That was the order Eleanor had chosen to see people in Vallo upon her return. Marina because Eleanor had wanted to see her before Marina found out from someone else that she was back. Jason because he'd be happy to see her back, and he had been.
And now Sophie for judgment free acceptance as she dealt with everything. Or didn't deal with anything. Eleanor wasn't sure what she could face but she definitely preferred Sophie's company even if Bruiser had protested when she left the apartment. That poor cat probably thought she would disappear again, so Eleanor had stopped to promise that she'd be back.
Vallo really was a pain sometimes.
How many people had she known only to have them disappear before she'd apparently disappeared herself? And she never would have known except she'd come back. Which required drinks. Lots of drinks. But first things first, after Sophie let her into the cafe, was the hug that Eleanor practically demanded after an emotional first day back.
"It's good to see you, Soph." That was better than she'd missed her, which didn't seem right, considering.
It made sense that if Vallo could bring them here so easily from wherever they were or whatever shape they were in, whomever was in charge could easily send them home. Eleanor was a hard one when the disappearance notifications appeared on her phone. While death wasn’t the end of her road back home, she was still dead and it sounded like rest in peace was not an option for her or the rest of her friends. Despite her complicated feelings about her ancestors, Sophie lit a candle that evening and said a quiet prayer to them that Eleanor would be protected in her journey.
She liked to think they heard and were part of the great cosmic complication that nudged Eleanor back to them at Vallo.
Eleanor arrived as she was doing some busy work, not wanting to start something consuming while she waited for the other woman. Bottles of liquor wiped down from transport and placed on the shelves behind the bar. Not exactly a standard feature for a cafe but she and Jane Anne agreed it gave their cafe a little extra persuasion and uniqueness. When the knock came, she left things where they were and jogged for the front door.
Sophie hugged Eleanor tightly and a little long, reassurance that Eleanor was solid and there. “Goddess, it’s good to see you too, El,” she murmured before letting the other woman go. She motioned to a table cleared of boxes and stacks of paperwork or dishes. “Settle your ass down in a chair and I’ll get the good stuff,” she added as she turned back to the bar.
Eleanor didn't have to be told twice. It was as if her friend knew exactly what she needed in retrieving something other than cheap box wine. She took a seat at the table, looking around the cafe. "I can't wait to come here," she mused.
Even that was an odd thought, jarring as it was, to be looking forward to life again in Vallo while still feeling the boomerang effect of having been sent away only to return. But in the presence of her best friend? Everything was slightly easier to consider.
“I’m hoping I actually open someday. Right now it feels like I’m dragging my feet getting there.” Once the doors opened and the people came in, she either succeeded or flopped. The last time she’d worked the cafe, Jane Anne had taken care of the more responsible duties, paperwork and the like. This time it was all on Sophie.
She set the glasses on the table and unscrewed the bottle to pour some in each one. “This is from one of the elven wineries. I swear it tastes all light and fluffy, like spring.” Sophie settled down in the seat across from Eleanor. “They’re trying to woo me into serving it here and I am absolutely down. Just, you know, trying to pretend like I’m thinking about it.” Smiling, she raised her glass to Eleanor. “To the return of friends.”
"Are you dragging your feet?" Eleanor asked, curiously. "Because this place is going to be amazing and people need to know just how brilliant you are."
She took a sip of the wine, which did taste all light and fluffy like spring. "You have more willpower than I do. I would have been like 'Yeah, okay, and why don't you refill my glass now?' Thanks.'" Eleanor said, easily poking fun at herself. She was tempted to down the glass and get it refilled, so maybe in holding off she had more willpower than she thought.
Sophie nodded slowly, running a finger around the rim of her glass. “I appreciate what you’re saying too but I am definitely dragging my feet. I know almost every inch of this place from home but I’m still getting used to the idea of running it without my sister.” She grinned slightly. “You probably have an idea what I’m talking about when I say there’s the detail-oriented practical one who makes things run smooth and then the spontaneous type that brings all the customers in,” she added with a thought towards Chidi in the brief time she’d known him and the opposite he’d played to Eleanor’s way of living.
“I think of really sad things like spilled wine and a world where shirtless firemen don’t like to hold puppies. It really helps steel my resolve, you know? But now I have another taste tester and it meets your approval so I will have to call them and negotiate.” She nudged Eleanor’s leg under the table with her foot. “How’s it going, being back?”
Sophie confirmed what Eleanor had been thinking, but she understood it. Even as she grinned and said, "Yeah, like I'm totally the detail-oriented, practical one. Especially compared to both Chidi and Marina." They both knew she was lying, but she said it anyway.
"Those are really sad things," she added with a frown. "I don't want to imagine a world like that."
But Sophie's next question required another drink. Two actually, before Eleanor replied. "It's… my girlfriend is ignoring me but gave me my cat back? And it's like being a human boomerang."
“I knew it. Secret nerd.” Sophie winked at Eleanor. The world needed all kinds to keep running, the detail lovers and the spontaneous. She and Eleanor were certainly among the latter.
Multiple drinks when asked a question was never a good sign. Sophie knew every time she did, either revelations or digging under her metaphorical armor were necessary and those conversations had a tendency to lead nowhere good more often than not. Her expression became concerned.
“I am no expert but ignoring someone when the person doing the ignoring is pretty badass means, I think, that they’re up in their feelings and it’s easier to deal that way. I think.” She put a finger up for additional emphasis. “At least she didn’t hold the cat hostage though. That has to be a good sign? I don’t know, I fwb’d a vampire.”
"Sophie," Eleanor said, feeling that first taste of buzzed surprisingly fast but it was elven wine after all and she'd finished her last sentence by downing the rest. Maybe it was more potent. Probably it was definitely more potent. "I still study moral philosophy. For fun. I am a nerd and it isn't a secret."
She nodded. "Oh she's definitely up in her feelings. And it's Marina so she could be ready to talk in a week or in a year and there isn't any real way to tell when it will be. Which is annoying. And that's why I'm drinking. Or was."
She frowned at her empty glass.
“Nerd.” There was no malice in Sophie’s tone, only affectionate teasing of her friend. “I have Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast as a roommate because I freaked out when he was first mentioned on the network. If I judge it is purely hypocritical of me, not that hypocrisy has ever stopped me.” There was also a bit of admiration there because moral philosophy? Heavy stuff.
Sophie grabbed the bottle and refilled Eleanor’s glass without a second of hesitation. “Drink what you need, I got you,” she reassured her. “There are ways of making someone talk but you wouldn’t want that and that is definitely laying heavy on the line of morality.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I wouldn’t want to get on Marina’s bad side either because the woman is the definition of a badass bitch. Someone you want on your side, not on the side against you.”
"I mean, that is really cool. Maybe you should get Lumiere to run the detailed side of things," she teased. While the candlestick was probably more detail oriented the constant complaining might get old.
Eleanor had to laugh at the idea of trying to make Marina talk. "Yeaaaah, no thanks. We'll get to it eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later. But betray her? I'd never be able to talk to her again."
She took a sip of newly refilled glass, then thanked her friend. "If I'm gonna end up back here, I'm really glad you're still here," she mentioned.
“I actually thought about that. I’m still thinking about that. We have a slight problem with his arms being the candelabra thing,” Sophie stated, positioning arms to somewhat resemble her candlestick roommate’s, “but we did figure out the remote control so who knows. Accounting might make him burst into song though which would be hilarious.”
Yet again she marveled at the fact that a character from one of her favorite Disney movies was now her roommate and friend. Life was funny like that.
“Wise choice, my friend. Look, you charmed her once, it will happen again. Some people just have walls that ye olde medieval warriors dreaded trying to get through. Just have to find the secret passage into her heart.” Sophie winked at her and then held her glass aloft.
“To being here.” She gave Eleanor a look. “To remaining here this time. We’ll duct tape you if we have to.”
"To being here and remaining here without requiring duct tape," Eleanor echoed, modifying the toast slightly with a grin. She clinked her own glass against Sophie's and then took another sip. The day had been weird and long but it was quickly getting better.