Nico tapped away at her knees, crossed one over the other as she awaited on the couch. She knew her grandparent's home wouldn't be quiet for long, having sent off the maid home early. The phone's screen brightened up as she glanced at the time.
Suddently the lock turned on the front door, this time for real and not her anxiety pulling tricks on her, and the knob followed after. Pink strands made her heart sink down the moment she caught a glimpse. As usual, someone accompanied the lady in blues.
"Can't even have a little privacy now? I ain't gonna pull a gun on you..." She waved her hand over to her guard, the stoic wall of a man simply clasping his hands together. "Tell Agent Dipshit to wait outside."
Her mother's gaze narrowed, and a mere look to the one escorting her functioned as a command. "Good evening to you too, Nico." She replied with a dull sense of humour, moments before taking off her coat to hang it on her forearm. The rustic and humble abode made a huge contrast with their own house.
Bigger, better in every sense, and yet there's a fondness in her gaze that Nico noticed, yet by the time she reached the living room and sat down for them to face eachother, there's nothing but indifference before her:
"I suggest you start to be a little more respectful from now on."
"Respect's earned and you kinda missed that shot years ago, so..." Nico retaliated.
"Yet you are the one whose asking for help, not the other way around. Mind your manners, Nico."
End of the story, Nico couldn't really argue with this no matter how hard she frowned, letting go of it with a sigh before continuing anew.
"You wanted to meet up in the first place. We already talked this out on phone, you know exactly what I want and I agreed to your terms, what's with the whole secrecy?" The icebreaker, yet despite her mild annoyance from seeing her mother's face over and over again like a parasite she couldn't be free of, this meeting had peaked her curiosity, aswell as her fears... This wasn't normal.
"You said you wouldn't play for me ever again. You may have many flaws, Nico, but," Her elbows rested over her knees as she leaned forth, chasing after her daughter's glaring eyes. "Breaking your word isn't one of them. I want to know why."
Nico made her best effort not to flinch nor react. Her old lady wasn't dumb but she had no proof of anything. The pinkette instead popped up a brow. "I don't owe anyone money if that's what you are worried about. I just want to make more without working my ass off on a library or any other job I pick up. I value my time a lot, and I need more of it." But the truth was far from there, even if half of it just spilled out of her lips.
A check-in with the doctor proved her health had gotten worse. The anxiety, the stress, the nightmares coming straight out of Terrasphere. Nico couldn't stay idle a single minute at work without her heart pounding away against the walls keeping it inside, not when Ronja is diving in on her own after Szofrit proved how vulnerable every player is, how quick their happiness could be taken from them. Killing two birds with one stone, at the same time she gets to spend more time with her lover? That alone made backpedaling on her word and swallowing down her complaints worth it.
"It should be better than juggling three different jobs around this cesspool of a neighborhood. But I hope you are aware you will not be slacking off. You will play when I tell you to play, practice when I tell you to practice, and meet up with the people I want you to meet." She wouldn't sugarcoat it, but neither had she any reason to. They both knew what they were into, and Nico herself knew this much after signing this metaphorical contract with the devil herself.
"I know what I'm getting into, Mom..." She sighed. It felt so awkward to wear these invisible chains once again by her own accord. But to do what she loves she would do what she hates, plain and simple. "Satisfied..?" Nico inquired, a chill down her spine followed as her mother's blue eyes locked her down.
Pierced through... She should have known better than to think it would be that easy to fool her, the dangerous glitter on her gaze almost reminiscent of someone else's, and the storm passed once Lady Bellantoni knew she would not get it all out of her daughter.
"A chauffeur will come pick you up tomorrow at eight am. It may be a few hours until you get there, but I know you picked up traveling as a hobby." The surprise in Nico's eyes was predictable, and so is the clear anger on her face, muted as it may be. Standing back up, the woman carried on with her coat and headed to the door without so much of a word between them.
"I wanted to ask you something." Nico quickly interrupted her mid-departure, which got the pressure from her mother's gaze back at her. The thoughts begun to rush into her mind just as that silence dominated the air. A memory came to mind, a melody and play that she was given the honor of being the audience of, something otherwise unprecedented for the pinkette.
@Luthien's play that had captivated her deeply, both for the skill displayed and the opportunity to listen to someone else pour their heart out to play for completely unrelated reasons to the ones Nico's usually forced for.
"I know you answered this already, but I... Kind of want to hear you play one day, if that's okay with you."
The palpable weakness in that request made her frown back to her daughter. For once, she couldn't read her childish intentions, which made her reconsider if only for a moment.