Character Development

When I returned to the base early the next morning, accompanied by Avery as always, I was surprised to already see Dean down there. Normally, on training days, I was there at least an hour before him, due to my father’s work schedule and how early Avery usually came to get me. As soon as I saw him, I could feel my entire face scrunching up, forced by a large grin. “Muscles!” I greeted, waving my hand at him, and he grinned and waved back.

“Morning, Blondie,” he chuckled, standing upright instead of leaning his back against the wall. Just like that, right when he smiled at me, it was like Avery wasn’t even there. I didn’t know if he left; I assumed that he did. He usually did, anyway. I ran right up and hugged him, squeezing him tight around his center. He returned the embrace, regardless of how short-lived it was. He was the only person down here who ever returned my hugs.

“So, what are we doing today?” I chirped eagerly, stepping back from him as I shimmied my backpack off and let my cat, quite literally, out of the bag. “Are we going running?” I continued in a quick, rambling voice. “I do quite enjoy that. Running is nice.” I grinned, and he just laughed.

“No, Blondie,” Dean laughed. “We’re doing something a little different today.” Quizzically, I looked up at him. Before I could even utter a question, he was whistling, and I heard the familiar voice of Alex’s sister beckoning us into a nearby office.

“Ready!” Roxie shouted. Dean promptly put his arm around me and nearly dragged me in, shutting the door behind us before he shoved me down in a chair.

“Ready for what?” I stammered.

“For your proper initiation.” Dean gave me a cheeky grin before he plopped down on the floor, sitting up against the wall. My eyes fell upon Roxie, who was sitting at her desk, back blocking my view of whatever she was hunched over, at least until she turned. She hand on latex gloves, and there was a sharp sewing needle in her right a hand. A vial of what looked like blue ink, but I couldn’t really tell for sure in the small amount of light.

“Gotta get your ink,” Roxie jested. “Then, everyone’ll stop makin’ fun of you for bein’ new meat. Maybe.” Both she and Dean chuckled like that was funny. I didn’t understand.

“Ink?” I asked. “Are you sure this isn’t some kind of joke? I don’t see any ink on you,” I accused, eyes narrowed as I clutched my backpack to my chest.

“Dean,” Roxie addressed him, nodding, and it didn’t take much else for Dean to stand up with his back to us. He stripped off his shirt just as Roxie flashed a purple-glowing flashlight in his direction. I was much more interested and intrigued by his physique than the glowing circle of ink settled between his shoulders blades, a serpent eating it's own tail, and I felt the lingering sting of disappointment when she told him, “Thanks, mate. You can put your shirt on now.”

“Don’t act like you’re not impressed, Rox,” Dean huffed, winking at her as he pulled his t-shirt back on and sat back down. When his gaze turned to me, I quickly looked away, and he laughed. “You either, Blondie. I saw you staring.”

“You’re about as impressive as my brother’s eyebrows, Cassidy,” Roxie jeered right back.

“Laugh all you want, but you and your brother have both got brows like the gates outside of League Plaza.” Dean was not letting this go without a fight. “I, on the other hand, am a god amongst men.”

Roxie rolled her eyes. “Whatever stops the tears at night, Dean.”

“Just ask any girl in London. They’ll tell you the same thing. 10 of 9 leave my presence satisfied customers.” Dean gave yet another one of his trademark cheeky grins when Roxie heaved a sigh and didn’t answer, effectively raising the white flag and giving in. She set her needle and ink on a paper towel atop her desk.

“Okay, c’mon, Newbie,” Roxie commanded, pulling the backpack straight out of my arms. With both hands on the hem of my sweater and one tug, she pulled the grey pullover straight over my head, leaving me in my white cotton bra, at least until I snatched it back and covered my front with it, bright red at the thought that Dean had just watched Roxie pull my shirt off, and now I was practically naked in front of him. Roxie didn’t seem to care nearly as much. “Turn,” she told me, so I turned until I straddled the chair, and I didn’t look at Dean. I just kept my head down, but I could hear him chuckling as Roxie tied my hair up into a sloppy bun.

“So, what are you going to?” I murmured nervously, clutching the sweater to my chest and using my other hand to grip the chair as I tried not to breathe so heavily.

Dean grinned and laughed again. I still didn’t know why all of this was so funny. “She’s gonna stab at your neck with a pin, Blondie,” he explained with laughter in his voice. My eyes scanned the dank, dusty room.

“Isn’t that… kind of unsanitary?” I questioned.

“Absolutely,” he agreed. “Don’t worry, Blondie. I’m almost a doctor.”

“You’re a combat medic,” Roxie scoffed as she shuffled behind me.

“Like I said,” Dean began. “Almost a doctor.”

“This really isn’t making me feel any better,” I sputtered, feeling as if I might choke on the lump of nerves swelling up in my throat.

“Blondie, look at this way: it only hurts when it’s happening, and then there’s just kind of a rash there,” Dean attempted to console me.

“A rash?” I nearly shrieked, until Roxie put her left hand on my back to hold me still and steady yourself.

“Will you both shut up and sit still?” she hissed a little. I obeyed. I didn’t want Roxie to yell, so I just sat quietly as I felt her pulling a razor over my back. Then, she discarded that and took to scrawling between my shoulder blades with a felt-tipped marker, the ink was cold against my bare skin, especially mixed with the chill of the tunnels. Then, that stopped too. Almost out of nowhere, I felt a jab in my skin, just a tiny prick, but it was enough to startle me. I jumped a little and squeaked. Roxie groaned a little. “Dammit, kid, will ya stay put?” she growled a little.

“Sorry,” I muttered and dropped my head a little, clenched my eyes shut, and readjusted. I heard Roxie behind me, approaching me again.

“I’m going to to try this again,” she mumbled, and I took a deep breath. Before I could tense up, before she started poking me again, I felt a pair of slightly callused hands clasp around my right, the one previously gripping the chair.

“Calm down, Blondie,” Dean whispered, and my eyes fluttered open. “It’s not so bad if you don’t tense up.” I gave a subtle nod, and he smiled gently. “Good.” He stayed there for awhile, until Roxie finished, and he made jokes to distract me the whole time.

When Roxie finished, she wiped at my back with a cotton ball. “Put this on your back,” she told me, handing me a bottle of hand sanitizer. “I got shit to do.” She reached into a drawer and pulled out a stick of gum, which she promptly stuck in her mouth, chewing audibly as she made her exit.

Dean took the bottle from me and stood up. “I’ll get it,” he offered, smiling at me.

“That’s okay,” I laughed quietly. “I mean, I can do it.”

“Nonsense, Blondie,” he chuckled. “You can’t reach back here.” I felt his fingers gently rubbing the sanitizer over the wound. It stung, and I winced a little. “Gotta keep this clean, okay?” I nodded. “Wash this off when you get home. Take a warm shower, but not for too long or you’ll wash all the ink out.” He set the bottle back on the desk. Moments later, I felt him taping a gauze pad over it. When he finished, I pulled my sweater back over my head. I looked up over my shoulder at him and smiled.

“Thanks, Muscles,” I told him softly.

“No worries.” Dean crossed his arms and shrugged, smiling down at the floor. “And when you come back tomorrow, bring lotion—do you have that?” I shook my head; he sighed a little. “That’s fine. I’ll bring some.”

“You have lotion?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nah, my girlfriend does.”

“Wouldn’t she notice if you used it?” Blinking, I still stared up at him. I would have noticed if someone had taken my things.

“Probably not. She’s never home anyway.” Dean averted his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Why not?” I inquired. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t ever be home if she was his girlfriend. Weren’t people in love supposed to want to spent a lot of time with each other?

“She’s working. I’m not really home either, though,” Dean admitted with a shrug. “Speaking of, I’ve got a meeting with Kennedy. I’ll have to catch you later.” He began to exit, but he got to the door way, I rushed over and grabbed his shoulder, but I quickly withdrew my hand.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right, Muscles?”

Much to my delight, he look down at me and smiled. “Of course, Blondie,” he assured me. “Get ready.” A devilish grin replaced his smile. “We’ll be kickin’ your ass into shape.”

“Okay!” I giggled. “Have fun at your lunch,” I added. He laughed softly, but his shoulders shook a little.

“See you later, Blondie,” Dean chuckled before he made his exit. I couldn’t wait for training the next day.