Reed's Pov
I headed down the hallway and i hadn't even reached the corner before a voice stopped me.
"Hi Reed, It's been a while" I turned towards the voice. Tessa. We served together before we split into different units.
"Hey Tessa. Sorry for not reaching out... been busy" I said.
Before she could respond I heard a loud click behind me and I turned again. Lucy stood at the hallway entrance arms crossed tapping her watch like a pissed-off mom.
"How about we catch up over coffee?" I asked quickly. Tessa's lips lifted into a small warm smile
"Yeah I'd like that."
She turned walking ahead of me, her boots echoed lightly against the polished floor. Before I could even enjoy the quiet moment Lucy reappeared at my side smirking.
"What was that about?" I asked and she gave me the look
"You do realize she has a thing for you right?"
"No she doesn't" I shook my head amused "She and August are a thing." Lucy scoffed, falling in step with me as we walked toward the communal lounge. We call it the break room even though it's not its formal name.
"Please they're not a thing they're just 'friends' who bone each other when they get bored" I shot her a sidelong glance.
"That's a bold accusation even for you"
"Oh come on, she was giving you the 'take me against the wall' eyes. The only reason she didn't jump you right there is because I was standing feets away." I snorted despite myself
"Look" she continued "I'm not saying go for it, hell I don't even know if you're capable of doing casual but don't pretend you didn't notice."
I didn't answer because she wasn't wrong. I had noticed I just didn't care, not really. No matter how many women or men I could pretend to flirt with or distract myself with, no one looked at me the way he did and no one ever would.
I pushed the break room door open with my shoulder Lucy trailing close. The place was buzzing, the stale coffee-scented smell wafted through the air. Mara a sniper with the best poker face on base, gave me a quick nod.
"Hey Reed heard you got pulled into the server room mess this morning, again."
"Not my fault the entire communications link almost shit itself" I muttered reaching for a stale protein bar someone had abandoned.
"Mhm" she hummed clearly not buying it before going back to her crossword.
Lucy grabbed a mug, filled it with sludge coffee and stirred in way too much sugar. "So Sergeant Major Lowe's dinner, are you going?" I leaned back in my chair groaning
"I don't have a choice, he pretty much made it sound like missing it was treason"
"That's because it kind of is" a voice chimed in. Jules the newest intelligence analyst, who looked way too fresh-faced to already be that jaded. "He's using it to size up candidates. Someone said he's pulling files this week" Lucy turned eyebrows raised
"Files? I thought Lowe had his little successor lined up already" Jules smirked
"He did until said golden boy posted a thirst trap from the secure wing with his badge still on." that got a collective groan from the room even Mara looked mildly amused
"You're kidding" I said laughing.
"Nope" Jules popped a chip into his mouth "His clearance got frozen faster than my dating life"
"So the slot's back up for grabs?" Lucy asked, tossing a meaningful look at me
"Yep Lowe loves a good loyalty test. What better way than a dinner where everyone has to play nice in civvies and act like they aren't low-key trying to sabotage each other's careers?"
"So it's a circus" I muttered
"It's politics" Jules corrected. "He's bringing his wife this time which means it's formal."
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "And you're still going?"
"Yeah" I said with a sigh "would rather not give him a reason to pull my record"
"Fair." She smirked "So who're you bringing?"
I blinked "Bringing?"
"Yeah plus-one. You do own real clothes right?"
I rolled my eyes "I didn't know this was prom" Jules learned in interested now
"So are you bringing anyone?"
Another thing is people always tried to box me in. Lucy and Femi knew the truth obviously but most others just took one look at the standard military cut, the way I carried myself, the whole 'straight dude with a mission' vibe and assumed hetero by default. I didn't hide anything but I didn't go out of my way to correct them either. It was just easier this way it was not a secret, just not their business.
"No one in particular" I said reaching for a second protein bar. "I figured I'd show up, shake hands and make it out alive."
Lucy shot me a look over her mug subtly like she was checking how much I was going to say.
"Not gonna ask one of your situationships?" she asked knowingly
"I don't have situationships" I muttered and Mara snorted without looking up.
"Says the guy Tessa gave 'lingering eye contact' to in the hallway this morning." Great.
"Thought she was with August" Jules said perking up again. Lucy jumped on that one
"They're friends with benefits on an open tab" I stood dumping the empty wrapper
"You all gossip more than the med wing."
"Just making conversation" Lucy said sweetly
"You?" I turned the question back on her. "You bringing someone?" She shrugged
"Thinking about dragging Femi if she ever stops fixing every broken system we have"
"And you Mara?" Jules asked daringly
"I'm bringing my gun" she said and no one questioned it.
The door swung open again and Trent stepped in. He grabbed a coffee mug from the rack then looked over at the group like he'd just walked into a joke and wanted in on the punchline.
"What's all this?" he asked. "Operation Gossip Hour?"
"Just talking about dinner plans," Lucy said "You know that thing Sgt Major Lowe's making mandatory so he can judge us all over tiny hors d'oeuvres and expensive bourbon." Trent snorted.
"Right civilian clothes. I can't wait to see who shows up trying too hard" Civilian clothes didn't mean jeans and a hoodie it meant presentable clean lines, a nice shirt, or dinner gowns and maybe a jacket if you were trying.
"I'm just saying some of y'all might wanna think twice about who you bring as your plus-one. Wouldn't want the colonel choking on his steak because someone's boyfriend shows up in eyeliner and stiletto heels." His eyes cut to me smiling.
"The last thing he needs is some pride parade fucktoy making a scene at a professional dinner"
The room went silent and i just stared at him my jaw locked so tight it hurt. He just stirred his coffee like he hadn't said something so disgusting and disrespectful. Like he hadn't dropped a slur in the middle of the break room.
"Say that again" I said eyes locked on him. Trent gave this half-smirk like he thought he was being clever
"man don't make this into some big thing."
"It is a big thing. You've been making it one since the second you figured it out" he laughed but it faltered.
"I wasn't even talking about you reed. You're not-like-obvious." that made me disgusted and irritated like when someone says something they think you should thank them for.
"You mean I'm not a stereotype?" I asked in a flat voice. "That I don't sashay when I walk or wear eyeliner so you get to pretend I'm one of the 'good ones."
Jules blinked. "Wait reed you're?"
"Yeah" I said eyes still pinned to Trent. "I'm bisexual." Trent raised his hands backing off a little.
"I'm just saying don't shove it in people's faces some of us like to keep work professional."
"Professional? You mean like you talking shit about the guy I used to date? You think I didn't hear you last week? When you said maybe he was 'just confused' for being with someone like me?" I asked "Thought I didn't hear that either huh?" he scoffed
"You know I didn't mean it like that."
"You meant it exactly like that, you just didn't think I'd say anything. You probably thought I'd sit here and take your comments and laugh it off and be the quiet, non-threatening queer guy." he tried to look away but I stepped in close enough that he had no choice but to meet my eyes. "I don't hide who I am because I'm scared. I hide it because I know people like you want a reaction and now that you're not getting it, you're rattled." lucy finally spoke with a cold voice.
"Are you good?" I didn't take my eyes off Trent.
"I'm fine I'm just tired of pretending shit like this doesn't happen. Every room I walk into I've gotta know how safe it is and how much of myself I'm allowed to show without someone like him deciding it's too much."
"You're twisting it." Trent responded and mara spoke first.
"You done?" she asked "Because if not I'll make the call to HR myself" she said folding her crossword neatly.
"Don't bother" Lucy said "They already flagged him last year, he just doesn't learn." Trent muttered something about people being too sensitive and stormed out leaving his coffee behind. I didn't move until the door shut behind him then I exhaled slowly, Lucy leaned her hip against mine.
"You okay?" I nodded once whilst Jules fidgeted with his napkin.
"I'm sorry man i didn't know"
"It's not a thing I advertise" I said "But I also didn't think I had to walk around with a disclaimer" Mara set her pen down
"You don't." Jules nodded, still looking like he wanted to fix something he didn't break.
"For what it's worth i never thought you were hiding just thought... I don't know. You always seemed like you didn't give a shit what people thought either way."
"I didn't" I said. "Until I realized people like him think silence is permission." She squeezed my arm
"Well you spoke loud enough" I gave her a small smile the kind that doesn't quite reach your eyes. She glanced at her phone and groaned.
"Break's over. But you better be at the tournament later."
"Probably," I muttered, finishing my water.
"Probably?" she echoed, scandalized. "Reed, I need you. You're my good-luck charm. My juju and my emotional support grump."
"Don't remind me," someone grumbled from a nearby table. "He kicked our asses last time." I laughed under my breath
"Alright, I'll be there."
The group started to scatter, people peeling off toward different hallways and laughter echoing of the walls, plates clinking as trays were cleared. Someone called out a joke behind me and Lucy disappeared into the sea of uniforms with a wink and a wave.