ɢᴀʟᴇ (traps) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-04-07 08:53:00 |
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Elsa had been receiving some wonderful reports about everything Gale turned his hand to. He was a valuable asset and everybody adored him, even the grumpy old receptionist who didn’t like anybody gave him a nod and a lip tilt every morning. It made her wonder if keeping him as her personal assistant was doing him a disservice, maybe he would like to get his teeth into more meatier projects. So she had decided to ask him, he would respect any decision he made even if she would feel lost without him now. When the Elsa of Arendelle Network (the same Elsa who also happened to be your boss) summoned you to her office, you went. She was very queenly and carried a presence about her that Gale had always respected every since he first met her - but beyond that, she was also his friend. He wasn’t nervous when he went to see her, not really, but he was sort of wondering what the impromptu meeting was all about. The lunch (and cupcake) order for a big board meeting today at two had been taken care of, he’d scheduled a few other appearances and interviews for her, and was just finishing up with a few reports about the stats from the hits on her Twitter page when she called him in. He knocked once on the door, then opened it carefully, peeking around the edge. There was a smile on his face, timberwolf eyes curious. “You wanted to see me, boss lady?” She wasn’t going to fire him, right? He’d never screwed up a coffee order, not even once. Elsa didn’t try to be ‘queenly’ or anything but she perhaps did carry herself differently since the dreams. Though she always tried not to be as frosty as her dream self, she was a friendly person or she rather hoped she was. She tried to come across that way. “I did thanks Gale come on in and sit down” she said with a bright smile, it was nice to be working with her friend. She appreciated him a lot both as employer and friend, he was a great guy and she was glad they worked together so well. Sometimes it could be hard to work with someone you were close to but they seemed to have found a good middle ground at work. “Nothing to worry about I promise, I just wanted to let you know how brilliantly everybody is saying you’re doing with the social media” “Really?” Gale hadn’t been expecting that, but he couldn’t help feeling proud at the praise - he’d worked hard on that project, wanting to put Elsa’s best virtual face forward, and get her connecting with all sorts of people. The general public, people who tuned in to the network daily - it was good to reach out like that, in his view. He settled in the chair by her desk, managing to fit all 6’3 of him in there relatively comfortably. Gale could also be an intimidating presence, so maybe that helped too - he guarded Elsa, in a sense. She was beautiful, and a public figure, so that meant a vigilant watch was kept. “Well, I’m having fun with it too. I think people really like seeing your Twitter updates,” he grinned. Or the updates that her communication and marketing staff wrote up, but you know. Elsa checked her fanmail when she could, she was a busy lady! Elsa did try to keep up with everything but it was easier to read the cliff notes version than everything that came her way, it was a lot more work running a network than she had assumed even with the help of a board of directors. But thanks to Gale she did have more of a connection with the viewers which was helping the ratings too. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it, I think the marketing team would like to have you full time” she told him, before taking a breath, “Would you like that? I feel a bit like I’m holding you back from your full potential and while I would struggle without you I want you to be honest” she said twirling the end of her hair in habit when she was thinking or worried. Wow. Wow. Gale just about was skyrocketed out of that chair but managed to keep ahold of himself. Somehow. “You want....I mean, you want me to join the marketing team?” he asked, just to make sure he heard correctly. All those people were on the fancier side of things - they all had actual degrees and everything; Gale was just a soldier good at following orders, looking grumpy to chase weirdos away, and strategy. Well. There was that strategy thing - he’d helped plan a war in his dreams, coming up with some of the most effective ideas and some of those skills could apply to marketing, so maybe it made sense that he had a knack for it. “I’d love to. Wherever you think I fit best, you know? I just like working for you. Being here, and being able to contribute.” Elsa laughed kindly at his reaction, “I take it you would be interested then?” she asked him, in all honesty she thought he was only a few months away from running the social networking team himself. Gale was very good with strategy, he saw things clearly and was able to anticipate things. He had a very good head for it all. “I think you could fit anywhere Gale” she told him honestly, “And while I would hate to lose you as my PA if you would like the opportunity then it is there for you” Of course the benefits would also include an increased salary and more regular hours than the ones he sometimes kept now because of her tendency to do the morning or evening forecast depending on her day. “Yeah, definitely interested,” Gale basically leapt on the offer. He hadn’t been expecting anything like this when he first signed on to work as Elsa’s assistant, but he’d be an idiot to turn it down. “What do I need to do, sign anything in blood?” That was a joke, really. “And do you want me to move my desk also?” he asked. The one he had now was near Elsa’s, sort of facing her office, but he didn’t spend a lot of time there since he was on the go for a lot of his workday. Or down with the marketing staff - but since he’d be working with them more closely now, he wouldn’t have to bop back and forth like a ping-pong ball, which was nice. “No I don’t need blood” Elsa told him with a smile, feeling a mixture of sadness and pride and happiness for him all at once. “And you already have a desk waiting for you in marketing, it’s bigger than your old one” she added with a wink. “You’re going to do so well there Gale, thank you for everything. You have been the best PA ever, honestly” It wasn’t like she was never seeing him again, she had weekly meetings with the team after all but things would change now. Shit, a bigger desk and everything? It was like he’d hit the work lottery - Gale couldn’t wait to tell Leliana, she’d be so proud of him. They’d have to celebrate when the news was revealed. “That sounds great, I just...thanks, Elsa,” he was still a little floored, but really grateful for everything she’d done for him. Especially by giving a chance as her PA, when he was in a tough spot and sort of career transitioning after the realization that he couldn’t keep doing what he was doing - not if he wanted to live, and he didn’t want to keep hurting the people he cared for with all the secrecy either. “And I’m still here for you, first and foremost,” he added. “Just because you’re one of my best friends.” He wanted to make sure she knew that. In his dreams, he had gotten the ‘fancy’ job when it was all said and done - but he’d also ended up alone. Here, it was the best of both worlds. Leliana should be very proud of him, he had worked hard and done more than had been asked of him and Elsa didn’t see why that shouldn’t be rewarded. It was good for him and the business as far as she was concerned. “You’re welcome, though you’ve done all the hard work. You are amazing Gale, and I’m so glad we get to keep hold of you” she grinned. He’d found a strength that didn’t hurt his friends and family which was rather brilliant. “Thank you. I plan on making you have lunch with me so I can keep up with everything going on in your life” she warned him, “And because I’ll miss you if I don’t” she added honestly, he had been on of the first people she had befriended when she had moved back here and as such held a special place in her heart. “Oh, yeah, definitely,” he grinned - special lunches with Elsa most definitely had to be on the agenda; Gale would pencil himself in a couple days a week, when she wasn’t too swamped with work. Today lunch was going to be in the form of a meeting, and he would run to the deli he’d ordered sandwich platters and things from, to pick up the food and have it ready - this happened often; when you fed people, it usually kept them in better moods for those meetings too. He remembered their first meeting, he and Elsa - building a snow fort, right in front of this very building. Just look at how far they’d come since then. “I guess I can start next week, officially, if that works?” he asked. “It’ll give me a chance to settle everything I have going on as your PA, and not leave anything hanging.” Elsa grinned back, glad he was so happy. He deserved to be, her sadness at losing him as her PA was soon outweighed with pride and joy at seeing him so happy. She knew he’d be a wonder in the marketing team and most definitely had him earmarked to lead the team when the chance presented itself. Building that snow fort was still one of her fondest memories, who would have guessed from such an encounter that they would be where they were now. “That would be good” she nodded, “I’ll let your new team know and I guess I’ll need to start looking for a new PA too. I might steal you back for interviews when I come across any potentials” “Sounds great to me. I’m good at interviewing and putting people on the spot - you want to weed out the weak ones right away,” Gale teased - he was partly kidding, but it was also true in a sense. Working as someone’s personal assistant was an important job. It meant that person basically trusted you with their professional life and you had to be organized, among other things. A spine dipped in steel also helped. Besides, he also wanted the best for Elsa. No shoddy workers here at Arendelle Network. “Anything else you need from me right now, boss lady?” Elsa grinned, “I knew you’d be the perfect one to help me” she said, she wasn’t a pushover but finding someone who even came close to Gale would be a challenge. One she didn’t want to tackle alone. “Nope, that was it” she told him moving to give him a brief hug, “Thank you so much Gale” she said with a smile, “Now let’s get back to work” |