LOG: amara and angelo

[x-volcanic.livejournal.com]

Backdated to Saturday. Angelo is on the way our and Amara is on the way in. They stop and chat about moving out, HeliX, Elpis and house-warming parties.

Not one to pay too close attention to what was happening at the mansion, Amara was pretty surprised to see Angelo carrying a box out to his car. She was on her way in, but she still slowed her pace down enough to smile over to him and say hi.

"Moving out?" She said with some surprise. She'd missed something (again), hadn't she?

He turned, resettling the box in his arms, and smiled back at her. "Yeah, just to the city. Got a loft apartment with John, but we'll still be around."

"Nice," she said with a nod. "I imagine not having to commute in every day will be nice." Probably Amara's least favourite time of day, even if it did give her a chance to do a lot of her reading.

"Yeah, that was the main point. A lot of the rental costs'll be offset by not payin' so much on petrol, an' now I'm really talkin' like a grown-up." He grinned wryly. "What're you up to these days?"

"You really are. Though I don't think you truly have to worry until you start with the 'back in my day..'. I believe it's then that you're finally old." She grinned a little in return. "And much the same as usual. Classes, work, training, HeliX meetings. It all keeps me busy."

"Oh, how's things goin' with HeliX?" he asked in sudden interest. "I haven't had a lot of time to keep up with them lately."

"Pretty good, actually. There's been a fair amount of interest since it started, and it's staying consistent as well. And we've had a couple of mixers with the Day Zero victims, and nothing's ended in disaster yet. Which is a good thing, right?" Amara smiled a little sheepishly, shrugging slightly.

"Definitely a good thing", he agreed firmly. "Says a lot for those people they can still spend time with mutants after what happened."

"I think so too," she said with a nod. "I think it's been helpful for them personally as well - I don't know if they'll ever really want to befriend mutants, although a couple of them have. But I think it's good for the healing process."

"We can hope." He smiled slightly. "Sounds like you're doin' really good work."

"I think so!" She smiled warmly in reply. "I'm glad I joined. I think we're definitely making a difference, even if it only a small one. Every little bit helps, right?"

"Definitely", was the firm agreement. "I mean, that's half the point of what the team does. An' Elpis, come to that."

"That's true," she replied with a nod. "I have to admit, I'm afraid, I don't know much about what Elpis do. I mean, I do know what they do, obviously, but not in very much detail." She flashed Angelo a smile. "You'll have to tell me more about it sometime, when you're not in the middle of moving."

"Be happy to!" His own smile was much more in evidence this time. "I'll even give you a tour of the office sometime if you want."

"I do not think I could say no to that. I can give you a call next week sometime if you like, and we can arrange something?"

"Sounds like a plan." A scrap of paper came out of his pocket and he scribbled on it. "My cell number. I think you'll like the new offices - we do."

"Thanks." She took the scrap, carefully sliding it into the front of her day planner. "I imagine so - I think they would be a lot roomier than the boathouse, would they not?"

"Much roomier", he agreed. "An' a lot more convenient for the UN an' the embassies we might have to visit. We kind of grew out of the boathouse."

"I can imagine," she replied with a bit of a laugh. "But that is a good thing, yes? The more Elpis grows, the more good work you can do."

"That's the idea! The plan was always to grow as much as we can, in the end. An' the boathouse wasn't really the image we were tryin' to project anymore."

"No, it wouldn't. A good place to start, but it is not..." Amara paused, trying to figure out how to say this properly. "It is a little like working out of your parents' basement, is it not?" She grinned.

"Pretty good analogy", he agreed, amused. "So we moved on. An' now, well... I'm sure there's someone out there that needs John an' my suite more than we do."

"Just as long as you're not a stranger," she said with a smile. "I don't doubt that others will arrive to move in. Even with all the people that have left, more will arrive. And some even return eventually."

"Most seem to come back sooner or later", he agreed, then added, "An' we're not goin' far. Found a nice place just on the edge of District X."

"Then you won't have too far to come to visit," she said with a slight teasing note in her voice. "Will you be having a housewarming party?"

"Count on it", was the cheerful response. "On both. The firebug'd never let an excuse go by for a party, an' you kind of have to really."

"I look forward to it," she grinned. "On both counts. It has been a very long time since anyone around here had a party."

"Then we'll be sure to announce it. Should be happenin' within the next couple of weeks."

"I'll do my best to keep my schedule clear."

He grinned. "An' if John-boy gets drunk an' hits on you, just smack him. He usually quits on that."

Amara laughed. "It's alright, I've gotten very good at dealing with drunken idiots."

"Yeah, pretty girls in the city almost always have to." He hefted the box in his arms. "I'd best get this downstairs - but I'll see you soon, right?"

"Absolutely," she replied with a warm smile. "Good luck with the move, Angelo. I hope it all goes smoothly for you."