Alura had taken her time. Decided to stay. Almost not noticing who else did. Not noticing Emilia Ward. They had talked on the message board a little and yet weirdly, wasn’t awkward and that was good but it had gotten her thinking.
They’d barely been anything, Emilia had gotten sick of being stood up for the sake of Alura’s work. Excuse after excuse and eventually she had joined a growing list of could have been’s.
Still. They had both decided to stay and was a rare link to home.
She was ironically thinking this when she spotted the woman in a queue for coffee. Em looked younger. That was weird. Very weird.
Hell they may not have even had anything yet. Bit for Alura it was a few years back now.
She sighed wandering over to join her.
“Mind the company Em?”
Em had been deciding which weird and interesting coffee to get herself, when she felt someone join her in the queue. She barely paid attention until her name was said, and she looked over with a smile.
“As if I could ever mind your company, Alura.”
She hadn’t seen the other woman since they’d arrived in past Atlantis. But, she could see that Al was a few years older than when she last saw her at home. And, Millie couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in those intervening years. In her time, they’d just broken up. The human girl’s aversion to commitment, combined with Alura’s work ethic did not combine to create a good relationship. Even if the sex was really great. Still, you didn’t have to be dating to end up in bed together. And, she really hoped that they would eventually end up being that sort of friend.
Being that sort of friend hadn’t actually occurred to Alura. It wasn’t something she thought about being possible but she had enjoyed her time with Emilia Ward. She couldn’t cope with commitment though and Alura focused on her work too much. She’d once compared them to Maureen and Joanne when she’d made Alura sit through Rent one time.
“We don’t talk as much as we did. Even at home, and I know when we ended things we swore it wouldn’t get weird but, maybe that’s unavoidable sometimes.”
That was the last she’d say on the matter.
“I’m still obsessed with Chai Lattes. It’s a problem” she said, after she’d ordered one with a smile back to her ex.
“I guess” Emilia replied, shrugging. She hadn’t lived it to really know.
She ordered her ridiculous Caramel Mocha with whipped cream, and caramel drizzle, while grinning at Alura. “ I don’t see that it’s a problem, if you enjoy them.”
“So, umm. What year was it for you?” Em asked, tapping her fingers on the counter as they waited for their drinks to be made.
“51”she said returning the grin. It was nice that it wasn’t awkward for Emilia. She was good at that though, she had a way with people. It was one of the things that had drawn her in. Also it had been super hot that she could flirt in like 50 languages.
“I’m guessing by the ‘um’ it was less for you?”
That was always weird. The different times thing had hit hard among the people brought here by coin. People from different points in time having lived very different lives in the interim. But they coped, and so would she and Em.
“Just a little bit,” Em, replied. Before grinning up at the barista as she handed them their drinks, and thanking them with a flirtatious wink, before turning back to Alura.
“Want to sit down, or do you have somewhere to be?”
Flirting with the barista. Some things didn’t change. Emilia Ward was incorrigible and Alura was suddenly reminded why they’d worked for a while, and some of why they really hadn’t.
“I have nowhere to be.” she said simply, wondering just how long it had been for Emilia and if it would impact on things in any way. She’d very much like to maintain a friendship but was very well aware of how weird it could get in these situations.
She found them a seat off in a little corner of the shop and sat down.
Em followed Alura, and sat at the table opposite her. Taking a sip of her drink. “It was ‘46 for me. So, we’d just broken up.” She figured it was better to just say it. Like ripping off a bandaid. She didn’t want things to get awkward between them. But, the air needed clearing, so they were both on the same page.
“Does that make things weird? Because I don’t want it to.”
Just.
Wow. Okay that was awkward.
“I mean, I get it. I get why. I was way too obsessed with work. I know, it was all on me and you tried. So, don’t feel bad. I know why and I’m sorry. Okay?. And we’re friends, so that’s still a thing.”
She didn’t want it to be awkward and it shouldn’t be. Having this conversation all over again wasn’t easy though.
Emilia shook her head. “Don’t even pretend like I didn’t have anything to do with us breaking up. I know that I’m not good with commitment. And, I flirt way too much. But, friends. That’s definitely a thing I can do.”
She ran a hand through her hair, as she contemplated what to say next. This was far too awkward and weird. And, she didn’t like it.
“So, that’s that conversation out of the way...how are you finding the past?”
“Commitment….I’m not even sure I wanted…” she sighed. “You’re right, we both caused it, and maybe we’ll be better as friends.”
Conversation over, Alura happily moved onto the next topic. “It’s weird but I like it, and being on a team and actually training all day and going on missions? It’s not what I expected but it’s important. We can help make sure our world is the one that comes to pass, y’know. Victory against COS. Mom and Dad fight to make it happen, it’s important I do too.”
Emilia frowned slightly, wondering what Alura meant there. But, decided to file it away for later conversations. Now didn’t seem like the time.
“I know what you mean. I mean, I’m doing my normal job here. But, I take part in occasional training. It just doesn’t feel like enough.” And, she knew her job was important. Her dad had told her how much he’d valued the counselling he’d had with Claire. So, she wanted to give that back. Make sure that people like her father were able to thrive here like he has.
“You’re doing what you’re best at at least.” she replied. She knew why Emilia had gotten in to the job she did. Her parents being who they were. And it was enough. It was more than enough. “You’re amazing, okay. The job you do? I could never do it. Not ever. So hush with that.” she said with a smile.
It was a little awkward. But it was nice.
Emilia beamed at Alura, they had always been good friends, even before they’d decided that dating was a good thing. And, this conversation was just a reminder of why she’d always really liked the other woman.
“Come on!” She grinned, as she stood up. “Let’s go for a walk.” The nurse downed the last of her coffee, before turning to pull her ex to her feet.
A walk sounded perfect.
Alura let herself be pulled up and left a tip for the server.
“Mini hike, there’s some really pretty trails around here.
“Nothing I’d rather do Em.” she said, happy to have put a smile like that on her ex’s face. And she’d missed her. Kind of a lot.