But I'm not alive until you call

[milieus]

Who| Jennifer Blackwood & Open
What| Open office hours with your friendly neighborhood Capitol liaison.
Where| Jennifer's office at the Tribute Center.
When| After the mini-arena.
Warnings/Notes| ???

Jennifer's office is tastefully appointed and kept tidy as always, with fresh red roses in a vase on her desk, placed beside the framed photograph of her husband, Arturas. The stack of files on her desk are kept in a neat pile, with Punchy's file sitting plainly at the top. It's clear that she's been quite busy, updating, reorganizing, keeping on top of the changes around the Tribute Center.

But Jennifer isn't in at the moment. She's been called out briefly, but is expected to return at any moment. The Avoxes that tend to her needs indicate that any visitors she may have should wait for her in the office at one of the chairs adjacent to her desk. One Avox arrives with a tray of tea, another with some light snacks, though they soon depart, leaving the guest alone for a minute or so before Jennifer's arrival.

Comments

[perfectus]

"I--" He struggled, searching for the right words. It was suddenly difficult to simply agree. It all suddenly seemed a lot more complicated than just shuffling a few foreigners from one corner of the Capitol to another and getting them a few endorsements. That he could do easily, or relatively easily anyway. This seemed more like a commitment. This would take thought.

Cal wasn't always the best with stuff like commitment and thought.

It took him a few more seconds, but in that time he managed to avoid stammering awkwardly, and even clean himself up a bit. By the time he met Jennifer's eyes again, he was composed. Ish.

"Yeah-- Yeah. I got this, Jenny." He said, with only half-feigned confidence. "Count on me." Commitment was scary, no doubt, but challenges he could do all day. After all, what was the point of being alive if you weren't actively challenging yourself?

[milieus]

Her voice was steady, her gaze conveying more confidence than he seemed to have at that moment. "I am counting on you. I need you by my side. I need you to help me. I can't do all of this on my own, and I must have you with me." She took hold of his hands again, squeezing them once firmly before letting go. "Don't let them defeat you. You're better than that. I know you are."

[perfectus]

There was a sincerity to her touch, real or projected, that seemed to have an affect on him. Cal swelled under her gaze, picking himself up slightly, moving to stand a little bit straighter. "Yeah, I am."

Abruptly, he became aware of how close they were standing, how intimate and revealing this production had been, and how vulnerably he had portrayed himself. Abruptly, with a knot in his otherwise perfect brow, Calendius resumed his posturing.

"Yeah. Thanks, Jenny." He smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. It was just as well, they wrinkled too much when he smiled. Better she notice the gleaming white of his teeth. "You're great, you know. Bet you get that all the time."

[milieus]

"Not as often as I should." Her smiled slowly faded, and with that she felt it was appropriate to release him. To release her hold on him, anyway, lest he get too attached and start thinking of her as a second mother. She only had three years on him, really. And she hardly wanted to mother Cal. No. Not at all.

Jennifer continued, settling back into her chair, "You're going to do much better now, aren't you? Do better than that. Be better than that, Cal. We're the examples and they will follow us or fall by the wayside. You're far too exceptional to be ignored, and so am I."

What a wicked pair they could make, with her scheming and his unwavering loyalty. Oh, the things they could accomplish together. Jennifer had to wonder, had to hope that there would be room for a man like Calendius in the future she had in mind. She had visions of what the world could be like if she ran it. Enlightenment, expanded liberty, with the educated elite leading the way. She would be the empress come bearing freedom, and Cal would be... what would Cal be? Her soldier. Yes. Every queen needs a knight, and he would be hers.

And Arturas would be her... Well, he could still be her king. It wasn't as though any of it mattered anyway. It was all in her head. But it was so nice to pretend and imagine all the what-ifs. If she wanted to, she could get lost in all the what-ifs of her mind.

[perfectus]

Exceptional. That was a word he didn't mind hearing, particularly from her. He smiled again, this time allowing the expression to betray the lines around his eyes. There was nothing in his head about knights and queens, or political aspirations, he was just happy to be there, working for a District 2 victory. He would do everything in his power to get it, and if his efforts occasionally earned him her favor, well, so much the better for it. He liked Jenny.

"Yeah. We have to lead by example." He nodded quickly, the gelled spikes in his hair bouncing ever so slightly with the movement. "I don't want to promise any of them anything, but I can try and help them and show them how it's done. What they can do."

[milieus]

Jennifer didn't smile, but she did nod. He'd caught on, and what's more, he would be obedient. If only she could cultivate such beneficial relationships with all of her escorts. Life would certainly be a lot more manageable in the tower if everyone were as malleable as Calendius. But she would take what little strides she could.

"That's right. And I want to see more of that smile, Cal." She finally deigned to smile at him, mouth closed. "Now, is there anything else I can help you with today?"