forum Closed OxO with @emilyevewrites

Started December 06, 2022 by Deleted user

tune

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@emilyevewrites here we are!

Thank you! Do you want to start, or should I?

Idk lol, maybe it would be easier if the secretary started

Sounds good! One moment :)

Alrighty!

Anna strolled through the park on her way to work. The sun was already warming the air, and on beautiful days like this, she preferred to take the longer, scenic route to clear everything from her mind before she reached the office.

Her heels clicked as she strode through the park, passing by the fountain. She sighed and tucked her honey-colored hair behind her ear before crossing the street to the building her firm owned, opening the door, and heading to her office.

She continued down the hall and pulled open the door to her boss's office. "Hello, Mr. Yuuhi," she greeted, hanging her coat on the back of her chair, and smoothing her dress to take a seat behind her desk in the corner of his office. She logged in to her computer with a quick series of clicks.

"Ack, what have I told you about calling me Mr. Yuuhi? Makes me sound old!" Jariah calls back, his statement followed by a booming laugh.

"I know you stayed late, by the way. Go home a few hours early today. I'll take care of whatever you don't finish." he says kindly, leaning out of his office to look at Anna.

Anna looked up at him and grinned. “I’m sorry,” she replied easily. “It’s a habit by now. You should have corrected me sooner.”

Her lithe fingers tapped the keys, beginning to bring up some of the files and spreadsheets that she was working on last night when his remark stopped her. She looked up at him and froze, worried for the briefest moment that she would be in trouble, but his words quickly soothed her fears.

“It’s alright,” she said easily. “I don’t mind it. The work needed to be done, so I did it.”

"Ah, you're right, but that doesn't mean I can't try and break that habit." Jariah chuckles.

He shakes his head.

"It's an order, Anna." he replies, smiling slightly.

Anna pressed her lips together. She looked for a moment like she wanted to argue before she thought better of it.

“Alright,” she replied, offering a small smile.

Jariah nods.

"Now, there's been a few phone calls screaming at me. I've dealt with them, but just letting you know there'll possibly be more later. I'll do my best to field them, but I'll let you deal with whatever else is left. Well, besides the memos."

Anna nodded while she listened. “Sounds lovely,” she remarked. “I’m glad you’ve saved some of the fun for me. The memos are nearly finished. I stayed as late as I could to work on them, but I left because I almost fell asleep on my keyboard.” She blushed a bit, embarrassed that she’d mentioned it.

"Oh, I know about the memos, which is why I'll be finishing what's left of them. And as for falling asleep on your keyboard? You need more hobbies than just work. I'll close down shop for the day once you're done here. Of course, all of you will still get full pay." Jariah replies, explaining his plans.

"After work, we're going to get you something fun to do."

Anna immediately started shaking her head at the mention of him finishing her work. “You don’t have to do that. I can finish the memos. It’s no problem, truly. I can send them to you for copyediting and distribution once I’m finished.”

She laughed quietly. “I do more than just work, I swear.” But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Jariah was right. “But what do you have in mind?”

"It'll be fine. Just send the ones you've finished along as well, I'll deal with the rest of it. You'll still have plenty to do after that, I promise." Jariah laughs.

"I've gotten progress reports at three in the morning pretty consistantly, Anna. If you have any other hobbies, you're not leaving time for them." he sighs. "As for what I have in mind, I was thinking maybe taking you to a crafts store or something. Get you drawing materials, or start you on jewelry making."

Anna sighed quietly, but she opened a blank email and copied the memo documents into it. “Alright, I sent it,” she admitted. “I can work on the quarterlies if you want.”

At his remarks, she was a bit surprised. Three in the morning? Has it really been that late? She pursed her lips and nodded. “Fine,” she relented. “But I do other things. Not often, but I do.”

"Thanks. And sure, but again, after your day is done, you aren't dealing with any more work stuff." he nods. "By the way, I'd like you to talk to Eric. He has a report to write and I want to know if he needs help with anything."

"Like what?" he chuckles, genuinely curious.

Anna couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “You’re officially the most difficult person I’ve ever met,” she said, amused exasperation in her tone. She nodded and picked up a pen to jot down a note to help Eric with a report later.

She opened her lips, but then she hesitated. What did she do in her spare time?

“Reading,” she finally answered. “And research. I like knowing things.”

"Ehhhh, but you still like talking to me. As a matter of fact, I'd wager you enjoy my company! Even despite my supposed difficultness, you're still working here." Jariah teases.

"Reading? Like what?" he smiles, sliding out of his office, having to duck his head to avoid the doorframe.

“I never said I ‘liked’ talking to you,” Anna retorted with a smirk. “Your company is quite infuriating, for the record!” But teasing aside, Anna did enjoy working for Jariah. There had certainly been more people she didn’t like working for.

“Research,” she repeated, shifting back in her chair as he came out of his office. “Nonfiction. I enjoy learning about things. I understand I can’t know everything, but I want to know enough.”

"And yet you smile whenever we talk!" Jariah laughs. "But it helps people! As a matter of fact, we're number one in the city, without manipulating people into taking deals they can't afford."

"Research, huh? On what topics, or just any? If it's just any, read the Pschology of Stupidity. I've heard good things about it." he smiles, kneeling so that he could look directly at Anna.

Anna shook her head with a smile. “I meant your personal company,” she amended, motioning to Jariah as a whole. “It’s infuriating, truly.”

“Anything,” she answered. “Honestly anything of particular interest. The title has me hooked already. I’d be interested in the content.”

She blinked quickly for a moment as he knelt beside her. He was much taller than she was, so it felt comforting, albeit odd, to meet him at eye-level.

"I'm a nice person! There's no way to find me infuriating!" Jariah snickers; there was a lot of human to motion at.

"Hm. Also read some Shakespeare. It isn't nonfiction, but it's good." he adds.

Anna couldn’t help that her grin had nearly molded itself in place. “Yes, there is,” she countered easily. “Plenty of ways!” But after that, she was willing to let the conversation drop.

Her eyes lit up with interest. “I have read Shakespeare before,” she remarked. “‘If it be love indeed, tell me how much.’” She chose one of the opening and most memorable lines from Antony and Cleopatra, not even pausing to think of its implications.

Jariah would not drop the conversation until he got an admittance that she did not, in fact, find him infuriating. "There's really not!"

He raises an eyebrow.

"'Is 't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?'" he quotes back, from Much Ado About Nothing.