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Maia can’t believe this day is finally here. It’s the grand opening of Taki’s, the diner (or restaurant, as so many of her friends are insisting she refer to it as when she tries to shrug it off as ‘just a diner’) she spent countless hours pouring her blood, sweat, and tears into making a reality for the past year.
Not that Maia needs any encouragement to be proud of herself, because she is. She’s damn proud of the fact that she made this happen. She didn’t do it alone, she’ll be the first to credit the friends and pack members who supported her along the way. In fact, she’ll probably give them more credit than she gives herself. This project might be her baby, but they were the ones who had to put up with her sleep-deprived short-temper or remind her to eat, or offered a literal helping hand when she couldn’t do all the physical labor on her own no matter how hard she tried.
But here she is, on the other end of it all, ready to open her doors to customers for the first time. She isn’t nervous, not when her trial runs all went nearly perfect and the few hiccups she discovered were immediately worked out. She’s nothing but eager and excited to take this next step in her life.
Maia thinks she’s ready for anything and everything that may come at her today, but she’s about to realize how very wrong she is when the first person who steps through the doors is Rebecca Lewis.
“Nice place you got here,” Becky says.
“What are you doing here?” Maia asks, completely thrown off. She had an entire Pleasant Business Owner persona ready and raring to go when she opened, but all of that’s out the window at the sight of Becky.
“Nice to see you too, Maia,” Becky returns without missing a beat.
“I didn’t mean-” Maia starts, then stops before taking a moment to collect herself. “Of course, it’s nice to see you. It’s more than nice. I just meant… I thought you were in Florida with your mom?”
“I was. I am, I mean not right this second obviously, but I’m still living with her there. Simon told me about this place and you know I wouldn’t miss a chance to show up and support you on opening day.”
Maia’s heart practically melts at the sentiment. She doesn’t have the words to say how much it means to her that Becky would come all this way just for her. She’s trying to find something, anything that feels worthy of what she’s feeling towards Becky in this moment when a voice cuts harshly through her thoughts.
“I thought this was supposed to be a safe place for the Shadow World,” a werewolf says, glaring pointedly at Becky. “If I wanted to be around mundanes I’d go literally anywhere else in this fucking city.”
There’s a small murmur of agreement from behind him and Maia feels the anger swell inside of her at the same time she watches Becky flinch and shrink in on herself, her smile fading. “Sorry. I didn’t think- I should go-”
“Absolutely not,” Maia says. There’s an edge to her voice that she rarely takes - one that reminds those around her why she’s the Alpha of her pack. It’s low and dangerous, hinting of the power she possesses that so many forget about simply because she chooses not to exert it. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.
“Maia-” Becky tries to argue, but Maia doesn’t let her.
“This is a safe place - for members of the Shadow World and the mundanes who know and support them,” Maia adds pointedly in the direction of the vampire who spoke out, though she says it loud enough for everyone present to hear. It’s a blanket statement that goes for all of them, today and any other day. “And if anyone has a problem with that, they can be the one to leave.”
There’s a tense silence at that, followed by some light grumbling as the vampire in question settles into a booth in the far corner of the diner without another word of protest. After that, the general chatter begins to pick up again and Rebecca’s presence is more or less ignored from that point out.
Well, ignored by everyone except Maia, who can’t keep her eyes off the beautiful brunette. Here she is living out the grand opening of her restaurant, and all she can find it in herself to think or worry about is Rebecca Lewis.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Becky says.
“I did,” Maia says. “But even if I didn’t have to, I wanted to. I want you here.” I want you, Maia thinks but doesn’t say. She doesn’t know how long Rebecca is even in town, to hope for anything more than a chance to catch up feels foolish. After that little stunt, Maia wouldn’t be surprised if Becky wants to turn around and leave again.
“Good, because I want to be here,” Becky says.
“So stay?” Maia asks, voice quiet and hopeful, but hesitant at the same time.
“Alright,” Becky agrees. “I think I can stay a little while.”
A little while with her is better than no time at all. Maia wants more - she wants everything with Rebecca - but something is better than nothing.
She can work with ‘a little while’, and if she’s lucky, turn it into so much more.