Recovery Period

Chapter 10

Raina stood stunned, her lower back still against the table she'd been pushed into as Nico fled the kitchen and up the stairs. She heard the unmistakable slam and click that told her Nico had shut herself away behind a locked door. Raina needed to figure out what had just happened. Had she pushed things a bit? Sure, but this seemed like an extreme reaction.

She collapsed into a chair at Nico's counter bar and rubbed her face with one hand. Okay, okay, this was not the first tantrum she'd dealt with. It looked new because Nico was new, but a tantrum is a tantrum. She gave herself a moment and before she could try to make a plan to coax Nico out, her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten since before Nico had shown up in the office with a loud, long growl.

She checked her watch: that was nearly 9 hours ago. And if she hadn't eaten... The pieces clicked into place and while she felt sure that Nico's emotions on her best day were likely as raw as an open wound, her being starving was not helping anything. That had to be the first step: feed the monster.

Without too much trouble, she managed to find a green cup with a straw lid, a plate, and enough ingredients to make a grilled cheese and chocolate milk. She called up the stairs, but when there was no response, she headed up, leaving the plate and closed cup on the floor just outside the door. She knocked and spoke softly to the closed door, "Nico, would you like some dinner? I made you a grilled cheese and some chocolate milk. I think you might feel a little better if you ate something."

She sat a few steps down, but heard no movement. Raina sighed and turned away, heading back downstairs to figure out what to do next. As she passed into the kitchen, she spotted Mol, laying discarded on the ground by the counter where Nico had likely dropped him in her panic. She picked him up, dusted him off, and headed back upstairs, setting him next to the plate and cup. "Nico, I found Mol downstairs. He's out here for you."

Before she had descended the last few steps, she heard the door open, some rummaging, and then a soft click...but no lock. Progress, she decided. She made herself a sandwich and sat at the table, sipping on glass of water and scrolling on her phone as she ate.

Behind the closed door at the top of the stairs, Nico was sitting cross-legged on the floor with the plated sandwich and cup of milk in front of her and Mol on her lap. This was...unexpected. She tentatively tested both and was pleased enough to consume both quickly. After finishing the last of her milk, she looked down at her little bunny friend. "Why did I do that, Mol?" she whispered into his furry head as she pulled him close to muffle her sobs. The guilt was overwhelming. Raina was being so nice to her and she had pushed her and run away.

Nico curled into a ball again, keeping her face buried in Mol's familiar smell, rocking back and forth. Her crying was loud enough to get Raina's attention, who made her way up the stairs slowly. She didn't hear Raina approaching, opening the door, or stooping down next to her over the sounds of the blood rushing in her ears and whoever was crying near her.

Raina knelt down momentarily to scoop Nico up, though she remained in her tight ball. It wasn't until she was seated on Raina's lap that she finally uncurled enough to fit herself into Raina's body, though the tears never ceased. Raina sat still on Nico's bed, slowly trailing one hand up and down Nico's exposed skin while the other arm held her tightly. She heard the unmistakable crinkle of a waterproof mattress on Nico's bed as she rocked both them a little, but knew better than to even hint she'd heard it. It told her enough.

Nico eventually settled, her cries softening into occasional sniffles. She felt exhausted all of a sudden, with a full stomach, an aching foot, and a throat and chest sore from crying. Out of habit, she found a familiar place to rest her head on the person holding her, straddling Raina's lap so that their bodies were in full contact and tilting her head up and back to tuck the bridge of her nose under Raina's jawline. Raina adored the closeness of the new position and brought her free hand up from stroking Nico's skin to cup the back of her head, cementing them together while Nico's breathing evened.