Obvious
Summary: It's not that hard to notice attraction between two people when they are being quite obvious about it. Taylor notices the obviousness between Raydor and Flynn.
A/N: Taylor is kinda hard to write but I felt quite compelled to try, for reasons unknown =) Yeah; I'm sure he needs to be more slimy and annoying – but maybe even Taylor has a soft side, sorta, kinda – maybe =)
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However much people did not like him, he knew something others did not. It was the nature of their profession – to get to the top you had to display a certain willingness to be a slimy bastard who knew when to slither and when to attack – or you had to know the right people or you had to inhabit intelligence far above everyone else.
Cunningness came in many shades; there was the obvious, the conventional and then there was the less obvious. There were many different paths when it came to being astute.
Russell Taylor knew that he was not the brightest among them; not that he was below average, just the acknowledgement that he was no rocket scientist. He just did not have the proclivity for seeing connections the way Brenda-Leigh Johnson did for example, he did not have that uncanny insight into people and their dark minds. That did not mean he was inept at reading people, it did not mean he was unable to understand motives.
As exclusive as the police force was, it was also a little integrated group of different individuals.
His talents lay in other areas.
Many thought him a bit oblivious; many thought his head was too far up in the sky to notice what happened on the ground.
However, he did have just enough insight to know people likened him to a snake; slick and devious; capable of only protecting his own hide. It was not something that got to him. Unlike many others he was aware that image was as important as catching murders; he was aware that in order for others within the department to do their jobs there had to be someone at the top garnering good will towards the corps and someone at the top who was mindful of budget and reputation.
Awareness and an ability to appease the higher brass; why it was undoubtedly why he had gone up the ladder unlike so many of his old colleagues.
Many would not believe it but he was content with who he was – content with his life, content with his family – with his work.
Now, Andy Flynn – the guy seemed to be the exact opposite of content. Funny thing, despite having worked with Flynn for a significant period of time; despite having worked beside the man, there was nothing cordial between the two of them. Whereas Taylor himself had risen, Flynn was stuck – whereas Taylor had a family to go home too and normal working hours, Flynn inhabited the LAPD building indefinitely, ever present and always working.
They were old colleagues; once upon a time they had even shared a relatively pleasant connection. But they were too far apart today to be anything other than acquaintances, anything other than superior and subordinate.
Flynn was of the old school – volatile and brusque. It was most likely the reason he was still stuck at lieutenant; the guy had an uncanny knack for sticking his foot in his mouth – time after time. The sarcastic proclivity and the tendency to became riled up within a second; it was an immense part of Flynn, Taylor knew that, but having known the guy from almost the start of both their careers he also knew it was a part that made people underestimate Flynn. In the same way that most did not see past his own image of being snakelike and unreliable.
Flynn had been the go-to guy back in the days when something had demanded brute strength; the one always sent into the field, whether it be trampling down violent suspects or storming down doors Flynn was there. Even then Flynn had been capable of more, he was able to rely on more than merely muscle and temper; the guy was tenacious like no one else – persistent and stubborn. Qualities that made him doggedly follow trails till they led somewhere.
Still; the lieutenant was not the brightest among them. In that aspect Flynn was like Taylor himself; they both had defining qualities that together with others got the job done but they were not in the precinct of being masterminds.
You see, Taylor knew Flynn well.
As such he was beyond surprised to find his old comrade in a situation he would never had imagined him in; Taylor had not meant to overhear this conversation – he had not meant to even listen to it. But there was something that drew his attention to the two people locked in dialogue. Dialogue about a murder case, about the two suspects, the one just as likely as the other.
To tell you the truth he had not imagined this scenario; even if someone had prodded him in the direction and given him obvious clues; not if someone had actually taken him aside and told him.
It was ludicrous but nonetheless it was happening.
It was as unlikely as any other impossible thing.
Flynn was flirting while discussing the murder case.
Now, this in itself was no course for alarm, it did not come as a surprise to Taylor. Flynn practically flirted endlessly whenever he happened to be within a certain radius of the opposite gender. No, it was the person he was flirting with – the unlikely person who Flynn downright ogled at with a look on his face that came across as a mixture of goofy and giddy.
Flynn; the guy with the most disarming smile in the force, the guy who everyone apparently found charming despite his many faults, was wearing a most ridiculous expression of adoration.
Taylor peeped a look around the corner of the corridor again, almost shocked to find Flynn tilting his head and smiling; a wide nervous smile that did not resemble his usual toothy self-assured grin.
It would have been a surprise in itself merely to watch Flynn flirt with less of his usual confidence; the guy was reckless and rash – he was not subtle about attraction. But there it was, Andy Flynn being subtle and soft in his approach.
That and the object of his old comrade's fancy; one Captain Sharon Raydor.
It was the two most unusual, unlikely people to be locked in a conversation while trying to flirt without it seeming obvious. It was as obvious as a big elephant in a small room. It was obvious in the subtle way they went about sharing looks, obvious in the way their bodies leaned toward each other.
Taylor felt confounded.
Sharon Raydor was the epitome of a different individual when it came to police work; she was quite frankly the opposite of Flynn. Why, Taylor did not even want to imagine what entailed getting her to become angry. Whereas Andy Flynn took everything personal and was livid at the mere little prospect of someone looking cross-eyed at him, Sharon Raydor took nothing personal.
Taylor had been witness to many a times when some unfortunate soul had tried to rile her up; many were under the delusion that if they yelled loudly enough she would succumb to anger. Derisive words and raised voices; Raydor swept them aside with nothing more than a lifted eyebrow. She was calm and indifferent where Flynn was emotional and rash.
She was clever – not in the same way as Johnson. Not that her intelligence was inferior to the former Chiefs; it was merely different. She had a ruthless streak that many found deplorable. If forced to truth Taylor would have to admit he found her reasonable most of the time; she was eroded by logic and a sense of justice that went beyond mere black and white lines.
The majority of officers in the department were under the delusion that she ought to be emotional, suffice it so say they were all surprised when they encountered her. The moment they saw her, in her well-clothed, manicured and otherwise pristine outfit, many made the mistake of assuming she was not that dangerous. She was devious however, and able to keep a cool head. An ability that had suited her well for internal affairs.
Taylor knew she did not have much affection for him; sometimes he caught a derisive glint in her eyes but it was never on full display for him to do anything about it. No one would ever be able to sign her up for insubordination – it was so subtle that it would never amount to anything and as always it was rooted in reason. It was a funny little thing, seeing as no one bothered signing Flynn up for insubordination; his behavior was too blatant and too frequently – it would undoubtedly enquire too much time and effort to do anything about his insubordination. Flynn was in your face or grumbling behind your back but his temper quickly deflated whereas Raydor fumed in silence and held a grudge till she one day could deliver a well-practiced scold that no doubt would point out all your faults – or you would end up being forced to a seminar on anger management or sexual harassment.
Funny, Taylor had known Raydor just as long as Flynn – they had all started in the LAPD around the same time – naturally it provided insight into each other.
Raydor was not prone to letting someone get the better of her; she was not prone to letting her emotions get the better of her – most assuredly not at work.
So you can imagine the surprise, the impossible little view to a scene where these two unlikely individuals were quite obviously taking turns at eyeing each other, giddy smiles shared.
It was obvious; Flynn liked Raydor – It was obvious the attraction was mutual.
It was obvious within a second; merely a little snippet of their conversation and the view to how they stood, their facial expressions and Taylor could tell they were quite fond of each other. He could tell that they thought they were alone and as such their masks were off; otherwise he was certain it would not have been this obvious – he had not seen anything between them before now.
It was unlikely; he would never have guessed it.
They were as unlikely to fit as a lion and a zebra; they were in the grand scheme of things not right for each other. Opposites in the very definition.
Flynn said something, his voice a low rumble, a stark contrast to the soft look in his eyes.
Raydor laughed her smile widening.
They turned around at the ding of the elevator.
Fascinated Taylor watched as Flynn lightly guided Raydor into the elevator, his hand just short of touching the small of her back, hovering – the uncertain look that crossed his face.
Taylor found it fascinating indeed; Flynn was not prone to uncertainty – especially not in this department.
Funny, he found himself feeling sorry for the guy. It was quite obvious a problematic little dilemma, finding yourself attracted to your superior – to a woman who was so different from every other woman in your life.
If forced to admit the truth, Taylor found it rather sweet.
The look on their faces, the almost fragile little world they seemed to enroll each other in – it struck him.
It would do no good to reprimand them, at least not now. It would be hard to reprimand them for something that had yet to be anything; he was certain they were not sleeping together yet. That obvious uncertainty and softness, it spoke about something barely acknowledged by both parties. He would ignore it, ignore that he had seen anything inappropriate. If it came to his ears, if it spun out of control – then he would have to do something. Somehow he doubted it would come to that.
He had a feeling that Raydor was sneaky enough for the both of them. Raydor would ensure they behaved professionally and she would be adamant on keeping it out of their professional lives – she was a reasonable person when it came to such things. If obstacles arose or if someone noticed other than Taylor himself, then he was certain Flynn would tackle it down – Flynn would ensure no one spoke about them, he would make sure no one said one bad word.
Maybe they did fit – in an obscure, quite uncanny fashion.
He shook his head and allowed a small smile.
He might be a snake but he was not a complete bastard. After all he had known the both of them, albeit on the periphery, for a long time.
Sometimes it was better to let things be.
Sometimes it was better to pretend to be ignorant and oblivious.
That and he could just imagine how both of these disciplinary conversations would go; Flynn would be in his face, yelling and sprouting angry words – the lieutenant would most likely resort to some kind of verbal attack; Flynn was familiar with Taylor's faults as much as Taylor was familiar with Flynn's.
Raydor would be quiet and deflect everything with a derisive eyebrow; she would end up suing him for harassment he was sure – and why she would be partly right; he had no real conclusive evidence as to conduct unbecoming.
Maybe, in reality, he just wanted to save himself the hassle of actually giving them a talking to. As long as the job was done, he could turn a blind eye to what happened in between murder cases.
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