Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 05-24-2017
Julianna sighed sharply through her nose as he continued through the act of having no idea what she was speaking of. Her tail had fallen, the end curling just upwards before it touched the ground. Something about the droop of her ears made her look all but defeated. Most of it was an act, because she secretly enjoyed being in his presence even if he was just fucking with her. On the other hand she really was quite attached that pen. She continued walking next to him, frowning and unresponsive as he checked off the reasons as to why he needed food. She continued frowning as they walked up on a gleaming Camaro, and was still frowning when he shut the door on her. All things considered he was being very gentlemanly and she stared back him until his eyes disappeared behind aviator sunglasses. A pair of over-sized butterfly sunglasses appeared for her bag and were slid onto her face. If anything, the only made her look haughtier.
When the arrived, she got out of the car as quickly as possible. Her ears were pinned backwards and her tail as all fluffed up to twice its normal size. Julianna was very clearly not a fan of his driving. She shoved this into a category, with other lame and paltry reasons as to why she should be avoiding him. Everything about him was a huge warning sign: do not catch feelings, in a flashing billboard above his head.
She threw her purse into the end of the booth and slid into the middle of it. She was not at all expecting Owen to join her. A noise of displeasure sounded off in her throat, her tail flickering to the opposite side as she was pushed towards the wall.
“If you wanted to be on this side, why didn’t you say something?” She complained, oblivious to their seating arrangement having been his original intention. “Let me move to the other side.”
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 05-26-2017
Owen smirked at her when she placed her own sunglasses over her face. His eyebrow lifted rising above the frame of his own glasses. “I like those sunnies girl.” He complimented her easily and grabbed her knee playfully when he did so. They didn’t speak really otherwise during the car ride. On the walk into the restaurant he noted the way her tail had expanded in size. Hair sticking out like a cartoon character having been shocked with electricity. His arm swept around her shoulders, “I’m sorry, did my driving make you nervous, k-uh Julianna?” He almost called her kitten just then. For some reason, Owen policed the nickname that almost floated right out of him.
When had that happened? He couldn’t pinpoint a moment when he’d thought up the name. It just came to him when he saw she was upset. Odd.
Owen surveyed the menu while Julianna complained about him having sat next to her. He didn’t care. Let her. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m comfortable.” He responded absent-mindedly, as if she had expressed concern for whether he was enjoying their seating arrangement.
“Look at this selection!” He remarked with wonder. Owen leaned close to her crowding the menu she had in front of her. His index finger ran down the ridiculous amount of toppings one could choose to build a hamburger with. “You can get a fried egg on your burger. Or peanut butter and jelly.”
He wrinkled his nose, not finding those choices appetizing. Owen returned to his personal space, then. “I just stick with the cheese burger, how about you?”
It almost felt like … they were on a date. Well, that is if she wasn’t so begrudging and grumpy about it. But, he didn’t mind. He liked it.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 05-26-2017
The sunglasses he had complimented were tucked away in her bag, and the knee he had playfully squeezed was pressed against her other one as they sat too close together in the booth. She remembered the way she had jumped and pushed his hand away from her. Her blush was barely hidden by the dim lighting of the pub. Her tail had returned to it’s normal size, and her ears were pushed to attention on top of her head and he was refusing to let her move. He was comfortable, which was apparently all that mattered. This was fine. This was tolerable, she wasn’t truly uncomfortable, just annoyed at the easy way he continued to interact with her when she was trying to push him away.
Julianna stared blankly at the menu as he enthusiastically pointed out burger toppings. She was trying to figure out what he had almost called her before quickly switching to her name. Ears had shifted on top of her head, catching that hard consonant before he’d cut himself off.
He leaned into her and when she turned her face to him, his was entirely too close. She could have effortlessly leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, but she didn’t know for the life of her why she would want to do that. “I just like cheese,” she replied, studying the profile of his features. The line of his jaw was a tempting thing. “With tomato and lettuce, but no onions. Sometimes, I can be tempted with a sauce. Like a spicy ranch or a barbecue sauce.”
Julianna was pretty sure this was the most pleasant thing she had ever said to him.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 05-31-2017
Owen’s eyes narrowed and his lips formed into an ‘o’ shape kind of like he was saying “ooooh” in appreciation for the burger she described.“A girl after my own heart.” He gripped his chest as if seizing by heart pains. “A classic cheese burger kind of girl.”
He sighed longingly.
The waiter came and went to take their order and deliver Owen a beer that he wanted. He also took the liberty of ordering them a large basket of fries to share as an appetizer.
“So this pen you were on about,” he popped a hot fry dusted with seasoning into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed before he went on, “did it look like this?”
He whipped the red pen out from his pocket, brandishing it almost like a magic wand. His eyebrow arched playfully and he smirked. Now that he had her trapped in a booth with food on the way it was safe to relinquish the pen. He had what he wanted, now she could have what she wanted.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 06-01-2017
Julianna was almost certain that he was flirting with her. Her ears pushed to attention as she observed his gestures and that crooked smile on his face. Classically flirtatious, though that smirk didn’t look as good on anyone else. She could have been mistaken. Julianna spent most of her time avoiding interactions with Owen, so it was possibly that he was this way with everyone. Well, even then, not everyone, because he was very rarely less than insufferable with her. “Ah yes, because we are so few and far between.” She rolled her eyes and hid a smile behind her glass. She’d chosen root beer over actual beer. It wasn’t that she had a problem, just a low tolerance and one usually led to another and well…
She kept thinking of the last time she’d been drunk around Owen.
“I’m sure it’s not difficult for you to find women to eat cheeseburgers with.”
She turned her gaze away from him to fries that had been brought to the table. As with most things (everything) Julianna was picky about her fries. She preferred the ones that were a little bit under-cooked, still tender and a bit wiggly. The delight of crispy fries was lost on hers. She lifted a brow when he mentioned her pen to show she was listening. Finding a few perfect fry specimens, she popped one into her mouth as he reached into his pocket.
Julianna didn’t even bother to act surprised when he presented her pen to her. “Yes, Owen,” she replied in a monotone, brushing her fingers off on a napkin and snatching the pen away from him. “That is the pen I lent you several hours ago, that you promised to give back at the end of class.” She frowned at him, dropping the utensil into her bag.
She’d gotten her pen, but now she was forced to finish out this weird lunch with him. She wondered prompted this. Probably a stupid bet with frat brothers. It was always a stupid bet with frat brothers. Her ears twitched and she ate another fry.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 06-09-2017
Owen threw a french fry into his mouth and clamped down on it before turning to smile at her. He chewed and swallowed the fry with that stupid grin on his face. “Great. Glad we got that worked out.” He dusted his fingers off on his jeans before threading his arm around her shoulders. “And you get a free lunch out of it. That really worked out for you.” He gave her upper arm a squeeze before pulling away again. The rest of the lunch proceeded much the same. Owen teasing Julianna while they enjoyed greasy food. He insisted on paying for the meal since it had been his idea and he had this idea too that it was kind of a date - even though he hadn’t told her it was a date.
It was a practice date.
A sneak date.
And it went pretty well.
He deposited Julianna back on campus so they could finish out their respective afternoon classes. Later on that week, he received a heads-up a long-time acquaintance, Maeve, that she and Julianna would be hitting up a certain bar in town.
___
Renton was early for his meeting with Professor Weatherfare. Darcy. Darcy. He reminded himself as he thought over what his intent for the meeting was. It was less professorial and more...personal. Darcy. He gazed down at his brown Oxfords wondering if he would ruin those expensive leather shoes if he melted into a puddle.What Renton was about to do was ruin his academic career. Or so he was convinced. This apparently, was a risk the normally type A student would have been unwilling to swing. But here he went rapping delicately on Darcy’s door to announce his entrance.
After hearing a muffled vocal permission to enter, Renton pushed open the door. “Hi D - uh Dr. Weatherfare.” He faltered in settling on the more informal greeting he was so adamant about to himself just moments before. Renton adjusted his glasses, “I hope I’m not bothering you.” There was no way he could have been since he had literally blocked off the time to talk with Darcy at his scheduled office hours.
“I know you have so much to do.” Renton babbled on this way as he took a seat in one of the chairs across from the professor’s desk. He didn’t bring any of his usuals: backpack, laptop, notebooks. It was just Renton in his royal blue cardigan that made his eyes pop.
“So, I wanted to talk to you about something. Um -” he put his index finger thoughtfully on his chin before continuing, “not book related. Although that’s going well - I just - there’s something else I wanted to talk about today if you don’t mind?”
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 06-11-2017
Darcy surveyed his research assistant over the rim of his glasses, as Renton entered his office. He quickly looked him over, well-dressed as always, before he was close enough to notice that he was doing so. “Hello, Renton.” He returned the greeting with a warm smile, putting the report he’d been reviewing flat on the desk and leaning back in his chair. With a chuckle his pushed a hand through his hair. “Of course it’s not trouble,” his tone almost sounded teasing. “You made an appointment after all.” He continued smiling, but there was a question in the lift of his brow; curious as to why Renton had wanted to see him today, when they were scheduled to meet later in the week. He waved the tattooed hand that had just been through his hair to wave away Ren’s words about having ‘so much to do.’ His watch caught the light as his hand moved. He was busy enough, but it wasn’t worth mentioning. Besides, it was easily forgotten when he was looking at Renton’s bright and handsome face.
Which he absolutely should not be thinking about. Baby blue eyes settled on him and Darcy swallowed hard. “Not book related?” His brows climbed higher, amber eyes blinked slowly at the man sitting across from him. “No, no, I don’t mind of course. What do you need?”
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 06-13-2017
Renton’s eyes tracked the motion of the professor’s hand. It was the tattoos that caught his gaze, it always was. He was curious what the rest looked like under his sleeves. Maybe on his torso, on his back, or on his legs. Renton pushed the imagery from his mind and forced his gaze back to the other man’s face. He asked what Renton needed.
Well that was a funny way to put it.
It put Renton in an even more awkward position that he already was.
“Um -” Renton scratched at the back of his neck and readjusted himself in his chair by lifting up slightly and crossing his ankle over his knee. Normally a well put-together man, Renton was aware how out of character his flustered mannerisms must look. “Well.”
Renton brushed idly at invisible fuzzies on his pant leg staring down at the fabric while he considered how he could open up the flood gates. “I’ve been preoccupied--” He started slow with a complaint but decided to just rip the bandaid off. “Uh - I was thinking that you and I could have sex. Today. Since I blocked off the time. I’ve considered the consequences to this proposition and I accept any and all. I just - I had to ask.”
There. He said it. He fixed Darcy with an unwavering come-what-may gaze. He realized he left the door open and had blurted out a controversial suggestion. He glanced over at the door. “I could close the door? I should close it.” Renton got up and gently pushed the door closed to give them privacy for whatever would come next.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 06-15-2017
Renton’s obvious nervousness caused Darcy’s brow to pinch with concern. He’d never seen the other man anything less than impeccable; from his dress to his mannerisms. He began to worry that the workload he had entrusted him with was overwhelming. He was silent, and attentive, but a terror had struck him. A cold sort of dread that Ren had come to excuse himself from the project. What Renton had actually come to announce very obviously caught Darcy off guard. Amber eyes widened in surprise as a breath was caught halfway in his throat. He didn’t do anything about the silence that followed when Renton stood to close the door. Darcy was trying to figure out where this proposition had come from.
Admittedly, it wasn’t the first time Darcy had been approached by a student or an assistant. He was just too usually buried in his own work to notice any burgeoning attraction or affection, until it was laid out bluntly in front of him. Ren was the first of them that Darcy had also felt an attraction to, but he’d been doing his best to suppress it. Inappropriate, risky, and many other adjectives described the situation.
“I’m..uh…” Nervously, he ruffled his hair again. Inhaling deeply, he settled his gaze back on Renton’s. “I’m not going to do that.” He finished with a finality that implied the matter was not up for debate.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 06-17-2017
His posture remained perfect with his spine straight and chin up until Darcy rejected his advances. Renton felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. As if he had been deflated. But he tried to remain calm on the outside. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze back to his pant leg. “Of course. Thank you for your prompt and reasonable response.”
He stood in a rush, shoving his glasses up on his nose. Renton thought he could feel his cheeks burning with humiliation and embarrassment. A pit of despair had opened somewhere inside. Though sure he had no right to feel attached to the professor, it still hurt to be rejected.
“I’ll pass the remainder of my blocked time with you to the next student.” He forced himself to meet that amber gaze and he felt for a moment frozen there staring at the painfully handsome man across the desk and regretting ever having broached the subject.
He heard himself saying, "Thank you for the opportunity," but he couldn't think of any reason why he would say such words in such a situation. Force of habit when addressing professionals above him.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 06-22-2017
Darcy witnessed Renton being knocked down in real time. He had done that. They were silent again for a few heartbeats, and Darcy’s eyes scanned Renton’s features for any other hints of what he was thinking or feeling. The things the other man was saying were barely registering to him, he was too busy trying to salvage the situation. He had said the wrong thing, he had spoken too hastily, Renton had accepted defeat before he could explain himself. The moment finally caught up with him. For a split second everything had felt like it was moving in slow motion. In a singular gesture he pushed back in his chair and stood, rounding the desk to meet Renton at the door. He closed his own hand over the knob before Ren could leave.
He cleared his throat and gazed softly down at the other man. “I'm not going to have sex with you here in my office,” he reiterated, but spoke quickly so he could clarify his intentions. “I would however, very much like to take you out sometime? Like a...date.”
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 06-24-2017
Renton wasn’t particularly aware of Darcy’s movements. The sting of rejection was too acute and he only wished to escape the situation and be anywhere but under the scrutiny of Darcy’s discerning amber gaze. Renton had built the moment up in his mind and had calculated a safe margin of success. He did not handle rejection well.
So caught up in his emotions, Renton didn’t even realize that Darcy’s hand was already on the knob even while he was reaching for it. His hand closed over Darcy’s before he jerked it backwards and looked with hesitant askance at the man blocking his exit.
There was nothing to fear in the gaze of the other man who looked down at him with something compassionate and understanding in his eyes. When his suggestion had been repeated back to him - have sex in my office - Renton averted his gaze and felt the heat coming back to his face. For fucksake what was he thinking suggesting that.
Wait...what was he saying?
With one blink clear azure eyes were locked on in confusion. “Oh.” A relieved and nervous laugh escaped him and he couldn’t hide the smile that spread over his face. “Really? A date? I thought you ..” He trailed off not wanting to revisit the excruciating awkwardness he had recently put them through. “Yeah I would love to.”
Renton was tickled. He gaze from the tops of his eyes at Darcy and didn’t bother to hide any enthusiasm. He was going to go on a date with the Dr. Weatherfare. Holy fucking shit. No way.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 06-25-2017
For a moment, Darcy had worn a furrowed brow of concern, worried that Renton was going to reject him now. Or that he had perhaps misread the other man’s intentions. That maybe he wasn’t as interested in him, as he was just having sex with him. But then Renton smiled, and for Darcy it sort of felt like the sun finally coming out after a rainy day and he couldn’t help, but smile too. Pleased and wide enough to show off slightly pointed canines. The research assistant even seemed enthused by the prospect, and Darcy’s confidence was bolstered. “How about tonight?” He paired the suggestion with the movement of his hand away from the door knob to curl around Renton’s upper arm. He squeezed lightly, before allowing his fingers to trail downwards until he could take curl his fingers beneath Renton’s and lift his hand to his lips. He pressed the softest touch of kisses to the back of his hand. It could have been considered too affectionate for having just agreed to go on a first date, but they had been working together for a few months, and Darcy had always felt an attraction to the other man.
“We could go to that little bar in town that I hear everyone talking about. Late. When I finish work? I can call you?”
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - saronym - 06-28-2017
Renton was nearly speechless but managed to blurt out: “Okay.” It was partly from shock and partly because it seemed like every nerve fiber and neuron were focused on marking the sensational path of the professor’s hand down his arm and the warm, brushing lips on the back of his hand. If Renton’s past months working for Darcy had left him feeling like a confused astronomer, all those crisscrossing signals now seemed to line up perfect like the orbits of celestial bodies coming together.
His observations and theories proved sound.
“Yeah.” He reclaimed his hand slowly and let it fall to his side. It was sort of tingling from the contact with neurons going haywire. “Yes.” He quickly corrected himself not liking the dullness of ‘yeah’ which to him sounded less committal than a resounding YES.
Renton opened the door and scooted into the threshold, “Give me a call later. I can meet you downtown.” The deal was sealed and Renton left that office with more pep in his step than he had since probably his undergraduate years.
__
Owen had received an informative and, he assumed, inviting Snapchat message from Maeve. It was a selfie of her and Julianna enjoying drinks together. Their cheeks were pressed together in that cute way that girls do and Julianna was wearing something red. That color on her was marvelous. Maeve had tagged the location for him. Oh yeah. It was an definitely invite. He doubted Julianna knew what Maeve was up to.
Owen dressed in dark colors that he envisioned would look good in contrast to Julianna’s dress. A navy button up so dark it might as well have been black and he paired that with his favorite black jeans. When he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his forearms the fine silver and blue watch on his wrist became a focal point. That and his eyes.
When he arrived at the bar, the short Julianna was waiting behind a group hovering near the bar to order a drink. Maeve was still nursing hers where she sat on a couch against the back wall. He waved to the blonde before he sidled up next to Julianna, “Can I buy you a drink?” He asked as if he were a perfect stranger who found her attractive. Owen pushed up towards the crowded bar to make room for them to order. He caught the attention of the bar tender and held his hand out for Julianna to come to him.
RE: Pride & Pettiness [Closed] - megs - 07-11-2017
Red was certainly an understatement towards characterizing the dress that Julianna had chosen to wear to the bar that night. Though she hadn’t put any thought into the striking article, the shifting carmine fabric of the tunic dress clung to her curves and was alarmingly short and absolutely defied gravity to stay in place despite her movements. Something about the black over-the-knee boots she had paired it with seemed downright scandalous. She was oblivious to the stares and nods in her direction. She also hadn’t put any thought into the Snapchat picture that Maeve had pulled her into early in their evening. While she was standing near the bar, waiting for a part in the crowd to order another drink, she opened the application. She wanted to see the cute picture again, and maybe screenshot it for herself, but when she checked Maeve’s story there was no evidence of the picture she had taken. Had it not been posted.
Disappointed, but unconcerned, she clicked off the device ears twitching to the sound of steps approaching her. Her tail swayed in a lazy rhythm and crossed towards her right side just as Owen appeared. The silver fur brushed across the leg of his jeans before fluttering away again. She opened her mouth, but didn’t have time to respond because he was already off towards the bar.
A realization dawned on her, and she turned her head to glare at Maeve who was grinning and finger waving at her from her place in the booth. One of her ears fell lopsided and she looked at the hand he held out towards her. He looked nice, not that she would admit it out loud. But his attractiveness didn’t stop him from being annoying. The sound of her heels clicking on the paneled flooring was lost among the din of the bar. A free drink was a free drink she convinced herself. “Did Maeve invite you?” This question-slash-accusation was uttered when she was close enough to be heard.