Sneaky sneakiness

It didn't take much to get ready for Red. Fruit Loop shirt, clean (somewhat) jeans, and sneakers. His hair...well ok that took some time, but it's hard to make lustrous, red hair look...well, lustrous. After the required time tending to locks expired, Red took a long look in the mirror.

You really can't judge a book by his cover. He thought this often. His mirror image was just that, an image. Nothing, not a single action or word wasn't planned. The facade was a burden he was determined to carry and even those trained to look for flaws in this image couldn't see the damaged goods Red saw every day in his mirrored image.

People looked at him and thought - there goes one ridiculously happy man with a ridiculously happy outlook on life, and a ridiculously gorgeous woman who could quite possibly love him. That just wasn't what Red saw. He saw a boy rejected by his father for inadequacies he could not begin to fathom, but must be there. Someone good at medicine, but without an official degree. Someone incapable of leading, despite being a sergeant. Someone who gladly shirked his responsibilities to someone more qualified. Red was, in a word, inadequate.

Blinking, he focused his eyes and put on his trademark smile. A smile that was bright and full of laughter, but didn't quite touch his eyes. A band aid on a gaping wound - inadequate.

Red walked out of his apartment, swinging his arms and snapping his fingers. After a moment of unnecessary noise, Red let his arms drop to his hips and he sighed unhappily. No one was around, at least no one was done getting dressed to head out to the Howl which was where he was taking Charlie and Caitlinn to, especially after a harrowing day of Jameson dignitaries invading his space. Doubtful Vivienne and the Commander would be there that night, he wagered, so probably just the core of Pipers hanging out with Carol and Caitlinn. At least he hoped Carol would be there - it had been a while since she had been around.

With an unhappy grimace, Red spun on his heel and decided to wait down in the dining hall when he passed an augmentee Piper coming up the stairs, key in hand.

"OY!" Red yelled, stopping the aug. He pointed to the key - the shiny, candy like, treasure that opened something.

"Spare for the Sergeant. For his room."

Red plucked the key out of the aug's hand and smiled. "I'll be happy to give that to him."

The aug paused and began to say something.

"Whatever you have heard about my predilections to invasion of privacy are turrible lies," he mispronounced, "just turrible. Be gone." He waved the aug away and turned back to Charlie's apartment door.

Walking back to Charlie's door, Red looked over his shoulder and then down the hall, slipping the key into the lock.

"Locks. Bah," he grumbled displeased. Key in lock, Red stooped low and looked at it. "Do I really want to do this? Do I....realllllly?" Reaching out, he turned the key and unlocked the door. "There, it's kismet. I'm doing it."

The door swung open slowly and without any noise. He suddenly heard Lewis' voice in his head...You should not be doing this, Red. You should NOT be doing this.....

Red stuck his tongue out at no one and walked in.

The shower was on.

Red took a deep breath and could smell both Caitlinn and Charlie mixed in with something flowery and soft. Uh oh, he thought, and walked toward Charlie's bedroom. The door was wide open (not his fault) and he poked his head in, quietly whispering into the room.

"Anyone here? Charlie?" He lowered his voice even more. "Helllloooooo?" Pausing again, Red raised his eyebrows and waited. "She must not be able to hear me."

Red walked into the room and looked around. Charlie's king sized bed was made - well a little crumpled, showing signs of obvious use. Again he raised his eyebrows. Clothes were laid out on the bed making him walk directly to it and pick at them.

Jeans, another red t-shirt, and frilly underwear. Picking up the panties, he held them up and nodded, approving of the black silk - same with the bra. A little simple but he could work with it. He lifted her jeans but promptly lowered them back on the bed again. The shirt he picked up and held it over his own chest.

"Who dresses like this?" Lowering the shirt he saw his own red fruit loop shirt. "Oh, I dress like this." Crossing his arms, he reached up and tapped his chin.

"Is that what she's wearing?"

Red looked to his left and nodded at the LT. "I guess. She was wearing the same type of thing at work though."

"She wears that to work?" LT sniffed and made a face.

"Have you seen that tight sweater girl?"

"Oh yeah, she needs to dress like that."

"See, that's what I'm thinking," Red said excitedly.

Suddenly a voice came out of the bathroom making both LT and Red freeze. Red listened for a moment and realized Caitlinn was singing.

"I didn't know she could sing," LT said thoughtfully.



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"Come on, let's get out."

Lewis laid the garment bag on the bed and the three of them pounced on it so fast he thought he might lose a hand. Red unzipped the gray garment bag and LT reached in, taking out three dresses. JT took one from LT and held it up.

"Oh this is nice," JT said holding up a chocolate brown wrap dress with a low cleavage. "I think it's silk. Is it see thru, oh my gosh it's see thru."

Red held up a little black dress, simple like the layered brown one, but classic boat neck. "Good gravy, it's backless."

LT held up the third - a little red number to which all of them whistled, even Lewis. "Oh that's nice," Lewis offered.

It was a red ruched knee length, sleeveless dress with an empire waist, over the shoulder single strap with an open back. It was pure sex. Very quietly, all four Pipers whistled.

"Admittedly, it's a little dressy for the Howl. She needs to save this," Red said and pointed to the black dress. "You can never fail with the LBD."

"LBD?" JT asked.

"Little black dress," Lewis said looking wistfully at it. "I'm leaning toward the chocolate one though."

"Oh yeah, definitely the chocolate one with her skin," LT agreed.

Lewis took the chocolate one from JT and laid it on the bed for her. Picking up her other clothes, he deposited them onto Charlie's dresser and took the garment bag. The other three were standing there still, just watching.

"Get out," he ordered.

"Oh, right," Red said, nudging JT and LT just as the shower cut off.

"Mr. Hammond!" Cait yelled out as she wrapped her hair in a towel. "HEY!"

"Why are you yelling?"

Cait flipped her head up and looked at Charlie. "Oh, did you just come in?"

Charlie looked around the room and then rolled his eyes up to the ceiling before turning toward the bed. "Were the guys in here?"

"When? While I was in the shower? What?"

He waved his hand dismissively and pointed to the bed. "Hurry up and get dressed. Red's chewing at the bit."

Cait walked to the bed and looked down. "Oh hey, Matthew found it." Smiling, she picked up the silk chocolate dress. "Did you-"

"Babe, we gotta go," Charlie said goosing her and forcing her back into the bathroom.

"Alright, alright. Don't have to get all grabby." In fifteen minutes she exited with her long hair pinned partially up in a loose bun and minimal makeup. Charlie was drinking a glass of water, standing at the foot of the bed watching her.

"Now see, why did you have to do that? Now we are going to be really late."

"Do what?" She looked down and made a face. "Don't you dare touch me, I just did my hair."

"No, we're having sex. You're already naked."

"I cannot argue with logic like that." Charlie dropped his water glass, spilling it on the area rug on the floor and walked to her. "Just...not the hair!"

((OOC all out))