Album 2, Track 1: "Not Back on It, Joe, Still on It"

[Veronica Tucker]

Nico looked around once more, adopting the grave expression of an officer inspecting a vital military installation.

“Excellent work. Strong sight lines. Excellent morale potential. Minimal respect for any known school of interior design.” He approached the bar stool and peeled at one corner of the clearance sticker, only succeeding in tearing off a tiny orange triangle. “And I see the procurement committee spared no expense on my tactical command throne.” With exaggerated ceremony, he mounted the stool and immediately discovered that one leg was shorter than the others. It rocked beneath him with a sharp clack. Nico froze, one hand raised for balance, then carefully planted both feet on the floor. “Built-in threat-detection system,” he concluded. “Keeps me alert.”

Nico's grin widened as he looked back at Vic.

“Seriously, though? This is good Vic. It's starting to feel like ours now.”

Vic snorts indelicately as he chooses the rickety stool. "Don't be silly. That's not your seat," she teases with a giggle, waltzing around the room-dominating teddy bear to grab the back of the office chair and wheeling it towards him. "This one is yours. For, like, your back and stuff," she adds, peaking out from behind the back of the chair, because its just too tall for anything by her hair to be seen over it.

"I thought really hard about it, okay?" she adds, slightly defensive before he can even argue. "I wanted each chair to be perfect for its designated sitter. We got Jess in the egg, Naomi on the Ottoman, you in the Command Chair, and me on the bear! Its perfect!" she explains, doing a backflop onto the giant plushie and nearly disappearing into its cushy depths. She pointedly does not mention who the last chair is for. She doesn't need to.

[Nico Rivera-Park]

Nico looked down, from the stool to the office chair, then back again.

“Oh!”

Hopping to his feet, Nico took a few steps toward his designated chair. Wit momentarily failed him at the small, startling realization that Vic had put that kind of thought into seating for him. Between the long hours at the soundboard and the way he was always leaning over something or carrying something for somebody else, he couldn't deny that his back was probably not always in the most primo condition for his age. She hadn’t just remembered to give him a place in the circle, she'd thought about what would make that place comfortable. His eyes flicked briefly toward the unclaimed stool. One eyebrow rose. Whatever conclusion he reached, he tactfully filed it away without comment.

"Command.... did I get a promotion I'm not aware of? What am I supposed to be commanding Vickles?" Laughing, he lowered himself into the "Command Chair". The lumbar support met his spine, and an involuntary groan of relief escaped him.

“Oh... oh no. This is dangerously good.” He gave the chair an experimental swivel before he stopped, facing her directly. "Geez Vic, I hope this wasn't too expensive, you're really... spoiling me." Nico began sinking back as he spoke, looking almost reverent. On some level he knew it was just an office chair, but... it was a damn NICE office chair. Nicer than the kind of seats he usually inhabited during his shifts at the station. Nicer than the seat of his van (though he'd never admit that to his precious darling).

Nico pointed solemnly at Vic.

“You’ve ruined ordinary sitting for me. I hope you’re prepared to live with that.” His grin softened. “You really did think of everything.” Nico's foot hung lazily to the side as he began to softly push off the floor, making slow circles in place as his eyes lazily scanned the room again... coming to rest on a box next to his bag. Memory rediscovered the boy, and he straightened up slightly. "Oh, hey. I brought in some acoustic foam. Not a ton; just some leftover material from our jury-rigged, rickety-ass temp radio booth back at the station. Did you have a space in mind for the practice room?" He flashed Vic a cozy half-smile. "You got me this thing and decked out our spot, so it's only fair I give you first crack at making the call. Which room speaks to you? I'll toss them up on the wall and get things started before we leave."