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Alexis didn't feel like s**t, surprisingly enough, and even more surprisingly they looked completely fine. The morning was their time, their time to come alive and to hate other people a little less -- volunteers were...there was good in the world. People weren't all bad. Working the morning shift, even though it was just volunteer hours -- that was okay. That was...that was good.

So they perked up at the desk, blinked their left eye to get what might-have-been sleep clouds and might-have-been blindness out of it -- a few blinks cleared what could be cleared -- and smiled at the woman, showing no teeth. Nonthreatening! Probably! Hopefully nonthreatening. Interact with people like the normal-human-being they were being trusted to be. "Actually, we have orientations once a month - you just missed the one this month - but, uh, we got a mailin' list. You got an email? It'll notify you when 's around time for the orientation."

"Just your luck," Alexis deadpanned back, no bothering to smile. "Too many mailin' lists? Happens to everyone." The optimism wasn't bad -- it reminded them of a friend they'd had once, blonde and extravagant -- and this early in the morning, when Alexis' companions were usually a cup of already-cold coffee and a doorbell -- this could work.

"Jus' a second --" they pulled out a stack of sticky notes and a pen, scribbling it down. "Uh, Vespertine? Howzat spelled? ...******** it -" the notepad + pen was passed across the desk to her - "can you write it?" There was no recognition in their eyes -- they hadn't heard of her reputation, or if Alexis had, they certainly didn't show it. (If they had heard, they'd be jealous, honestly -- that sort of social skill would be defter than they knew.) "You can take a look around, yeah, but I've got to walk with you. That fine?"

Alexis offered a very slight smile in return. The enthusiasm was a little bit...well. It was a little bit awkward to return at all, but -- this was a new town. A new place. They needed to be friendly if they wanted to make it around. College students were generally good people to know, after all.

"Been 'here' long, like -- this job or this city? 'Bout a month for the first, maybe two and a half for the latter. Needed a change of pace." The way Alexis grimaced implied that wasn't all there was to it, but I wanted to get away from literally everyone I knew was a terrible way to open up a conversation. "Animals like me -- I figured even though 's not a payin' job, I'm doin' something, at least."

"Ah, yeah -" They stood up, shoving the chair back. "I've kinda been with animals my entire life, just works out that way...I like dogs best, personally? But, y'know, all dogs are different. If you've never had an animal before, cat might be better? They're easier to take care of -- don't obviously require as much attention. Dogs, you need to always babysit! But cats aren't like that." Alexis' smile grew soft as they talked, but even more genuine.

This was clearly a topic they really cared about, compared to the banal pleasantries. And it had to have been why they'd been hired on (well, it was volunteer work, but really it was close enough) to be the front desk.

"You don't," Alexis shrugged. "If a cat wants ta be readable, it'll try and teach you. Don't feel like you gotta adopt anything straight away, but we don't usually hold stuff too long - n' if it's your first pet, go for an older animal, yeah?"

They could walk and talk at the same time; Alexis was withdrawn when they spoke, didn't gesture much, but something in their tone was demonstrative. And it'd probably all just work out -- they liked Vespertine, inasmuch as Alexis liked anyone at first glance (which. wasn't much).