Drabble #48 + #49
Renee turned her head to the side, and Traine watched her as she talked to someone he couldn't see. Her jaw moved and her neck flexed, creating pleasant lines that weren't helping his thoughts stay on track. Her hair had been getting longer steadily over the years. She would cut it less and less every time until it was long enough to pull up into some weird kind of bun held together with clips. It left her neck bare and the way she was turned only emphasized the length of it, the smoothness of it, and how undeniably feminine it was. She had transitioned from one of the soldiers in the trenches to their leader, but still got dirty -with relish- when it was called for. It happened less and less, her forays out to get directly involved with the wet work, and Traine could feel her changing to fit and grow into a role he didn't think she would be willing to leave.
He could say she had gotten softer, but that was only true in the looks department. She wasn't a chiseled mass of muscle like she had been straight out of college. Administrative work and making connections didn't lend itself to four plus hours of work out time along with the overtime an Organization like hers sometimes needed when shit hit the fan. Even so, she was fit, could still punch a man out, and had the endurance to outrun a lot of her own hitters. Traine didn't think her softer appearance could all be attributed to a lack of time. It was part strategy, as well. He knew her and all the dangers that came alongside, but when she came walking up in her 'little black dress' sporting curves that were enhanced by the addition of some extra fat, it hit him right in the gut. And lower. Bigger bust, wider hips, and his brain flew right out his ear. He wasn't the only man who'd been overcome by the package, but he also wasn't in charge of an Organization or a company she was negotiating with.
Her lips curled up in a slight smile and Traine watched that spark of fondness warm her face in an expression that he always found to be too brief now-a-days. Suddenly, there was an off-handed punch to his shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The unconscious step forward he had been making turned into a step away from the direction of violence as his head whipped around to face his attacker.
Drei stood just inside his own incredible long reach, which was too far for Traine to hit him back even if he hadn't just moved further away. The taller man gave him a split seconds worth of an oblique glance before his attention was focused on the woman who had just finished her talk. Traine was still a bit startled, but he looked forward to see her eyes darting between them, curious about the exchange she had just missed but visibly blinking it aside and walking between them and ordering them to follow her. They did what they were told.
Feeling eyes boring into the side of his head he turned his head enough to see Drei staring, an eloquent look on his face. If it wasn't enough, he mouthed the word 'whipped' which got a raised lip from Traine in response. A non-verbal denial that was habitual and not anywhere close to being true. As he walked behind her and tried not to notice the sway of her hips, he thought that being whipped by Renee Sharps wasn't a bad thing at all.
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Renee turned her head to the side, and Drei watched her as she talked to someone he couldn't see. The attention she gave to the man wasn't feigned and knowing that made you feel important. When you felt like you mattered you felt a pressing need to prove your worth, and people wanted to impress that woman. They were loyal to her and she rewarded them. Since he had known her, he had seen her transform. She was a hard ass and that wasn't ever going to change, but she didn't wear it on the outside so much anymore. Renee looked softer, easier to approach, but push too hard and you'd hit steel. Drei suspected that steel was a protective shield for the even gentler bits inside. She could get downright prickly and cold and it was a defense that was hard to get by.
He cast a look at his partner, Traine, and knew that whatever part of herself that she showed to him had hooked him deep. The red-head was staring at her now, and he had that soft expression on his face. It was the kind Drei's own father gave his mother sometimes, when he thought she wasn't looking. It was more than just affection or admiration. Traine was in love with her, and Drei knew the man was too far gone for it to do anything less than tear him apart if things went badly. It was so obvious to him that he didn't know how anyone missed it, but the red-head didn't slip up often with the adoring looks or else the rumor mill would already have gone to work.
Far more opaque with her feelings, Renee's thoughts about Traine were a lot harder to deduce. It could be detrimental to both their lives if she was so obviously attached to him, much less loved him. If she put a personal guard on him like she did herself it would bring more attention than either of them would want, though she could show more affection, if she were actually inclined to do so. Watching her face light up with one of her secretive smiles, Drei could see her appeal. He had walked into a room where the two of them had been alone once. He'd hoped to find a tidbit of something to tease Traine about, but instead found himself witnessing Renee laughing. Not a light titter or even the sharp laugh she sometimes gave that was so quick you might have missed it. It was a full blown belly laugh and Traine had on one of his grins. They weren't standing close enough to say it was intimate, but it was a warm atmosphere and her face looked as open as he had ever seen it. In those few seconds he could see that they were truly friends. It was love, but of a different sort. Whatever might have come after he'd never know. She noticed him and her smile didn't waiver. She told him to take Traine away before she 'kicked his ass' and he was left with the impression that moments like what he'd witnessed weren't rare between the two of them.
Drei turned his head slightly to see what effect the smile had on the other man. A small smile curled Traine's lips and Drei could see him start to rock forward. He didn't know what the man planned on doing, but he might regret it. He gave Traine a cuff on the arm with his fist before Renee stopped talking and turned her attention back to them. He sighed at how the red-head jumped, knowing he had been caught totally unaware. His look was a warning to cut it out with the mushy bullshit and he focused on Renee again. She'd just finished talking and was now looking at them questioningly, but not for long. She took the lead again and they followed behind.
Drei stared at Traine until the red-head looked at him and mouthed the word he'd been using for months now. The guy was so pussy whipped and they both knew it. Traine denied it, but it was half-hearted at best. They both knew the score, and Drei knew Traine was happy with it. He just hoped it stayed that way.
He could say she had gotten softer, but that was only true in the looks department. She wasn't a chiseled mass of muscle like she had been straight out of college. Administrative work and making connections didn't lend itself to four plus hours of work out time along with the overtime an Organization like hers sometimes needed when shit hit the fan. Even so, she was fit, could still punch a man out, and had the endurance to outrun a lot of her own hitters. Traine didn't think her softer appearance could all be attributed to a lack of time. It was part strategy, as well. He knew her and all the dangers that came alongside, but when she came walking up in her 'little black dress' sporting curves that were enhanced by the addition of some extra fat, it hit him right in the gut. And lower. Bigger bust, wider hips, and his brain flew right out his ear. He wasn't the only man who'd been overcome by the package, but he also wasn't in charge of an Organization or a company she was negotiating with.
Her lips curled up in a slight smile and Traine watched that spark of fondness warm her face in an expression that he always found to be too brief now-a-days. Suddenly, there was an off-handed punch to his shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The unconscious step forward he had been making turned into a step away from the direction of violence as his head whipped around to face his attacker.
Drei stood just inside his own incredible long reach, which was too far for Traine to hit him back even if he hadn't just moved further away. The taller man gave him a split seconds worth of an oblique glance before his attention was focused on the woman who had just finished her talk. Traine was still a bit startled, but he looked forward to see her eyes darting between them, curious about the exchange she had just missed but visibly blinking it aside and walking between them and ordering them to follow her. They did what they were told.
Feeling eyes boring into the side of his head he turned his head enough to see Drei staring, an eloquent look on his face. If it wasn't enough, he mouthed the word 'whipped' which got a raised lip from Traine in response. A non-verbal denial that was habitual and not anywhere close to being true. As he walked behind her and tried not to notice the sway of her hips, he thought that being whipped by Renee Sharps wasn't a bad thing at all.
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Renee turned her head to the side, and Drei watched her as she talked to someone he couldn't see. The attention she gave to the man wasn't feigned and knowing that made you feel important. When you felt like you mattered you felt a pressing need to prove your worth, and people wanted to impress that woman. They were loyal to her and she rewarded them. Since he had known her, he had seen her transform. She was a hard ass and that wasn't ever going to change, but she didn't wear it on the outside so much anymore. Renee looked softer, easier to approach, but push too hard and you'd hit steel. Drei suspected that steel was a protective shield for the even gentler bits inside. She could get downright prickly and cold and it was a defense that was hard to get by.
He cast a look at his partner, Traine, and knew that whatever part of herself that she showed to him had hooked him deep. The red-head was staring at her now, and he had that soft expression on his face. It was the kind Drei's own father gave his mother sometimes, when he thought she wasn't looking. It was more than just affection or admiration. Traine was in love with her, and Drei knew the man was too far gone for it to do anything less than tear him apart if things went badly. It was so obvious to him that he didn't know how anyone missed it, but the red-head didn't slip up often with the adoring looks or else the rumor mill would already have gone to work.
Far more opaque with her feelings, Renee's thoughts about Traine were a lot harder to deduce. It could be detrimental to both their lives if she was so obviously attached to him, much less loved him. If she put a personal guard on him like she did herself it would bring more attention than either of them would want, though she could show more affection, if she were actually inclined to do so. Watching her face light up with one of her secretive smiles, Drei could see her appeal. He had walked into a room where the two of them had been alone once. He'd hoped to find a tidbit of something to tease Traine about, but instead found himself witnessing Renee laughing. Not a light titter or even the sharp laugh she sometimes gave that was so quick you might have missed it. It was a full blown belly laugh and Traine had on one of his grins. They weren't standing close enough to say it was intimate, but it was a warm atmosphere and her face looked as open as he had ever seen it. In those few seconds he could see that they were truly friends. It was love, but of a different sort. Whatever might have come after he'd never know. She noticed him and her smile didn't waiver. She told him to take Traine away before she 'kicked his ass' and he was left with the impression that moments like what he'd witnessed weren't rare between the two of them.
Drei turned his head slightly to see what effect the smile had on the other man. A small smile curled Traine's lips and Drei could see him start to rock forward. He didn't know what the man planned on doing, but he might regret it. He gave Traine a cuff on the arm with his fist before Renee stopped talking and turned her attention back to them. He sighed at how the red-head jumped, knowing he had been caught totally unaware. His look was a warning to cut it out with the mushy bullshit and he focused on Renee again. She'd just finished talking and was now looking at them questioningly, but not for long. She took the lead again and they followed behind.
Drei stared at Traine until the red-head looked at him and mouthed the word he'd been using for months now. The guy was so pussy whipped and they both knew it. Traine denied it, but it was half-hearted at best. They both knew the score, and Drei knew Traine was happy with it. He just hoped it stayed that way.