Settle Grey Marks

Thirteen : A Pleasure Meeting

Author's Note :

The meeting we've all been waiting for is finally here!
________________________

Y/N's POV

I stood with Drane at the end of the hallway right outside his meeting, watching people pass by us with greeting smiles. A few gave some hellos, shook hands with us and Drane even gave a few introductions to those I hadn't met. It was very enlightening to see how many people Drane came to know over the course of time when he worked alongside my father and grandfather. While I, the daughter and granddaughter, didn't know many of them.

So far everyone had been very friendly, even the ones who at first glanced seemed stern and annoyed with everyone and anything. Of course there were a few that simply wanted nothing to do with meeting us and the visible judgmental looks would be thrown our way whenever we would attract a larger crowd in the mornings with our usual breakfast crew.

Somehow Drane managed to make a few friends this early on while I tried to make basic conversation with anyone. It wasn't that I was shy, anxious, or couldn't be social. I was simply quiet and observed everyone with how they interacted with us before I engaged with them. I really wanted to give everyone a good impression of myself and not be thought of differently.

Though I didn't mind the lack of friendships I had. If what Drane said to be true in having to maintain a respectable and non-rebel affiliated image, I'd rather have a lack of friendships than to risk myself in potential threats.

Of course I did my best to be as engaging as possible, but everyone was more attracted to Drane than to me, which was no brainer. Drane was always a social one and naturally got along with everyone. However the only few people who did meet me halfway in conversations were the ones in my own meetings, mainly the ones who witnessed my verbal spar with Captain Hones.

Oddly enough, but not surprising at all, a lot of the men were very friendly towards me. When I shook a few of their hands, their touch lingered longer than necessary and practically would hold my bare hand with both of theirs. Every man kept holding my hand and acted as if they were waiting for something to happen. Their intense eye contact didn't help either.

I mainly brushed off the weird feelings of it as I came to view it in the sense that I'm the new female in the base that every guy is trying to sneak a glance at. Not to sound conceited, but I was positive that new faces weren't so often to come by in this organization. Since I noticed a few groups of females trying to get a glance at Drane. I didn't mind, or cared, as Drane had to deal with the men being too friendly with me. If he could handle it, so could I. Just as long as no one disrespects our marriage in any way, shape, or form.

I had been grateful for the few acquainted friends we've made as they, too, tried to assist in getting some of the hotheads to leave me alone and respect that I'm a married woman. Drane and myself were already expecting this kind of behavior as I've dealt with it before with some of the older clients who were looking for a great time. Whatever that meant. Still, it was getting to be annoying but I couldn't complain about the help Drane and his new friends were helping me with.

Especially Captain Nynes, who I ran into on my way to the surprise dinner Drane planned for us last night. He stopped me for a quick conversation on how I was adjusting to the base, but I noticed his eyes kept looking behind me the entire time I spoke. Before I could figure out what he was looking at, he guided me away and decided to walk with me to the location my droid was taking us to. It was no brainer to guess why my grandparent's long time friend was acting like a bodyguard all of a sudden.