Elias wanted to argue when Edith suggested not coming back until April, but she hadn't protested his point about the night shifts, so he held his tongue. He had to choose his battles, and at least this way he knew she'd be around at a time when he could keep an eye on her. He could wait two more weeks.
He laughed at her suggestion of using him as a guard for her cubicle. "Weren't you just bragging about your obliviating skills? I'm sure you could get rid of anyone who dropped by to bother you. Just make them forget what they wanted to ask, you know." He smiled at the joke, but then had second thoughts and caught her eye again. "I'm just kidding, of course." He would never approve of Edith using her ministry training for anything other than official assignments, and that included modifying the memories of the people who annoyed her and the family members who wanted to marry him off.
With a sigh and a nod, Elias drained the rest of his glass while Edith went up to pay the bill. While she was gone, he left a note on the table for the service; if he couldn't buy the drinks, he would at least cover the drinking money. He stood up and met her at the door, stepping out into the brisk night. "I'd like that," he replied, looking down at her with a smile. Now that he had gotten her off of her sofa and back into the world, he was feeling significantly less worried and truly happy to be back in her company again.
When they reached her front step, he waited politely while she unlocked the door. "Good night, and take care," he told her seriously before pulling her into a warm hug. She pulled away after a moment, but it wasn't until his friend had disappeared, closing the front door behind her, that Elias turned, vanishing into thin air with a pop.
