Transcendence

37: Inflorescence

** WARNING: LANGUAGE AND A LONG CHAPTER AHEAD!**

Soundtrack:

Friendship-Ritsuko Okazaki

Slow Dance-Suneohair

Fingers held onto hers in a steady grip as they began to walk briskly into Shoutoii. Behind them followed a mob of flashing cameras and reporters. Screaming a million questions per minute, the crowd damn near fought to get into the building. He said not a word as he calmly pressed the elevator button. She inhaled as his fingers came to press lightly against the small of her back.

"Mr. Iwase! Are you and Ms. Marshall seeing each other outside of Shoutoii?" Ignored. His hand never wavered.

"How long has your secret affair with her gone on?" Ignored.

"Did Ms. Marshall purposefully come in between you and your fiancee?" His fingers slightly twitched but that question too was ignored.

"Is it true that your mother tried to kill Rae?" His fingers gripped her back before he let them fall away from her. That could not be ignored. Slowly, he turned to face them, hundreds of flashes and microphones ready to absorb his words.

"You'll find out what you want to know with your opportunist digging so I won't waste my time. When addressing my COO, you will show her respect. You will address her as Ms. Marshall and nothing else. Now, take a swift exit out of the building or I will have security called." The elevator finally chimed and appropriately, right on time the doors opened and they stepped inside. It was quiet inside as the flashes of lights and hollering voices were cut off by the closing of the doors. For a moment they had peace.

"Thank you." She said quietly, smiling up at him.

"Don't thank me sweetheart." They stepped out onto a silent floor, the tall glass doors to the main office facing them.

"Let's have a good day today."

"Mm."

***

He knew they had been plotting and scheming as soon as Rae had rushed up on that stage. For the first time, they had gotten a glimpse of just what he meant to her and the last thing on her mind was public or business affairs. Since they had left the hospital, they were once again hit with rumors and accusations of every kind. Glancing up at her as she filed through some paperwork, he smiled. But they were indestructible. The whole entire world had seen their love and it had shifted perception of everything.

"Rae, are you almost ready to go?" She looked up, blinking.

"Oh snap! Yeah. I was so engrossed in this work I forgot we gotta head out." He smiled.

"That's all right." Setting the papers on the desk, she stood up.

"Today, we're both goin to a luncheon huh?"

"Mm."

"I hope they got some good food." Chuckling, he pushed back his chair.

"Rae..."

"What? You know they always be tryna be fancy with they meals. All I ask for is somethin good."

"I'm sure they will have something suitable to your tastes."

"Hm okay." Glancing down at her fingers, only one interested him the most. There it stood, still completely bare. How absent minded of him for forgetting. They hadn't had a chance to be alone since he was discharged. The press had been in their faces and work had been even more demanding than usual. Surely, this had to be remedied.