Lazy Day in the CAF

[Nyth]

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Knowing full well the likelihood of the animal’s apprehension, Fenrir sat just as still as the wolf, only occasionally flashing his teeth in a wider, much more rare and extraordinarily handsome smile, hoping it might coax the creature out. Smiles very seldom made their way across his face, they were expressions reserved solely for moments such as this one and as expressions of joy during flight. He was not expecting miracles, but his love for any kind of animal forbade him from moving or from stopping his admiration of the wolf before him. Suddenly, as if listening to the hope within his mind, the animal began to inch slowly towards him. He still did not extend his hand, not wanting to spook the wolf and therefore stop its progress towards him, but instead simply purred encouraging remarks.
“That’s it...don’t be frightened. I’m not here to hurt you. Let’s have a look at you...” he said quietly, his voice soft and welcoming. The wolf stopped its slow approach just as its paws touched pavement, and Fenrir could see clearly the pretty white face, brown markings and slender build. His instincts instantly told him it was female, and he acted accordingly.
“It’s alright, beautiful. You don’t have to come any closer. Big scary man, right?” He chuckled gently, accepting her decision to crouch back down onto her stomach. He was ecstatic that she was reassured enough to approach him as much as she already had, and he was not expecting this wild animal to expose herself any more than she had already chosen to. Her ears folded back in apprehension, and her eyes met his. Wonderfully brown eyes, the perfect representation of the clever mind behind them. Fenrir felt himself moved by her decision to fix her gaze with his, and suddenly felt a very strong desire (as he often did with animals, those in need, and otherwise subordinate entities) to ensure her complete safety. He looked around quickly, checking the surrounding area against the lightening sky of the morning, and returned his attention back to the white wolf with satisfaction.
“There’s nobody around, I promise. It’s just you and me, and I’m not anything to worry about.” Again that smile flashed across his face, and he dared to stretch his fingers out as his wrist continued to rest on his upright knee. He hoped this gesture would promote movement rather than halt it, and he couldn’t help but chuckle happily as she whined gently and began to shuffle incredibly slowly towards him on her stomach. One thing was for sure, this particular animal was not going to leave the Captain’s mind for a very, very long time. Perhaps he would also remain in hers, and this would not be the last time they would meet? This hope danced across Fenrir’s mind, and he remained perfectly still until a rush of adrenaline surged through his body with the touch of her nose against his hand. He laughed, softly and pleasantly at the surprise and sheer excitement of this incredible occurrence.
“Well now, aren’t I a lucky man?” He asked gently, slowly moving his hand to run his fingers softly along her muzzle from her nose to her cheek. Again his instincts told him this would be permissible, reading her submissive body language and having felt no aggressive vibes from the animal before this point. He sat in utter contentment like this for a few silent moments, running his hands slowly and with surprising affection along the curves of her face, through the soft fur of her forehead and behind her ears, occasionally stroking the contours of her muzzle with his thumb.
“What’s your name, then, eh gorgeous?” He eventually said, speaking absently as if to oneself. “I suppose I’d better find something to call you, if we’re going to be friends.” The smile returned to his face and his deep green eyes softened happily as he reflected on the incredible nature of the scene. He tilted his head as he thought, running the back of his hand idly across the other side of her face and cherishing the feel of the wolf’s fur against his skin, in the event he never get to feel it again. “How about ‘Bella’, hm?” He muttered gently. “It seems fitting for something so beautiful.” The wolf became more visible in the rising light of the sun, and Fenrir guessed his men would be waking up in a little over twenty minutes. “Yes, let’s call you Bella.”

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[Erinland]

“Well now, aren’t I a lucky man?” The captain asked softly. He was so gentle and calming that Sydra doubted even wild animals could keep themselves from asking him to pet them. His fingers smoothed the fur on her face ever so lightly and he stroked in the direction that it grew. As he ran his fingers down her muzzle and forehead and ears, she felt a shivering tingle build up inside her and quiver down her back. It felt so good. She wondered if it felt this nice as a human. Since she'd never known a close human relationship and didn't want to know, she figured this petting by the Captain was pretty hard to beat.

“What’s your name, then, eh gorgeous?”
Sydra couldn't help but be attracted to Andrew Fielding, and a tiny image of him kissing her human self flashed through her mind. She would never allow it to be true of course, and neither would the captain, she was quite sure. But it was nice to think about, and the white wolf let out a sigh.

“I suppose I’d better find something to call you, if we’re going to be friends.”
Hmm. This was not expected, but Sydra found it quite interesting. A name given suggested that the captain hoped for a revisit. It was a lovely idea, the thought of being liked and welcomed by the handsome Fenrir, even if it was in wolf form. And perhaps he wouldn't mind her being around, or mind if his wolf friend snooping around the edges of the base to satiate her curiosity. And maybe he would pet her more...

The wolf laughed at herself and how girlish she was being. She'd never been so girlish in her life. Thinking and hoping about a man's touch. She had long ago made it a rule to herself to never engage in close human relationships. Nor even wolf for that matter. To love is to be vulnerable, and Sydra would never be that again. But a wolf/human relationship? She'd never thought of that. But what the heck? It wasn't like she was trying to date him. To him she was just a wolf. Just a little friendly affection would be fine, not to mention very enjoyable.

The wolf smiled after all this turmoil had been settled within her mind. Her white lower canines guided her smooth pink tongue between them and gave her a look of happiness that she sincerely felt. What would he name her? His pick would sum up the way he felt about his new wolf friend. If he thought she was cute, he might name her . . . Puffy or Fluffy . . . Eeew. If he thought she was funny he might call her something weird like . . . Velma, or Ethel. Sydra creased her brows.

“How about ‘Bella’, hm?” He muttered gently. “It seems fitting for something so beautiful.”

Bella? A name that in it's very meaning meant beautiful. Sydra brightened at his lovely choice, and waved her banner like tail slowly.

“Yes, let’s call you Bella.”

His voice, his face, and finally his caress had had it's effect on Sydra, and as she nearly burst with tingles, she kissed his face.
She stepped back instantly, wondering what this implied. Well, nothing really, it was like a dog kissing a person. She thought about it and smiled again. Haaha! She could kiss him all over and he wouldn't think a thing about it. She made a little noise in her throat because she felt naughty. Would she really take advantage of the fine Captain? Kissing him and licking him and thinking about his body? She closed her black lips and smirked. Maybe just a little.

She put her muzzle to his face, and with her nose, snuffled in his ear. She licked his jaw and underneath it, on his neck. He even tasted good. She stepped back and sighed. How was so much attractiveness possible? She laughed at herself again. Pushing her nose under his hand, she flipped it palm up and began stroking it with her soft tongue. This canine affection oddly felt natural to her, and ancient. As if the first wolves who became dogs still held influence in the wild ones. In some of them anyway. Wolves showed affection with their own kind, but even though Fenrir was human, he was still technically Sydra's kind. She was both.

She finished washing the sweat from his palm, and looked up at him, silent. Her deep brown eyes studied his face. She had never been a wolf next to a human before. She had been next to shifter's in human form, but it was different. Very different. She suddenly hoped he would not see the intense intelligence she possessed. He could decide to capture her or something. Most humans didn't notice canine mental capacities, but Fenrir was not most humans. After a moment she knew that even if he did notice, he would never try to capitalize or use her for his gain. It wasn't in his nature.

The sun was starting to rise, and Sydra's human condition became apparent to her. After all she did still have to be at work. The wolf gave the man one small touch with her nose to his hand, then turned and fled into the brush. She grabbed up her coat and held it high, being careful to keep it out of brambles and thorns. She didn't stop running until she reached her skirt, blouse, and underthings that she had hung over the low branch. Quickly, she phased, her back arching and popping and shoulders jutting up. Her pink skin came back and her fur receded. After several minutes she finished and got dressed again, then ran her fingers through her brown hair, trying to return it to its normal flounce. She stepped out of the cover of the trees, looking for anyone who might see her. There were more cars in the lot now, but no people. The shifter secretary walked quickly back toward the hangars, stopping every so often to adjust her shoes. She rehearsed what she would say if anyone stopped her.

Just went for a walk, wanted some fresh air.

[Nyth]

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No sooner had Fenrir cemented his decision on what to call the wolf did she suddenly seem to burst with enthusiasm, moving quickly towards him and, admittedly, startling him. He jumped a little, wondering if he’d upset the animal somehow but immediately erupted into rare and excited laughter as her tongue darted all over his face and neck. He grinned broadly like a child being tickled, taking the opportunity to affectionately wrestle his arms around her sleek white body as she did so. He was overwhelmed with surprise and boyish happiness, adopting an air of giggles, smiles and physical affection that would have convinced any human he’d met that he’d lost his mind, or undergone some sort of extravagant personality change. That was just it, though – Fenrir could never understand affection for people. Affection for animals was different…he could respect all animals. He’d grown up in far too alien an environment to ever say he could respect all human beings. He had seen too much violence, too much warfare, too much destruction, infidelity and cruelty. He didn’t understand people, and he didn’t mind that fact about himself. He could find love and affection and loyalty elsewhere, and what’s more he could trust the source. Sure, he’d had a few conversations with his parents, or with Dashville, concerning his seemingly permanent bachelorhood…but it’s not as if he was incapable of having the same desires all men have. He simply either refused to act upon them or put aside his confusion to accept an offer from a woman he deemed respectable and appropriate. How could he ever love a creature he could not bring himself to respect?
Wolves, though…wolves were glorious, gorgeous and graceful creatures, full of poise and power and dignity. Wolves were respectable and perfectly deserving of the man’s admiration. Where his inability to form friendships with humans fell short, he could always rely on the companionship of animals, and true enough he often found that focusing on his connection with nature completely negated any desires he might feel for women and thus eliminated the problem entirely.
“Hey hey hey!” He managed to blurt out in between laughs, using his free hand to wipe his face and neck as the wolf gave his other palm the same treatment. “Buy me dinner first at least, eh?” His deep green eyes flashed happily at the attention she was giving him, and he instantly felt a deep connection to the animal. As a man who rarely paid his fellow humans any mind (mainly due to his inability to understand them) animals were always his escape. He found friendship in them, he found love, he found companionship, and as with any subordinate creature he felt compelled to protect them with every resource he had at his disposal. This wolf was different, though…he’d always had this connection with animals but it had never really resulted in such an instant friendship and affection, and he felt a stirring within himself to make sure he could see her again, no matter how he’d have to go about it. He glanced up at the foliage he’d first seen her emerge from, returning his free hand to stroke her forehead gently as she continued to snuffle and lick at his palm.
“So you live out here, do you Bella?” He asked absently, feeling a slight worry for the animal at the proximity of her home to the CAF base. He knew his men well, and he felt an (albeit very different) affection for them too, but he could not be at all sure that they wouldn’t shoot a wolf on sight if they saw one. The attitude towards the wolves of the area was one of unbridled hostility – something which had gotten the Captain into a fair number of fights since his move to the country. He had no idea why they treated the animals with such blatant disregard, but just thinking about it made his handsome face twist back into the sullen, quietly angry expression that most people had come to accept as his normal appearance. As he did this, he noticed that the wolf kisses had stopped on his hand, and he glanced down into those intriguing brown eyes curiously. He was slightly taken aback by what he saw in that moment of eye contact…he felt as if he’d looked into those eyes before and noticed a profound sense of intelligence behind them. His instincts were immaculate, and he was rarely incorrect about these instances, and he trusted his gut when it told him there was something very, very different about this wolf.
“…what is it, beautiful?” He asked softly, as if expecting an answer but knowing full well she could not speak, of course. Still, he felt as if that intelligence required addressing, but no sooner had he spoken than she suddenly moved away, darting back into the foliage with a flash and out of sight. The pilot leapt to his feet as quickly as he could, shouting her name into the brush but expecting nothing in return for this gesture. She was, after all, a wild animal…he had no unrealistic expectations regarding her behaviour and simply desperately hoped he would meet her again. Perhaps a friendship could be formed…yes. He decided that after his morning flight each day he would return to this spot, perhaps occasionally bearing gifts of a few scraps of meat to give her should she desire them. She looked in good health, and a decent size, so she clearly wasn’t going without food, but the gesture was more one of friendship than pity or need.
“Until next time, Bella…” he purred into the landscape, smiling softly and dusting off his aviator’s jacket before turning and walking towards the hangar. He had noticed the sun rising, and knew the boys would already be groaning themselves awake for their first preliminary flight training. He had high hopes for most of them, but then again all but four of them had been trained by him personally so it was unlikely they wouldn’t succeed. Where he failed in social prowess, he more than excelled in piloting military aircraft.
As Andrew neared the base, he noticed the recognizable form of the new secretary making her way from the car park, and furrowed his brow as he looked at his watch. She was early…at least an hour early…had Dashville agreed to pay her overtime? Their paths crossed as they both neared the hangar, and the Captain addressed her with his usual air of stoicism and disinterest.
“You’re early.” He said simply and flatly, narrowing his eyes in very mild suspicion.

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[Erinland]

Sydra jerked her head up. She'd been so caught up with not being noticed, she'd not noticed Captain Fielding. Only now did she see him, after he'd spoken.

"You're early."

"Oh, um, yeah, I like to be at work early to get a head start on the day. Good morning, How are you?"

She cursed herself for being so uncoordinated and for being so clumsy with her words. She straightened and pulled herself together. Smoothing her skirt, she marveled at how quickly the Captain had gone from giddy and smiling to stoic and mild. She smiled a bit knowingly, thinking how funny it was that she'd now seen both sides of him, and he was completely unaware of it.

"I'd better get to work, Captain. Have a . . . a nice day."

She couldn't help remembering the closeness of him several minutes ago, and it made her pause for a second. She quickly walked on towards the hangar. Her shoes clicked on the smooth concrete as she moved into the office. First thing, she pulled the trash bags from her bag and began filling them. By the time she was finished the two bags were filled to the brim, and the office was spic and span. She crossed her arms and admired her handiwork. Now this was a place she could work in. She looked at her watch. Her cleaning had taken several hours, but it was no where near lunch. Sydra was starving, as she had been much to nervous to eat breakfast. She peeked out the office door, looking out at the planes in the hangar. There were several men milling around on the far side. She ducked back into the office and sat at the desk. She began organizing the drawers. Then the phone rang. Sydra answered and spoke with the spouse of one of the pilots. She told the woman she would try her best to find him and instruct him to return her call. After she hung up, Sydra wondered if there was any sort of P.A. or paging intercom in the hangars. She wrote down the pilot's name and decided to ask around about finding him. The time now said 12:00 and Sydra decided it was time for a lunch break. She knew the pilots probably ate in some sort of mess hall or something, but she wasn't sure whether she would be permitted to do the same. She stepped out of the office to look for someone familiar, either Dashville or Fenrir, to ask about what they expected her to do for lunch hour.

[Nyth]

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Sydra stumbled over her words as she explained her appearance on the base before she was expected, and Fenrir raised an eyebrow. This didn’t answer his silent question about whether or not Dashville had spoken to her about overtime, but he decided in almost the same instant that he didn’t care enough to pursue the issue further. Dashville was the one who cared, so let him care. She wished him good morning and asked how he was in the same breath, which tripped the pilot up a little, conversationally. He struggled for a moment with the decision whether or not to wish her a good morning in return, or answer her question regarding his wellbeing. He decided on the latter, simply because it had been the most recently said.
“I’m fine, thank you.” He noticed her wry smile, and felt slightly uncomfortable. His instincts, miraculously sharp as they were, told him she was hiding something. Nothing malicious, but there was definitely something she was keeping to herself, with a great deal of delight. Andrew furrowed his brow to reflect this suspicion and watched the smile melt away as soon as it had appeared.
“Thank you for asking.” He said simply, putting his hands into the pockets of his aviator jacket and glancing towards the barracks, wondering when the men would be emerging from the dining hall after breakfast. His stomach grumbled lightly and he realised he should probably have some breakfast himself, and thankfully Sydra politely dismissed herself, noting she should get to work. Again with that admirable work ethic…he turned up a corner of his mouth in an approving half-smile, nodding his head in acknowledgement. She paused, however, and Fenrir felt his heart skip a little, nervously. Why was she pausing? What else was there to say? Surely this interaction is over…what’s going on?
Is she going to hug me? She’s not going to hug me. Please do not hug me. I do not hug. Go away. Please do something else.
As if his thoughts had been voiced, the pause quickly passed, and Fenrir exhaled in response to this mercy as she walked away to the office. He watched her leave, engulfed in curiosity and mild discomfort, wondering where this strange level of interaction had come from. He took his hands out of his pockets and turned towards the dining hall, running into Dashville who smiled and saluted casually. Fenrir dismissed the casual nature of the greeting, as Dashville knew he would, nodding as Tom took a cigarette out of his pocket and placed it in his mouth absently.
“The new girl…”
“Her name is Sydra.”
“She keeps calling me ‘Captain’.”
“Well…” Tom exhaled a cloud of smoke, not trying to hide the amusement on his face as he watched his friend struggle with this apparent dilemma. “You are a Captain, Fen. Group Captain, actually. You’re expected to be addressed as such.”
“Well I told her not to.”
“She’s polite.”
“She’s strange.”
“YOU are strange, Fenrir.”
“No, but…well, yes…what? No I’m not. Not strange like her.”
“Alright, let’s assume that’s true.” Tom finished his cigarette and threw it to the ground, lightly stepping on the glowing ash and quickly exhaling the last remains of smoke in his breath. “What’s so very strange about her? More than anyone else?”
“She’s hiding something.”
“She’s young, she probably has a boyfriend or a crush or something. She can’t be twenty years old yet. Give her a break. She’s closer to my age than yours.”
“A crush? She’s broken something?”
“No, Cap.” Dashville coughed a laugh and patted his friend on the shoulder. “Just trust me, okay? You know I’m good with people. Let her be. She’s fine.”
The pilot narrowed his eyes slightly at his Sergeant, wanting to protest but knowing he was probably right. Their relationship was an incredibly close one – if Fenrir had had a brother he would not have loved him like he did Thomas Dashville. He nodded sagely, surrendering his paranoid train of thought in favour of trusting his friend.
The men went about their normal morning routine, and once flight simulation had finished Fenrir found himself alone in the hangar, as he always preferred to be. The men were in the dining hall, as usual, but he knew Dashville would appear sooner or later…as usual. The Sergeant usually snagged a sandwich from the chefs and brought it out to the Captain, who would either be laying underneath one of the jets or with Milly. On this occasion, however, Fenrir was sat on the floor outside the office, struggling with his thoughts as he was prone to doing.

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[Erinland]

As Sydra stepped outside the office, she immediately noticed Captain Fielding. He was sitting on the concrete floor, apparently in deep thought. Sydra stepped carefully forward and stood over him, looking over his shoulder.

"Excuse me? Captain Fielding?"
She straightened up and smoothed her skirt.

"I hate to bug you about trivial things, I know you're very busy . . . But about lunch hour; Would I be permitted to get something from the cafeteria? Or should I bring something from home from now on?"
Sydra then wondered why Fenrir wasn't with the other pilots, eating in the dining hall. Was he really such an extreme loner? Surely he enjoyed the company of other pilots, even if he did seem distant towards ordinary people. He was quite the puzzle. Yet she knew how tender and charming he was, he'd readily displayed such qualities for her. But only in wolf form of course. It was so strange to interact with him as a human and see the same person, yet not see the same personality as before. She supposed it was simply his nature. She admitted she'd always liked animals more than people as well. So it was not especially surprising that he did too. Sydra liked Fenrir. She liked him more than she cared to admit. It distressed her that he didn't seem to like her very much. The human her, anyway. She'd tried to be very polite and considerate of him, She didn't want to upset the boss after all. But none of that seemed to make any difference. He still seemed aloof with her. Perhaps, A different approach?

Sydra took a deep breath and put her hands on her hips.

"listen, have I done something to make you dislike me? I don't mean to be rude, But you aren't exactly Mr. Sunshine."
She ruffled her brown hair, a bit exasperated.

"Please, tell me what I've done to piss you off, and I'll be sure to do so no more. You are technically my boss, and an employee should help her employer, not hinder him. I . . . need this job. I'd rather not get canned for something I can control."
She hoped this direct approach wouldn't add to the problem. Maybe He would admire it? Maybe he'd be annoyed. She stood awaiting his answer with her eyebrows raised, eager to see his reaction and learn what she could do to lessen his distaste.

[Nyth]

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“Excuse me? Captain Fielding?”
The voice penetrated through the pilot’s thoughts like a dagger through flesh, causing the man to wince and glance upwards at the source with uninhibited irritation. The secretary again…stood above him and looking worryingly as if she had an agenda. Fenrir bristled instinctively at the girl’s presence, still feeling the same level of unease and uncertainty around her that he had discussed with Dashville only a few hours prior. He gritted his teeth slightly, wondering why she couldn’t obey a simple request to address him by his alias rather than his formal CAF title. It was this failure to adhere to such things that Fenrir had been discussing with Tom, who had shrugged off his paranoia as yet another example of his social failings. The Captain was under no illusions that he was adept at interaction with other people, but he was also firmly convinced that there was something not-quite-right about this new girl.
After a few moments of tense preparation for the inevitable exchange, the pilot held eye contact with the young secretary and breathed his reply in mild annoyance.
“Yes, Miss Fare?”
"I hate to bug you about trivial things, I know you're very busy . . . But about lunch hour; Would I be permitted to get something from the cafeteria? Or should I bring something from home from now on?"
Lunch hour? Food? For a moment, Fenrir simply stared incredulously at the girl as she waited awkwardly on shifting feet for his reply. She certainly expected a reply…why on earth? Of all the things to ask him about, she’d decided to settle on her lunch? Why, oh why, couldn’t Dashville be the one people run to for these pointless little tasks…he was the one who actually CARED…
Fenrir collected himself after another few moments, furrowing his brow in confusion and utter disbelief. At least she had acknowledged that the matter was trivial…that acknowledgement alone he supposed would earn her the right to a reply. Sighing heavily to convey his discontent at the situation, Fenrir pulled his knees up and rested his wrists on them lightly.
“What and where you decide to eat during lunch hour is precisely none of my concern, Miss Fare.” The Captain put a heavy emphasis on using the girl’s full name formally in his cool, heavy English accent, as if to hint to her his displeasure at having to remind her constantly not to call him ‘Captain’. “You may eat where you wish, and you may eat whatever you like. As a civilian working in the hangar, you are bound by no formal obligations regarding meal rotations.”
Where the fuck is Dashville…he thought bitterly, glancing up at the secretary once more before leaning his head back against the wall as if nursing a headache from the stress of social interaction.
“Will that be all…” the pilot said wearily, closing his eyes to suggest that the question was entirely rhetorical. Lunch hour, indeed…
"Listen, have I done something to make you dislike me? I don't mean to be rude, But you aren't exactly Mr. Sunshine."
Fenrir opened his eyes as if he’d been slapped, just in time to see the girl run her hands through her hair in what seemed to be exasperation.
Oh, God…
"Please, tell me what I've done to piss you off, and I'll be sure to do so no more. You are technically my boss, and an employee should help her employer, not hinder him. I . . . need this job. I'd rather not get canned for something I can control."
The Captain sat in stunned silence for at least long enough to make the situation even more uncomfortable, staring at the young woman as if she had just announced she were pregnant and about to give birth on his face, hope that’s alright? He scanned her face for any clues about where this outburst may have come from, but being as uninformed and naturally sub-par with people as he was, he could find no indication of her intentions to help him decide exactly what to do or say.
After another few moments of incredulous silence, Fenrir lifted himself through the thick and uncomfortable atmosphere to stand at his full height, looking down on the brunette with clear discomfort in his eyes and more confusion than a deer in headlights.
“You can start by calling me Fenrir.” He said simply, not knowing exactly what else he could say. He opened his mouth to add to this request, but was interrupted by a shout from Dashville, sandwich in hand and eavesdropping complete.
“Whoa, whoa.” Dashville touched Sydra’s shoulder blade in silent reassurance of the situation before handing Fenrir his sandwich, trying his best to defuse the situation with a smile as the taller, brawnier and thoroughly confused Captain grabbed the sandwich and looked at his friend with more concentrated discomfort than he had seen in years. “Miss Fare has done nothing wrong, has she, sir? I apologise, Captain Fielding. This is clearly a result of my having overlooked certain important aspects of the way we work around here while I was debriefing her.” Dashville held his gaze against the fierce green eyes of his friend, who kept glancing helplessly between the two people in front of him. Dashville took a moment to shoot the secretary a warm, ‘it’s okay, I’ll explain’ glance, before returning his attention to Fenrir.
The pilot furrowed his brow, wondering how on earth the young woman had gathered herself any information to suggest that she had ‘pissed him off’, as indeed any person who got to know the man would immediately recognise that he had been treating the girl with a great deal more respect and regard for social convention than was usual. Of course, Sydra barely knew the Captain at all, but that fact did not weigh into his thinking whatsoever.
“I like you.” He said shortly, the phrase marked with curiosity as Fenrir looked deeply into the perplexing woman’s eyes. As he did so he felt an uncanny, and deeply unsettling, sense of warmth…like he had looked into those eyes before and experienced something he never, NEVER felt with human beings. Similar to how he felt around…
…no…
Confusion could have been a tangible substance for the amount of it plastered across the pilot’s face, as he stared at Sydra until Dashville muttered something about the end of lunch hour approaching and needing to finish his sandwich before flight training in 25 minutes. He noticed the shock on Dashville's face when Fenrir had stated his opinion of the girl, knowing full well that the Captain had never before, in his many years of knowing him, openly uttered those words to another person. He must have been under some serious duress. Before he knew what was happening, the Captain had been ushered gently into the office and the door had been shut behind him. He looked down at his lunch in his hands, and then out of the office window, watching Dashville smile charmingly in that way of his that just dripped friendliness and concern. He was gesticulating as if explaining something to Sydra, unaware that the conversation was his friend explaining to the girl about all of Fenrir’s social failings and inadequacies around human company.

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[Erinland]

Sydra stood frozen as Fenrir stated very simply that he liked her. She was shocked by it, and could do nothing but look into his face. He did the same. And then A feeling of dread pulsed through her as she sensed a glint of recognition in his eyes. But try as she might she could not pull her gaze from his. Dashville again intervened, much to the relief of Sydra. Sydra could not recall the exact movements, only that suddenly the Captain was not there anymore.

"You can start by calling me Fenrir." He'd said. Was that it? She was being too formal? She admitted she had, only because of the status and beautiful accent of the British man. It didn't seem fitting to be so familiar, seeing as she'd only known him for two days. She noticed she was not the only one taken aback by the Captains revelation. Dashville had had quite the expression on his face as well. Now he was friendly and normal again, explaining to her Fenrir's social short comings. She listened, still a bit frozen.

"I'm sorry if I've caused trouble Lieutenant..." She said after he paused. "I really just want to do a good job. I'll remember the Captain's tendencies from now on...and I'll make sure to call him Fenrir."
She made a little head dip, something wolves did to authority. It wasn't until after she'd done it that she realized. She went wide eyed and straightened quickly. She turned on her boot and walked toward the cafeteria section as fast as she could without looking odd. Upon entering the mess building, she was met with men at tables, eating and talking. She felt several eyes on her at once, but no one approached. They seemed unsurprised though, as if her appearance had been anticipated. She took a brown bag and placed one of the pre-made wrapped sandwiches that sat on the serving counter into it, along with a bag of chips. She then walked back out the double doors, keeping her eyes down. Sydra skirted Hangers 1 and 2 and went behind another building to find herself next to the woods and parking lot again. She sat on the grass and began to eat, enjoying the sun. It might not be the easiest job, but Sydra wanted to be here. She didn't dare complain about the circumstance, she was much too happy to have the position. She knew it was not easy to find a job now, and this was a million times better than the insurance company. She vowed to do what it took to succeed here. The run in with Fenrir might have been disastrous...but his reaction had kept it from becoming so. She was very glad. And she began to let herself remember his words "I like you."

I filled her with such hope. she wasn't repugnant to him after all. He just wasn't...the friendliest of gents. But Sydra didn't worry about that. At the moment she was content to eat her sandwich and look forward to getting back to work. And hopefully continue to work here.