Summay: Nico's feeling better and the quarantine is about to end, but will the Café continue?
Maki paused in the door of the kitchen. A masked Nico was prepping what looked like lasagna. Maki grinned. Nico had started objecting to takeout, insisting she could make better, healthier food.
"How were the donuts?" Nico asked, aware of Maki even turned away.
"Perfect."
Nico snorted.
"Hey Nico." Maki had woken up with an idea.
"Mmmm hmmm." Nico hummed as she spread another layer of sauce.
"Why don't you have your Mom bring your siblings over?"
Nico spun, sauce spilling across the counter.
"I mean, you can use the media room. I've got controllers enough for everybody to play MarioKart or something. I bet they miss you a lot. You shouldn't be contagious."
"You want to be beat at MarioKart by more people?" Nico aimed the spoon at Maki and flicked her wrist.
"Ha! You beat me once." Then Maki shrugged, "I'd stay out of the way. I might still be asymptomatic."
"Maki will be fine." Nico said fiercely, surprising Maki.
"Probably." Maki agreed, "Anyway, ask your Mom. She doesn't work on the weekends, right? It'll give them something to be excited about." Maki zoomed off, while Nico was still processing the offer.
###
"No!" Maki roared at her phone while Hanayo's not in any way innocent suggestion blinked there. It was time to pick another theme after three days of "Dames." And Hanayo, probably with Rin giggling in the background had just sent a group text with the word "Kiss." Sure Maki might have thought it to herself, maybe imagined singing "Prelude to A Kiss" or "Give Me A Kiss To Build A Dream One" but her private conversations in her own head were private, never to be shared or discussed in the same house as Nico.
No, no, no...this had to be stopped before Nico agreed. She typed quickly.
M: I thought Nico's friend was going to dance. So wouldn't dance be good? "
M: Or weather, I've been wanting to play "A Foggy Day in Londontown."
N: Dance is good.
H: ಠ╭╮ಠ
Maki got a non group text from Rin.
R: Chicken.
M: This isn't helping me, Rin.
R: (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ))
R: (っ˘зʕ•̫͡•ʔ
Maki stormed out of her own bedroom, hoping to avoid Nico, slamming the music room door, and settling down to play. Time to Beethoven the annoyance at nudge-y friends out of her system.
###
The Yaazawas were in the house. Maki had decided to stay upstairs, listening to music in her room, but the need for a snack and something to do drew her out. She was positive that the extra games she'd downloaded would keep them occupied all afternoon.
A quick cold slice of pizza for refueling and Maki decided to sneak past the media room to the music room. There were yells and laughter and Nico trash talking. She sounded happier than she had since the quarantine started. Soon, maybe tomorrow, she'd go back to her place. Maki moved away from the door quickly before anyone noticed her, but it wasn't quickly enough.
"DR. MAKI!" A voice Maki didn't recognize screamed and a small weight slammed into her before she reached the sanctuary of the music room. "You saved Nico. You're the best doctor."
Maki froze and looked down. She'd seen pictures of Nico's siblings. This was the middle one, a girl, Cocoa. Nico said she was constantly in motion. Maki believed that because as light as Cocoa was, she'd started dragging Maki back down the hall, "C'mon, Nico says you love MarioKart. Play with me. Cocoro only wants to play dancing games." Cocoa let go and looked up at Maki eagerly. Did Nico look like that when she was a preteen, she definitely still had that much energy now.
Maki stepped back, "I can't. I still have a couple days before I can hang out with people."
"Nico said you're probably fine." Cocoa kept bouncing.
"I don't want to take any risks?"
Cocoa's expression turned serious, "Are your parents making you? Nico said they were really serious about quarantining."
Did Nico tell her siblings everything? What had she said about Maki? Maybe Maki should have lingered in the hall and eavesdropped.
"I have to go. Go have fun with Nico."
Nico's voice saved her, "C'mon Cocoa. Nico approves of Maki being extra careful. We'll come back sometime when she's not quarantining, right, Maki?"
"Sure. Any time." Maki wondered what games Nico's little brother was enjoying and if Nico was really into dance games and had never mentioned it. Rin and Hanayo could come over sometime and…
"Have fun." Maki headed for the back door, thinking about too many things for music..
"Thanks, Dr. Maki!" Cocoa waved, Maki nodded.
###
No moon yet. Maybe Maki would stay out here until dark. Nico's mom would be taking the littler ones home soon and then Nico would probably nap and then there was Café Quarantine. Dance. Hanayo had finally agreed to the dance theme and Maki had practiced "One Note Samba" late last night. Nico would be singing "I Won't Dance" while Maki played. Maki was not in a duet mood. Not really in a music mood, but…
Nico's voice again, "Are you all right?"
Maki shrugged.
"Nico made you masks with music notes. They're in the laundry."
"Thanks." Maki closed her eyes, refusing to look at Nico, hands behind her head, "Can you get Cocoro and Cocoa to stop calling me Dr. Maki. I didn't save you."
"So it's all right if Cotaro does?"
Maki ignored that. She heard Nico sit in the chair to her left, "Nico is really grateful. All the pizza delivery saved Nico cooking. And the acoustics here." Nico whistled.
"It was the right thing to do."
"Nico feels special." A nip of sarcasm, Maki grinned.
"When are you leaving?"
"Nico is going to make sure Maki is well."
"I'll be fine. You don't have to stay for me."
"You'll have to swing by Nico's apartment. We can do a Café Quarantine from there, but Nico doesn't have a piano. I could borrow a keyboard. We could set up a little corner, it won't be as fancy as your house, but people will…"
"This isn't my house."
Silence.
Nico was great at reading a room, at sensing what her audience, whether a customer or a drinking, dancing crowd wanted to hear, wanted to share. But not this one single person. Not Maki. If her knowledge of Maki was a mansion, Nico had only spent time on the ground floor and Maki had fled to the roof or the yard, having conversations with the stars in long silences that Nico watched from a distance. Nico knew there was a key, a way to understand Maki, but right now, her only guess was more time and Maki relaxing enough to trust her. So Nico went back to practical. And the thing they'd had in common at the first.
"Nico will almost be glad to get back to the coffee shop. Nico hasn't slept this many hours since she was a baby, a very cute baby, but it'll be nice to have…"
"I'm glad for you." Maki tried not to snap, then opened her eyes, Nico was watching, almost too near, her expression curious, worried. Questions Maki didn't want to hear gathered. Maki stood, "The samba needs more work. I'm glad your family's having fun."
"Maki?" Nico sounded hurt at Maki's rush to leave. Maki wondered how she'd feel when Maki stopped showing up at the coffee shop. Would it be a relief? An answer Maki didn't want right now. Scowling as a puzzled Nico stared, Maki didn't acknowledge the invitation to talk, instead she fled upstairs, crushed a pillow to her chest, and buried tears before anyone could hear them.
###
Maki had lost the argument. Nico was back in the music room, in a tight, tight so so short little black dress that was going to interfere with Maki's ability to read music if she glanced Nico's way at all. And Maki suspected Nico knew that, from the teasing, take no prisoners twinkle in the ruby cannons. Which led to their first disagreement, Nico finding Maki's trousers and open lilac linen shirt not nearly dressy enough.
"How does it look when the pianist doesn't meet the dress code?" Nico pouted.
"There are no customers, Nico. We're not sticking people in ties when they show up at the door. It's just us."
"And the camera. And the principle. Nico runs a classy place." Nico spun, she was still wearing her mask, "Didn't you say you enjoyed Hanayo harassing you. Well, now that I'm feeling better, you get in person service."
"I didn't ask for" Maki sneered, "In person service."
"Nico knows what people want."
"I want comfort." Maki rolled up her sleeves. "It's been a long day."
"And you weren't chasing kids around, which is tiring, if you didn't know, so give Nico a break. And a perq,"
"A perq?"
"Nico is eye candy." Nico waved her hands, showcasing her very well put together aesthetic, Maki completely caught by the curve of a calf. "Where's Nico's treat?"
Maki sat at the piano and the opening notes of "I Won't Dance" filled the room.
"All right, that is a treat. And Nico appreciates it. But why don't you match the music."
Maki set her jaw, pivoted so she was facing Nico, who was now taller than her, which was very weird when you're used to towering over the tiny tempest and now this set of stellar, torn from distant galaxies gems was dangerously close for the molten lava temps they were throwing off, "So I have to pretty up to be appreciated?"
Nico's mouth opened and closed, like chewing gum was happening instead of speaking, and then a flood of charm and apology rushed Maki as Nico's hands seemingly tried to sculpt the gown she wanted Maki to wear in the air between them. "Nico didn't mean that at all. Maki's doing Nico so many favors and you've had so much fun dressing up, Nico can tell, Maki's so classy, surely there's a little black dress in your closet…
Maki raised a hand, "That is a lovely dress." She fidgeted with her collar. "I may, just may, be slightly underdressed so I'll see what I can find."
"Ooohh, Nico can help."
"No."
Nico sat on the piano bench, wondering if Maki was going to go for a gown or a cocktail dress. Most of Maki's gowns were off the shoulder, so that would definitely be...Nico sighed, pointless fantasies unless Nico spoke up. Obviously, Maki was losing interest in the audience she had here.
Maki came back with a tuxedo jacket and a fedora, her smirk daring Nico to say something. Nico pulled a rose out of the floral arrangement in the hallway and handed it to Maki, who blushed so adorably Nico wanted to kiss the tip of her nose.
And then without any more talk, the evening's Café started.
This is just a little samba built upon a single note
Other notes are bound to follow but the root is still that note
Now this new one is the consequence of the one we've just been through
As I'm bound to be the unavoidable consequence of you
Nico was singing, showing surprising verve and vigor in the quick steps of her dance as she swayed into "the unavoidable consequence of you" That summed up Nico nicely, Maki thought. The Brazilian songs seemed to suit her, maybe that was why Maki kept coming back to them. Lively, vibrant, 24/7, a bossa nova beauty of complex harmonies twisting through an irresistible rhythm that was beginning to be the constant, too rapid default beating of Maki's heart. "Estou com saudades de você" the Brazilians said. "I miss you soon" Maki thought, an inexact translation, but one that carried the feeling of the ease with Nico that she'd barely had and the loss of proximity that would derail any chance their connection would grow.
Nico came up behind Maki, the sudden proximity a fever of its own, and Maki felt fingers stroke through her hair, stealing her fedora, and then quicksilver Nico was back at the camera, for her audience. It was growing every night, Nico's recovery spiking viral likes and comments. Hanayo was about to start selling branded masks and fuzzy socks.
Nico said something, then the camera was off, and Nico's complete attention was on Maki. So Maki ducked, taking cover in the samba again, singing
There's so many people who can talk
And talk and talk and just say nothing
Or nearly nothing
I have used up all the scale I know
And at the end I've come to nothing
Or, nearly nothing
Nico laughed, "The unavoidable consequence of Nico, huh?"
Maki grinned, "I didn't say it."
"No." Nico was behind Maki, her hands sliding down Maki's jacket, playing a quick, almost right chord as she softly sang in Maki's ear.
So, I come back to my first note as I must come back to you
I will pour into that one note all the love I feel for you
Any one who wants the whole Show-Re-Mi
Fa-So-La-Ti-Do
He will find himself with no show
Better play the note you know
Maki in a daring move, slid her hands under Nico's and played the finish.
Now was the time, "I'm quitting the coffee shop, Nico."
Nico risked a quick, loose hug, "Yeah, your parents probably would not like you being that exposed. You'll be in Princess in a Tower mode."
"I'm an adult, Nico." Maki could have cried for the wavery betrayal of her voice, "I'm going to turn 21."
"Don't drink your way through Chicago. Trust Nico." Nico stepped back.
"Why? What did you do?" Maki spun to face Nico.
"You're still too young for that story...when's your birthday? Nico will bake you a cake."
"Next week"
"What's your favorite flavor. Besides pizza."
Maki shrugged.
"What are you going to do when you're not working? Coronavirus kinda closed colleges. Did you pick a major?" Nico had settled into the farthest corner of the couch. Maki took a quick look, but the legs were too distracting, and Nico's exquisite profile looked even sharper with the weight of serious thought shadowing perfect angles. Maki thought she might swoon.
"I have a plan."
"Tell Nico."
Maki shook her head, turning back to the piano as she blushed.
"C'mon tell Nico."
Maki began to play. A random song. Maki had been listening to the NYC Jazz Quartet and Vocalist Naski Young Cho. "Paris Match" had been looping. Maki could hear the lyrics in her head so she started singing.
As I tread the boulevard floor
Will I see once more;
Because you've clouded my mind
'Till then I'm biding my time
I'm only sad in a natural way
And I enjoy sometimes feeling this way
The gift you gave is desire
The match that started my fire
Empty nights with nothing to do
I sit and think, every thought is for you;
I get so restless and bored
So I go out once more;
I hate to feel so confined
I feel like I'm wasting my time
Maybe not so random a choice. Maki pushed back from the piano, shaking her head. Too many fever/fire/heat analogies. Good thing she wasn't a painter or there would be rubies and lava and flames licking every wall she could put paint to. Instead, she put that excess in every note she had the energy to play and then hoped to collapse into dreamless sleep.
"What was the name of that song?" Nico's voice was quiet.
"Paris Match."
"That's on the playlist with that NYC Jazz quartet Korean singer you've been listening to, what was her name?"
"Naski Young Cho."
"Her style works for you?"
Nico wasn't going to ask about the lyrics. General music questions were safe. Maki yawned, starting to relax. "She's all right. Had to get used to her voice a little."
"Did you have to get used to Nico's?"
"No."
A hand was suddenly gentle on Maki's shoulder and Nico's voice was stripped of all affectation, caring, honest, "You're not wasting your time with music, Maki."
Maki's shrug was the smallest of gestures, but Nico's hand squeezed gently in response. Another yawn.
"C'mon, Chopin, let's get you to bed."
"Satie."
"The weird French guy? Okay, Ms. Surreal, tell Nico your melting clock dreams over breakfast."
Not if they were anything like the last ones she remembered, Nico in a costume stolen from Cabaret or Chicago. Should anyone think about fishnets that fondly? Maki let Nico push her toward the stairs. When had she last actually slept for longer than a couple of hours? Maybe, giving in to the weariness closing her eyes, would reset her mood. A mood reset, to one less incendiary, was essential.
###
Maki was eating cereal, watching SheRa, and not thinking about Nico or anything. Chewing. Just chewing. She'd been ignoring Rin and parent texts all morning. Nico would probably be leaving soon and then it would be time for Maki to take that step. But right now, this was a pocket of time when she was living in a space where Nico's voice could be heard and she was going to treasure every minute of that. Netossa...Maki grinned as the character teased and challenged her wife.
"Hey Maki!" Nico fell over the back of the couch, a controlled trajectory, startling Maki and causing her cereal bowl to spill onto the table. Nico dropped her head on Maki's shoulders, eyes mischievous, "This is too much fun."
Maki stood up, but Nico pulled her back down, leaning forward with a dish towel, "Nico came prepared."
"Um...we shouldn't be…" Maki started.
"Nico is fine. And chock full of antibodies so Maki couldn't give it to me if you tried."
"No one knows how it works, Nico." Maki slid further down the cushion.
"No, but that's a pretty good guess. Nico did research, talked to her doctor."
"Papa told you…"
"Well, I didn't ask your father if it was okay if I made his daughter jump off the couch, squealing, no, but we went over the basics."
"Oh."
Silence and then Nico sounding nervous, "Nico's going to go back to her apartment tomorrow. If you come over, Nico will cook dinner and we can duet."
Maki didn't know what to say. Nico was leaving. No more nights like last night. Maki alone again. Nico off with her friends, her family, doing all the thousand things, without Maki, that Nico had done before this quarantine.
"Maki? Did you hear me?" Nico poked Maki's shoulder, her expression comic hurt.
Maki shook her head, forcing herself to look more thoughtful than morose. "I can't just put the piano in my pocket."
"Eli has a keyboard we can borrow. Since dancing didn't work out last night, we'll try it when we're all in one location."
Maki fidgeted. "I'm not comfortable with…"
"Eli's been careful. Nico has windows."
Maki shut off the screen. "There's so many variables. And no way to know if anyone's been exposed." Maki rubbed her forehead. "This was the easiest part, wasn't it."
Turns out Nico had a not smiley tone. "Not for Nico."
"Sorry. I guess it got pretty rough"
"It was. Don't catch it."
"You seem so much better. I'm glad. " Maki smiled, reaching for her bowl, put the dish towel in it, "I'm going to make coffee. Want some?"
"Sounds good. And then we have to decide on tonight's songs."
"I'm tired of themes." Maki announced as she left the room.
"Well, then talk to your cute, pushy friend who texts Nico 100 times a day about them."
"I think I lost her number."
Nico snorted and hurried Maki down the hall.
##
"Are we moving Café Quarantine to Brazil" Nico sounded exasperated. "If you really want to play this "Desafinado" tune, Nico's choice doesn't really go. What's the title mean?"
"Out of tune." Maki completely concentrated on her piano, hoping Nico's questions would end there. She didn't really want a discussion of lyrics.
"Nico is not out of tune."
"That's not what…" Maki played several chords, "Anyway, I'm going to play the instrumental, you don't have to worry about it."
"But Nico wants to keep the mood," Nico was flopped on her stomach on the couch, staring at Maki, "It's a good mood. Nico likes it, but Nico knows Brazilian coffee not this…why are you in this mood?"
"Samba smooth...it makes me smile." Maki stopped playing, staring at Nico. "Might work really well for you too, the melody's playful, simple, I'd be doing most of the work…"
"The accompanist underestimates the amount of personality Nico adds."
Trust me I don't, Maki thought, but she rolled her eyes at Nico
"There's a few more I've been practicing...I could print out lyrics for you…" Maki paused, "It would be a challenge to learn it before tonight."
"Not for Nico."
Maki chuckled, "Give me 5 minutes."
Nico flipped, laying on her back, "Then you'll have to keep up with Nico. You're used to Not Well Nico. Full speed Nico is going to knock you out."
Maki could only hope for a soft landing.
###
Maki had played "Desafinado", with Nico fidgeting and gleaming like she was up to something. As soon as Maki was finished, Nico was in front of the camera, applauding madly.
"Maki's just the best, right. Nico's been so lucky to have in house music like this while she was healing. Nico's been spoiled."
Maki watched suspiciously as Nico continued to bounce. They were supposed to go right into the duet but Maki got the feeling improvisation was about to happen.
"Mak's obviously been missing coffee and Nico so she's been playing all these bossa nova songs for her beautiful boss"
Maki snorted.
"But Nico's about to head home," Nico paused, "Don't worry Café Quarantine will continue, Nico would miss it too much, and Nico doesn't want anyone coughing like…" Nico's energy dipped for a moment, then Nico recovered, "But we're all going to take care of each other and be fine, Nico insists."
"Can I start playing?" Maki drawled.
Nico turned and GLARED, "Nico is giving a pep talk."
Eye roll.
"Maki's nicer than she pretends." Nico announced to the camera, "but you've been watching her play, you know that."
"Nico."
"Since our piano genius has been in a Rio mood, Nico recorded Maki playing this song and will now add words."
The intro to "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" began and Nico sang with a gentle longing that surprised Maki, who would have loudly disagreed that Nico knew anything about quiet anything.
Quiet nights of quiet stars
Quiet chords from my guitar
Floating on the silence that surrounds us
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams
Quiet walks by quiet streams…
###
Maki wanted to just sit and inhale the mood in the room after the last note, the quiet, calm, the connection, but of course, it didn't last for long.
"And now we have one more song for tonight." With a wink and her soon to be patented not quite devil horns gesture, Nico tossed the audience back to Maki, which caused Maki to fumble for a minute. She'd been sitting, caught up in this rare glimpse of reserved Nico.
But now she had to focus, roll her shoulders down, dash into the first verse
Someone to hold me tight
That would be very nice
Someone to love me right
That would be very nice
Someone to understand
Each little dream in me
Someone to take my hand
And be a team with me
And then Nico joined in.
So nice, life would be so nice
If one day I'd find
Someone who would take my hand
And samba through life with me
And Maki dropped out, the rhythm making her think that perhaps she should be dancing with Nico rather than the piano. This song seemed to cry out for more responsiveness than resonance.
Someone to cling to me
Stay with me right or wrong
Someone to sing to me
Some little samba song
Someone to take my heart
And give her heart to me
Someone who's ready to
Give love a start with me
Oh yeah, that would be so nice
I could see you and me, that would be nice
What the hell Maki thought, stood up and offered her hand to Nico.
So nice, life would be so nice
If one day I'd find
Someone who would take my hand
And samba through life with me
Nico was a sure, steady dancer, obviously hearing the song in her head as she and Maki stepped quickly around the music room, laughing. Nico slowed down when they passed in front of the camera.
"I think we're sambaing down to Rio. Good night!"And Nico stopped recording without really interrupting the flow of their dance.
"It's too bad you didn't listen to Nico's 'wear a bikini for the full Brazilian effect' suggestion." Nico smirked.
Maki started to stiffen, but just kept moving to the music in her head. She didn't really need to answer Nico, did she?
"So can we start the 'Kiss' theme week tomorrow?" Nico had pulled Maki closer. "Both your pushy friends keep telling me it's the only thing to do next."
"Are they?"
Nico nodded.
"They are pushy."
"But cute. And Nico doesn't really mind." A hesitation, Nico was glowing, Maki suddenly wanted a room full of candles and a pianist sensitive to the mood ready to slide easily into the next song. It was so easy with music, to build the mood, to know the next note, the next step, the next song. "Do you?"
Had Maki dropped out of the conversation again. "Do I what?"
"Mind if it's Kiss?"
"You don't mean the band, right? Hanayo's a little too fond of metal for me. But Rin just headbangs along."
Nico stopped. "You're terrible at mood. How do you play the piano so well?"
Maki shrugged.
Nico almost threw up her arms, but Maki caught them and pulled Nico closer, "I don't mind."
No candles, no music, no warning, but Maki suddenly knew what was next. And Nico was just close enough, just looking up enough, deep banked embers glowing in her eyes just inviting enough. Maki blanked, and then Nico was a blurry warmth, close enough that Maki could feel the smoothness of a cheek, and Maki was going in for a second kiss before she even noticed the first.
A/N: There will be a brief epilogue.