I don't own The Good Place nor will I ever.
Eleanor was completely and utterly forked - she was in love with Chidi but pretty sure he had fallen for Tahani. And Jason wasn't sympathetic nor helpful. "Just tell him! What could go wrong?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and glared. "Lots of shirt could go wrong! That's why I'm having a meltdown right now. Pay attention!" Eleanor snapped.
"I was?" a confused Jason answered.
"You weren't. What am I going to do?" she moaned, starting to pace around the kitchen. Chidi was her best friend - and had been so supportive of her after she revealed to everyone she didn't belong in the Good Place - and Eleanor didn't want to ruin that. She couldn't.
"Tell him," he repeated.
"Stop saying that!"
Jason sighed and shrugged. "Tahani is less confusing than you. I'm going to go." He slowly backed out and made his way back to his place.
Eleanor sat down on the couch and leaned back. What was she going to do? Chidi didn't feel the same way about her and that's all there was to it. So she'd keep it to herself and pretend like nothing was wrong. It'd be fine.
Unfortunately, she ran into Michael the next day and he immediately figured out she was upset. "Tell me what's wrong." He patted the bench and urged her to sit down next to him.
She laughed. "What makes you think something's wrong?"
"Because you look like you're about to cry any minute now. Is this a Ross and Rachel thing?" he guessed correctly.
Eleanor just sighed - any chance he could get, Michael related Friends to any situation it was applicable. "Sort of. I'm in love with Chidi but he's not my soulmate and is in love with Tahani. Also not his soulmate but they have so much in common." Why was she telling him all this?
"Have you seen the way that boy looks at you? Eleanor, he loves you. Tahani's one of his best friends. Tell him how you feel and it'll work out."
"I'm glad you're so optimistic," she muttered. She thanked him and then stood up, deciding to take a walk around the neighborhood. She was no closer to a decision on what to do by the time she got home.
Eleanor shrieked when she saw Tahani sitting there. "Nice to see you too, Eleanor. Could you be any louder?"
"What are you doing here? Did you let yourself in?"
"Yes, I did. Now Jason tells me you have a problem." Tahani clapped her hands excitedly. "You're in love!"
"Traitor," she whispered. But she decided to try to deny everything to Tahani. "He doesn't know what he's talking about. You know what Jason's like," Eleanor tried.
"Eleanor, sit," Tahani encouraged. "This is just splendid. We'll figure out how you can tell Chidi and then you can live - or die, I suppose? - happily ever after!"
Confused, Eleanor could only stare at her. "What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?" Tahani shot back.
That's the moment she gave up. Eleanor slumped over and sighed. "He doesn't love me, Tahani. He loves you."
"Don't be ridiculous - that man is head over heels in love with you, Eleanor. It's time you both finally admit that to each other and then everything will be perfect."
"He does love you." It scared the shirt out of her that Tahani could possibly be right so she immediately went into denial mode.
"No, he doesn't. Please go home." She needed to wallow in self-pity and peace until Chidi returned.
Tahani wanted to headdesk in frustration. "Why are you two so stubborn? Chidi is in love with you. You're in love with him. It's really quite simple. Do something romantic and then make love to him!" she pleaded.
"Why are you so forking persistent? I'm not planning anything with you and this'll most likely blow up in my face, but fine. I'll tell him." She was absolutely terrified, though, and feared what would happen next. But she had been through the worst already - the aftermath of what had happened after her revelation she didn't belong here. It had all worked out in the end, much to everyone's surprise.
She squealed and then hugged Eleanor. "Good luck!" she called on her way out, leaving Eleanor to drown in fear.
When Chidi got home, he could tell something was wrong with Eleanor. "Did something happen?" he questioned in concern. He looked her up and down to make sure everything was okay.
She shook her head. "I'm fine. What have you been up to all day?"
He could tell she was stalling about something but couldn't figure out. "Nothing much - just helping Janet around the neighborhood. You know you can tell me anything, right? Please tell me what's bothering you." He didn't like seeing her so upset.
"Can I work my way up to it?"
Whatever it was was serious and that scared him. "Of course you can."
Eleanor rambled on incessantly about random topics and it amused him but Chidi was still immensely worried about her. "I'm still working my way up to it," she told him an hour and a half later.
Her reassurances did nothing to soothe him. "I'm on the verge of panicking Eleanor. Just talk to me. Please."
She sat down on the couch and smiled at him. Chidi grinned back and sat down next to her. "Hi, Chidi."
"Hi, Eleanor."
"Hey, I wonder what Tahani and Jason are up to. Let's go bother them!" Her hands were so clammy and shaking she could barely even think straight. She had never really been in love while she was alive, thus this massive meltdown she couldn't come down off of.
"Eleanor."
Tears slipped down her face against her will and she sighed. "I am so in love with you I can barely think straight sometimes. And it's okay that you don't feel the same way - I just wanted you to know." Eleanor had never felt this vulnerable before in her life.
The grin on Chidi's face shocked her. "Really?" he asked in amazement.
Eleanor stared at him. "Really," she confirmed, her body shaking with sobs. Why couldn't she stop crying?
"I am in love with you too, Eleanor. How could you not see it? I didn't tell you because I figured you didn't feel the same way."
"Holy shirt." Eleanor blinked to make sure she wasn't dreaming and then pulled him in for a kiss.
It didn't matter that they weren't soulmates - Eleanor and Chidi belonged together anyway and not even death - or real soulmates - could come between them. And when Tahani found out, she jumped up and down and made Michael throw a party for the whole neighborhood.