renton answer for the both of them in regards to watching action movies. When in truth she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to sit and watch a movie.
“How generous of you,” she replied in a monotone when he let her skirt of the hook. No amount of compliments would have made her ruin it. Under any other circumstances she probably would have been blushing at the attention. Julianna made no moves to remove her jacket. Or even her shoes for that reason, even though she knew that was probably going to be mentioned. “What are you going to be showing us today?”
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 03-13-2018
Owen stared down at the stubborn and tense Julianna. His response to her question was to playfully bop her on the arm. “Come on tough girl, loosen up. We’re going to have a little fun. And who knows -” Owen turned away shrugging as he led them on to the middle of the mat, “-you just might learn something, too.” Owen stopped in the middle of the mat and gestured for her to join him. “Now come here. I want you to hit me as hard as you can.”
Renton minus his suit jacket rejoined Julianna and Owen. Her tension was obvious and she clearly wasn’t as amused by Owen’s mood as he was. It left Renton wondering what the matter was. His own fear that the lesson would be too intense so soon after his attack had faded. Clearly Owen had something else in mind for the activity. Renton smiled encouragingly. “Yeah, Jules. Punch him good. For all those times he made me wear my badge.” He egged her on, hoping she would get into it.
Owen was offering her his arm to hit. “Oh come on Bell, you gonna let a girl fight your battles for you? I mean look at her she’s tiny.”
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 03-18-2018
Julianna didn’t know what it was about the impromptu lesson that was making her agitated. The more playful Owen got with her the more dour she became. Perhaps it was Owen’s assumption that he could barge in on their schedule, or the way Renton was more than happy to play along with him, having already shed his jacket and joined Owen in the middle of the room. The deep frown that had settled when he’d tapped her arm remained affixed to her features, and she made no immediate moves to follow after the two men. Now they were both beckoning her towards the mat. Renton having been fully integrated into Owen’s good mood and whatever he had planned for the two of them.
She almost looked as if she was determined to wait them out. They exchanged banter as a result of Owen offering her a free punch. It was a tempting offer, but that would mean giving into the cocky general. Julianna’s ears rose to stand straight as she realized if she didn’t participate, she would probably just be left out. Which was...decidedly less fun. Her tail swayed behind her knees and one ear fell lopsided, revealing the course of her thoughts. She already knew that Owen and Renton shared a mutual crush. What if this dumb little interaction with a frisky Owen made Renton lose interest in her.
When did she become the grumpy one?
With a huff and twitch of her tail, Julianna dropped her arms and shrugged out of her jacket. She knew losing the article would reveal the scars that she had been trying to hide. Of course she would have chosen an off-the-shoulder blouse today of all days. It was easy to see that her left shoulder looked as if it had been melted, and in a way, it had. Her dark skin was mottled, pale and ridged from just above her collarbone and continuing down her back, where it was still hidden by her shirt. While most of the scarring was splotchy shades closer to her skin tone, there were still parts that were vivid pink; smooth and shiny as if they were newer than other sections.
Her heels clicked as she crossed the room. She took them off just before she stepped onto the mat. This was the first time she had stood before Owen without the extra height, and tiny became a more fitting description. What neither of the men knew was that Julianna had an older brother in the US military, who had also been insistent that she knew how to defend herself from would-be attackers. Wordless, Julianna reared back her fist and projected it forward into Owen’s exposed bicep, leaning her whole body into it, just as she’d been taught. The contact was solid, and surprisingly effective, punctuated with a satisfying smack.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - saronym - 03-21-2018
Owen stood waiting for Julianna to strike him. He couldn’t help the curious sweep of his eyes as she removed her blazer. She was an attractive woman, after all. The mismatched tones and textures of her skin brought his mind momentarily back to the car accident posts on her Facebook. He forced his eyes back to her face and kept any expression from his face. “Let’s go. Come on.” He said impatiently and he would soon eat those words. He hadn’t expected at all that the tiny woman could land an effective punch.
His mouth fell open and his face immediately screwed up. “Ouch. Shit.” Owen reeled away, grabbing his arm which was still experiencing the radiating shocks of pain.
Renton’s own mouth fell open, too, except his expression was of pure joyous shock. “Is it my turn?” He asked excitedly.
Owen turned back to his other student. “Hell no. I’m not a punching bag.” If Owen was embarrassed that Julianna had managed to hurt him, he tried to hide it. “I was trying to make a point.”
Renton frowned. “What point?”
Owen faltered. “The point is…” He trailed off as he considered just what he would have to change his lesson to. He frowned at Julianna. “The point is, you’re never going to get a free punch like that. But - look, did you notice her form?”
Renton shook his head and shrugged. Renton's were drawn to Julianna's shoulders and the curiously fresh looking scars that marred her exposed skin. He frowned to himself briefly as he considered whether they had spoken about where those scars had come from.
Owen moved up to Julianna, he put his hand over hers to make a fist and brought her arm up. “Thumb on the outside.” He moved around the back of her, keeping his hand on her elbow to keep her arm up. “Hand near the face. Kept the movement tight. She threw her weight into it.” He put his hands on her hips. “Used her hips for follow through.” Owen used his own hands to move Julianna’s body slowly and mechanically to demonstrate the punch. He made her fist bump lightly into Renton’s chest.
Renton, meanwhile, was not learning anything other than how good Owen and Julianna looked together. Perhaps he might have felt jealous in other contexts but in this particular instance, he felt the buzz of excitement.
Owen twisted around in front of Julianna. He brought his hands up as if they were going to spar. “Realistically what would happen with an experienced fighter is when she tried to take the shot is -” He brought his hand up mimicking a block. “I’d block it. She might step back a bit, but look at my reach.”
Owen kept one hand up as if to protect his face and swiped at Julianna with the other. Not to hit her but to grab her. He used just enough force to maneuver her so that he had her arm trapped behind her back. “And now I control her. You see?” Owen said as if the fight would be over.
RE: Public Relations [Closed] - megs - 03-21-2018
“I didn’t ask for a free punch,” she countered; pointing out that he had set himself up for it. Even though she was still smirking from watching his reaction. “I don’t think it’s fair for you-” Despite having managed to prepare a tangent about how discriminatory he had been previously, Owen didn’t appear to be listening. He was speaking to Renton and moving closer to her. Ears pushed to attention and her tail stopped swaying when his fingers closed over hers and fashioned her hand back into a proper fist. As he moved around her and continued to touch her to emphasize the points he was making, her ears swiveled to follow the sound of his voice. Her tail curled and her ears righted themselves as he placed his hands on her hips. Her face was hot. She didn’t know why she was blushing in the middle of the impromptu defense lesson, but she knew Renton would see it as Owen directed her hand against his chest. Truthfully, she didn’t know if the ruddiness would bother him, or have him teasing her for the rest of the day.
The demonstration continued and Julianna found herself participating. She stepped away when Owen grabbed at her, just as he had predicted and furthermore caught her forearm before she could get far enough away. Owen pulled her back up against his chest with her arm behind her back, and she was content to remain there as part of the lesson... until she heard the finality of the conflict in his words.
Julianna, quickly and deftly, reached behind her back with her free hand and grabbed her opposite wrist. She pushed down on her own arm that was held by Owen, so he would be unable to bring it back upwards and subdue her. Simultaneously, she stomped on his foot. The surprise of it was enough that his hold on her loosened and she was able to turn out of his grasp, and make contact with his shadow, which had projected behind their position by the high fluorescent lighting. She disappeared into his shadow, to leave him stumbling on the mat.