Summary: Dia has a talk with her mom.
Yazawa Nico had a marker in her hand, a whiteboard in front of her, and a plan. Live and Let Nico had been a success and now Nico was trying to avoid what was known in authorial circles as "the sophomore slump." So she had a title, Idols Are Forever, and a location, America, and now she needed a plot. Since she was spoofing "Diamonds Are Forever," maybe this one should start...hmmm, Saratoga, horses, then keeping that thread when the plot moves to Las Vegas. Nico started scribbling names and locations and connecting dots.
"Mom?" Her oldest daughter's voice surprised her. Nico whirled. Dia was standing in the doorway of her office, expression extremely concerned, hands clasped behind her back.
"Hi, Dia! I'm just figuring out how superspy and Number One Idol Nico Ni is going to save a cute girl from jewelry smuggling ring."
Dia nodded seriously, but her green eyes still seemed to be judging Nico for something. Nico put down the marker to hug her daughter, but Dia stepped back and offered Nico a sheet of paper.
Nico took the paper and gave it a cursory look. Some kind of grid, with a few different colors and Dia's too neat for a seven year old calligraphy, "What is this, bun? A letter?"
"A report card." Dia intoned, as if that explained everything.
Nico took a better look. At the top was written, "Performance Evaluation, Yazawa Nico." Nico decided to sit down. First the titles, written at the top of neatly lined columns: Cooking, Shū (Exemplary); Gifts, Nin (Acceptable) - Nico snorted, Dia always wanted more chocolate; Bedtime Stories, Yū (Very Good); Singing, Yū (Very Good), Taking Care of Ruby, Ryō (Good), Taking Care of Mama...that one was smudged and Nico rechecked her grade. Fuka. FAILING?
Nico stared at Dia, who was humming as she waited. "I take good care of your Mama."
"Mama was sick. We had to go to Grandma and Grandpa's." Dia stated as if it was something Nico had already known. Dia had a disturbing belief that parental telepathy existed and would frequently leave out important pieces of information.
"When was your Mama sick?" Nico felt her eye start to twitch. It was a toss up who it was more difficult getting an answer out of sometimes, Maki or her oldest daughter. Dia, though more talkative, assumed everyone knew what she believed was obvious. And Nico had leverage over the taller goof.
"You were in Toronto."
A month ago. Nico's initial book launch. Three weeks across North America. Nico was still surprised at how many fans she had there.
Nico realized something else, "Dia, why isn't there a grade for taking care of you?"
Dia rolled her eyes, "I do it myself, Mom."
Nico almost laughed, she couldn't believe this conversation. It had any of Cocoro's lectures beat for severity and seriousness. Plus, Cocoro would have never EVER graded Nico lower than Good.
"Sensei always says, "You're doing well, but I know you can do better." Dia smiled, just a bit, and patted Nico's clenched hand. It was taking all of Nico's years of self control not to scream out her wife's name and demand to know what exactly had happened while Nico was on the road.
"So it was your idea to…" Nico clucked her tongue, "grade me?"
"Tora thought it would be simple enough for you to understand."
Nico bolted to her feet, haste and anger scattering the papers, books, and electronic devices formerly neatly piled on her desk. Dia crouched down to pick up a few things off the floor, replacing them as Nico watched, forcing herself to calm down.
"Let's go find your Mama." Nico's jaw was clenched so tight her voice was almost unrecognizable.
Dia nodded as if that was the obvious thing.
Maki was playing the piano while Ruby put together a quilt puzzle. Nico didn't mean to slam the door open and make both the redheads jump, it just kind of happened.
Ruby screamed and rushed to Maki, while a now nervous Maki tilted her head at Nico, curious, "Nico-chan?"
"Our eldest daughter here," Nico dropped an arm around Dia, who stood tall and proud, "informs me that I have failed as a wife."
"Uhhh?" Maki stared from Nico to Dia, totally speechless.
Dia nodded, "I made Mom a report card. Tora said even first graders understand that."
Maki went pale, lavender eyes panicked as she met Nico's glare and realized how close the tiny, temperamental terror was to exploding.
"Mama?" Ruby was crying and clinging to Maki, and Maki was having to swallow back an angry snap at...there was no one to snap at but there were too too many emotions flying around. Time to remove the most vulnerable of the participants, Maki realized. "Dia, please take your sister to your room and read her a book until dinner. Your mom and I need to talk."
"That's a good idea." Nico hugged her daughter, replaying cute, uncritical Dia moments in her head. "Dia always takes the best care of Ruby."
As Dia went to take Ruby's hand, she leaned toward Maki and failed at whispering, "Make sure you remember to say, "I know you want to do your best."
Nico counted in her head, giving the girls a few extra steps of time for a buffer. Maki was sitting at the piano, frantically trying to think of something to say as she read the report card Dia had handed her. Failing...oh wow. Nico was going to be so...Maki glanced up to see Nico's furious glare and adjusted her verb tense...Nico was so so pissed.
"Nico-chan…."
Nico cut her off, "You were sick?"
Maki tensed her jaw, slumping, "A little."
"YOU WERE SICK ENOUGH TO GO TO TOKYO?"
"Mama drove down and picked us up." Maki beamed, as if her next statement would fix everything, "I didn't ask her."
Nico closed her eyes, her pulse thrumming at her temple, her arms windmilling, "YOU WERE SICK ENOUGH FOR YOUR MOTHER TO TAKE YOU HOME AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME."
Maki shrugged, "You had a lot to do, Nico-chan."
"And Dia thinks Nico's the one who needs elementary school levels of…" Nico muttered, then leaned over the piano, her face right in Maki's, "You are supposed to tell me what's going on with you. EVERY DAY. We discussed this."
"I was fine." Maki's earnestness was a veneer.
"You, Dr. Nishikino Yazawa, are not allowed to self diagnose." Nico hissed.
"Mama said it was only dehydration and exhaus…." Maki's voice faded as Nico's color did.
There was silence and then Nico's whisper whipped into it. "Did you faint?"
Maki cleared her throat, fingers tapping random keys, not looking at Nico. "Not exactly."
Nico pushed herself off the piano, whirled, and shot from the room, slamming the door behind her. Maki's forehead on the keyboard created a cacophony.
Maki was watching Nico carefully. Dinner had been almost relaxed, Nico telling stories, but although the girls hadn't noticed, Maki knew Nico had on her best professional smile. She'd seen all Nico's smiles and this was one she never wanted to see in their home. Because it meant Nico was forcing herself to be bright for others. Maki returned Dia's grin as Nico put a pudding parfait in front of her. Dia immediately shoved a spoon in, greedy for chocolate, and Nico laughed. And then wonder of wonders, actually spoke to Maki in a real voice, "We let Eli babysit her too often. Chocolate pudding parfaits…"
Dia paused, spoon halfway back to the pudding, "Auntie Nozomi makes the best."
Nico rolled her eyes and ignored the downgrading of her own efforts. Now Maki was getting worried again.
"Strawberry…" Ruby started tapping her spoon on the side of the glass, singing "straw….straw...berrry...berrrrrry….straw...berrrrrrrrrrry."
"Silly Ruby." Dia scraped the bottom of her dish.
Nico leaned over to hug Ruby, "Ruby got that from me."
Maki giggled. "The silly?"
Nico's quick glance was a warning that Maki wouldn't be getting a hug anytime soon, but her voice was as cheerful as it had been throughout dinner, "Strawberry. Nico lived on strawberry milk in high school. To get taller."
Dia looked confused, "But it didn't work."
Maki interjected quickly, "Your mom is the perfect height."
Maki was certain she heard Nico mutter, "Nico is the perfect everything…" before Nico turned to Dia, "Go clean up and then finish practicing tonight's kanji homework."
Dia picked up her dishes, ready to drop them off in the sink. "Ok, Mom. Can I get started on tomorrow's too?"
"No. I want you girls in bed a little early tonight."
Dia nodded; Ruby stole a scoop of Maki's chocolate pudding.
Nico was scraping down plates when she heard Maki's voice behind her, "Nico-chan?"
"What's up?" Nico half turned.
"Can you tuck Dia into bed after you finish? Ruby's already asleep." Maki twirled a twist of hair, "I'm going to take a bath."
"Sure, Maki-chan." Nico turned back to her chore, muttering about sneaky redheads. Yes, she should talk to Dia about the report card, but Nico was planning for that to be a tomorrow or next Friday thing. Tonight, she didn't really need to hear about anything else she was failing at.
Dia had of course already gotten halfway through tomorrow's kanji exercises before Nico finished so Nico just let her run through the rest, watching the bowed, dark head with a mix of bemusement and affection. Nico was never that much of a student, and things had seemingly always come easy for Maki - at least until med school, but as smart as Dia was, she seemed to thrive on putting in the work. Not just practicing kanji, but practicing her calligraphy as well. Nico wondered if there was anything, besides idols and a deep love for two cute redheads, that she and Dia had in common.
Dia put down her brush, closed her inkwell, put the paper away methodically enough that Nico knew it was the habit of years already. Umi would always give Dia calligraphy tips, which the seven year old had listed in a notebook reserved solely for that. So organized. Like Nico's spice and shoe racks. Everything had a place. And then Dia was standing in front of her, yawning.
"I'm ready now, Mom."
"Good. It's getting late." Nico led the way to the room Ruby and Dia shared, Ruby already fast asleep. Dia had already washed and changed into pajamas so Nico just adjusted the covers as Dia got into bed.
"Mom?" Dia's voice held a rare note of timidity.
"What is it, bun?"
"You're not….you're not mad about the report card are you?" Dia blinked rapidly, green eyes wide.
Nico sighed. Truth telling was important, especially with children, "I was just surprised, Dia."
Dia frowned, but said nothing.
"How about I sing a song tonight, since Ruby's already asleep."
"Okay." Dia yawned and snuggled down into her sheets, "Ruby was scared when Mama got sick."
Ah, truth, the "Ruby felt like this" version of it, Nico thought.
"Ruby was very brave. But she should have said something." Nico kissed Dia on the forehead. "You don't have to take care of everyone, Dia."
Dia was at the mumbling stage so Nico had to lean closer, "wanna...help Ruby...if something happens to…. like you took care of…"
Nico's heart broke open again, wide, as she realized what Dia was saying.
More muttering, "you take care of Mama, I take care of Ruby…"
Nico laid down next to Dia, holding her oldest in a tight hug, "You do so well, Dia. And I'm going to do better."
Nico felt Dia nod and continued, "Nothing's going to happen to me or your Mama, okay."
Another nod.
"And you let me know how I'm doing with my next report card, okay, bun."
Nico sang softly, still holding Dia until she was sure Dia was asleep, then sat up and watched Dia breathe for awhile. As much as as she missed audiences, moments like this made her realize how much her family needed her. And that this was where Nico wanted to be.
Much more relaxed, Nico stretched as she stood. Now to see what the sneaky redhead had been up to.
Their private sitting room. Nico slid the screen open. Maki was half reclined at the low table, reading a book. She had two small glasses and a bottle of soju in front of her. Candles were lit all around the room, setting a sensuous mood. Maki, had, as far as Nico could tell in the low lighting, opted for only the silk robe that had been a birthday gift from Nico a few years ago. Dark blue with red flowers, it reminded them both of the first summer festival they attended together.
Maki looked up with a grin and put her book to the side, "You don't mind this, do you Nico-chan?"
"Our daughters are pretty amazing." Nico sat on a cushion next to Maki, watching the redhead pour out soju.
"Agreed." Maki handed Nico a glass.
They clicked their glasses together and drank, silent for a moment. Citron flavor. Nico had spent so much time touring South Korea and with K-Pop bands, she'd come to prefer the new style of fruit flavored sojus to sake. Maki had obviously remembered.
Nico took a bite of a renkon chip as Maki poured her another shot. Not making eye contact, her voice almost too low to hear, Maki began to apologize, "I didn't mean...you...I'm sorry…"
Nico took Maki's hand, entwining their fingers, "I should have suspected something when you texted me there were emergency hospital meetings and the girls were the only ones video calling me for two days…why didn't you tell me?"
Maki let Nico's fingers go and put her head in the Idol's lap, Nico's fingers immediately going to tease out tangles, "You were so nervous about the book. You hadn't been nervous about anything for years. I didn't want to add worry to that."
"I worry anyway, you just need to tell me about what." Nico had relaxed enough to chuckle a little, then Nico snorted, remembering all the questions about her career pivot, "Nico knows how to impress an audience with singing and dancing, not book reviewers with writing. It's confusing." No tangles, so Nico let her hand continue to stroke Maki's hair, noticing a few white hairs among the not yet rusty red strands. Still silky soft, still amazing to be this close to the woman she'd fallen so hard for so many years ago, but sometimes it seemed like yesterday. Maki was gazing up at her, glorious lavender eyes half closed, humming as she thought. It was almost a purr. Nico wondered if she was somehow managing to slide the robe slightly open deliberately. Nico found her free hand dropping to the split between Maki's breasts, sliding up her neck to brush Maki's ear.
"Dia and Ruby talk about you all the time, when you're traveling. They get so excited when you call." Maki closed her eyes."It's so cute."
Nico grinned, "They are Nico's biggest fans."
"No, they're not." Maki pushed up, turning to face Nico, tongue flicking across her lips, robe falling half off so casually that Nico wouldn't bet Maki hadn't practiced the move but she couldn't help but follow the line of the fabric with her eyes, trace with eager fingertips the shoulder her wife revealed.
"You're so beautiful…" Nico breathed, her breath on bare skin making Maki tremble.
"You're not listening to me, Nico-chan." Maki's voice tried for sexy purr, but she was too busy giggling at Nico.
"You always accuse Nico of ruining the moment." Nico growled playfully, "Is this revenge?"
"No." Maki leaned in for a quick kiss, but Nico's response was more demanding, her hands sliding under silk to Maki's waist as she pulled Maki into the second kiss.
"You've done so well with them, Maki." Nico kissed Maki's neck.
"We have, Nico-chan." Maki couldn't bite back her soft moan, "Team Kurosawa, remember?"
"I remember Team Yazawa." Another moan, Nico could feel her own excitement building as Maki's control started to unravel.
Maki's fingers were in her hair and Nico was pushing them both back to the tatami mat, Maki breathless. But the redhead was still giggling.
Nico paused, "What? Did you," Nico blew into Maki's ear, "get super ticklish suddenly?"
"No, but I just remembered Dia insisting I had to say "I know you want to do your best." Maki's full on laughing fit would have interfered with kissing if Nico weren't sitting back and glaring. "And I know you do, Nico-chan." Maki's voice dropped to the velvety and sensual range as she whispered Nico's name. But Nico had already slipped out of romance mode.
"That. You set all this up to tell me that?" Nico threw out her arms, as if to gather in the room.
Maki shook her head, fascinated again by the emotions charging in the depths of Nico's eyes. She'd never been able to name or count them all, stars in galaxies beyond what her vision could register, depths of feelings Nico couldn't express but Maki couldn't ignore. The candles flickered in the soft silence and Maki's thumb caressed the corner of Nico's mouth, "I wanted to see this smile…"
"The smile where the irresistible and beyond patient number one lover in the universe is exasperated by a stubborn, sexy redhead…"
Maki pulled Nico back down, lips suddenly ferocious, "Exactly."
Nico managed to hold on for another ten seconds, "I'm going to teach you a whole new grading system."
"Do I get a…"
"Don't say it." Nico warned, hand ripping the sash out of Maki's robe. "No more talking." Nico had never expected that to be part of her favorite kind of night. But then, she'd never expected Maki. The redhead blew every curve off the charts, like an album that hit platinum in twenty four hours. And Nico wanted to be there for every note.
A/N: Been writing this in small chunks when I needed a break from howling. I've been trying to picture dealing with Dia as a small, serious child and it's mostly hilarious.
In other news, the latest Casual Lunacy chapter is on track to post at the end of the week. I want to finish by Halloween - seems appropriate.
And sweater/hoodie weather is here. So I'm sleeping under a pile of 5 blankets until we get the furnace ready
What shenanigans would you like to see small, serious Dia get into?