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[ Just as promised, Eleanor has followed through with her plan to meet Leia at the cafe before their boutique visit. Having arrived early, she already has a small table ready for them, where she currently sat patiently sipping tea and trying her best to ignore any whispers that might have been about her. ]

[Not long after Eleanor, right on time for the time they've agreed on, Leia arrives at the cafe. She scans the room looking for Eleanor, and it doesn't take too long before she finds her. Ignoring any whispering, warnings, or dirty looks, Leia strides purposefully toward the table Eleanor's waiting at, her head held high. She gives Eleanor a soft smile as she sits, taking the seat with the back toward the wall.]

I'm not late, am I?

[She smiles as Leia settles into her seat, glad for the young woman's arrival to distract her from her thoughts.]

Oh, goodness, not at all! I was already out and about from a checkup and almost thought I was late. Once I realized that I was a few minutes early, I figured that I might as well get the table settled for us. I hope you don't mind?

[She shakes her head, not minding at all that Eleanor had arrived early. As long as Eleanor didn't mind that she was there before Leia was, that she didn't mind waiting, it really didn't bother Leia at all.]

Not at all. I just hoped you weren't waiting long.

[But she's a bit curious, so--]

What sort of checkup?

Hm? Oh, well, it was just keeping an eye on my arm strain from a few weeks ago. It's greatly improved, as much as they've fussed.

[It was part of the main reason she had been directing Leia with the spices rather than doing all of those measurements herself, as much as she had been trying to keep the incident itself under wraps, despite whatever rumors might have floated around.]

Luckily a manicure shouldn't be considered a strenuous activity in that regard. [And she's back to making light of the incident to try and ease any worry that might be on Leia's account, if only because they're semi in public.] I hope you're going to get the works of whatever they have to offer, however.

I'm glad to hear it's doing better.

[She is still concerned, don't you worry about that, but for Eleanor's sake, Leia won't dwell on it. But that concern is there in her expression, before she shoves it aside for a more amused expression, thanks to that comment about manicures.]

And you don't plan on getting the works yourself? Even if it's more than just a manicure, it's meant to be relaxing, isn't it? Surely the doctors can't argue about that.

Me? Hm... I suppose hadn't truly considered it. [The whole plan had been to help Leia, so she hadn't included herself in that thought process beyond her nails. That and she hadn't wanted to draw attention to the injury, although at this point, she supposed, what difference would it make now? People had drawn their own conclusions anyway. She has to chuckle lightly at the thought.]

But you're not wrong about that. It can't be worse than crocheting, in any case. [Which she had strictly been told not to do.]

If I'm going to do it, you'll have to do the same.

[Because it's very indulgent and very self-pampering and it's something Leia hasn't had the chance to do in years, both because of a lack of time and because of concerns about how others may have viewed her in the Alliance as a princess. Sitting there getting her nails and everything done while Eleanor waits for her doesn't seem as fun.]

What have you been crocheting?

[And as they're talking, a waitress comes over with drinks and things like that for the both of them.]

[She has to admire Leia's pluckiness in asking.]

Well, all right, it's a deal then. [Hopefully it would be good for both of them in the long run.]

My projects? They've been mostly consisting of blankets and furniture coverings lately... [Leia would have likely gotten a glimpse of some of those when she had visited, a sort of protest to the accidental damages the house incurred, even if she didn't realize they had been handmade by Eleanor.

She pauses when the waitress steps over to them, accepting the drinks and putting in a light order for the meal, waiting for Leia to do so as well before the waitress steps away once more.]

I've also put together a few scarves and other miscellaneous pieces, which I donate to the charity and welcome center ever so often. [When not saving them particularly for an intended gift.]

At the very least, it's been something to keep myself busy with, until recently.

[Once Eleanor's placed her order, Leia does the same, and her attention is soon enough back on the other woman and her story.]

I didn't realize you had made all those. They're very well done.

[But really, the doctors are probably right in that crocheting isn't the best for someone with an injured arm. And even if Leia sees their point, she's not about to say it aloud, because she knows she doesn't always listen to medical advice when it's given to her.]

If your arm is feeling any better now, though, perhaps you can get back into it. The weather will no doubt be getting colder as winter goes on.

Thank you. [At her next words, she nods, still keeping cheery despite her slight annoyance at how the doctor had replied to her question, and at herself for well, complaining, such as it was.]

They suggested that I keep activity light for another week or so, but I am looking forward to getting back to it. And to a few other things as well. Out of curiosity, do you have any colors you favor? [Which probably would be helpful when it came to nail polish later, but she might have just been thinking of projects since they were on the topic.]

Me? Lighter colors are what I usually prefer.

[Darker colors she'll wear depending on the occasion, but if she has to choose, pastels and other lighter colors are what she usually wears. White was customary, but she's branched out a bit here. At least as far as wardrobe goes.]

Is that so? [She's a little surprised; with what she had experienced of other woman's personality, she would have expected something bolder, or perhaps even sea-foam green ... All the more reason to ask, anyway; and she's quite glad she did.] Well, I'll just keep that in mind then.

[For her own reasons. It was nice to consider potential projects with a face to them. But. Getting off the subject of that, and coincidentally, off herself.] All that aside, how have you been doing lately?

[It's not so much that she dislikes bolder colors, it's more that as the last princess of Alderaan, Leia feels obligated to continue tradition as long as she's able. And really, wardrobe choices are the easiest to continue, not requiring much effort on her part.]

Now that Han finally admits he's feeling better, things have gotten easier. I can't understand why he pretended he was more helpless than he actually was.

[Well aside from Anakin being back, but Anakin isn't a subject Leia is about to discuss. In fact she spends most of her time trying to shove him out of her mind.]

Oh, I don't know... [That light, teasing tone is back, as she taps her cheek; the Solos certainly were an interesting pair, and she's quite grateful for them.] I'm sure he might just have reveled in the attention. In your attention, particularly. It's kept you fairly busy, hasn't it?

To say the least.

[Not that she minds being busy, that is, and it's not even as busy as she's used to being. But there's a difference between being busy and having to baby her sick fiance because he wants to pretend he's helpless for the sake of attention.]

It's more that I can't understand why he thinks he needs to go to that length for my attention.

Hmm... well, I can think of a couple of possibilities. One being, he might just be feeling insecure and this is the kind of behavior that results from it.

[That's the teasing answer.] Or ... he could purposely be trying to keep your attention from something else. [That teasing lilt fades, as she pauses to consider where she might be going with that line of thought. Although before she can speak further, the waitress makes a return with their brunch, settling down their plates and things. Eleanor won't pick up on the topic until the server has gone on her way again.]

Keeping my attention from something else? Do you know something I don't?

[Her tone is light as she asks, but there's no denying she's curious and maybe a bit suspicious of where that thought came from. Because as far as Leia can tell, judging from other recent behavior of Han's, she's leaning more toward insecurity as the reason for Han's sick clinginess. That, or he just really likes being taken care of.]

[She shakes her head once the waitress has left them.] No, I don't believe so. I was only considering your son, and wondering if that could have been another reason. I suppose I don't really know Han that well to be certain of his motives in the manner. [Men were silly creatures at times, but perhaps not without reason, one would hope.]

[Not without reason, but sometimes that reason is just incredibly ridiculous. Leia shakes her head at Eleanor's suggestion, a slight cold breeze wafting through a she does so.]

No, Han and I haven't seen Ben in around a month. Unless he's missing him, and that's why he's wanting to spend more time with me in response.

Hmm... [For some reason, that suggestion seemed even less likely. Something she didn't want to think about, perhaps.]

Well, it seems to me that you'll have to ask him yourself in that case. [That's a shift in emotion she can sense immediately, though she's a little confused as to why.]

But he probably just wasn't used to having someone take care of him like that and wanted to make the most of it.

[She misses Ben, and wants things between them all to be different. As complicated as everything is, especially knowing what he's done to the galaxy and to Han himself, Leia still wants nothing more than for the three of them to be a family. But there's a time and a place for that, so Leia decides to not dwell on it--for Eleanor's sake.]

I'll have to remember to ask his friend back home how he managed to deal with Han for so many years before we met. I have a new perspective for the struggles he must have gone through.

[poor Chewbacca, we know not what you suffered, stuck on a ship with Han Solo for however many years.]

[She chuckles lightly at Leia's words.]

That's an idea. Either way, you seem willing to endure his quirks. That's just love, isn't it?

[She'll fall a little quiet, to try and eat some of the small meal.]

[She smiles at Eleanor's assessment, a bit self-consciously, but a smile nonetheless.]

It is.

[And it took the both of them long enough and more than enough dangerous situations for them to realize that. Part of her wishes they could've gotten over themselves sooner, but she also knows that would've been next to impossible.]

And as ridiculous as he may be, I'm grateful for it. He may be stubborn and think he needs to go to extreme lengths for my attention, but he treats me like he'd treat any other person.

[well, minus the being in love part, she'd like to think that part is special for her.]

Oh, is that what attracts you to him?

[Lightly teasing again for the younger woman's benefit, but it was clear enough to Eleanor that Leia wouldn't have put up with so much from the mechanic if there wasn't something deeper about their connection.]

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