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A blonde head in a Turk suit catches Scarlet's eye as she approaches the ladies' bathroom on the ground floor. The new Turk. Definitely easier on the eye than the rest of them.
She's always had a thing for a woman in a suit.
Elena is talking to Tseng, nodding. Her shoulders are stiff and square, like she's over-straightening her spine. His shoulders are the same, his hands clasped behind his back like he does when he's talking to a superior. Which is laughable. There's a tension between them. They probably think they hide it so well.
Elena gives a last nod and they part ways. She glances back at him as he walks away and flees into the bathroom.
And then Tseng slows, casts a look over his shoulder. Well, that's interesting. His gaze catches Scarlet's as he faces forwards once more and resumes his stride.
"Ma'am," he nods. His tone is oh-so-serious. Scarlet's mouth twists in a smile.
"Tseng," she says, passing him. He frowns, and she swears there's a hint of colour in his cheeks. "Admiring the view?"
She can't see him any more but she fancies she can hear him flinch. He stops but she continues on into the bathroom, chuckling quietly.
She moves to the line of sinks to fix her hair in the mirror, and that's when she hears her.
"Gods damn it, pull yourself together." Elena's voice is low, barely above a grumbling whisper. Scarlet looks behind her at the only stall that's closed. "You don't have a thing for him. You do not. It's fucking absurd. He's your boss."
Scarlet lifts an eyebrow and turns back to the mirror, watching her own face as she smirks. How's about this to make a dull Wednesday afternoon a bit more interesting?
The toilet flushes, the lock clacks, and Elena is out of the cubicle, straightening her suit. Oblivious to Scarlet's presence.
Until she's not.
Scarlet savours this moment even more than the one she had with Tseng a minute ago.
"… How much of that did you hear?" Elena is blushing. Hard. She rolls her shoulders; if she could shrink into that pristine new suit of hers, like a shell, she probably would. It's not the suit that makes a Turk, though. Scarlet wonders how she'd look half peeled out of it. Quite delicious, probably.
For all her obvious embarrassment, Elena's eyes are fixed on her via the mirror, demanding. Scarlet lets slip a little smile, staring back. Oh, so she really really wants to know. How cute.
Scarlet turns to face her, leaning one hip against the counter. She lets her eyes wander, appraisingly. There's a lot to appreciate, between her tight waist and lean physique, the slightly unfeminine cut of her uniform suit adding a very nice contrast to her feminine features.
"How much of what?" She adds a little shrug, just for effect.
Elena moves closer to the line of sinks and turns on the tap.
"Did no one ever tell you it's rude to…" Scarlet raises an eyebrow, still smiling, as Elena's brain catches up with her mouth. She's already heard on the grapevine that the new Turk has a habit of speaking first and thinking later. She didn't expect to find it so endearing.
Elena drops her gaze and washes her hands. "Ma'am," she mutters soberly.
"Rude to what?" Scarlet asks. "Rude to eavesdrop, or rude to answer a question with a question?"
Elena looks at her in the mirror once more, shaking excess water from her hands. "Both?" There's the flicker of humour in her dark eyes. Scarlet laughs under her breath.
She likes her. But Shiva she has terrible taste in men. Well, not catastrophically terrible; Tseng is better than handsome, and he's a lot more refined and cultured than most of the male species. Scarlet might have tried her luck with him that one time. Oh, and then there was that other event where---best forgotten. He's about as red-blooded as a reptile in the shade.
Emotionally constipated doesn't even begin to cover it. Elena, in contrast, appears to be under the influence of an emotional laxative. Hilarious.
But she's seen the quiet little looks Tseng casts in Elena's direction when he thinks no one is looking. And here she was thinking blondes weren't his type.
Scarlet clears her throat. "I heard enough."
Elena's eyes drop again and she busies herself with some paper towels. She could have so much fun with this. The possibilities are endless.
But something bitersweet, deep inside pulls at her. She knows how it feels to be so… hopelessly and one-sidedly infatuated. Fuck infatuation, it was love. Maybe she wouldn't be the person she is now if things had gone differently back then.
Scarlet moves closer and Elena turns to face her properly, looking up at her. Her jaw is squared, muscles grinding, but her brown eyes are uncertain.
"Darling," she says, brushing a few strands of hair from Elena's cheek. "A piece of advice." Brown eyes widen, unwavering. Scarlet trails a finger over flushed skin, beautifully smooth. She lifts her other hand and cups Elena's face. Gods, what is she doing? She could play this so differently and instead she's showing her hand and giving it away. "You're gorgeous," she says. She can feel the heat beneath her hands. The heat isn't entirely Elena's. "You could have anyone."
Scarlet leans in. Elena doesn't pull away, doesn't even look away. Elena's hands take her wrists and hold them, not pushing and not pulling. "And I mean anyone," Scarlet whispers.
She grazes her lips to Elena's cheek. Then she pulls back, breaking contact, turning towards the bathroom door.
She winks. "Tseng included. So don't sell yourself short, ok?"