anothercontinuity | Red vs Blue pt 2

"I beg your pardon?" Business was business and that- that he handled without batting an eye, making the appropriate arrangements for the evening to come, fingers flying along the tablet until that. Wink.

People did not wink at Delta. They did not flirt with him as a rule. It wasn't done.

"I- he. Likely has other matters to attend to and I have to escort you out." Which he did, falling into step with Felix, just ahead of the burned Hawk. Having one without their helmet on just wandering about wasn't taboo but it was...unusual.

There was a reason, of course. Things could be done that weren't normally done to make a point, and Sharkface was an intimidating feature. Proof of how dedicated and tough his hawks were. You saw that guy once without his helmet? You silently wondered what lay under the armor of the others.

Half of staying in power was the show. Something Felix knew how to twist to his advantage.

"Well, I'm not saying no." An eyebrow quirked at Delta. "How long have you been working for the kid?"

"A man of thirty seven is hardly a kid." Delta sniffed, tucking his tablet under his arm. "I worked for the family long before York came into it."

Brought up with his brothers assisting the previous boss. Finances, security, managing their reputation, training their men- their family was as deeply entwined in the bloodline as the boss- until he passed and left it to York. "But York, specifically? Ten years."

"Ten years, and he still has you doing his appointments?"

Felix clucked his tongue softly. Alright, so he's got a soft spot for York. Resentful of the newcomer, maybe? He can roll with that.

"Not that I don't think you're more than capable, don't get me wrong. In fact, I think I'd applaud his restraint."

"He manages the business, I manage him." It was less secretarial than most assumed but- it was an awful lot of calling, arranging, deskwork. He could handle it and be quiet and capable and silently annoyed more often than not but-

He wanted more. And was not granted that much.

"Restraint?" He blinked, looking over to Felix. "I do not understand."

"Just me talking. I do that," he replied with a wave of his hand. "Sort of say whatever comes to mind. Isn't that right?"

The hawk grunted, and said nothing.

"But I know most guys that keep mews prefer the pretty ones to take the hood. So, color me surprised."

"It is not as though I haven't offered." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Until the shooting that prompted our trip to the auction, he was loathe to bring anyone into the mews. And now-"

Now he had Locus. "He still sees no need to expand the mews."

Only then did it sink in that Felix had called him pretty. The tips of his ears went pink.

"It's his call to make. But seems to me that trading out one hard-to-handle Eagle to beef up the ranks isn't the worst deal he could make." He clucked his tongue softly.

"Horse to water, and all that."

There was a pause. "So you offered to take the hood, and he turned you down? Seriously?"

"He insists I am of more use as I am. Nevermind that I endure as many assassination attempts as him without getting shot and handle them without backup, that I've trained just as hard as any of his falcons, that I was meant to be a Merlin to our previous boss." Bitter thoughts and words welled up and overtook his common sense, eyes dark and pained behind crisp glass.

"And now he has little need of even the thought of me among them." Here he was, a member of the family on paper, doing the work of keeping the business running, caring as much as any- and set apart. "...I must apologize, you did not come to hear this."

"Hey, no, I get it."

One hand lowers to rest at Delta's back. Oh. Oh this was better than he imagined. A perfect tool to pick open the lock of the situation. And what's more? He didn't even need to lie to pry it open.

"Working your ass off is part of the job. You want to make him happy. But when it comes time to what you want, what makes you happy, then what? You're supposed to sit on your hands and wait for him to decide you're worth it? That's crap. Anyone could see that."

"Does it matter?" It didn't, he knew it. He had his place and if his removal from the manner hadn't been enough of a reminder, having to handle the paperwork reinforcing Locus' legal status as York's would. The very idea was...wearying.

Though it did warm him, somewhat, to have some validation from Felix. And the touch to his back- how often did anyone reach out to him? York used to but- now he had Locus and it didn't happen anymore. He had no one. "I work for the family. He is my boss. I cannot force him to take me."

"Why would you want to?" Felix's brow scrunches slightly.

"I mean, if he doesn't see you that way, if he doesn't want you...well, that's kind of his problem. Why devote yourself to someone who doesn't see what you could be? What you want to be?"

"Because when he is not a smitten, lust addled ass he's...remarkable." He can be. Could be. "But he is, at current, smitten and lust addled."

Delta sighed, combing his hair out of his face. "...I suppose I am far too forgiving of his taking me for granted."

"Well..."

The corner of his mouth crooked upwards.

"I can appreciate this whole gig doesn't give you much in the way of free time. But if you ever want to...you know. Get coffee, talk about it. Get stuff off of your chest. I could be available."

"...I'm free tomorrow after eight." That much he could manage. A dinner away when he wasn't expected to linger awaiting York's attention wouldn't be terrible, would it?

Felix wasn't...known all that well in the family. His reputation was one thing, but knowing more about him would only be to their benefit, right? Right.

"Then it's a date."

Almost to the door now, and if he didn't press his luck? He wouldn't have been the man he was today. Turning slightly on his heel, he slipped an arm around Delta's waist, before tugging him forward and stealing a brief kiss.

That he hadn't seen coming. It wasn't something that happened to him and thus- he had no frame of reference against the action. He shuddered, leaning into the kiss, mouth open and sweet against Felix's mouth.

Overcome would be an understatement.

Well then, better make it memorable. But leaving him wanting more.

Pivoting them both around, he pressed Delta against the door. One moment, then another, before he drew back with a soft hum and a pleased grin. Yeah. This was gonna work splendidly.

"So. Eight, then."

Delta shuddered, listing after Felix for an inch, flushed and panting before he remembered himself enough to swallow thickly. Right. Decorum. He could- right.

"E-eight. I will see you at eight. Monroe's?"

"I'll see you there."

Smoothing Delta's tie back into place, Felix gave a little salute before letting himself out the front door, Sharkface in tow.

Locus, meanwhile, was exactly where he'd been to start. Still coming to grips with the idea that Felix had come back for him. He'd assumed he was done, that he'd abandoned him entirely.

Delta took a moment to find his composure and finalize the meeting, making certain that he would have his time off.

In the office, York continued to rub the back of Locus' neck, nodding at Florida and Maine. "I've got this. Florida- keep tabs on Felix. Find out where the party's going to be, case the joint."

They didn't know enough about the lay of the land and he hated flying blind. Once they were alone York settled back in his seat, hand tracing the plates and lines of Locus' armor. After a long, quiet moment he murmured. "What do you want to do?"

"...I don't know."

He let out a deep breath, his head lowering, some fraction of his frame relaxing once the others were gone, and that answer was free of him. It was truth. Felix hadn't meant to sell him. He knew that without question now, or he would not have come back to claim him.

What did that mean, then?

"Not the answer you were hoping for."

"No, not really." But it wasn't rueful. It was as warm as he could make it, all things considered. "Whatever you want, Locus. That's what we'll do. Your call."

Felix hadn't meant to sell him, just scare him. But that-

You don't make that kind of threat.

"...he was trying to scare you. To discipline you." Which...that didn't sit right with him.

"I don't think he is lying. For what that is worth."

He took a deep breath, lifting his head to look at York. To the man who'd made him feel...all manner of things he'd never thought possible before now. Who owned him, in the eyes of the law as well as in his heart.

But Felix...

"I don't think he will make things easy for you if you refuse. Going to war with him isn't something you want."

"What do you want?" It's something he didn't ask often- not so obliquely. Not now that he'd found what he thought was a good pattern and rhythm for their lives. Things were good. Which, invariably, meant shit was going to go weird or sideways.

And well. Felix counted.

"That's what matters to me. What you want. You're- you're happy here, right?"

Red vs Blue pt 2

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