"Shut out the month's light with your fragrance;
Close all the doors with your hair"
Maybe Nico had a point and Neruda was a werewolf. So many scent cues. And hair to be wrapped around in. Maki closed her eyes, remembering Nico's hair falling down, ends tickling against her skin, taunting her with the barest of touches, Nico's ruby eyes a fire in the cavern they were both lost in, the only light Maki could see…
Maki curled up further, pulling the throw over her torso, slight traces of Nico's scent lingering there and the rest of the room. Not enough. Her mother had tidied. Maki really wanted a shirt that Nico had slept in, some physical reminder, maybe some lingered on her pillow, if she went upstairs, but half asleep, even the faintest trace of Nico was making her lazy to leave. Nico had been so vivid here, in the music room... The music still pounded...Nico, so close, so demanding, Nico so far, so aloof, and the space of the night between those two Nicos.
Howling. Loud. Close. Rin. Happy. Maki sat up. She'd left the door to the music room open so outside sounds were filtering in. Maki ran to the back door, to see Rin in wolf form in the backyard, doing flips through what looked like two feet of new snow. Maki waved and slid the door open to be half tackled by wet, cold, happy Rin, who then rushed over to the couch, under a blanket and suddenly human Rin was grinning at Maki.
"Classes are cancelled. Let's go PLAY! Kayo-chin's waiting." Rin wrapped the blanket around her small frame and rushed to the cabinets to find food.
"They never cancel classes."
"TWENTY inches of snow." Rin spun, half a scone in her mouth, "SNOW DAY!"
"Hello, Rin. Good morning, Maki. I didn't know you were home. Is Nico here?" Maki's mom was still in her bathrobe.
"Hey, Dr. Nishikino. We're going to go play on the Lakefill." Rin pulled out a chair while Maki turned to her mom.
"No, Nico's at her apartment." Maki decided a scone sounded good.
"Can I make you girls eggs and bacon? The office is staying closed today, I think."
"Lotsa bacon." Rin ordered as Maki sat next to her.
"I thought Hanayo was waiting." Maki needled.
Rin shrugged. "Give me your phone."
Maki unlocked it and slid it over, Rin typed a quick message, "She'll get breakfast there. We'll meet outside."
Maki hurriedly grabbed her phone back, she had a girlfriend to text too.
M: Hi! Rin's here. Miss you ꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖
N: Did Maki dream about Nico? (ɔˆ ³(ˆ⌣ˆc)
M: Maybe...We're going to run around on the Lakefill. Want to meet us?
A pause.
N:ꉂ (ᵔ̴̶̤᷄ꇴ ॣᵔ̴̶̤᷅⌯))л̵ʱªʱª⁎*.*
N: Nico will be sitting wrapped up in a warm blanket sipping hot chocolate, waiting for a visit when you're done.
M: ●︿●
N: Oh, Nico knows you'll be adorable, pretty girl. But Nico can't afford to get sick.
N: Bring Rin and Hanayo with you. Kotori and Honoka stayed over. Nico's making a big meal for everyone.
M: (´∀`)
N: Love you, Maki ღゝ◡╹)ノ Be careful.
M: (^^)b
Maki slid the phone back to Rin. "Ask Hanayo to pack a bag for us. Nico's cooking lunch."
"Ooohh," Rin phone pounced, typing rapidly. "Snow days mean snow much homecooking. I could get spoiled."
Maki shook her head at Rin's goofiness while her mom dropped a plates in front of both of them, "And you should. Tell Nico and Hanayo I said hello. We'll have to have another dinner here, when Nico's not so busy with rehearsal."
"...when Nico's not so busy with rehearsal," At that thought, Maki sat up, eager, as her mother ruffled her hair.
"You'll have to pick classes soon for next quarter." And then practical Mama struck, "What are you planning to take, Rin? Maki can't decide on a…"
And Maki tuned out, her mouth full of the crinkly, layered, slightly burnt sweetness of bacon, her mind full of Nico with evenings free.
Erena had her tool chest out and was tinkering. Tsubasa came back from the bathroom, towel wrapped around her hair, bathrobe tightly closed.
"Classes are cancelled." Erena announced, "Everything's shut down. 20 inches."
Tsubasa sat on her bed, "Anybody delivering? We've eaten our way through the food stash."
"Sargent cafeteria's open. We can walk over there. Just let me finish this."
"What is it?"
"Modified field strength meter."
"Anju really owes you." Tsubasa pulled on pants.
Erena closed up the back of the meter, shaking her head, "Nope. Free will kind of thing, my friend. I want to be helpful."
"So you can…"
Erena pushed her chair back and stood. Her height always irritated Tsubasa, "Helpful. Friend." Erena repeated.
"So build me a werewolf finder." Tsubasa wheedled, "We've been friends for longer."
Erena frowned, "I don't believe in werewolves. No scientific evidence."
"What about the video?"
"Low budget dyi horror."
"Really?"
Erena shrugged, "Maybe if there are werewolves, I don't want to make their lives any harder."
"But what if they're a danger?" Tsubasa's voice got shriller, "What if they make people change?"
"Then I'm sure we'd hear about it like Ebola or Rabies or...things like that are hard to hide. Not even the tabloids do "Human with bite walks into ER, 3 werewolves trot out" stories. Why do you care so much anyway?"
"It bugs me. People masquerading as something they're not." Tsubasa pulled her sweater down, then grabbed a pair of wool socks out of a drawer.
'Bit hypocritical for semi closeted you." Erena grabbed her jacket.
"I only bite volunteers." Tsubasa countered, "What would it take to convince you werewolves exist?"
"Proof. Data. I can work with data."
"Fine. I'll get you proof. If all this magic runs on frequencies, maybe the moon has one."
Erena stopped, surprised at her friend, eyebrows raised with interest, "That's actually pretty intriguing."
Tsubasa nodded, glad to have finally landed a bullseye in Erena's scientific curiosity.
Eli stood at the window, stretching. She'd missed her morning workout at the barre, so she definitely needed to make up for that. She started the electric teakettle while Nozomi dealt out cards kneeling at her table.
"What are you worried about this morning, Nozomi?"
"Nico." Nozomi's tone was so bleak that Eli immediately knelt next to her.
"Is something wrong? Did Nico say something yesterday?"
Nozomi shook her head, "No. She seemed in a good mood. But there's something I can't...I just can't shake the feeling there's a darkness looming…"
Eli rested her head on the bed, remembering the chatter at the makeup mirror, "The other two sisters yesterday were plotting something, but it sounded pretty innocuous. High school evil. And Kashima seems to be a Nico fan now, Nico and Maki have helped her so much with the singing."
"Everybody 'seems' something," Nozomi tapped the cards she'd laid out, seeming reluctant to turn them over, "But I don't get a sense of Truth from anyone."
"Not even Nico?"
Nozomi turned, her frown thoughtful, "I get so many different reads from Nico. And from Maki there's turmoil. And uncertainty…"
Eli wrapped her arms around Nozomi's shoulder's her head dropping to rest there, "They'll be fine. They're adults. They care about each other. They can figure it out."
Nozomi hummed, turning over the Page of Cups. "Love will save them, huh, Eli-chi."
Eli squeezed, "It's a nice thought."
Nozomi sighed, "The cards agree with you more often than me when it's about Nico." She turned over the next card, another bright, young person bearing an offering. The last was a woman, seated on a throne, glowing with power and security, a knowing glint in her eyes. The card dropped from Nozomi's fingers and Eli had the oddest sensation that her lover had just stalled, unable to process whatever the cards had offered her.
"Nozomi?" Eli's tone was soothing.
"That's not possible?!" Both Nozomi's hands were splayed out on the table, cards between them.
"What is it? They all look cheerful."
Nozomi nodded, speaking in an odd rhythm, as if she were testing out a theory. "They are, because Nico's younger, adorable, playful love interest has happened along at just the right time for Nico's hard work to pay off and for them to start a family."
"Oh." Eli tried that one out in her head and understood why Nozomi seemed stalled, "But you keep getting the feeling that Nico's in some danger, right."
Nozomi nodded, "Every time I set foot in the theatre, it's intense. And Nico won't listen."
"Is it," Eli hated to say it, but the thought of werewolves still itched at her, especially walking home after dark, "Maki? Is she a threat?"
Nozomi's belly laugh cleared out the awkward feeling in the room, "Maki Nishikino would gnaw off her own tail before she did anything to hurt Nico."
"So…?"
"I don't know, Eli-chi. My instincts and the cards have never been this split before." Nozomi leaned over her table, head in her hands.
Eli hesitated as she slid her arm around Nozomi's waist, "Do you think the headaches threw you off?"
Nozomi considered that, but then shook her head, "Maybe Maki's influence is stronger in the cards than whatever I'm sensing at the theatre. That makes the most sense."
Eli smiled at the Page of Cups, "So Happy Ending Nico?"
"Family Ending Nico, anyway, it seems."
"Huh?
"We'll have to wait and see."
"Hey, pretty girl! Did you have fun?" Nico opened the door and Maki jumped up with a whine for a quick lick of Nico's cheek. Rin bounded through the foyer, sniffing everywhere and Hanayo looked pleased but cold, "Let's get you upstairs so Hanayo can defrost."
"Thank you." Hanayo whispered as she rubbed her hands together, Rin bumping up against her.
Rin and Maki came through the door simultaneously, Nico having stopped to take the backpack from Hanayo. Honoka yelled and Nico stepped into the room to see the ginger haired enthusiast run toward the werewolves with both arms out, "Maki! Rin! You're ok! I'm so happy!"
Maki yelped as Honoka tried to hug both of them at once, and managed to skitter out of her grasp and duck behind a chuckling Nico.
"I'm so glad you're friends again." Honoka and Rin were playwrestling on the floor, Rin fake snarling.
"Yes, Honoka, we're glad they're okay, too." Umi put a hand on Honoka's shoulder, "Now let Rin go."
"Aw, Umi." Honoka gave Rin one last squeeze and stood, "Rin doesn't mind."
"Hanayo might" Nico stated drily, as her own werewolf girlfriend snuffled her way through every inch of Nico's clothing her nose could reach. Rin bounded up to Nico and took the backpack in her mouth, "You can use my bedroom to change, Rin." Nico pointed the way, "Are you going to change, Maki?"
Maki shook her head, whining, continuing to sniff Nico. Nico ruffled the fur around Maki's ears, bopping a kiss between them, "Well, Nico has to finish cooking so keep your snout off the stove."
Maki howled and followed Nico into the kitchen. Nico thought if she and Maki ever got their own apartment, she'd have to make sure to factor in enough space for a wolf who liked the way Nico's cooking smelled.
Nico had seized her usual spot on the couch, claiming "Number One Chef in The Universe" privileges, Maki, sitting on the floor in human form, was curled up at her feet, the coffee table pushed to the side. Umi had offered Hanayo and Rin the other couch spots but they had opted for sharing the half smooshed huge pillow in the corner that doubled as a chair. So that left Kotori and Honoka snuggling on the couch, Umi sitting on the arm and leaning in…
Honoka was still excited about having two werewolves in the room with her. As many times as Umi would shush her Honoka would just pick up the conversation again, until they got to here, where Umi was playing with Kotori's hair and too tired and content to curtail Honoka's enthusiasm.
"You must heal super fast," Honoka grabbed Maki's arm, "You looked pretty wrecked that night, Maki."
Maki pulled her arm back and Nico shifted a little, leaning down to whisper in her ear, at a level only the werewolf could hear. Maki blushed and Nico answered Honoka's question, "Nico takes good care of her girlfriend." Nico nudged Maki, who whimpered softly as Rin giggled. Maki put her head on Nico's knee, enjoying this Nico mood, magic and musk and peach and vanilla and wanting Maki but content, surrounded by friends.
Umi was grateful Nozomi had decided not to take Nico up on her offer to come over. That would have dragged the conversation down alleys that Umi refused to admit she was ever in the neighborhood of.
"Kotori was telling us how much fun it was to watch Eli annoy Tsubasa." Honoka laughed, "And Erena, tell 'em about Erena's face, Kotori."
Kotori giggled, "She was so mad at Nozomi, all those light cues erased and Eli flouncing around stage in that nightgown, which she had sliding off her shoulders...Erena looked like she was going to tear something in half, pale and red, tensed and nostrils flaring, and then when I went to tell Tsubasa to be careful with the costume…" Another giggle, "I was glad Tsubasa didn't have any kind of power tool, she might have stapled me to part of the set."
Umi was watching Nico, who wasn't listening at all, her fingers in Maki's hair as she hummed and her girlfriend rubbed her cheek against Nico's knee. "Nico." Umi snapped.
Nico frowned, head tilted, "Really, Umi, you can't object to this much. You were just doing the same to Kotori."
Umi shook her head, "It's not that. I suspect you are not taking this threat seriously."
"Nico is serious. She took care of Maki." Nico quickly countered.
"But who takes care of Nico?" Umi's voice stumbled over the next name but she pushed through, "Nozomi keeps telling Kotori how many times she senses a shadow around you."
Maki growled. "Hush, pretty girl," Nico kept brushing fingers gently through red hair, "Nico takes care of Nico. I'm paying attention. Everybody's around backstage; I'm usually with Micah or Kashima, what's going to happen?" Nico sighed, leaning back, both hands locked behind her head, "Nozomi just wants to poke her nose into Nico's business now that Nico has a girlfriend."
"She did ask a lot of questions last night." Maki muttered. Nico's expression turned stormy.
"Kashima was asking a lot of questions too. And huddling with the other Sisters." Kotori added.
Nico bounced up, Maki turning her head to follow Nico's movements, "See this is the TROUBLE." Nico's arms started to fly out and around her body, "We should be focusing on opening night, planning the party, getting ready for the interviews, telling Nico how great her solo sounds after she sings it to you, instead we're making up conspiracy theories about Techies."
Maki crawled up on the couch, leaning over the arm as she spoke, "Hanayo's been really worried too, Nico. And she doesn't make up things."
Head thrown back, arms out, Nico sang "I don't care."
Umi caught Maki's glance and rolled her eyes. Honoka's expression was thoughtful, Kotori's concerned. Rin and Hanayo were snuggling closer by the word, eyes widening.
Hanayo squeaked as Rin nudged her encouragingly with her cheek, "Anju's been more...avaricious every day, Nico. She keeps pushing Erena and Tsubasa to get a better handle on the frequencies generated when you and Kashima are onstage."
Nico was suddenly attentive, "It's different when it's Nico and Kashima?"
Hanayo nodded.
"Of course, it's different when it's Nico and Kashima, Nico and Kashima are stars…" Nico was pacing, but her gestures were contained now, thoughts racing to pile possibilities...
"Nico?" Maki sounded worried, Nico was losing some of the homier, cozy scents and surging with a more private avidity, one that left Maki out. Nico kept pacing. Maki jumped off the couch, putting her arms around her mate. It took Nico a moment to relax and register Maki's touch. Maki nuzzled into her neck.
"Nico just wants opening night to go well." Nico sounded apologetic.
"I know." Maki whispered, "It will."
"We" Umi indicated the entire room, "just want to ensure you are there to receive the applause and acclaim you have worked so hard for, Nico."
Nico tried to skip toward Umi, giggling when Maki's arms didn't release, "My girlfriend doesn't want me to give you the kiss on the cheek you deserve for that, Umi."
"Good." Umi slid in behind Kotori for extra protection.
A whole day of solitude and stillness. Thank goodness the room was a single, Anju thought, that had been one of the pleasanter surprises when her situation became clear. No roommate to explain any oddities to. And today nearly two feet of snow softened and silenced the noisy mechanical motorized world. A blessing. She prepared the candles and sat in the center of the room, counting down her breaths, closing her eyes, focusing everything inward as the outside world stayed behind its winter barrier. This was a perfect gift, a positive omen. Anju breathed in slowly, slipping into the swirling colors of a trance state. "Tomorrow," she whispered.
A/N: Takes 20 inches of snow to close the Northwestern campus. Didn't happen when I was there, but did happen fairly recently. I wanted Rin to have some fun, it's been a rough trip for her so we're having a snow day.
We are being deluged with rain here, Merry Wives opening night is Friday, and tonight I had to walk Falstaff, which makes directing difficult. But Falstaff is a flirt and flirting can be fun.
Hope this finds you well. Oh, by the way, there's an AU Yeah August grid going around Tumblr and I'm taking prompts for short hints of AUs. I've been wanting to try shorter aka 1000ish words fics so if there's one you like to see, drop a suggestion in the comments.
