At The Precipice Of Something New

Something Old

Diamond City
December the 5th, 2287
20:34

"Myrna, really, really, really, I –"

Though not quite friends but not quite adversaries, both Piper Courtney Wright and Myrna Alejandra Sullivan each gently took one of the shoulders of one Eleanor Marie Perkins, and helped the hyperventilating woman, whose face had turned as pink as the scarf around her neck, sit down in one of the many sturdy, plush chairs around a raised coffee table in the Dugout Inn. A tall woman of roughly thirty with large hazel eyes, somewhat frassled black hair, and tan skin, Myrna's thin lips were pressed sharply together and her now free hands had fallen to her hips as she took a glance at her surroundings, barely hiding her disdain at being there at all. And because I need Piper's new trade contacts, Myrna thought somewhat bitterly to herself. I'm stuck helping her help a potential synth who's in love with that damn synth 'detective.' In a much more pleasant mood and back from helping the woman from Vault 111 meet up with the Minutemen at a family farm which had requested the Minutemen's aid, Vadim Nedim Bobrov – a sturdy, muscular man of good humour and co-owner of the Dugout Inn alongside his brother of three years his elder, Yefim Alec Bobrov – was humming to himself and mixing drinks for himself and the three women. Apart from a few of the almost ever present patrons who much preferred the Dugout and its amenities to their homes or the streets outside, the only people present were Wright, Sullivan, Perkins, Vadim and Yefim and Scarlett Audrey Wiehle, the Dugout's head waitress, who was sweeping up and humming to herself as well.

Situated as much as she supposed she could be in her seat given the circumstances with her breathing beginning to steady out, Ellie began fidgeting with her long, pink plaid scarf and the buttons on the pockets of her sleeveless brown denim vest over her white t-shirt, her heels clicking back and forth against each other as her legs quivered slightly under her well worn pink skirt; her body seemingly needing to do something – anything – to keep her mind from catastrophising. Myrna uncomfortably sat down on the couch set across from the chair Ellie occupied and the couch spot she had taken was such that the raised coffee table was between them. The files of information Myrna had brought with her were set down on that coffee table, and Myrna crossed one leg over the other before crossing her arms and returning to critically examining her surroundings and the people within it. The only somewhat cheerful one among the three women, Piper walked over to where Vadim was finishing mixing their drinks, her long dark hair fluttering behind her underneath her press hat. Beginning to chat, Piper and Vadim, soon after, went back over to join Ellie and Myrna with the drinks for all of them in their hands.

"This will help, calm you," Vadim said with a warm smile, handing Ellie a glass of wine. "Just don't drink too much or you'll make yourself sick."

Myrna scowled at him when he sat down beside her. "Could you sit like a normal person? With your legs closed, as a start?"

Vadim started laughing but awkwardly stopped when he saw her gaze had not relented. Half taking the hint, he shifted as far away from her as possible on the couch but leaned back and stayed seated otherwise just as he had been, kicking his leather boot clad feet on top of the coffee table.

"I appreciate the thought," Ellie said after a minute of slowly sipping at the wine, both of her hands wrapping around the glass. "And thanks for helping out, Vadim. It means a lot."

"Well, no one wants Valentine's Detective Agency to close!" Vadim said, twisting the cap off of his bottle of moonshine. "And I'm always happy to help out a friend of Piper!"

Ellie managed a faint smile. "You're too kind. I really appreciate it and, I'm sure, Nick will too."

"Have him come by the bar after he's found!" Vadim grinned and turned to Myrna. "So, I hear you have some information too. From traders, no?"