Lesson 65- Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree.

Torin was right. Laura is waiting for me in the hall, hovering by my door. Is it wrong that I want to get this conversation over with quickly? I feel bad even thinking that but I’m tired and I JUST had an emotional conversation with Torin. I might be feeling optimistic right now, but I’m worn out and I really want to go to bed. Laura opens her mouth to speak but freezes when Torin steps out of the bar behind me.
“Oh…” She trails off.
“You can head off if you like Tori, I can lock the back door when you both leave.” I offer. He hesitates, glancing at Laura. I know he doesn’t like leaving this place when there are still people here. People other than me that is. I’m still not totally sure why he’s okay with ME being here. But since the alternative is for him to move in and babysit me constantly, I’m not going to question it. Still, I’m curious to see if he will leave Laura here with me. When Lindy was here he stayed the whole time while we slept. But he doesn’t know her like he knows Laura, plus it would only be for a few minutes. His poker face is firmly in place when he nods. He goes to leave but stops at the back door and turns back to face us.
“Don’t fight.” He orders. I smile, it’s sweet of him to worry. A glance at Laura tells me that she isn’t thinking how sweet it is. Actually, she looks a little pale.
“I’ll see you later, Tori. Sleep well.” I say to prompt him to leave. He hesitates a moment longer, then nods and exits through the back door. Laura sighs in relief.
“He really is very strange with you. I mean, ‘don’t fight’ what the hell was that?” She complains.
“Huh? What do you mean? It was exactly what it sounded like. He wants us to get along.” I respond with a frown. Laura shakes her head.
“No way. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t even talking to you. That was a subtle threat directed at me. He’s telling me to be nice to you. I’m sure of it.” She insists. I can’t help myself, I burst out laughing.
“THAT’S what you think he meant? That he was threatening you? Laura… You couldn’t be more wrong.” I argue. She raises an eyebrow.
“What makes you say that? It sounded like a threat to me.” She points out. I shake my head firmly.
“You know how we had… A disagreement earlier? Well after I walked off I went to chat with him in his office. He asked ME to stop fighting with you. He told me to give you a break. If anyone was being warned just now, and I mean warned, NOT threatened, it was me!” I tell her with a half laugh. She stares at me in shock.
“He… He said that?” Laura asks incredulously and I nod.
“Yep. Still, if he isn’t upset with you about the things you said then it would be kind of unreasonable for me to hold a grudge, even if it did sting a little bit that you didn’t believe me.” I clarify. I don’t want her to think I was only upset because of the things she said about Torin. I mean, that was a big part of it, but she was treating me like a naive child and I didn’t appreciate that either.

Laura sighs.
“I AM sorry about that. I got a little carried away. I just… I heard that there was a fight, and that people were killed. So many people were saying it. You were the only one saying something different. But I realised I was being unreasonable when Eli came by.” She explains.
“Huh? What does he have to do with it?” I ask, confused.
“Well… He believed you right away. He was just worried that something had happened to you. It occurred to me at the time that I should have done that. Actually made sure you were okay. I was more worried about a bunch of guys who think it’s okay to assault you than I was about you, my actual friend. If they had hurt you… I probably would have wanted to kill them myself, and yet I was assuming the worst about Torin who, in every version of the story that I’ve heard, was protecting you. Seriously, that is the only constant factor in the rumours that came up tonight. That Torin protected you. The rest of the details are inconsistent and quite frankly, terrifying. But that? That’s the part everyone agrees on, and I’m surprised to find that I’m not actually surprised by that at all. The two of you have a strange friendship, but I can’t deny that you are his friend, and strangely he seems to be a friend to you as well. I didn’t even realise that was possible, but here we are.” She concludes.
“So… You’re saying… What exactly?” I ask, a little unsure what point she’s trying to make. Laura sighs.
“I’m saying I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions and for being a bad friend. Also that Torin probably DOES actually care about you… Oh, and that Eli is strangely actually a fairly empathetic person. Have you noticed that?” She asks and I laugh.
“I know right? He acts like he doesn’t really care about people, but he rushed over to check on me. He was even being… Sort of nice to Torin.” I agree.

Laura pauses and in a dramatic voice asks;
“So does this mean that we’re… And I hesitate to even say this, FRIENDS with Eli?” She says doubtfully. I grin.
“I suppose we are. As long as he keeps his hands and his magic to himself, which to be honest he actually has been pretty good with that so far. Except for that first time I met him, and I don’t think he realised back then that I didn’t know about his magic. He backed off when I told him to.” I add thoughtfully.
“Yeah, he actually is a lot more respectful than he comes across, even if he does attempt to take home multiple women every other night.” She agrees.
“He came here tonight and hung around even though there weren’t really any women around for him to take home. I suppose that shows he really cares.” I decide. Laura grins and adds.
“Not just women.”
“Huh?”
“He doesn’t do it often, but he’s taken men home too on occasion. If he really came to the bar looking for a partner tonight, he wouldn’t have given up just because there weren’t any interested women. He didn’t even TRY. I would say you’ve made yet another friend here. You’re strangely good at that, you know.” She adds.
“At making friends?” I question and she shrugs.
“Sort of. At making friends, but more specifically making friends with the kinds of people who don’t really make friends. Torin is obviously the number one example, and Jane of course. But even Kyle likes you well enough. Anat the sphinx comes in regularly just to see you and ask you riddles. You convinced a selkie to trust you which is more of a big deal than you realise. And don’t think I didn’t notice that the dust sprites have stopped messing up the place since you got here. They’re downright respectful. I’m not sure how you do it, but you seem to take all the most independent and unsociable supernaturals and wrap them around your little finger.” She responds with a grin. I roll my eyes.
“I think you’re exaggerating. I don’t have anyone wrapped around my finger.” I argue and Laura raises an eyebrow.
“I disagree. If you want proof, just look at how Torin was tonight. He came to the bar because you asked him to, let you handle the rude customers because you asked him to, and even now, he’s left me here alone with you because you asked him to. You realise I’ve never been in this building without him? He never lets ANYONE else lock up. I can barely believe it.” She lists off her arguments one after the other, counting them out on her fingers.
“Are you really surprised that he doesn’t want to trust you? I mean, you don’t trust him. There was an incident here and you immediately assumed the worst of him.” I point out and she frowns.
“I suppose you have a point.” She agrees thoughtfully. I yawn loudly, unable to hold it back and Laura smiles.
“I should let you rest. But before I go… We’re good, right?” She confirms and I nod.
“Yeah, we’re good. Thanks for talking.” I tell her with a tired smile. She pulls me into a quick hug, then heads off. I lock the door behind her and go get ready for bed.