Love and Other News (Artvandelay576 x EtherealElvenEmpress)

[artvandelay576]

The studio was dark, save for the overhead lighting that was used to illuminate the news desk. A figure in the shadows stood by the camera and held a hand up, fingers falling as the director in the headset counted down, "5...4...3...2...1.... Okay, we're clear everyone. Good show, pretty smooth tonight." Shawn Olson removed his headset and placed it on the camera's stand, dangling from one of the tilt handles. The lights to the studio came on, revealing the mess of cords and cabling that ran from the cameras and monitors to the control room.

Shawn grabbed his rundown and approached the news desk and did the same for the two anchors who were sitting there and removing their microphone packs from their backs. The lead anchor, Jack Selby, handed his mic over to Shawn and loosened his tie, happy to end another evening. "Hey, tell Jim I think my IFB is going out. He was cutting in an out when he was talking to me." Shawn nodded in acknowledgement, "Sure, I'll let him know." He glanced at Jack's co-anchor, Angelique Dancause, as he waited for her to relinquish her own mic to him.

In his short time of working at the station, Shawn noticed how well-liked Angelique was by her coworkers. She never came off as standoffish or condescending. Shawn felt she was a personable woman. She was quite easy on the eyes, which didn't hurt either. He didn't mind working the evening shift until almost midnight, because he was able to work with her.

Shawn had fallen into the job by happenstance. He was a history major at the local university, but as a student, he needed some money for a few expenses. Most of the jobs were during class hours, but Shawn saw a posting in the liberal arts building that read "Production Assistants Needed - No Experience Required, Will Train". Usually, students studying communications or radio and broadcasting would take those jobs as a means of getting experience for a better job in a bigger market. A stepping stone, so to speak. There weren't any specific degree requirements, so he thought why not try? That was six months ago. In that six months, Shawn discovered he really enjoyed the job, but he wasn't enjoying his current path in life. He dropped out of university and started to work at the station full time. It was easy money and, frankly, he was a night person anyway.

Once Angelique handed over her mic to Shawn, he gave her a small smile and sheepishly said to her, "What do you think, a good show tonight? I didn't notice much in terms of discrepancies."

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Most people would be nervous in a studio or talking in front of hundreds or thousands of people, but not Angelique. This job was made for her as she sat in the dark studio hearing the countdown, wearing her beige dress, and her hair framing her face. She was watching the prompter waiting for her lines. She made it through another day and most people be nerve-racking, but as day was coming to an end she could now relax and take a deep breath proud of surviving. Once the count reached one she would reach up and run her fingers through long blonde hair and let out a very happy sigh of relief.


“Great take guys! I am definitely not complaining though. I have to talk to the prompter people. They’re lucky I picked up on that mistake. One wrong word, and I would’ve been totally embarrassed..”Angelique wasn’t mad. She was just happy. She was quick enough to catch any typos before she said them.

take a moment to unwind next to her coanchor she was thinking to herself how she very much needed coffee and for a moment, she zoned out, especially after making sure she didn’t make any mistakes. She gave Jack a nice pat on his back letting him know that he did a great job. Fortunately, she was very well liked by all her staff. She was very friendly and personable, and usually always had a smile. Everyone knew that when she didn’t have her coffee, she was the most cranky person in the morning, but that was the worst someone would say about her and usually people in this business tended to be uptight and a bit snooty, but not Angelique.

She was having a bit of trouble working to get her mic off, but when she did she offered the intern a smile and handed it over. “Great work today thank you for all your help.”she gave him a smile happy to hand off the wiring that she had.“ Only a couple of typos but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’m gonna have to talk to the prompter guy. I mean I don’t wanna get him in trouble. Just let him know to be a bit more careful. Do you know if they have any coffee ready?” she asked before she glanced down his name tag realizing they was. His name is Shawn and was very happy she didn’t butcher. Unfortunately, she was cursed to be amazing with facial recognition, but terrible with names!

 

[artvandelay576]

"Oh, well, you know how typos can be. Fingers move faster than the eyes, a few letters misplaced. But it was flawless. We didn't notice." Shawn took in how perfect the light made Angelique look. She was born to be on television. As Shawn stepped away from the news desk, he glanced at her and said, "Oh um...I think there's a pot made. I'm not a coffee guy, so I'm usually out of the loop on that. I'm more a tea or Monster guy." He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was just after half past eleven, but the team usually had their little post-show meetings to go over things that went wrong, things that could be improved, etc., as well as cleaning up the studio. By the time all of that was done every night, it was midnight.

The crew was gathered in the control room to discuss the shows over the course of the evening. The director looked at his notes for points he wanted to bring up; a late button push from the audio board, making Angelique quiet as she read from the prompter for about three seconds; the wrong video played over an unrelated story. Things that shouldn't happen, but are small enough they can be managed without much of a derailing. As their meeting was coming to an end, Jack was already working on things for the next evening, sitting at his desk and typing up information he had on a story. He glanced at Angelique, "You wanna get out of here in a bit and grab a late bite?" Jack was notorious for being a flirt with the women of the station. There was a rumor among the production crew he had slept with a couple of the reporters in the past, a sort of workplace fling. Angelique was someone he hadn't been too flirty with. He saw her as more than just the mere reporters were, but he still had his desire to have her.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

“That’s true. I can’t get too angry, but what if I messed up? I’m glad I didn’t but you’re right water under the bridge. We’re only human.”most anchors would get angry at the typo and here she was just rolling with it. There was no need to get mad. She already finished the broadcast but the moment she had a coffee, he could see the twinkle in her green eyes. “Fresh pot? Say less. I need a massive cup. I don’t mind tea or monster but I need a hell or a lot of caffeine to deal with some people.” there was going to be no name dropping, but most people could probably figure out a good amount of the anchor as were dramatic and could be catty and she was just trying to survive the day.

When Shawn glanced at the clock, so did she, knowing that she had to deal with a meeting. It was necessary evil, but she gave him a nice polite smile, and a little wave since he was one of the few people who are nice to her just in general without being flirtatious and treating her like a normal person and looking at her in the eyes.“Good luck. I’m off to deal with the wolves.” She whispered just to him before she would make her way to the anchor room to get the rundown.

Once in the room, she was taking notes and trying to figure out anything she needed to improve or work on and for her, there was always something to improve. Though instead of getting peace, Jack, her coanchor decided to mention getting a bite to eat, and she wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. “Food is good, but as much as I appreciate it. I have a full plate and I have to work on the new segment I’ve gotten. I can’t believe they want me to do fashion! I’m not really good at it …and unless getting food required staying here and getting Uber eats… rain check?” She was being extremely polite. There is also the fact that she heard rumors about him and as much as she liked having his attention, she didn’t want to be a part of a set of rumors or a statistic that could ruin her skyrocketing career right now, so maybe if she politely declined. He would get the hint maybe?

 

[artvandelay576]

Jack wouldn't push the issue. He knew Angelique wouldn't be as easy as the eager reporter girls were. They were younger and fresh out of school and wanting to prove themselves to those higher on the ladder. Of course, that was in any workplace, or at least any white collar, office job. Jack's intentions were never nefarious in the sense he made any promises and never delivered. He was just a typical horny professional. "Oh, yeah...sure, some other time. But if you change your mind...." After a few more minutes, Jack saved his work and shut off his computer, standing as he grabbed his jacket and started to head out of the studio.

The office was quiet now. Most of the crew had gone home to get some sleep, others stood outside to chat before parting ways. As Angelique worked, Shawn came into the office, looking around the cubicles. He noticed her sitting there, his eyes glancing towards her, then looking away as he appeared to be looking for something. He slowly made his way closer to Angelique's desk. "Did you get some coffee?", he asked, trying to fill the dead air. "Say, um...have you seen a book around here? Kind of thick, has post-it notes in it and pages marked up with pen? Says 'Gettysburg' on the cover...." Though Shawn was no longer a student at the university, he was still a history nerd at heart. He knew his book couldn't have been in the office area of the station. He never came in there. It was probably in the control room when he had his turn on the graphics computer earlier in the evening, but he thought it would be a nice excuse to talk to Angelique again in a way that wasn't work related.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

“I’ll think about it. I got so much on my plate right now as I’m sure you do.” she made a comment figuring he was busy as well. She had just gotten offered her own segment and to work on fashion week, which was very big for her and she couldn’t risk messing up. It felt like she had to work 1000 times harder in this field just because she was pretty and people thought that was why she got promotions to be honest that was how most got their promotions except here she was working her ass off to get where she was. Jack was not bad looking. She just couldn’t afford to be distracted at this moment, especially when a promotion could be waiting in the wings!

Choosing to stay back, she was looking over paperwork and possible events that she would be joining other anchors as a cohost with, and if she were lucky, she can get a morning segment, and that meant a lot of screen time and less sleep.

Her focus was on her papers, though when she heard her voice asking about coffee, she looked up then at her empty mug. “I did. Probably not enough coffee and maybe I didn’t need it, but I have a lot to do and not enough time to do it in. Why are you still here? I thought you’re heading off too. I think there’s a group going to a bar for a couple of drinks….” she was rambling on until he mentioned a book with a lot of Post-it notes that said Gettysburg and she stopped a thing for a moment before pointing over to a desk in a far corner. “I don’t know if it’s your book, but there are a pile of books, notes annd forgotten things over there. There’s all sort of things lying around here. Try not to lose it. Trust me. I’ve lost a lot of hair brushes and make up around here. I swear this building eats things.”now she was making small talk since it did feel the silence and distract her from what she was looking at which was her notes covered in red ink pointing out things she could fix or improve. “So are you only here for the night shift or are you stuck on morning as well? Because guess who has two thumbs and has The Morning Show?”she would drop what she was doing with the notes lift up both hands and use both thumbs the point in her face and gave a weak smile that was full of nervousness and a bit of panic, but she was trying to see the silver lining in this cloud or maybe she just needed more coffee.