log: amara and angelo

[x-volcanic.livejournal.com]

Amara has her first day at Elpis, and she and Angelo chat a little about Nova Roma.

Amara had not yet worked out why she was feeling so nervous about her first day at Elpis - it wasn't as if she hadn't visited the offices a few times, or that she was faced with a whole new group of people in which she knew no one. It wasn't even that she hadn't worked in an office before - and let's face it, working for Adrienne should have prepared her for anything, given that she would occasionally have to deal with temperamental models, photographers and designers. But nervous she was, and trying not to show it, her hands twitching a little as she resisted the urge to start biting her nails. If nothing else, one of her friends from college had given her a manicure over the weekend, and they looked far too good to ruin like that. Instead she just clasped them in front of her to stop her from fidgeting, and payed close attention to the explanation Angelo was giving her.

Angelo glanced back at her with a reassuring smile as they came to an empty desk by the window. "So this is where you're going to sit. You can bring in anything you want to personalise it, we're a very informal office." "Thank you," she said with a smile, glancing out the window for a moment. "Thank you for all of this, I do truly appreciate it." "You're welcome." He grinned. "Did you think we'd drop you in at the deep end?"

"It's hard to tell," she replied with a grin of her own. "I had a pretty steep learning curve when I started working for Adrienne. But it was also my first job, so it probably wasn't entirely her fault." "I hear the fashion business's pretty tough, too", he said with a shrug. "It's not like that here. You get stuck on anything, there'll be someone around to help."

"That's true." In the end Amara was able to keep up - but at the same time, she didn't necessarily enjoy it. The work was fine, it was the atmosphere that she hadn't enjoyed so much. "I imagine you're just as busy here, though." Her lips twitched into something of a smile. "And the work is far more important." Which, in the end, was why she'd made the switch.

"Ohhh yeah", he said wryly in response to the 'busy' part. "I can guarantee you'll never be short of something to do. And... yeah, it is. That's why I wanted to focus on it, in the end."

"I don't blame you at all." Amara had yet to figure out exactly what she was going to do with her life, now that she didn't have Nova Roma to go back to. But working here seemed like a pretty good place to at least start, and she'd figure it out as she went along. "I suppose I should actually get to work, now that I'm here."

"If you feel like you've had enough of the tour." He smiled. "So how's things going back in Brazil?"

"I think I know this place pretty well now," she replied. "And from what I've heard, mostly okay. Most of the people who wanted to find their families again have at least made contact, and they're making plans to reunite with them. If they haven't already." Her smile faded for a moment. "There are still people who have chosen to stay in Nova Roma, to try and keep the city going, but I don't think it will. Not after their lifetime, at least."

Angelo nodded quietly. "Doesn't seem likely, unless they can somehow get new people in. Even if they have a few babies, it wouldn't help much."

"Unlikely." She shrugged. "My father's been encouraging everyone to return home, or find a new life. I think he thinks it would be better if Nova Roma died, so Selene could be truly forgotten."

"He might not be wrong. Easier said than done, though, when you've lived one place your whole life - or at least as long as you can remember - and not known much about the outside world. If you want Elpis to keep tabs on the ones that stayed so we can get them out if they change their minds..."

"It's true. It's hard enough to adjust to when I am used to the outside world." Amara smiled. "I think as long as my father is there, he'll take care of everything. He's being pretty stubborn about staying there himself." Something she understood, but at the same time, part of her wished he'd join her in America.

"Until everyone else goes?" Angelo guessed. "You said he wants to leave the place empty, so I don't figure he's interested in keeping the city going."

"Or until everyone dies." She frowned a little at the thought. "As long as there are still people there, he won't leave. I think he thinks he owes to everyone to stay, while there are still people there."

That got a faint smile. "Then let's hope he can talk sense into them before he's the last one left."

"That's what I'm hoping. I've been trying to talk him into moving to New York - I don't know how much he would like it here, but I'd like having him somewhere I didn't have to fly to to see him." She shrugged. "It's a work in progress."

Angelo snorted. "He sounds like my mother. I've been tryin' to get her to move to District X - closer to me and nobody'd spray paint her house there, but she says she won't be driven out."

"Parents." She grinned a little. "If only they'd listen."

"It'd make life so much easier", he agreed, deadpan, then glanced at her desk. "It's probably time I stopped keeping you from your work and went to get on with mine..."

"Possibly," she replied with a grin. "I might feeling guilty about keeping you from yours soon enough." And Amara was conscientious enough to start feeling guilty about standing around chatting for too long. "I promise to come bother you if I need anything. Now scoot." There was an uncharacteristically playful note in Amara's voice with her last words, the suggestion more of a joke than anything else.

He laughed, raising his hands in mock-surrender. "Scooting. I'll come check on you in a few hours."