shelley_winters | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's raining.

Although that really doesn't do it justice, Shelley thinks wildly, running through the downpour, already soaking wet, and shivering in the wind. It had been warm this morning.

Bloody England.

She drops her keys twice as she fumbles to open the door before splashing inside, socks squishing in her shoes.

This is not a happy Shelley.

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Elan frowned but continued eating for a moment. This was very odd. Uneasily, he replied after a time.

"...I see."

After another moment, he inquired of her to continue the conversation.

"How was your day at work?"

"All right."

She'd found it hard to concentrate, but that's nothing new, these days. She examines a piece of pepper meditatively.

"Boring, more than anything, at the moment."

Elan nodded calmly, and took a bite of his food. Being interested in her interests was an effective means of relationship building.

"As an administrative assistant, what do you actually do? I am sure that it is different than what I am familiar with."

Shelley shrugs slightly, poking at her rice.

"Depends. Sometimes look after official visitors, organise trips and visits. Also just secretary-ish things - filing, keeping Mr. Mayor filled in on things he should know, on a slow day."

It is possibly good for all concerned that Elan has not, and never will see the movie Secretary.

Elan nodded calmly and sipped his water. That was not all that different from what was normal in the Second Age.

"Ah, much like Vashti did, then."

"Similar. It's more public, and not for the cause of evil."

Shelley sips her water, eyes almost daring him to contradict her.

Elan nodded, seemingly unperturbed by her accusation. The Second Age had a world government and so autonomous governments were not really a concept he was familiar with, even the Shadow was unified under his rule.

"You said that you arrange official visits. Of what sort are they, usually?"

Shelley shrugs again.

"From other towns, or countries. Or going to other places, or to give speeches. That sort of thing."

Elan sipped his ice water, and paused after he made an affirmative reply. It was rather odd for her to be conversing with him so readily, often it was like using Compulsion on her to gain conversation.

"Ah."

It is a product of Shelley's determination that he isn't going to rule her life, now he seems to have lost the Power. Terrified she might be, but she can get over that.

And eventually, he'll be nothing more than someone who stays around because he has nowhere else to go, and she can get on with life.

That's the hope.

Because if she can't stop reacting to him, it's just as if she was in the Second Age again, only here she has to pretend everything's fine.

She stares down into her glass, apparently forgetting the meal.

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