Press Conference # 8

[digitalariel]

"Excuse me, Quora, can you tell us why Mr. Flynn has avoided almost all public appearances since taking over Encom?"

Quorra forced a smile, her unusually white teeth gleaming towards the sea of reporters and photographers. Even after seven press conferences in the past eight months, the public was still calmoring to know anything and everything

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[changedthegame]

Sam smiled to himself while he listened to the conference. He couldn't quite make out the questions from the press, but Quorra's answers told him all he needed to know. They tended to ask the same questions again and again anyway. Eight press conferences since he'd taken control of Encom, and each one went the same way. He could almost predict their questions now. It actually got to the point where it had become somewhat of a game. He needed something to amuse himself while he waited for Quorra, after all

i love you so much <3 <3 <3

[digitalariel]

Quorra lifted her head to rest on his shoulder and smiled in a weary sort of way. "They're long and exhausting," she admitted. "But it's me everyone wants to hear about, isn't it? I don't mind."

In all honesty, the attention wasn't nearly as flattering as it had been. She was growing tired of it. Yes, she was the only one of her kind, but she wished she could have a little more freedom from the press. They were beginning to stalk her.

"Pizza and movie night?" she asked hopefully. "Or can we go out?"

because of or in spite of my fail? ♥♥ i love you too~

[changedthegame]

Sam wasn't so good at reading people, but even he could tell that all the attention was starting to get to Quorra. "Yeah, it is you they all want to hear about. You're something new and exciting and interesting, no matter how long it's been. They'll always think you're new and exciting and interesting because-" Because she was the only one. He had trouble saying that out loud. He didn't think that would ever change. Talking about it when she mentioned was different.

"Depends. What do you want to do for dinner? Stay in, or go out?"

both, of course! (cozy)

[digitalariel]

Her arms tightened around his waist slightly. "I know," she said softly. "I understand. I just wish..." She stopped herself, shaking her head. "Nevermind."

Quorra thought about it for a moment. She'd had quite enough attention for one day, and going out in public risked being followed. Besides, as exhausted as she was, she honestly just wanted to curl up with Sam somewhere safe where neither of them would feel uncomfortable expressing their emotions about each other. It was best keeping their relationship quiet from the press; that was the way they both liked it.

"Let's stay in."

well, in that case! (cozy)

[changedthegame]

Sam put his hand on Quorra's arm before finally driving out of the alleyway. He wanted to ask her to continue her thought, but decided that she probably had enough of the personal, bordering on intrusive questions for now. She never seemed to mind his questions, from what he could tell, but he still wanted to give her a chance to recover from the onslaught questions.

He couldn't be happier when she suggested they stay in. Sam much preferred it. They both drew quite a bit of attention in their own right - though Quorra, much more than Sam - but together, they drew a great deal more as people tried to connect dots and fill in their own blanks, when it came to the relationship between Sam and Quorra. It would eventually get a little more manageable, but until then...

"Pizza and a movie it is," he called over his shoulder.

[digitalariel]

If he had asked her to continue her thought, Quorra didn't even know what she might have said. Everything was all so confused; the press conference really hadn't helped anything. She ducked her face back into his jacket, closing her eyes as the wind whipped around her short hair. She shivered slightly.

She would have tried to respond, but she doubted he would have heard her. The wind was too loud to hear anything, really, just the rumble of traffic and the sound of Sam's heartbeat.

[changedthegame]

Driving to the house they'd moved into since Sam started at Encom was a little disappointing from time to time. Living amongst humanity again just felt so strange. He'd spent so long living in that garage on the waterfront, under the train bridge. It had been perfect for just Marv and him but it wasn't exactly fit for a second person. After so long in such a small place, though, the house felt a little huge. A little daunting at times, even. He just hoped that he didn't come off as anxious to Quorra, though.

It was only a short time before they pulled up to a respectable house. It was still pretty out of the way, but much less so than where he used to live. Being part of society was the only thing he refused to jump into with both feet. He hit a button on the bike to open the garage door and pulled inside before shutting the bike off and closing the door. "We're home."

[digitalariel]

Quorra slid easily off the bike, stretching out the kinks in her back and yawning a little. It had been a very long day. Luckily she didn't really think much of dressing up for any occasion, so she had no reason to go and get dressed into something more suitable for frivolous affairs. Her simple clingy top, cut nearly the same as the one she wore in the Grid, accented by her black jeans and boots that came up to her shin, were typical attire for every occasion.

She sighed in some relief as she stepped inside, wasting no time in collapsing on the couch and flinging off her boots across the room.

[changedthegame]

Sam was on his cell phone even before he got into the house. Ordering the usual from their usual pizza place. Those people had stopped being quite so starstruck by Quorra, so there was no point in changing a good thing. He sat next to Quorra on the couch and set the cell phone to 'vibrate' as soon as he was finished with his call. He didn't often take his calls once he got home, but he liked knowing that he was getting them. He even returned the important ones. But for now, he just tossed the phone onto the recliner next to the couch. Then he pulled off his jacket and got comfortable.

Sam rested his arms on the back of the couch, and tilted his head back, closing his eyes. He was exhausted. Just another reason why he was glad that Quorra'd chosen for them to stay in. Quorra was right. He was a busy man with a big company to run, and every so often, it really took it's toll on him. He opened just one eye and then leaned to the side a little, resting his head on Quorra's shoulder. "Twenty minutes. Like usual."

[digitalariel]

Quorra curled up against him, sighing softly. It was good to be home, to just relax and not worry or think about what she was going to say or do next. It was just going to be a nice, comfortable night enjoying pizza and a movie with Sam.

"Great," she replied, stifling a yawn. "How was work?"

[changedthegame]

Sam let his arm slip off the back of the couch to settle around Quorra's shoulders. His eyes closed again and sighed deeply. Work. He hated talking about work. Almost as much as he hated being there sometimes. The whole thing just made him so... tired. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand. He'd been at Encom for months, now, yet there were still people screwing around with him and trying to drive him out. Encom had stopped making as much money as it used to, with Sam at the helm. He only wanted to make enough money to keep the company running, and he wanted the money to pay his employees. He wasn't as concerned about the big payout as they were, and they hated it. Sometimes he just felt like walking out the door and never looking back, but that would be allowing them to win, and Sam wasn't about to do that

[digitalariel]

Quorra hated how tired he sounded. His job took so much out of him, more than it ought to. Or so she thought, but then again, she knew relatively little about work. She did occasionally go to Encom with him as a part-time personal assistant and something of a PR, but she still hadn't spent enough time there to know how it should really work.

"They still aren't taking well to you running the company?" she asked shrewdly, idly tracing circles on his chest with her fingers. "You would think by now they'd have figured things out."

Quorra laughed softly. She knew how likely that was. "Don't bother, I know you hate them. I don't mind. It's me they want to talk to anyway."

[changedthegame]

In all honesty, Sam probably was more tired than he should be but it wasn't all work related. Not sleeping well at home was a big issue there. Between thinking about work and everything else, and dreaming of his father's death, sleep wasn't something that generally came too easily to him. Despite everything, he was managing without the sleep.

"They gave it a rest for a while, which meant that they were going to be at it again sooner or later. Besides, we're in development of a new operating system and they all think that we're going to lose money on it because of me. I may not be the business man they want me to be, but I'm not as terrible as they think I am, either."

Sam sat up a little and looked down, simply watching her fingers on his chest for a few long, quiet moments. "They want to know about you, yet they just keep asking the same questions over and over again." And they pry into her personal life. He hated that. That was not asking questions about her, as an ISO.

[digitalariel]

Quorra watched him as he spoke, sighing a little. There was nothing for it. The User world was giving them both problems and it was a lot to handle.

"You've got the company to handle, and I've got the press. It's nothing I can't do," she said softly.

Then she voiced it, the idea she'd been thinking about for days, months, almost this entire year now.

"Maybe we should visit the Grid."

[changedthegame]

That was something that Sam hadn't thought about for a while, but when he did think about it, it was all he could think about. Going back and just escaping for a while. Seeing what had changed since they were last there. Seeing if maybe, somehow, his father had survived the reintegration. He had serious doubts, but he still wondered. How long had it even been? He pulled the mircochip from inside his shirt - the one that was on a chain around his neck, so he could keep it with him all the time. It had the Grid stored on it, after all - and looked it over. He sometimes forgot that Quorra wasn't home, like he was. She'd left her home and everything she knew, behind. She was from a different world, entirely.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe we should."

[digitalariel]

Quorra's lips parted in a soft gasp as she saw the microchip, unable to help herself. Her fingers stretched out to touch it lightly. A powerful ache rose in her and now she wanted to go home more than anything.

"Can we please?"

All thoughts of the pizza on the way vanished. She wanted to go back into the Grid now.