Finally managed to write something for one of the @datvcompanionweeks events, so here we are with a free day fic for Neve, featuring a very smitten Rook getting her nails done.
“You have to let me finish and then I’ll do your nails too, if you really want.”
It was at that moment that Neve looked up from her desk. Rook was a few steps into her room in the Lighthouse, and had frozen in place when she heard Neve speak.
“That was… I was talking to the wisp,” Neve explained quickly. “It keeps getting in the way.” She gestured with the small, teal-tinted brush to the wisp hovering just over her other hand, blocking her view as she attempted to precisely apply the pigment.
Rook put her hands on her hips and gave a sassy smirk. “Oh, so you don’t want to do my nails? I’m hurt.”
“You’ll have to let me finish here first.”
“I’m only joking-”
“Sit,” Neve said firmly. “I just have two fingers left. You’re in charge of the wisp.”
That was an easy enough task, it seemed, since the wisp floated around Rook as she sat, bobbing up and down in the air to examine her and her intrusion. That was enough time for Neve to finish applying the polish without any further interruption.
“Pick a color.”
“You know, you really don’t have to do this,” Rook replied.
“I don’t mind. It’s soothing for me. Especially compared to whatever was happening in the kitchen when I left.”
Rook contemplated aloud, “I’m not sure we’re going to have a kitchen when Lucanis is done berating Harding for crimes against pasta. Here-” she handed a small bottle to Neve “-this one.”
Neve shook the bottle a few times, mixing around the shimmering, regal purple hue. She instructed Rook to place her hands on the desk, and set to work, carefully applying even strokes to each nail. After a moment, Rook chuckled.
“What is it?”
“Sorry, it’s just… your hands are really soft.”
“Oh?” Neve asked with surprise, a small smile on her lips.
“That was weird. Sorry, don’t mind me.”
Neve laughed. “It’s fine. I can think of worse compliments. Besides, safe to say that your hands need to be moisturized more.”
“Not all of us can just conjure blizzards. Some of us have to use real weapons,” Rook teased, before getting lost in thought watching Neve work. “I’ve never had my nails painted before.”
“Really? Well, come back when this starts to chip, and I’ll get you a new coat.”
“You sure? I really don’t mean to bother you.”
“It’s fine,” Neve insisted. “Like I said, I find it calming. And besides, you’re a far a better client than any of these wisps.”
“I hear wisps make lousy tippers too.”
Neve smirked. “Does that mean you’re giving me a tip for my services?”
“I’m sure I can think of something. Since our kitchen is a warzone right now, how about all the fried fish you could want down at the docks?”
“Careful, you might just run out of coin before I get my fill.”
“We’ll have to see about that, then,” Rook said with a smile.
Neve finished her work with a topcoat, then picked up Rook’s hand and blew air over the freshly painted nails. She knew it didn’t do anything to dry them faster, but it was worth it to see the bright red flush in Rook’s face.
“There, all done,” Neve announced. She released Rook’s hand, noting how it took her a few moments to regain her composure.
“Thank you. These are… this was nice.” Rook looked over her nails, examining the color in the swirling light of the Fade.
“Like I said, come back and I’ll get you a new coat, new color, whatever you like.”
Rook started to meander toward the door, still glancing between her nails and Neve as she moved. The blush in her cheeks was obvious, even where the light was dimmer. “I should go… make sure everyone’s alright in the kitchen. We don’t need Harding getting stabbed or Lucanis getting turned to stone. But, come find me later. I haven’t forgotten about your payment for this.” They held up their hand so Neve could see her work.
“You better not. Good luck in there,” Neve called as Rook left her room.
She started to put away her various polishes, a smile on her face. It was nice to do something so simple and casual with Rook – no Venatori, no world-ending catastrophes, no earth-shattering epiphanies that threw their beliefs into question. Rook was still snarky and stubborn, but she was cute when she blushed.
Before Neve could wander down that road of thinking any further, the same infuriating wisp that had interrupted her previously darted in front of her face.
With a sigh, she remarked, “I suppose I did say I would do your nails when I was done with my own. But you don’t even have nails!”
The wisp didn’t budge. Neve would have to figure something out. After all, she had a dinner date to get to.
