“There’s a difference between vacation and self-imposed exile.” Eleanor held herself in her usual practiced-until-perfection stance. Back straight, shoulders back, arms obediently at her sides, head held high, neck straight and eyes forward.
Nikita scoffed and gave her a are you serious look.
“Since when do you care about my actions? Leader and counselor are in no way the same thing. The team needs you to be the former.” She leaned against the table behind her and gave the dark-haired woman a small nod.
“Can’t they need both?”
She dipped her chin down and moved to sit on top of the metal furniture rather than against it. Her face flew up again at the same time ms. Perfect decided to continue. Knowing that she didn’t need to hear the actual reasoning to be aware of the other’s thought process she instead cut her off before she had any time to speak up.
“Kane doesn’t vent because she needs you to listen, she does it because you’re the first one who did. There’s a difference.” It wasn’t the first time they’d had that type of argument and neither of their opinions had changed as Eleanor clearly showed.
“Theodora isn’t the only one and if your theory was accurate then our relationship would be much different.” Eleanor had sat down at some point. Drawn out a chair to keep distance between them and sat down. Nikita smiled, it was tight and only a small improvement from the line her lips would’ve formed had she stuck in one place. Her form was more relaxed, neck slightly tilted and shoulder blades no longer glued back. “When are you coming back?”
“You have an ex-vengeance,” she explained and sipped up her jacket, no longer showing off her basic yellow t-shirt that she knew her friend had been surprised to see on her when she’d walked inside the interrogation room. It was their usual hangout spot but nowhere near their normal attire.
“You think that’s the only reason we have you around?” It was rhetorical, so she didn’t nod. She received a look of concern, one that quickly went away and was replaced by one resembling a stoic, hardened, respected leader. It shouldn’t be odd on her. “Just because Tatiana is here doesn’t mean you can just disappear on us.”
She stood up, done with the conversation. “Give me back my old missions and I won’t.” With that she left the room.