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

[Nico Rivera-Park]

Nico was well-familiar with the character flaws of this particular building. Where the creaky steps were. Where the loose tiles were. What doors made what sounds. Unfortunately on this night, he was also an overtired optimist, so when the door made the sound it was always going to make when it opened, his only recourse was to silently curse himself for forgetting to WD-40 the damn thing ahead of time.

"Nico! Just Nico! Nico who likes not being blind." He stepped into view with both hands raised, smiling as though this were an entirely routine visit and his pulse hadn’t just attempted to exit through his throat. With Sophie next closest, he decided to try and cut his losses and give the other three a better chance of evasion. “Well, not JUST Nico,” he added, shifting aside enough to acknowledge her without exposing any more of the doorway than necessary. “But Sophie is also best enjoyed with functioning eyes.”

Nico kept moving toward the office, trusting momentum to accomplish whatever subtlety had failed to. Unfortunately, he was now acutely conscious of every footstep behind him, every potentially incriminating rustle, and the fact that he had positioned himself like a man attempting to conceal a refrigerator. He made himself lower his hands.

“Figured I’d catch you before you left. So, you know. A generous window.” The familiar clutter of Priyah’s office gave him something useful to focus on. His eyes made their usual circuit. Mugs, desk, assorted paperwork, and whatever might conceivably qualify as dinner. Then Priyah herself. The influence of The Abyss aside, he was already worrying about Priyah's physical and mental wellbeing; seeing her here brought the more immediate concern back into focus.

Was she all right?

“Have you eaten? Since this morning when I MADE you eat, I mean. We could order something. My treat.” Perfectly ordinary. A normal question he would have asked on any other Friday. Which apparently wasn’t enough, because his mouth continued without clearance.

“And while we’re waiting, maybe you could walk us through what the stream’s been doing? The dropouts, anything weird in the logs. I thought another pair of ears might help.” He gestured toward Sophie, then caught himself glancing back at the entrance. A fraction too quickly, he looked forward again. “But food first. Troubleshooting on an empty stomach blows.” He leaned against the office doorframe and attempted to look comfortably settled as his brain scrambled to remember how human beings stood when they weren't trying to hide shit... though it simultaneously occurred to him that he had offered dinner, technical support, and a conspicuously obstructed doorway within about twenty seconds. His smile acquired a sheepish edge.

“I’m kinda making this sound like I need you to sign something. Sorry. Long week.”