The random call to the directors office to check the AC in there was odd. It wasn’t Greer’s section and there were no problems with the AC anywhere in the building right now. She stood there, checking everything and staying as professional as possible until it as done. She smiled warmly to the Director and handed him the clipboard for him to sign. “Ok, that’s it sir. Is there anything else?”
The director nodded as he signed the clipboard. “Yes but it’s more of a personal concern, if you don’t mind?”
Greer took a deep breath, doing her best her keep a smile on her face. Nothing good ever came from someone starting a sentence like that. She was just praying he wasn’t about to ask about her using her power for something. She smiled a bit less. “Well ah sir I can’t promise anything but what seems to be the issue?”
He handed back the clipboard and cleared his throat. “As you may have heard, we have an important dinner coming up, various dignitaries will be meeting with our government officials and well, our scientists.”
She nodded a bit, “Ok… but I’m not one of those important people sir.”
The director nodded. Director Green was it? She couldn’t keep them straight. “We were hoping that you could… encourage Dr. Holmes to come to the dinner. It’s formal dress, and of course you could be his plus one.”
Greer looked at him as she carefully packed her things. “No offense sir, but I don’t control him.”
“Ah, of course not. But with your, um… connection to him? It may help. We could perhaps do something to make it worth your while if he comes and participates?”
The wheels turned in her head and she looked to him. “Well…. On a condition sir.”
That conversation led to the argument with Sato a few hours later. He was being stubborn about going because of course he didn’t NEED to go and Greer now had a vested interest in making sure he went. Luce had decided to stay out of it for now and was watching with some slight amusement. He wasn’t too worried who would win out, but it was nice to see Greer argue with someone else for a change.
After a bit Greer let out a breath and looked him in the eyes. "You know WHY they are asking ME right?"
Sato resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was certain he had made this clear before. "Because we live together and all the others know not to answer them when they call?" Luce groaned a bit because he had figured it out by now.
Greer closed her eyes. Smart people could just be so… dumb sometimes. Looked like she’d have to walk him through this. "Ok, You take a random about-to-be-homeless girl in. Then you give random girl a job in less than 24 hours. You help random girl with power issues. You are a guy who I don't think the bosses KNOW is gay..." She trailed off hoping he’d fill in the blanks.
Sato just looked blankly at her. He hadn’t made that connection yet. "Well, my personal life isn't their concern and I don't know how that's relevant to the situation."
Greer rubbed her eyes, ready to scream, she’d be proud of how calm she kept her voice later. "They think we are fucking, ya idiot!” She turned to their audience. “Luce! How do you put up with him?"
Luce just smiled a bit, he was used to all of this by now. "Sometimes I think the same thing. But, he's my idiot and he is getting better."
Now Sato was a bit concerned. What sort of rumors had been going around Greer at work? "That is incorrect, though. Would you like me to correct them?"
Greer puts her face in her hands. "I want you to go to the damn party with all the fancy big wigs that other countries are involved in because they want their golden boy to be there, do the fancy talk, and have cocktail weenies or whatever they serve at these things because it's important for good relations with other leaders and I want your butt in something resembling a suit. I don't CARE if they think I have to buy 50 condoms a week. Cause people gonna talk as long as I live here. If you WANT to correct them quietly in a way no one will make a fuss..." she gestures to Luce. "I know Dewi has a suit that'll fit. Take a plus one, cause in this relationship.... Luce is probably going to be your social armor in these situations so you can get to the talk shop people."
Dewi and Blake had effectively tagged out of this argument and were listening from the next room over, where they couldn’t get dragged into anything. Of course the promise of a makeover would always call over a certain shapeshifter. Dewi quickly looked around the corner. "Did someone say they need outfits for a party?!?"
Greer gestured to the lovely couple. "Yes. These two are going to a fancy world leader kinda party. They need to look like a loving couple so the bosses at least don't think I’M the main dish ya know?"
She looked at them both, her gaze settling on Sato. "Start with him, I need two minutes with Luce. Feel free to start explaining to Sato why people think we are banging."
While Dewi was happy to dress up Sato, he wasn’t even going to go there. The topic alone was weird, but trying to explain it to Sato- that was a Luce job. Luce, however, had caught on that Greer wanted to say something a bit more privately to him. "Okay, what's up that you can't say around Shi-shi?"
She looked a bit awkward but went on anyway. "I just wanted to say to you, because it hasn't crossed his thick brain but I know you, I was not threatened or anything." Greer looked him in the eye, so he could force her to tell the truth if he wanted. "They totally bribed me with a project car I want. I can’t afford the down payment on it and they’ll cover the whole thing, even bringing it over. I don't blame you if you think I'm less for that, but I still wouldn't have said yes if this thing didn't sound important. I didn't wanna say it around him because I didn't want Dr. Smarty pants to freak out and threaten with whatever he can threaten with cause it can take a while to get through to him."
Luce nodded, it made sense except for one part. "Okay, but why are you telling me?"
She took a deep breath and let it out. "Luce, you were ready to do god knows what to some little old lady who found me when I moved in here. Remember? You get a little revengey when you think people you care about were put into danger and frankly, I don't got time for that shit. You are a wonderful friend. Like a brother I never had and I'm gonna make sure you don't go jumping to the wrong idea when I can help it. And I know you well enough to know you were already thinking that because that's the sort of thing that can happen to folks. "
Luce felt a bit hurt, wondering how he had given this impression. He didn’t think he was behaving poorly. "Is..... is that really what I seem like? I'm sorry that I gave you that impression. I guess you don't have the best opinion of me for it...."
Greer smiled, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know you're a good guy Luce. You're just a big protective brother is all. Don't feel bad, my dad would threaten folks on my behalf all the time when I was young. I’m used to it. So, if I'm wrong on what you would have thought or wanted to do, well then I'm sorry ok?” Greer wanted to put a positive on this and smiled a bit more. “And if nothing else, at least I got you a fancy date now? And the good doctor will be introducing you as his lovely love allllllll night."
Luce had to smile at that. Before he could say anything, Dewi brought out Sato looking positively amazing in a green accented suit. Dewi grinned. “And I have a matching suit that should fit Luce perfectly. You’ll both look amazing if you get to meet a queen or king!”
Greer nodded, looking over Luce. "You look lovely Sato, alright your turn Luce." She turned to Sato, trying to remember the list of stuff the director wanted her to remember.
"Now.... I was told to tell you several leaders will be there, they will all recognize you. They have concerns with people with powers in their communities and what is going to be done about the dangerous ones. You have permission to talk about the pill but please don't say people will be on 'the pill' because it makes it sound like sex drugs. They like power suppressant and power resistant." Greer looked at Sato in the eyes, hoping to channel her own Ma a bit here. "Now, please play nice and be at the party and TALK to people. Please. I didn't hassle you about this just because of the bosses and their dumb ideas ya know. It's kinda important." She gave a small smile as she continued. "You're the golden boy, you can do all kinds of shit but if I hadn't run into you and you hadn't decided to be nice? I'd have no recourse against my old boss. Checked into it, if I wanted my old job back or compensation
I wouldn’t get nothing. There aren't any good anti dissemination stuff in place.... nothing judges really force anyway." She was looking annoyed now, waving her hands a bit. "It's the downside of being from a 'different country’ technically. Treaties and shit gotta be in place and that's why they want you there to help impress the people that need to be impressed- not FORCED- to help make the right choices naturally."
Sato decided to cut her off. When she got going while annoyed, she was as hard to stop as Dewi on a shopping spree. "Fine, fine. They're trying to get me to do their job for them, but what's new? It's not like I don't see the importance, it's just that it should be a diplomat's job, not a scientist's. If I accidentally pissed off some important figure... well, I guess that's why you suggested I bring Luce, right? Less damage that way..."
Greer sighed, forcing herself to calm down and look to him. "I suggested Luce because he is your boyfriend. You are proud of him. You love him. And this will be the fanciest thing he's probably ever been too. And the diplomats want to see you and already KNOW you can be gruff. But as you make stuff that is so important to the world, diplomats will want to get to know you more. And at the same time, Luce gets a chance to see more of the world you have outside of home. That's important."
She looks to him, fixing his collar a tad. "So Luce is your bonus. And a little bit of your social shield because you are thick sometimes." She smiled. "Besides, did you really want to be there with me wearing a dress? Cause I think that was the other option."
And now he was back to being confused. He was certain Greer had never worn a dress in her life. "Why would you be wearing a dress unless you wanted to? Your attire should not be dictated by others expectations."
She sighed. "Sato.... one day years from now something from this conversation will hit you over the head with what I was saying. I only hope Dewi is there to record it when it happens... and now... your hot date." Greer turned him around into to see Luce, enjoying the moment as Sato stood a bit star struck by his love. She suppressed a giggle as Sato remembered his manners and took Luce’s arm.
“Ahem, shall we?” Luce took Sato’s arm and they walked outside to the waiting driver downstairs.
Once they were gone she smiled to Dewi a bit. "So out of this I'm getting the satisfaction that the bosses mentioned he'd be bringing his date later and I'm getting a '79 Mustang to work on fixing and supeing up. Wanna use is as an excuse to get Blake to help me, or do you want Blake to see you shirtless working on it in the heat?"
"Oooo, eye candy.... both options sound appealing.” He paused. “Though you sure you want help from someone who has no clue what they're doing? Neither of us has any knowledge of cars beyond the basics..."
Greer ruffled Dewi’s hair a bit. "Oh sweet prince.... You think I'm not gonna teach you some things about car work? Cause you are gonna learn if you are going to touch my new baby."
Dewi grinned. "An opportunity to learn something and see Blake shirtless.... where do I sign us up?”
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