#( ch. phoebe yates. 𓂀 )

[doctornilaybailey]

📜𝙽𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝙱𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢 & 𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚋𝚎 𝚈𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜

"Oh, how sweet!" Dark eyes widening, the scholar rested her elbow on the window sill before poking her head out. Her smile grew as she saw a family of swans, the mother swimming down the river with her babies, before she looked over at Phoebe. No words could express how proud she was of the younger woman. While she desperately missed having her as her assistant, she understood why the other needed to move on. She was just more grateful that they stayed in each other's lives. "Now I'm even more happy that we were able to score this spot." Nilay has always loved rivers. With the Nile River having been one of her favourite places to be while living in Egypt, ever since then she made sure to be in rather close distance to a river. And the diner overlooking the Illinois River was rather a good bonus. "Are you enjoying your internship still? I hope they're not being too hard on you or anything." Lord knows she'd be ready to go down there and have a word or two with whomever is in charge.

𓂀 𝚠𝚑𝚘: @thephoebeyates

𓂀 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎: 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚛 ; 𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚕 𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚎

𓂀 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗: 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟸𝚗𝚍, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺

[doctornilaybailey]

"Sweetheart," she giggled softly, watching her friend blush and hide her face. It was amazing how much has changed since they came to be in each other's lives. How much Phoebe has grown, all of her confidence she's gained, how she had the courage to chase after her dreams, and how she was with a good man who treated her right. Nilay felt lucky that she was able to be a part of her life and that she was able to support her, to cheer her on. "You deserve to be happy, Pheebs. Happiness looks beautiful on you, love."

Nilay let out a full-belly laugh at her squeal, accidentally waking Misty and causing her to run off in fear. "I'm sorry, baby!" she called out after the kitten. Her giggles unable to leave her lips still as she looked back at Phoebe. Raising her hands up in surrender, yet her smile betrayed her. "I'm not putting out anything! I swear! Though... Eli and I did adopt Kemet before he moved in... And then we learned about Rhia... Sooo..." She gained a thoughtful look before she laughed again. Her raven curls shaking as she shook her head. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. No more jokes, I promise. It is, isn't it? I think moving Eli and us figuring everything out together has been one of my favourite parts of our relationship. Granted, that list is longer than the Nile, but still. I'm happy that you are getting to have this with Foster. He's a good man; It's good seeing you two be happy together."

📜@thephoebeyates

As her friend expressed her happiness, Phoebe could feel herself blush, picking up one of her throw cushions to bury her face into. It was odd, when she met Nilay, how different her life was. She had been lost, unemployed, abandoned. Now she was on the path to achieving her dream job, and had a generous, beautiful found family surrounding her, and an amazing boyfriend who had done nothing but prove time and time again he was in her corner. It was just funny how life worked sometimes. "We absolutely will, yeah. Um, it kinda feels surreal but I'm just...I'm just so happy. I haven't felt like this in a long time, or ever." Not even with Spencer did she feel so hopeful about her future.

There was a difference in terms of Nilay's and Phoebe's living situations. The space being a big factor, so it made sense that Eli had the opportunity to bring his stuff along, and she couldn't help but wonder if one day, her and Foster would have more rooms to adorn with an equal mixture of both their furniture and decor. "Oh don't say that!" She squealed out, "You know I love Rhia more than anything, but please don't put that out in the universe, because I don't know how either of us would cope if we had a pregnancy scare after he finishes unpacking his boxes." She laughed, nudging Nilay gently. "But yeah, the whole moving stuff in and inviting someone else into your life this way has been fun."

[doctornilaybailey]

"Of course," she replies softly. Her smile gentle. She nodded as she listened. "I can understand that. But, it's good that you are working on that. I really hope that it's working out for you." It was nerve wracking, in many ways, to try and figure out who you are aside from a romantic relationship. Well, any kind of relationship, really. What are the parts that are yours and what are the parts that you've gained from others, and how they could either coexist together. The parts of you that you missed and wanted to bring back, the parts of you that you wanted to keep, and the parts of you that you wanted to let go after you've began to learn about who you are, especially now versus the person you were a year ago, five years ago, and so on. Knowing yourself, relearning yourself, was terrifying. But... It also was capable of granting clarity and self-guidance. Everyone deserves to have that knowledge.

Sitting up, Nile looked at her with furrowed brows. "Oh my g-d... Oh my g-d, Pheebs!" Laughing with joy, she was quick to hug her. "That's incredible news!" She beamed at her as she pulled back. G-d, was this truly the same girl that came into her PA interview unprepared all those years ago? It didn't feel possibly. But it was real. And she knew that if anyone deserved to have things go the way they've spent so long wishing for, that they've spent so long working hard for, it was Phoebe Yates. She took one of her hands and squeezed. "There's nothing you could do nor anywhere you could go where I wouldn't be supporting you wholeheartedly the entire way. I've believed in you for long, and... G-d, Phoebe, I'm so proud of you. You are going to rock that meeting, I'm sure of it." Giving one more squeeze, she stood up and nodded towards the door. "Come on; You deserve to be celebrated. You can pick anywhere you want to go and do—my treat."

🏛️𝚜𝚘𝚗 ; הסוף ; 𝚊 𝚎𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 ; النهاية ; 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍.

Phoebe often wondered if not telling people what happened with her and Foster was the best decision to make. On one hand, not having people in their business was a godsend, because she already had the likes of Seb sharing his opinion on the matter, but it was also hard to discuss it without revealing the full story. She knew Nilay would support her no matter what, but she was also worried her opinion on Foster would worsen, always sensing the vibe that the two never got along in the first place.

“Thanks, Ni.” She settled for, because it was nice to have that assurance that Phoebe could potentially set herself up to be hurt again and still have people in her corner. “I do think…I don’t know, we talked. We’re both reflecting. And I am focusing on who I am, who I was, outside of a romantic relationship.” As much as she loved Foster, she couldn’t argue that maybe she wasn’t in the most settled place when they first met, often pushing back her wants and goals if they potentially interfered with the blossoming romance. Of course, the chef was the one who encouraged her change in jobs, to go for the things writers had to go for, and she never would be in this position, careerwise, if not for his support. It just seemed bittersweet now, that she was close to success and couldn’t celebrate with him.

“Speaking to opening possibilities, my internship ends soon. And I have a meeting with a potential literary agent about picking me up. But I don’t wanna jinx it, so it’s hush-hush for now.” She winked at the anthropologist, excited to finally share this news.

[doctornilaybailey]

"Pheebs, that's amazing! I'm really happy for you two." After learning about Foster in the first place and then Phoebe developing feelings for him, to them having some issues that led them to beginning their relationship, to now this crucial milestone, Nilay could only feel happiness. It was indescribable to know that their relationship was growing in the best way possible. She nodded. "Okay, got it. If you two do end up needing any kind of help at any point, just let me know. How does you feel about it all?"

She chuckled. Thinking back to when her and Eli decided to live together and move him in from his apartment to her house. When they turned it into a home. "A good amount of his stuff was moved in," she said. Relaxing into the couch and petting Misty as she recounted everything. "He kept mainly his personal stuff, but he had things that didn't really mean anything to him that he mainly had just for convenience. We figured out together where to put his things, and anything he didn't want to keep, we donated or sold them. We converted one of the guestrooms into his own music room so that he'd have a place aside from the studio to get work done. Working together had been fun. It's crazy that just a few weeks later... We found out about Rhia." From their friendship becoming a relationship, to them moving together, to having Rhia, she never would've thought that their first year of being together would consist of so many adventures. Yet... It was. And she wouldn't change that for anything else.

📜@thephoebeyates

It didn’t need to be decided right now, and there was a beauty in that these sorts of choices could be resolved at a later date. The future was once a scary concept, the unknown abyss of time stretching out before her eyes, but Phoebe now had someone to walk into it hand in hand, and it was no longer terrifying, but something to anticipate for. 

Phoebe watched Misty with both caution and curiosity, surprised (and still a little miffed) that the cat once again just settled in Nilay’s lap after being handled. “Yeah, we, um decided to just do it, he was here every night anyway!” She laughed, semi-nervously. “Just before my retreat, actually. Well, he spent his first official week living here alone, but since I got back it’s like nothing’s changed. Oh!” At her offer to help, she gestured the notion away. “We’ve got it all covered. He was only bringing over more clothes and stuff anyway, until his lease at his apartment runs out and then we’ll just…” Phoebe shrugged, “Go from there. Get a storage unit for the furniture or something. When you and Eli moved in together, what happened to all his stuff?” 

[doctornilaybailey]

Admittedly, Nilay had been wanting to persuade Elijah into them adopting a dog for awhile now. Between Rhia still being a little, Hattie growing up, the three cats, and their own responsibilities with work and such, it never really seemed to be the right time to bring it up. And now, if their relationship being a bit rocky the past few months, it sounded cruel to even suggest it at this point. "Well, whatever you two decide, I'm absolutely going to support it. And fortunately, it doesn't need to be decided on right now."

She nodded with a soft smile. While she wasn't sure if her and Foster would ever be friends, as long as he loved Phoebe and made her happy while treating her with the love and respect she deserved, she was rooting for them. "I'm really happy to hear—Wait, hold on." Carefully, she picked up Misty so that she could turn her whole body to face her friend. Setting the cat back on her lap while her smile grew and an eyebrow raised. "You guys are living together? Officially? Pheebs, that's awesome! When did you two talk about that? Do you guys need any help moving things in? If he's comfortable with it, I'd be happy to help."

📜@thephoebeyates

Though it was her first foray into cat ownership, cat-sitting for Saul — and the thousands of TikTok videos centered around them that she got on her For Your Page — made it evident to Phoebe that they all had their unique personalities. “Hmm, we’ll see about dogs.” She responded, thinking back to Foster’s joke when he picked her up from her retreat, and quickly glanced around the small apartment, Damian’s words still playing in her head.

“Yeah, things are going really well.” She responded, always getting the feeling Nilay and Foster had opinions about each other they never wanted to share with her, though she never pressed further. “Uh, we’re slowly getting there with moving the rest of his stuff in, but yeah…things are good.” Much better than they had been a couple of months back.

[doctornilaybailey]

Soft laughter rang out as she shook her head. The woman had leaned down to give Misty some kisses on her head before she sat back up. "Trust me, you'll get that unconditional love from her soon enough. I think she's just trying to test you a little bit. See what you're made of. And it's very clear that you love this little girl so much." In spite of the scratches and, in lack of a better word, demonic behaviour Misty acts on, Phoebe absolutely loved the cat. And she was sure that she knew that, too. "Though getting a dog in the future might not hurt, either," she mused, giggling lightly.

Nilay moved to give Phoebe some room, relaxing back into the couch. A smile grew as she listened to her. Even though she felt that Foster didn't like her, she was grateful that he was in Phoebe's lives. That he was giving her the love, respect, and happiness that the younger brunette has always deserved. "God, Kemet's the exact same way! From the moment we adopted him, he would not leave Eli alone. Though, I think it's payback for Olive and how much those two gave me love after meeting them the first time." It was adorable, really. And even though things weren't the best right now between her and Eli, she could only fall for him more and more seeing him with their girls and cats. As she continued petting Misty, she looked back at Phoebe. "Speaking of Foster..." A Cheshire grin began to form. "How are things going with him, hm?"

📜@thephoebeyates

Despite the facade she was putting on, Phoebe wasn’t actually upset that Misty was playing favorites with Nilay. If anything, she was just relieved that the cat hadn’t been scratch happy, and that this small catch-up wasn’t going to end up with Phoebe digging the first aid kit out. Misty had seemed to calm down a lot more recently, as if sensing things were more solid with her and Foster, and it helped they had been spending more time in her apartment than his, so she wasn’t constantly being shuffled in between two homes. Though, still, cat behavioral therapy wasn’t completely ruled out…“If I knew cats were so fickle, I’d get a dog. Unconditional love.” She stuck her tongue out at her cat, who didn’t seem to give a shit.

“Moments like this, she is really sweet.” Phoebe eventually relented, moving to join Nilay on the couch, mugs firmly on the coffee table without fear of being knocked over, glancing over at Misty to see if the presence of her cat-mom would have her leave the room. “Foster denies it, because I think he thinks I’d feel bad about it, but she’s really soft with him, I catch them sometimes, on a morning, when he’s off but I have work. She’s a daddy’s girl.”

[doctornilaybailey]

"Like mother, like daughter," she snickered. It was precious, however, how stubborn both the younger woman and her cat were. It'd been a perfect match from the get-go. Which also explained why they butted heads so easily. Making sure that the band-aid was on good and not too tight, her lips pursed at her words and she nodded. "That's more than fair. But, I'm sure you two can figure that out in no time. And, that whatever you decide, will be for the best. Hopefully Misty will readjust well to going back between you two two." Nilay couldn't help feeling pity for the little cat. It must've been so confusing for her, and being by herself probably didn't help much at all. While moving Oliver and Eve from Eli's old apartment to her home had come with its own trials, the cats had each other through it all. But, at the same time, it was probably better that there weren't more furbabies a part of all of this.

She moved away from her friend to put away the first aid kit. Then making her way to the refrigerator, looking at the drinks she had before grabbing one of Phoebe's favourites and her own. "Wait, you did?" She nearly dropped the drinks at her news. Nilay quickly looking at her with wide eyes and her brows quirked up. "What happened? What did you two talk about? How did it all go?" She searched her eyes before holding out her drink. While part of her knew that this might not be an easy subject to discuss, Phoebe admitting to her that they even talked again in the first place seemed to be invitation enough to talk more about this.

The anthropologist felt her features fall. "Oh, Pheebs..." She set her drink down on the counter with gentle sigh. Soon wrapping her arms around her friend in an embrace. "I know," she whispered "I..." Understand? Well... That depends. After all, she and Eli have endured their fair share of complications over the years. When they learned about Rhia, he spent a month couch-hopping while trying to decided whether he wanted a family or not, purely due to how strong his fear of being a father was. A notion that, now looking back on after all this time, was truly ridiculous with how wonderful he was with Hattie and Rhia. And this past summer was another excellent example. But, no matter what, they have always ensured their love for each other. Whether they were physically together or not, emotionally, they were together.

But, at the same time, Nilay's share of relationships were short and Eli has been her longest relationship, along with being the one intended to last for the rest of her life. They never broke up with each other nor spent as long apart from each other as Phoebe and Foster have. So while she could understand still loving him and wanting him to still be in her life, perhaps it'd be more insult to injury by saying that she understand completely. "I'm sorry," she finally settled on instead. Moving back slightly to look at her and tucking some hair behind her ears. "It's okay for you to feel all those things. It's okay for you to have a part of yourself that wants to get back together with him, while it's also okay for you to not want to get back together as a couple, but as Misty's co-parents or as friends instead. I know that you haven't told me what all happened, and that's completely your right. But... You must do what's right for yourself in the end. No matter what that might look like. Just promise me that you'll take care of yourself, but to still be open to possibilities that'll be good for you. Alright?"

📜@thephoebeyates

The cut hurt like hell, but in light of recent events (and how many scratches she had received since bringing Misty home) it was barely registering through like it would have once. Still, she couldn’t help the small hiss as Nilay patted it dry, looking over to the cage to glare in its direction. “Well, like a certain little miss, I am also stubborn. I refuse to contract cat scratch fever, simply because it’d be giving Misty what she wants.” It was the latest conspiracy in Phoebe’s head; that the little gray cat wanted her in harm’s way for nothing more than shits and giggles. It had been a thought she had considered sharing with Foster, even typing out the full text, deleting it out of uncertainty on where they were currently at. There had been clarity in some areas, and more confusion in others. 

And she was glad to have Nilay to talk it over with.

“Maybe the days he’s not working, drop her off or get him to pick her up? I’m not sure if I could have him at…” Home. “The apartment, on his own, just yet.” Didn’t know if her heart could take the sight of coming in from a long day of work to Foster and Misty in the living room like it was a few months ago, when they were happy. When they had their entire future in front of them. “I saw him last week. And we talked more.” It was an unspoken agreement to not discuss what happened in the club, especially to those in Phoebe’s corner. If Nilay had found out what had transpired, the man Foster brawled would be dealing with a lot more than a busted face and — with the power and influence the Bailey’s had in Blue Harbor — Phoebe was convinced no one would even realize him going missing, or whatever the anthropologist currently caring for her would have had planned for him in that brilliant, evil little head of hers.

“I’m still…confused. I’m still hurt, and angry. I still really fucking love him,” She shook her head. “The other couple of times Foster and I…ended things, we were both miserable without each other. And I’m not saying I want to get back together,” Though she did, desperately. Phoebe just knew it wasn’t the right time. They both had too much shit to sort out separately before even thinking of reconciling. “But I can’t not have him in my life, at the same time. It’s just…figuring out what boundaries to set at this point.”

[doctornilaybailey]

Nilay gasped playfully. Of course, she could never be offended about that. Her daughters were her entire world; Knowing that people loved them and would do anything for them, would want to protect them, made her feel lucky. "Wow. Thoughhhh... Fair enough, they are the best. Them and Eli are tied for my favourite Bailey-Falveys as well. Our little Yates-Bailey-Falvey family is quite amazing." She reached out, placing her hand over Phoebe's and squeezing gently. Their family meant everything to her. No words could express how lucky she felt to have them.

Her hands rose up in surrender, the brunette laughing as she shook her head. "You never know! There's more to Blue Harbor than meets the eye, I'm sure of. But I'm not sure if I want to root for the company to get the rights over Cats, quite frankly." There were better musicals for the company to get rights over. Looking up from her plate, she chew her food slowly for a moment. Trying to brace herself before showing off her lack of pop culture knowledge again: "Who's Jen, Angelina, and Brad again, and why are two of them fighting for that guy's heart?"

We're fine. Those two words made her pause, her eyes searching Phoebe's for a moment. When her face initially dropped and she looked away from her, Nilay had been ready to tell her that it was okay, she didn't need to answer that. The last thing she ever wanted was to make her uncomfortable. "I get that," she said softly. "But I know that you two are going to figure things out soon. You've been through so much together already; You'll get through this, too. I'm really happy for you guys, if I haven't said that enough already." While she was certain that Foster hated her, that didn't stop her from hoping for the best for the couple. From what she's seen and heard, they were good together. They seemed to make each other really happy. She knew that this awkward patch was temporary and they would get through it stronger than ever.

📜@thephoebeyates

The words probably shouldn't have meant a lot, considering there wasn't exactly much competition in the Yates family tree. Lisa wasn't exactly in Nilay's top ten (fuck it, top hundred) people to like, and considering she had no idea what her other family members were like, Phoebe couldn't exactly testify their character to be in the running. But regardless, she grinned wide and cheesy. "Sadly, I can't say the same for you, if only because Hattie and Rhia are also in the running, maybe it's a three-way tie." She teased, though Nilay would always hold a special place in her heart. For giving her that chance most people wouldn't.

Perhaps Phoebe shouldn't be answering any questions about the paper; confidential information and all that. But that said, it wasn't like she signed an NDA, and honestly, at this point, that probably wouldn't have stopped her anyway. "It's a small town paper, Ni. The biggest story that's about to break is the theater group's legal battle with Andrew Lloyd Webber over wanting to perform Cats this year." She shook her head with a disatisfied face. "We're hardly uncovering political scandals or big hot topics. Hell, the celebrity gossip portion is crap too. I think Deb still thinks it's Team Jen versus Team Angelina for Brad's heart out there."

Perhaps Mark deserved it for being a general dickish guy, or maybe not, because he already had a lot on his plate, but it still pleased an impish part of Phoebe — the one that usually turned a blind-eye to Seb's mischief out of morbid curiosity to 'see what happens' — to see that the idea made Nilay laugh. Though the follow-up question about Foster extinguished that, glancing back out momentarily to look at the swan family. "We're fine." Once again hoping if she said it enough times it'd come true. "We're just...it's a weird transition, going this long of insisting we're just friends to being boyfriend and girlfriend. And a proper relationship isn't something either of us have navigated for the longest time, and I think we're getting too caught up in the title of it all to realize that making it official doesn't change the fundamentals." Something she still needed to talk to her therapist about, though she hadn't been since the Lisa Yates Gift-Gate back in January.

[doctornilaybailey]

Nilay was trying so hard not to laugh. As a matter of fact, she kept trying not to look at Phoebe and not see the look on her face. Unfortunately, she needed to take a peek. And soon enough, a fit of giggles left her lips. She leaned down to whisper softly to Misty, "Heads up: I think mama's mad at us right now." Which seemed to be the cat's goal. The kitten only stretched out, her purring growing louder and a smile on her face. All Nilay could do was shake her head and continue petting the sweet little thing. And hope that Phoebe wasn't genuinely upset over this.

Nilay pressed her lips together once she heard her friend's sarcastic remark. Knowing that if she laughed, it might spell trouble for the Assyriologist and the kitten in her lap.

"I mean... That does make the most logical sense..." She glanced over as she felt her smile grow on her face. Nilay shook her head before saying, "If it's any consolation, cats love doing things like this. Oliver and Eve especially loved messing with Eli after I was first introduced to them. I have no doubt that she adores you both immensely." Looking back at the kitten, all she could do was soften again. "You truly are a sweetheart, though, aren't you?" she cooed, gently scratching behind one of her ears.

📜@thephoebeyates

There were many times in Phoebe's life where she had felt betrayed. Every time her mom went back on her word about certain boyfriends, or jobs, or leaving her all alone for weeks at a time, promising it was a one-off that quickly turned to a twice-off etc.. Or all the half-assed fake apologies offered by Spencer, who promised not to do this or that again, she had his word. Employment that had promised to try their best to keep her on, passing her over in favor of someone else who didn't have the experience but also didn't have the reputation the Yates name brought her. Even the petty squabbles of all the times Seb spoiled a movie for her, or Linc got the last Drumstick in the Gulp 'n' Go's freezer and never offered it to her.

It all paled in comparison to this bitch purring on Nilay's lap.

"You got us," She drawled sarcastically, fed-up glare still on the feline. "Foster and I take time out of our mornings to scratch each other up to make her look bad. Clearly she's some sort of innocent princess." She moved to sit on the couch, and it was evident Misty was torn between staying in the comfort of her new friend's lap, or running away to further irritate her own parental figure. "Now why don't you ever do this for the people who feed you and clean your litter box, hm?" She addresed her cat, taking advantage to stroke under her chin.

[doctornilaybailey]

"And you, are my favourite Yates," she mused. Nilay often wondered how things could've been had she met Phoebe sooner. If she could've helped her in some way concerning her mother. If she could've gotten to spend more time watching Phoebe become more and more of an incredible woman. If they could've become a family sooner. Of course, she knew that she couldn't go back in time and make that a reality. No one had that kind of power. She was just grateful that they found each other in the first place over all.

Nilay nodded as she listened to her, taking a bite of her food. "Mmm, I bet that's fun! Are there any stories that you've enjoyed going to cover? Or is that to remain hush hush currently?" It was possibly a loaded question. Especially when considering that they might not have given those stories out yet in the news. However, if there were any that Phoebe could tell her, she'd love to hear more about them. "Maybe eventually, you can do horoscopes. It just might be something that'll take time."

Bursting out laughing, she tried to imagine that. And then quickly stopped herself from trying to imagine it, because she does not need that mental image. "You'd break his heart into a billion small pieces." While the curator herself wasn't great at noticing when others have feelings for her, such as being oblivious to Eli's that good first year of them knowing each other, she had a better time seeing others having feelings for others. And Mark, she's noticed, certainly had quite a handful of them for Miss Phoebe Yates. "But really, how're things between you and Foster?" The man might possibly dislike her, but she was happy for the couple nonetheless. She just hoped that things were going well between them.

📜@thephoebeyates

"I think this is the only time being a Yates has had more stock than being a Bailey," Phoebe mainly teased. It was hard growing up, her surname being associated with her mom. Polite people would refer to Lisa as 'larger than life' and the more realsitic ones would call her out on being a bitch. It usually meant the courtesy they gave her extended to Phoebe herself, who often felt like she had to fight tooth and nail to prove that she wasn't anything like her mom.

Though in light of reason events — the tear-stained conversation where her and Foster made it official coming to mind — maybe her and Lisa shared a lot more than just blood after all.

But it was why she initially liked Nilay, because she didn't know what hiring a Yates meant until Phoebe got the job, accidentally letting her incompetence shine through immediately. Then they became close, and now they were watching swans travel down the river at the diner, long after Phoebe no longer worked for her.

"I mean, it's not so bad, I like it when they let me go out with them to cover stories. I keep asking if I can do the horoscopes but they outsource a guy for that." Whatever that meant. As the historian relayed Mark's alleged reaction to her leaving, Phoebe couldn't help but scoff. "Maybe Foster and I can have a romantic date and make-out in front of his beloved stegosaurus, bet that'd drive wild." Voice lacing with sarcasm. She didn't fully believe Mark had feelings for her, despite the flowers on Valentine's Day and how he awkwardly asked her to dinner on her last day at work. Maybe the dinosaur bones were that boring, and it had all been mind-games from the start.

[doctornilaybailey]

Nilay tutted softly, her hand moving from Phoebe's wrist to wave away her words. "Taking care of you and ensuring that you're okay is never wasteful, Pheebs. I can assure you of that." Glancing up, her features grew more gentle. Her lips pursing into a small smile before she turned off the facet and grabbed her hand towel to carefully pat her friend's wrist dry. "Besides, cat scratch fever is hellish, and if I can prevent you from getting that, I will. Just... Hold still and breathe through, alright? This should only take a few minutes." Compared to the other "war wounds" her friend has obtained since adopting Misty, this one was fortunately more tame but no less angry. She could hear the cat mewling in displeasure over her "jail time", looking for a moment to check on her. The curator smirked softly noticing her own cats peeking around a corner, staring at the cage in curiosity. Having Phoebe and her cat over more often have been a thing of beauty, though, it was also bittersweet knowing why she was with them more. Nilay still found herself wrapping her mind around the whole situation; But, at the same time, she didn't want to hurt the younger woman by asking too many questions.

As she carefully rubbed some ointment on the scratch, her eyebrow rose up and her smile grew. "Hey, that's some progress! Soon enough, you'll get her to be able to go into the cage with barely a second to spare," she giggled. However, soon enough, her laughter subsided. After all, she tried to be cautious when it concerned the subject of Matty Foster. Yet, with Phoebe taking the lead, she took that as her own cue. The raven-haired beauty nodded and put on the bandage. Gently ensuring it was on properly while gathering her thoughts. "That might help out a lot. I'm sure they'd both appreciate it. What... What are thinking of doing to help with that, while ensuring that you're comfortable as well?" Her dark brown eyes looked to Phoebe's. She carefully placed her hand over the other's and squeezed gently. The anthropologist couldn't help the ever-growing protectiveness she felt for her friend, which has only grown tenfold in the time since learning about the breakup she hadn't seen coming. "What do you need throughout this, love? I agree that this is important... But I don't want you to put yourself through hell in the meantime."

📜@thephoebeyates

≈ the bailey-falvey residence. with @doctornilaybailey

“Sorry, you must be sick of wasting your medical supplies on me.” Phoebe apologized again, wrist firmly under the running water of the tap, as Nilay checked over the latest Misty-caused scratch. The criminal herself was mewling desperately from her cage, all but abandoned near the kitchen door when the anthropologist had noticed the angry red cut that drew blood. Realistically, Phoebe knew she didn’t have to leave the cat alone in the apartment when she went out, but trips to Nilay and Eli’s house had — as of late — resulted in spontaneous sleepovers, so she’d rather take Misty with her than bother Ruairi about checking on her. However, Phoebe was still not getting the hang of transporting the little gray cat into the carrier — a job that Foster had all but exceeded at — so she had a habit of showing up to the Deer Park house battered and bruised.

“But I timed us today. Twenty minutes! I think I can get it down to fifteen by next week.” She joked, remembering the first time it took over an hour, mainly because Phoebe couldn’t stop sobbing long enough to really focus on grabbing Misty from where was wedged behind the couch, the stress of the break-up and the emotional after-effects taking a toll on both cat and owner, the absence of Foster suffocating. “I, uh, was thinking about arranging some, uh, custody agreement. When he isn’t working.” It was the first time she had brought him up unprompted, the idea playing in her mind since seeing him at The Vault a week ago. “They miss each other, I think.”

[doctornilaybailey]

Being around Phoebe was the equivalent of being around sunlight encompassed in a human being. No matter the time or day, spending time with the younger woman made everything better. Though, part of Nilay worried at times that, even though the other brunette made her happy, that she didn't provide the same joy and comfort to her. Of course, deep down, she knew that was ridiculous. Lately, however, she felt her ages-old insecurities trying their damnedest to rear their ugly heads again. And she knew that it wasn't fair to wonder if Phoebe didn't want her around. It terrified her deeply to think that this might hurt her if she knew. Yet, at the same time, it was hard not to wonder either. Nor was it just the younger brunette that she wondered about. Which... probably wouldn't help, either.

She was going to try and forget all of that tonight, however. No, tonight, she was going to spend some time with Phoebe, meet Misty officially, and have a good time overall. No insecurities, no bad thoughts, no anxiety; None of that exist tonight. The Egyptologist refused to allowed all of that to get in the way of being with her friend. Especially if it could possibly hurt her.

Fortunately, it seemed like Misty knew exactly what to do to help with all of that. Now, of course, Nilay has heard the horror stories. She knew that she had to brace herself for horrible scratches: wearing a long-sleeved, lightweight, Henley that worked rather well with the cool night air; some Band-Aids of various sizes; and some ointment and ibuprofen, incase of possibly catching cat scratch fever. The woman was prepared and ready to face the tiny scratch-happy cat. Though, the cat in question, didn't seem to catch the memo. From the moment that Nilay sat down of the couch, Misty came over to check her out. "Hello, querida," she cooed softly, her smile only growing as she settled in her lap. She barely paid attention to Phoebe's words as she gave the kitten some gentle scratches behind her ears, the loud purrs instantly relaxing her. Nilay just continued cooing at her, a mixture of Turkish, Egyptian Arabic, and Ladino leaving her lips, before looking up. Her smile wide as she looked at Phoebe. "Okay, I get it now: you and Foster have been lying this whole time so that you both can bathe in her love without having to share with anyone else; She's such a sweetheart!" Her words, while loving, also were a bit teasing. She's seen the scratch marks on Phoebe. They were definitely from a cat.

📜@thephoebeyates

≈ phoebe’s apartment. with @doctornilaybailey

Growing up in poverty meant growing up embarrassed of where you lived, unfortunately. Phoebe had always dreaded having friends over who lived in the nicer areas of Blue Harbor. It was a feeling that never really went away, even though her apartment in Cardinal Hill was a decent part of the downtown area, and she put her entire soul in decorating it with personal touches to whatever limitations her landlord had set for her.

Still, it was still an anxiety gnawing on her when she invited Nilay over; the anthropologist having a free moment of time, deciding to utilize that by properly meeting Misty. The cat hadn’t come out to attack the latest guest yet, though from the distant scratching noises, Phoebe knew she was close by when she welcomed Nilay in, instructing her to sit as she made them drinks, keeping her worries at bay by keeping busy. “So, just a word of warning!” She called from the kitchen, searching cabinet after cabinet — wondering where the fuck Foster housed the sugar nowadays — pulling a face at the $10 Earthwave branded garlic powder whose sole existence was the mock her, slamming the cupboard door closed. “If she approaches, just like, cross your arms over yourself. She’ll do that dopey thing where she’ll throw herself on her back and expose her tummy — it’s a trap to latch on!” Finally finding the sugar, she gave her own drink a generous spoonful and a quick mix, picking up the mugs and carrying them through, still talking about how to defend oneself best against Misty. “And if she jumps up on you just freeze, play dead, just don’t move because she will —”

Pausing at the sight before her, Phoebe’s jaw fell open. Misty, the demon cat who regularly drew blood from both her parents, was purring loudly in Nilay’s open lap, big eyes blinking slowly at the curator, only tilting her head to offer the intern a smug side-eye. If cats were capable of smirking, Phoebe would bet her entire savings on Misty doing that right now. “What the fuck?” 

[doctornilaybailey]

🏛️𝚜𝚘𝚗 ; הסוף ; 𝚊 𝚎𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 ; النهاية ; 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍.

"Sweetheart," she giggled softly, watching her friend blush and hide her face. It was amazing how much has changed since they came to be in each other's lives. How much Phoebe has grown, all of her confidence she's gained, how she had the courage to chase after her dreams, and how she was with a good man who treated her right. Nilay felt lucky that she was able to be a part of her life and that she was able to support her, to cheer her on. "You deserve to be happy, Pheebs. Happiness looks beautiful on you, love."

Nilay let out a full-belly laugh at her squeal, accidentally waking Misty and causing her to run off in fear. "I'm sorry, baby!" she called out after the kitten. Her giggles unable to leave her lips still as she looked back at Phoebe. Raising her hands up in surrender, yet her smile betrayed her. "I'm not putting out anything! I swear! Though... Eli and I did adopt Kemet before he moved in... And then we learned about Rhia... Sooo..." She gained a thoughtful look before she laughed again. Her raven curls shaking as she shook her head. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. No more jokes, I promise. It is, isn't it? I think moving Eli and us figuring everything out together has been one of my favourite parts of our relationship. Granted, that list is longer than the Nile, but still. I'm happy that you are getting to have this with Foster. He's a good man; It's good seeing you two be happy together."

📜@thephoebeyates

[doctornilaybailey]

She snickered before taking her drink. "Well, thank you, for your connections," she mused lovingly. Nilay remembered when she read her resume. The wide array of careers the young brunette held throughout the years, including the diner. While a handful of her colleagues thought that she was crazy for even considering interviewing Phoebe, she liked that she had a variety of experiences with different places. She liked that the girl had been willing, wanting, to try. If there was something she respected about anyone, it was their willingness to try and learn.

Then again, they didn't have a typical boss-employee relationship. Throughout this time, without meaning to, Phoebe has become a daughter-figure to her. She had become a part of their family and she couldn't imagine a life without her. While she'd been more relaxed about things compared to her other colleagues and their personal assistants, she knew that Phoebe had done her best. And she was proud of her for doing so again now at the newspaper. "Wait, for real? That sounds completely barbaric," the curator joked back. She did groan, however, at the other's question. Relaxing in her seat as she shook her head. "God, Mark has been incorrigible since you've left. Always asking me about you and if you'll ever come back. You've broken his heart greatly, my dear. I can't imagine how he'd behave if you showed up back at the museum sometime soon."

📜@thephoebeyates

Even though when she worked here, it wasn't the best (her constant lateness, and the way she'd deal with rude customers coming to mind), Phoebe always loved the vibe here when she was on the other side; a customer who tipped very, very well and was always polite to the servers, some of the longer-standing ones recognising her. So, when Nilay had invited her out for food at the Waterway, she jumped at the chance.

Her eyes drifted from the menu that hadn't changed since its opening, letting out a soft coo at the family of swans swimming on the river. "It's the diner connections that got you this spot, Ni." She joked with a wink. A non-commital shrug was the response to the internship. It wasn't bad — could be quite fun at times — but it was a means to an end. Three days a week where she'd get some sort of writing experience and a possible connection to the publishing industry. "It's fine...you know, you have to work when you have a job? You can't just crawl under a desk to have a nap when you're sleepy." She teased, still wondering how she was able to get away with that shit when under Nilay's employment. "Is everyone at the museum missing me? Has Jurassic Mark been sobbing over the dinosaur bones and getting them all wet?"