#musecaravan: finn ilios

[asterigos]

MUSECARAVAN || MARCELLA / FINN

@musecaravan

Marcella was good at one thing and one thing only, and this was not it. It had been a very long time since she’d had to dig up clothing that fell outside of the category of nondescript casual. Still, her hand had instinctively reached for the worn jacket that had some fraying at the hem only to have to remind herself this was not the occasion for that. Business casual was what this position called for. She fidgeted in front of her mirror flatting out invisible wrinkles in clothing she was unaccustomed to wearing. The smooth fabric of the slacks felt slick and roomy to her legs that were used to the confines of jeans, and her torso felt much the same way in an ironed blouse and blazer.

At least she drank blood beforehand. She’d had to force herself to because her twisting stomach was not in the mood, but Marcella knew she’d feel the pangs of hunger later if she didn’t and she wasn’t sure when her next opportunity would be if Finn accepted her application.

Her reflection was that of a stranger. Marcella rolled her eyes. Remember the reward, she reminded herself. Hera had better make good on her word or even her divinity wouldn’t save her from Marcella’s wrath of which she had a boundless amount.

She arrived to see Finn a little early and took the few minutes to force her body to relax as much as she could. There was still a tautness she couldn’t completely rid herself of, but this would have to do. Her mouth curved into a polite, amicable smile, but void of warmth. She did her best to mimic it nonetheless.

“Ms. Ilios, pleasure to meet you,” Her words felt as stiff as she felt, but she attempted to hide this behind a pleasant demeanor. Marcella held out a hand as seemed to still be customary. Some things never changed.

This all felt… Wrong. Never had Marcella felt more foreign in her own skin as she did now. It felt like many lifetimes ago that she was a lawyer introducing herself to coworkers, prospective clients, and people of interest to the cases she took on. But that was the persona she had to adopt now because her usual self wouldn’t cut it at all, and she admittedly was mildly intrigued to see what Finn would be like. It seemed permissible to allow herself this curiosity when the two of them would have to spend a great deal of time together.

“How are you? Thank you for taking the time to talk. I’m eager to discuss the position of your assistant.”

What a fall from grace. She used to be the one vetting chosen candidates to be her own assistant and now she was the one of the hopeful applicants. It was almost shameful – almost. She didn’t have enough pride left in her to feel too embarrassed over the current situation, but rather over how rusty she felt at navigating it.

Marcella saw no reason not to dive in. That and she didn’t know what to say for small talk other than to talk about the weather or some other equally dull topic.

“I do have a question about the live-in aspect of the job.” She forced herself not to react to the thought of it. Time to say farewell to her privacy if she was successful here today.

“What would the living situation be like exactly? Would you be offended if, in the event I were chosen for the position, I were to keep my place anyway?”

She was not about to keep firearms and all other equipment relevant to her true profession where Finn would easily find it.