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Neve waved the doorman off, after politely declining his offer to take her hat and gloves from her, giving him a charming smile and making sure to thank him so he’d give her space as quickly as possible. Her plan worked, and he excused himself quickly, after pointing to which hallway she should go down to find Matteo in the large De Riva estate in Salle. She’d been here once before, to visit Matteo during her recovery from the battle against Elgar’nan in Minrathous, because Viago had not trusted anyone with his ward’s care other than his own personal staff.
It was a place that was decorated with surprisingly good taste, with less flash than some of the other manors in Antiva that Neve had visited. Viago liked paintings more than gaudy artifacts or towering statues of assassins. His library was full, and his gardens teemed with plantlife that served more than one purpose. The whole place screamed of wealth in a much more tasteful way than some of his peers, in Neve’s opinion, which is part of the reason she didn’t mind visiting.
Just as Neve turned a corner, a short elven woman in a black dress held up a hand in warning, just before the sound of raised voices carried through the nearby door of Viago’s study.
“Good afternoon, Miss Gallus. I recommend waiting out here for at least at least a little longer.” She said, careful to keep her words hushed just enough so only Neve could hear them.
Neve inhaled and then let the air back out slowly as she gave the older woman a hint of a smile.
“Good Afternoon, Isabella. How bad is it?” Neve asked in reply, as she tried to pick words out from the ruckus in the other room without any success. Viago had made sure the doors and walls to his study were thick for a reason…
“Oh, I couldn’t say, Miss.” Isabella answered, her words carefully chosen.
Neve eyed the woman skeptically, because she knew that Isabella knew more than she was saying. But she didn’t push, because she knew Isabella’s tight-lippedness came from a place of loyalty to her house, and specifically Viago and Matteo, that she respected. They stood there for a few minutes in quiet and slightly awkward silence, as the muffled sounds of arguing leaked intermittently from the nearby door. Neve gave it another minute after that, and then she flashed Isabella a look of apologetic warning before she walked over and unceremoniously let herself inside.
“— can’t believe you think that I would approve of you accepting that contract. I had thought you had moved past being so reckless with your —” Viago argued, with his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the other person in the room.
“ — Reckless? Since when is following procedure and accepting a contract being reckless? You were unavailable. House De Riva was requested. So I made it work. I even still made sure to have Marie forward a cut of the payment to you, rather than tell you to fuck off like I wanted to.” Matteo countered, cutting Viago off before he could finish his admonishment.
Neve bit her lip slightly to stop herself from smiling, as there was something oddly endearing about how these two were so weirdly protective of each other without ever actually saying they cared. They were extremely dysfunctional, but they loved each other, and Neve liked knowing she wasn’t the only one with complicated family relationships.
“Neve, good. Perhaps you can get Matteo Lucia to understand why I am so angry about the course of action she chose to take.” Viago said, after giving the detective a brief nod of greeting, before returning his bright blue judgemental gaze to the silver haired woman standing opposite him.
Matteo rolled her eyes in response to Viago’s words before looking over at Neve with a wicked smile, as she brazenly took in every inch of the detective’s appearance in her newly cleaned and restored favorite coat and accompanying outfit. For that brief moment all haughty anger disappeared from Matteo’s face, as she looked at Neve with a heady mixture of hunger and admiration that left Neve fighting the urge to blush furiously.
“Ignore him, il mio gioiello splendido/my brilliant jewel. You look stunning, as usual. I hope your journey went smoothly?” Matteo said as she leaned Neve’s way ever so slightly. Her brown eyes danced as her dark purple colored lips curved into an even warmer smile.
“Oh no. I will not be ignored about this! I am your Talon, and you are not done here until I say so.” Viago snapped out, as he took a step towards Matteo.
If Matteo had been a cat, she would have had her hackles raised as she shifted her attention back to the other Crow and regarded him with an expression that was all cold calculation and carefully restrained anger. Neve’s skin prickled as she recognized that look on Matteo’s face, and recalled how things had gone down the last time her girlfriend had gotten that look.
“What are you two even arguing about?” Neve asked calmly, hoping her words might be enough of a distraction to diffuse the situation.
“The Hercinia job from a few days ago.” Matteo answered Neve, a little bluntly, only looking away from Viago for a brief moment to make eye contact with Neve.
“What is there to argue about? It went off without a hitch, and—” Neve started to say, but Viago snarled at Matteo and cut her off.
“Did you bring your girlfriend with you to complete a contract?!” Viago snapped at Matteo.
Matteo bridled as she took a half a step in Viago’s direction, her chin raised as she gave him a tightlipped smile that made it clear she felt she had the upper hand in the moment.
“I brought a sub-contractor with me, who specialized in dispelling blood magic wards. She was compensated at a rate we agreed to in writing. Marie has a copy of the contract if you wish to review the document, Second Talon.” Matteo told him with a cool calmness that contrasted with the spark of fire in her dark eyes.
Viago glared at Matteo as she spoke and then didn’t hesitate to correct her as soon as she finished speaking.
“So that’s a yes? Maker! You know my rule about not mixing romance with work, Matteo Lucia! You are not exempt from the rules just because—”
“Oh, stai zitto. Non ho infranto la tua preziosa regola! A differenza tua, io so distinguere la vita professionale da quella sentimentale./Oh, shut up. I didn't break your precious rule! Unlike you I can separate my professional and romantic life.” Matteo argued, cutting Viago off before he could continue on with his rant.
For just a moment the pair of Crows glared at each other, countless unspoken things making the air around them thick with tension, and then Viago grew unsettlingly still and calmly informed Matteo, “Mi scuso, a quanto pare ho sottovalutato la sua preparazione per il lavoro sul campo in autonomia. Evidentemente non ha ancora compreso appieno la responsabilità che comporta questo tipo di incarichi. Provvederò a correggere la situazione./My apologies, as I apparently misjudged your readiness for solo field work. You clearly have not grasped the full weight of responsibility for these kinds of tasks. I shall make corrections to remedy this.”
For just a moment, Matteo’s confident demeanor faltered, and Neve caught a rare glimpse of the girl Matteo used to be. Eager to please and willing to do anything to make the person she looked up to proud. But the Matteo that had survived against the odds and made a name for herself reasserted itself and that woman was now filled with righteous anger.
“Did the client make a complaint?” She asked him bluntly, with her shoulders set like she was ready to bear an incredible weight.
Viago’s eyes narrowed, but he answered her, “No complaints were made.”
“So to be clear, the contract was completed to the client’s satisfaction?” Matteo asked him while still standing at the ready.
Viago stifled a small sigh and gave her a small nod as he watched her, clearly suspicious about her sudden change in attitude.
Matteo took a measured breath and then told him, “Then I’ll bid your farewell, and will talk with the First Talon about transferring my allegiance to whichever house he feels would benefit best from my talents.”
Viago and Neve both stared at Matteo with brief looks of confusion. Viago’s expression shifted to frustrated forced humor, while Neve’s lips pressed together with concern. Matteo didn’t notice however, as she was busy picking up her cloak up off a nearby chair and putting it on. Once that was done she gave Viago a curt nod of farewell and then took a step towards the door. It was at that moment that Viago’s expression sobered, as he came to the realization that Matteo had been serious and not just making an empty threat once again.
“Matteo Lucia?” He asked, concern and frustration mixed as he locked his serious eyes on her face. A face he knew incredibly well, as every burn and scar that marred it were reminders of the cost of his mistakes in the past.
Matteo hesitated, turning back to tell him, “Viago. I will never be you, and I don’t want to be you. I am good at my job, and if you will not value me, I will go where my talents will be. I am more than cognizant of how much I’ve disappointed and failed you in the past, but that is exactly it, the past. I have worked hard to earn my way back. I have the professional respect of countless other Talons and Guildmasters… I shouldn’t have to be treated like a fledgling just because you’re scared to admit I don’t need your oversight anymore.”
Viago opened his mouth to speak, but when no words came, Matteo walked out of the room without looking back. Neve shot Viago a look of alarm, as this was not how she thought this would go down. Matteo and Viago fought all the time, it was how they communicated half the time, but this time felt different.
Viago inhaled sharply and then muttered a “mierda” quietly to himself as he stared at the now empty doorway.
Neve felt torn, as she wanted to rush out after Matteo, but also felt like she should say something to Viago. For a fleeting moment she wished Rook was there, as they were so much better at these kinds of situations, but they weren’t here. She came up with a discarded half a dozen things to say in a matter of seconds, before finally opening her mouth and saying the only thing that felt right.
“Well, that went badly. Were you trying to drive her away?” She asked him, with just enough snark in her words to make it clear that she did not approve of how he’d handled things.
Viago drew himself up and gave her an icy look as he replied, “Obviously, and of course not.”
Neve gave him a frosty look of her own, before she said, “Then what are you going to do to make it right?”
Viago took another deep breath and then deflated a little as he released it, as he shot Neve a look of exhausted resignation.
“I don’t know.” He confessed quietly.
“You could start with an apology.” Neve told him, something sharp about the edge of her words that made him eye her carefully.
“You’re mad at me as well? For your own sake, and not just Matteo's, I take it?” He asked.
Neve stifled the urge to roll her eyes, and instead just answered him.
“I am. I don’t enjoy having my professional reputation ignored just because you were annoyed at Matteo. Especially when you damn well know that Matt is exceptional at keeping her personal and professional life separate. I offered to help her out in Hercinia as a favor, and she got offended. That De Riva pride, Maker!”
Viago had the good sense to look contrite as he apologized.
“I am truly sorry that I let my temper get the better of me and unintentionally insinuated anything of that sort about your professionalism, Neve. It’s just—”
“No. Nope. Stop right there. Don’t explain to me. Talk to Matteo instead.” Neve told him, stopping him before he could say something that made the situation worse.
Viago crossed his arms over his chest again and gave Neve a stubborn look as he countered, “I would, but she left.”
Neve did roll her eyes in response to that, before she told him, “I’ll make sure we still show up for dinner tonight, so you can talk to her then.”
Viago grimaced slightly, as he recalled that they were supposed to be having dinner at Teia’s that evening. Neve grinned at him, something about her eyes conveying petty glee as she told him, “And don’t think you can get out of following through, as I’ll make sure Teia is filled in.”
Viago ground his teeth, and kept his mouth shut, even though Neve was certain that he wanted to argue some more. She grinned at him and waved a quick farewell before walking out of his study so she could go find Matteo. She didn’t need to look back to know that the head of House De Riva was glaring at her as she left, while mentally kicking himself for getting himself into this situation in the first place.
Matteo was waiting just a block away from the estate, loitering next to one of the little food carts that journeyed constantly through the city. Neve couldn’t help but smile as she took in the sight of Matteo in her element, charming a stranger with her bright smile and quick wit. The midday sun made her silver hair shine, as it floated like downy feathers echoing each movement she made like a silent chorus. Her striking dark purple makeup added a level of polish to her look that made her burn scars seem like just another interesting part of her look instead of something unpleasant to look away from. This version of Matteo, the Matteo off duty, was bright and bold and warm like a bonfire. And it was a side of Matteo that never failed to make Neve want to smile.
“Hungry?” Matteo called out as Neve walked closer, her prosthetic ringing on the cobblestoned street in a steady rhythm that slowed as she got closer.
“Starving.” Neve replied with a smile as she watched the old man who was cooking pull a gorgeous looking skewer of fried fish from the thick iron kettle strapped to his cart on top of the heating plate that took up the center of it.
Matteo pulled some coins from a hidden pocket and traded them with the man for the freshly cooked fish, before thanking him in Antivan and making a joke that made his cheeks get rosy as his eyes disappeared as he chuckled and waved Matteo away playfully.
Neve accepted the offered skewer, and walked in easy silence next to Matteo as they headed towards the water as they ate. The fish was delicious, and seasoned to perfection. Matteo was one of the only people who never questioned or seemed to judge Neve’s dietary choices. Which at first had been just nice, but then Neve had realized that Matteo’s own diet was one that painted a very clear and painful picture of what had made her the farthest thing from picky that a person could be. Sure Matteo could tell one fancy wine from another, and identify where a ham came from, like any wellbred Antivan, but she also would not hesitate to take the burned part of a loaf of bread and eat it without complaint.
They finished their fish right about the time they got to the docks, and Neve followed Matteo as she wove her way through alleyways and stacks of crates with a familiarity that spoke volumes to someone like Neve. They climbed two ladders and then cut through a dark tunnel before coming out into a small cove that held a small beach and just enough large boulders to make it the ideal place for a handful of cats to rest in the sun without fear of getting wet. Matteo climbed and offered Neve a hand to help her follow her up so they could sit on the biggest boulder that had a slightly concave top that made it perfect for sitting in to soak up the sun as you stared out at the horizon and the ships that sailed there.
“What a pretty spot.” Neve commented idly, as she pet a grey cat that had leapt up to greet them once they’d gotten settled.
Matteo made a sound that was almost a grunt in agreement, as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, not seeming to notice that two more cats had appeared and climbed into her lap to demand her attention. Silence stretched out between the two people. It lacked tension, but there was a subtle hint of expectation, as they both knew that a conversation needed to happen, but neither of them were in a rush to have it. Neve watched the water and petted the cats, and then pulled her pocket notebook from inside her coat and wrote some things down that had popped into her thoughts. Matteo watched her work, occasionally returning her attention to the ocean, whenever a flock of seabirds would pass by. It was a pleasant way to kill some time, and it seemed to sooth the last shreds of Matteo’s anger, as all the tension had bled out of her shoulders.
Matteo finally inhaled deeply and then cleared her throat, her voice a little rough as she asked Neve, “What did you get him to agree to?”
Neve looked up from her notebook and told Matteo, “To talk to you at dinner, because I said I’d make sure you’d be there.”
Matteo just blinked at Neve for a moment before her brow furrowed as she said, “Well of course I’ll be there. Teia is expecting me.”
Neve shook her head and stifled a sigh as she gave Matteo a half-smile and said, “I know. I also told him I’d fill Teia in, and that he should apologize.”
Matteo snorted, “Did he apologize to you? Because he better have.”
Neve gave Matteo a look of fond exasperation, “I meant he should apologize to you, Matt. But yes, he did apologize to me.”
For just a moment, Matteo frowned, but then she shot Neve a look of such blatant gratitude that Neve found herself feeling more than a little flustered.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Matteo told Neve quietly, all her usual bravado replaced by something vulnerable that Neve cherished because it was a side of her that she didn’t allow hardly anyone to see.
Neve leaned towards Matteo, and gently placed a kiss on the other woman’s temple, as she replied, “I know, but I wanted to.”
Blood rushed up into Matteo’s face, coloring her cheeks and making her pointed ears redden in an instant. Neve inwardly preened, as making Matteo feel flustered was its own reward. Matteo could boldly flirt with anyone without showing a lick of embarrassment or losing her cool, almost always. But there was something about Neve that could throw her balance off and make her look like a bashful girl with a crush that the detective found very endearing and flattering.
Matteo took a moment to catch her breath and then turned her head to look over at Neve, as she told her, “Do you want me to stab him for you?”
Neve gave Matteo an incredulous look and then shook her head as she replied, “No! Stabbing isn’t the answer, Matt. You need to talk to him, not just argue.”
Matteo sniffed, “Fine… I don’t choose to argue, that’s all him.”
Neve raised an eyebrow and stared down the other mage, refusing to fall for her attempt to sidestep all the blame in regards to her problems with Viago. Matteo met Neve’s look for a minute and then rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Fine! Your point is made. I’ll talk to him, and if he starts being unreasonable again, I won’t stab him… I’ll just tell Teia to do it.”
Neve tried and failed to not let out a short burst of laughter. It took her a moment to collect herself before she could tell Matteo, “Matt, please!”
Matteo fixed her brown eyes on Neve and fluttered her eyelashes as she replied, “What? I haven’t done anything… Yet.”
“You’re awful, do you know that?” Neve laughed, her shoulders shaking as she tried to control her amusement.
Matteo sketched a small seated bow, before she glanced back at Neve and smiled, “So I’ve been told. It’s part of my charm.”
Neve took a deep breath to steady herself, her eyes dancing with good humor as she watched Matteo. Once she had a little better control of herself, she gathered her courage and redirected their conversation back to the real topic.
“Enough joking. You really do need to talk to him, and then decide what you want to do. I’ll back you no matter what, of course. But I’m not going to make this decision for you, Matt.”
Matteo huffed, and shot Neve a sullen look as she said, “You know how annoying it is that you’re always right?”
Neve shrugged her shoulders as she replied, “It’s a burden, but it’s mine to bear.”
Matteo laughed in response, the sound of it light and bright as it echoed around them. Neve smiled, and when Matteo met her eyes once again they shared a look that spoke volumes. There was so much trust there, and both of them valued that while still being more than a little disbelieving that it was real. By unspoken agreement they leaned into each other, letting the weight of their bodies anchor them as they once again recalled everything that brought them to this point.
After a while, as the sun sank lower on the horizon, Matteo took a deep breath and then announced, “I’m going to talk to him. I was serious, I will transfer to another house if I need to. I love that idiot, but I can’t do my job if he refuses to see me as anything other than the person I used to be.”
Neve hummed a sound of agreement and understanding, as she entwined her fingers with Matteo’s and squeezed her hand tight. Matteo squeezed back and took another deep breath, before adding, “We should get going in a minute. Teia will be mad if we’re late.”
Neve considered how to reply, because she could tell Matteo wanted to talk about Viago more, but had opted not to. She could push, make Matt say out loud what she was saying in her own head, but would that actually help? Neve wasn’t sure, so she let it go, and instead opted for the safer thing.
“Well we don’t want that, so lead the way my lovely lady assassin.”
Matteo smirked at that, and smoothly got to her feet without letting go of Neve’s hand, before she offered the other one to help Neve get up as well.
“Oh, that has a nice ring to it. Maybe it should be my new title?” Matteo asked, as Neve stood and took her hands back to straighten and smooth out her coat.
“You’re welcome, but no, it doesn’t hold the same professional weight as your other one.” Neve replied, with a half-smile, as she carefully picked her way down the boulders as she followed after Matteo.
Matteo lightly hopped down to the beach and then turned to offer a hand to Neve to steady her as she navigated the last few feet of descent, waiting to reply until the detective was safely back on the ground.
“I suppose you’re right. Lovely Lady Assassin doesn’t really invoke the same kind of foreboding as The Menace of Treviso.” Matteo mused.
Neve shook her head, “No it doesn’t. Although that wasn’t the one I meant.”
Matteo paused and cast a questioning look Neve’s way, as she asked, “No? Did you mean The Gardenia Garroter? Or maybe the Nightmare Blade?”
Neve stifled a smirk, “No, not those either.”
“Well then, which one were you talking about?” Matteo asked, as she resumed walking.
“Neve Gallus’ assistant, of course.” Neve told her, with her best serious voice, that didn’t quite work as she was having a hard time not giving into the urge to smirk playfully at the woman who had made a living most of her life by killing people.
Matteo glanced over at Neve and gave her a deadpan look of questioning disappointment, before she dryly commented, “Really?”
Neve nodded her head as she said, “Really. It has such a nice ring to it, and I heard that detective has quite the reputation.”
“A reputation for being terrible at making coffee, maybe…” Matteo muttered, earning a sound from Neve conveying that she took offense to that.
They continued on like that their whole journey back through the city, sharing barbs and jokes, and generally keeping the conversation light. They were an odd pair, yet they fit together well. And Neve couldn’t help but overhear as the handful of older vendors they passed on the street said as much to each other as they recognized the young Mistress De Riva. If Matteo overheard them talking, she didn’t let it show. Her demeanor only changing once they came to a stop next to the front gate of Viago’s estate.
Neve reached for Matteo’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze of support, which earned her a brief flash of a smile in return. Matteo inhaled deeply, squared her shoulders and then told Neve, “If Viago doesn’t listen, I’ll just kidnap his snake.”
Neve’s mouth opened but no words came as she stared at Matteo whose face was filled with impish glee. Sensing that Neve probably didn’t approve, Matteo squeezed Neve’s hand and informed her, “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt the damn thing. I might kill people for money, but I’m not gonna murder the poor creature.”
Neve released Matteo’s hand so she could shove the other woman as she told her, “I wasn’t worried about that! But now I am! Venhedis!”
Matteo ran a hand through her hair and gave Neve an unrepentant smile, as she shrugged, “It’ll be fine. All I’ll need you to do is drink wine and look pretty. If Viago is smart there will be no need for additional measures.”
Neve gave Matteo a skeptical look, as she organized her thoughts. But before she could say anything else, Teia swept out the front door of the estate, dressed in a gorgeous silk gown, and yelled at them, “Are you two done yet? I brought a new wine and want to open it before the food is ready!”
Matteo quickly called out, “We’ll be right in!” before reclaiming Neve’s hand and pulling her towards the front door. Neve considered hesitating for a moment, but then gave in, as she resigned herself to the fact that one way or another dinner would be anything but boring.