In With The New (Vel)

[Anastasia van Drakke]

When asked to call later, Anastasia had agreed. She was, when required, a patient person, and so amused by going through the box labeled 'shoes' and replacing half the combat boots in there with smaller boxes with names like Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton on them.

It was a present. The boots were removed.

She called roughly twenty minutes after Vel was supposed to be done for the day.

"So," she said, once the phone had been picked up and without waiting for much preamble, "I got you a present. You're going to love it."

[Valentia de la Torres]

Once Alyssa had gone, Valentia pulled her phone into her sight and waited. It would have barely been a minute or so before it rang. As she brought the device to hear ear, Eva's first words warranted a deeply unimpressed sigh.

"I'm nervous." She replied, with a voice coated in natural skepticism and of course, sarcasm. "I have to assume you've found the time to search through the boxes I left behind?"

[Anastasia van Drakke]

"Darling, no one needs ten pairs of army boots," Anastasia said, sinking into one of the armchairs in one of the living rooms. "Not even someone in the army needs ten pairs of army boots." She waved a hand, smiling to herself as Ivan crossed the room to go to the kitchen, "And while I accept that you're leaving, I cannot accept that you really need all those ten pairs."

She shifted, tucking the phone to her shoulder as she rose to follow and pulled down a wine glass from the cabinet. "But enough about your shoes. Obviously, you're still alive. I'm glad. But how did everything go? No unexpected hospital visits, I hope."

[Valentia de la Torres]

"They do." Valentia started, pausing and breathing a sigh; "Because they're in the army." She snapped a touch, allowing a little tension to show in her face. Ivan might have changed his attire quickly, but she was determined not to.

Relief washed over her in a quick wave when the subject changed. "Everything was fine." She replied, knowing Anastasia would pick up the change of pace in her tone. Empath that she was. And was it ever going to be; enough about your shoes? No. Never. Not until she adhered to her friend's overly tasteful sense of style. "You can imagine how glad I am that you did not rearrange my suitcase as you threatened." A pause, brief and delicate.

"Dresses and heels do not fair well when trudging Tunisia's borders." There, it was all she could say really. A vague location. One she had been stationed to before. For several years.

[Anastasia van Drakke]

"I would never," Anastasia said, seriously this time. Ivan had made it quite clear that, on missions, he knew best. Vel deserved the same courtesy.

Unless there was a dinner party or such involved in the mission, of course.

"Sounds interesting," Anastasia said, and mouthed 'Tunisia' to Ivan when he glanced at her curiously. "Well, we missed you dreadfully. Things here have been dull, very dull. Hopefully not for too long though."

[Valentia de la Torres]

Valentia waited in the silence, acutely aware that Anastasia was likely to pass the word to Ivan. It was a courtesy between friends; that Valentia didn't express specifics of her line of work to the empath. Not to say she was unstable - hardly. But when it came to the military and its connection to Odarennyi, she could always feel the hate seething from the other woman into herself.

And despite it all, she could never hate the military. Or Odarennyi. Somehow they co-existed within those facts, even if it made no sense to an outsider.

"Do you have plans?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as a sign of curiosity. "You usually have something in the works when life is deemed dull." Valentia wanted to shake her head at the word, but she refrained. Another thought popped into her head; "Please. Do not invite me to what I think you want to invite me to."

[Anastasia van Drakke]

Anastasia sighed, and tapped her fingers on the table counter. "But Vel," she sighed, and out of habit started to persuade, <cheerful/agree/agree> until Ivan set his hand down sharply, "it's part of the plan, and there's going to be catered."

Taking a long sip of her wine, she watched Ivan slice up mushrooms with practiced ease. "You can invite your friend," she added. Eva had yet to really get a grasp on Mai; it would be an excellent opportunity. "If she's the sort who likes good food, and wonderful company."

[Valentia de la Torres]

Valentia felt the now-familiar twinge of agreement. One that came unnaturally to the stubborn woman. One she felt often in Eva's presence, particularly when it involved things she openly disagreed with. "How persuasive." She retorted when the feeling stopped, making a mental note to thank Ivan when she next saw him.

"Maiella..." She paused, glancing down towards her desk as she fumbled for the right words. It wasn't that she was unsettled by Eva's presence. It was that she was... "-Has never been amused by the story of our first encounter."

She was protective, in a sense. Even when she didn't need to be. "But I will ask her. I am sure she would have something interesting to offer."

[Anastasia van Drakke]

Anastasia just laughed by way of apology, the sound echoing in her glass. It was almost empty and Ivan reached over with the bottle when she held it out for a top up. This was what boredom did, they were both aware.

Huffing slightly, the heiress's mouth twisted. But it was funny, because they were both still standing, and close friends. Who wouldn't find that amusing? Stick in the muds. That was who. "Good," she said when Val finally agreed. "I'm sure we'll get along."

Ivan signaled for her attention and she turned to see him mouth something at her. "Oh! And Ivan wanted to know how you feel about butterfly knives for a moving out present. Since you have to leave us."

[Valentia de la Torres]

Despite the obvious falling out that had happened years ago between Valentia and Maiella, they had managed to move on from the past. And despite how Valentia didn't need it, she couldn't shake the other woman's protective nature. "I'm sure it'll be interesting." She corrected, making a mental note to talk to Maiella cautiously about the subject.

"Try not to take this the wrong way, but moving is all but necessary." Valentia pointed out, pursing her lips and grinning at the fact. Eva and Ivan were... A passionate duo. They weren't the type to alter their methods for the sake of a house guest.

"And while you don't need to give me anything," She looked around the office idly, "They would be appreciated." Maiella's reaction alone would make it worth it.

[Anastasia van Drakke]

Holding the phone slightly away from her mouth, Anastasia turned to Ivan. "I knew it was about the sex," she murmured with a smirk. "Poor thing, we should have been a little more careful with the desk."

One of the problems with having a somewhat unstable mood was that Eva did have a habit of having rather... affectionate surges, and Ivan dealt with the overflow. It could be... distracting, and as Val had told them at least three times, she did want to be able to eat off the table without worrying about disinfectant.

"Wonderful," she said happily, "I thought you might! I'll let you go, darling, because you should be coming here soon, yes?" It said something of Eva's regard that she didn't try to push the question into a command. "Politics is getting so interesting here, I can't wait to discuss where I should invest in campaigns."

[Valentia de la Torres]

Valentia didn't offer a verbal response. Rather, she opted to roll her eyes and lean back in her seat. She didn't need to answer. She hadn't even needed to be specific. So that was that.

"Once I'm finished here, yes." She replied, finding herself somewhat intrigued at the notion of Pilot Ridge politics. Of course, she didn't need to ponder on the nature of who she would invest in. Or why, for that matter. Before she hung up, she simply said; "I can hardly wait."

And she meant it genuinely. But it went without saying - as it did with many things in their friendship - that she felt concern for the choice she might make. She'd also never been good with goodbyes.

On the telephone or otherwise.