Summary: How is our favorite werewolf/redhead coping with a night at the theatre?
Intermission. A break. Outside. Away from Nozomi. Away from so many misleading sensations. Smells not matching voices, actions not matching emotions. All a muddle, and Nico at the heart of it, Nico and Kashima, magic and musk strengthening with every gasp or confident stride. Nozomi alert to Maki's every twitch. Sensation overflow. Barely a moon buried under banks of clouds, barely a thrum, low levels of late evening noise. Weather was going to get bad, Maki could smell the wet, waiting snow. But she could breathe here, for a few minutes before she had to go back inside, to finish the full Fangs experience. Maki wanted this to be over, so over, so she could just go back to Nico's place and…
Maki howled, softly, suddenly lonely and longing for a caress and Nico to lean into. But no, back inside, to watch Nico on stage, ruby eyed dynamite unleashing all that vitality, creating moments, catching the interest of anyone watching, like she did at the party, heartbeats raised, heads tilted, everyone's eyes following Nico. Nico thrived on the attention, her delight coming through every sense. And Maki was happy for Nico, really she was, although suddenly waking from a new lovers haze to find herself so connected to someone so connected to so many others' reactions was a shock. Then, as Maki was processing this new Nico, who wasn't really a new Nico, just a Nico who had kept all her focus on Maki for too brief a while and was now renewing her contacts with the world, there was old Nico suddenly surging on the Lakefill, surprising Maki, leading Maki into that tiny control room and stripping away all the emotions, leaving them both breathless with the physicality, the fierceness of the bond between them. That had been…unsettling. And sexy, sensual, provocative, risky, raw. But Maki kept returning to how off balance she had felt as Nico bounced out of the room, blowing a kiss, heading to conquer the stage as confidently as she had just conquered Maki. And once again, Maki had found herself sliding, unsteady on breaking, drifting ice over emotional depths she was afraid to be tossed into.
Sister One, also known as Deidre, and Sister Two, Amira, were sitting in the green room, gossiping together, a few feet away from where Eli had settled at the mirror.. Eli had a decent working relationship with them, but they were senior theatre majors and Eli's junior status and minor in dance meant they hadn't interacted much before this show. Deidre and Amira knew everyone in the theatre department and had long been Kashima confidants.
"Can you believe Nico skipped the CosPlay party at Chapin last week?" Amira complained as she searched for her mascara.
"I know. She hasn't had time for anything this quarter. First, it was this part, then work, then that redhead." Deidre checked her hair in the mirror, redoing the tie holding it up and back.
"She's in the audience tonight. I hear she's a freshman. And loaded."
Diedre sniggered, "Oh, is that why Nico is keeping her to herself."
Amira quickly applied her mascara, "You know I'm really not going to mind if Nico gets mad at us and Kashima for this. She barely talks to me anymore anyway."
"Kashima's doing Nico a favor." Deidre took a lipstick out of Amira's bag.
"Exactly." Eli found herself scooting her chair down as she brushed her hair, but when Amira caught her paying attention, the brunette nudged her companion, "Hey, Eli, what do you think about Nico? She's BFF with your girlfriend."
Eli was a bad liar but…Eli shrugged, "She could be nicer to Nozomi."
"I know. Nico always wants it like "Nico Ni"" Deidre mocked Nico's pose, "thinks it should be. Getting a part this big just made her ego even more inflated. She's been nagging Kashima about her singing when what Kashima really needs support. Which is why Kashima comes to us."
Amira nodded. "And we give her love."
Eli watched her two fellow vamps smile mysteriously and wondered if just asking what was up would get her anywhere. Should Eli even care? Kashima wasn't the problem. Surely Nico was up to handling intracast spats. She seemed to have Kashima pretty well heeled.
Eli decided to continue being a friendly vibration. "I'm just glad we don't have solos. Kashima looks so pale before she sings."
"She claims it's on purpose, to add to the 'King of the Un-dead' effect," Deidre sniggered, "But I know she's just trying not to throw up."
Someone's phone pinged. There was a groan as a voice announced to the dressing rooms, "Bad snowstorm tonight. Hope we get out of here before it starts."
"Yeah. Maybe we could get started soon…." another grumble, "I have a test tomorrow."
Eli stood, "I'm going to find a stage manager and see what's up."
It was just so cute. But Nozomi had to not giggle because the first couple times she almost, Maki shot her glare full of neon threat. But there was Nico's Big Bad Girlfriend, curled up in her seat, holding her backpack like a teddy bear, huge eyes watching the stage as Nico lived Mina's fight against Dracula, whimpers and low growls escaping the tensed redhead. Nozomi swore she saw Maki bite into her bag when Mina was under hypnosis, describing what she saw through her bond with Dracula.
Fortunately, Maki knew when Nico set foot in the audience part of the theatre, otherwise she might have jumped when she felt the arms slide over her shoulders. But she did stiffen. Maki could tell Nico was surprised by that reaction, but Maki was about ready to run howling laps around the Lakefill to get the moody darkness of Fangs out of her head. She now knew what Nico meant when Nico complained about how screechy the music got, and how hard it was to keep that out of her nightmares...add musical cues to Kashima bending threateningly over a swooning, vulnerable Nico and Maki knew she would be the one having nightmares tonight.
"Hey, pretty girl, wasn't Nico brilliant?" Nico kissed Maki's cheek, throwing Maki right back to the chair, before the show, heart racing, suddenly as empty as the room...Maki shivered. "Whoa, are you cold, Maki?"
Before Nico could continue, Nozomi let out all the amusement she'd been keeping in for the past hour, with a booming laugh, "She's TERRIFIED, Nico-chi. Almost bit her bag in half, didn't ya, Maki?"
Nico glared at Nozomi, while Maki shoved her backpack a little away from her. Maki was at the end of the row of seats so Nico slid into her lap, fingers tangling in red silk before pulling her girlfriend in for an embrace as she whispered, "It's no good if Nico's not convincing on stage. But Kashima doesn't even nip me, I swear."
Nozomi continued to giggle, Maki was too embarrassed to look up and let her head drop to Nico's shoulder, inhaling confident Nico masked in the fakery of makeup and the Kashima overlay. Olfactory thrall. No clear scent, no clear head…
Maki sat up, eyes catching Nico's. "I'll walk you home."
"Isn't it the other way around?" Nozomi leaned over to poke Nico.
Nico swatted at her and stood up, "Shut up, Nozomi. Come backstage with me, Maki, I have to change and grab my bag."
Maki was restless. Nico wondered if it was having to sit still for two and a half hours while so much "happened" on stage. Or the aftermath of what happened before rehearsal. As sexy as it was to have Maki so frantic for Nico's touch, there had been an odd mood, an unfamiliar expression on her lover's face, one that Nico didn't have a name for.
Nico slid her arm through Maki's. The snow had started and the sky was layers of gray clouds, shedding wet, heavy flakes.
"So are you ready for opening night now?" Nico opted for a less pressing question, one that might encourage Maki to share any thoughts looping in her mind.
Maki shrugged, stopping to stare up at the sky and let a few snowflakes hit her in the face, "I suppose." She grinned, "I won't bite Kashima now that I know how it ends."
Nico leaned in, "She's really improved, thanks to you. You saved Nico."
Another shrug, "You would have done fine. People know you're…" Maki considered, translating wolf through partly human senses into human language was puzzling sometimes, but then she remembered one of Nico's favorite claims, "a star."
"So they respect Nico." Nico bounced at the confirmation.
"Or fear you. Machiavelli got that right."
"Who?" Nico asked.
"Dead Italian guy. Wrote books."
"Another poet?"
Maki snorted, "Playwright. Actually philosopher. It was the Renaissance, people were a lot of things."
"Triple threats. Like Nico."
Italian philosophy seemed heavier than snow so Maki changed the subject to one sure to distract her lover, "But not as cute."
"Aw, Maki loves Nico." Nico nuzzled.
Maki's noise of agreement was subdued enough that Nico suspected their pre show encounter was at the base of Maki's odd mood.
"Did Nico leave Maki too…" Nico let the question trail off, not sure how to read the redhead's mood.
Maki picked up her pace. Nico pulled her back, "Maki."
Maki hung her head, expression shadowed by her hood, "We should get you home."
"Us home." Nico corrected. No response. "Maki, what's going on?"
Maki collapsed into a crouch, and Nico reached out to touch her shoulder as the redhead muttered, "Don't know."
Nico crouched as well, "Tell me what you're thinking. Maybe I can help."
Maki picked up some snow and started to form it into a ball, "Acting is weird." She stood and threw the snowball at a streetlight.
"Is Nico weird?"
"No." Maki shook her head as she shoved her now red hands in the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie, "You were actually pretty amazing. I was so worried for you even when I knew you were fine."
"So why don't you want to come home with me?" Nico stood, pulling Maki's hood back far enough that she could see her eyes, which were full of swirling green and shadows. Nico knew there was something big that Maki wasn't articulating, but Nico was almost certain that pushing the skittish redhead on the subject of their sex life's debut performance in a semi public location would just lead to a howl and run. Careful phrasing. "We missed the cuddle part."
Maki's eyes glinted amethyst ice, "You didn't miss it. You were on full thrill."
"Did you?" Nico's question was soft as they stood in a pool of light, disconnected and awkward.
"I don't know. Maybe…" Maki turned, arms out, "I've just...it's been…" Maki took a deep breath, "I've felt so many things, so many people, closing in all evening...that and the...I want… I need...to play...to hear...something that makes sense."
Nico didn't have a piano. Maki had had barely a moment to breathe since Nico took her hand and dragged her into the Wirtz Center. There hadn't been any calms, just increasing tension, rising restlessness, the knowledge that something was going to break through, to rip out from under Maki's skin, a howl or leap or a...storm. Maki swept a hand through some falling snow, wondering what this mood might manifest...she could hear the screechiness of the Fangs orchestra merge with the softer fall of a cello in snow and the quick hammering of her heart as Nico...Maki felt her fingers twitch, wanting to search out the notes that would transform this whole evening into meaning.
Nico watched Maki for a moment, as Maki stared off into the distance, unaware of anything other than whatever was going on in her head. She'd have to get used to that, Nico realized, but thoughtful Maki, thoughtful Maki was Depth and Beauty carved against the snow. Nico could certainly hold that image in her heart until playful, flirty Maki returned.
"Maki?" Nico's touch on her arm was firm but when Maki looked down, Nico's smile was warm, "You can head home. Nico can manage from here. It's only a block." Maki sniffed, uncertain. Nico was concerned, but calm, loving, detached. Some of the pressure lifted and Maki grabbed Nico, spinning the smaller woman off the ground, hugging her. Releasing Nico, with a howl, Maki sprinted off. Bemused, Nico shook her head, counting snowflakes for awhile as she watched Maki disappear into the gray. She was positive an affectionate Maki would remember to call or text at some point, but right now, Nico respected this mood she was on the outside of. Besides, she could use a good night's sleep. It was already a hectic week.
A/N: Tuesday extended itself for more chapters than I expected, but Maki had some things to process before we could progress.
Merry Wives is hectic as we approach going off book.
Take care of yourself. And do something you love.
