a new home (a rini au)

2 - him

Everyone is sitting in the living room, Mark and Nini are on the floor with Winnie while Carol and Dana sit on the couch. Dana is still concerned about who is going to care of Winter when they're working and Nini is at Mark's apartment but she pushes that aside for now. 

A few minutes later, Mark's phone rings loudly. He stands up, stepping into the kitchen. Nini follows him, sitting down on a high chair at the kitchen island. "Ron come on can't it wait a few days?" he groans, pacing around. "Fine, fine jesus I'll go, bye" 

Mark sighs, looking over at his daughter. Dana stands behind them, leaning against the wall. "What happened?"

"Something is wrong with the apartment apparently with the moving company and I have to go over, and the team needs me for the weekend so I have to fly out in a couple hours." 

"Dad we just drove like thirty five hours" 

"I know Neens but this is work, I promise I'll be back Sunday night okay? I love you" he says, then walks over and kisses her forehead before going back to Carol and Malou to say bye. "Hey Ni, before I leave, I have a surprise" 

He points to the staircase "second door to the right, the middle room". Carol chuckles as Nini runs up the stairs, opening to glass door to the second floor and getting to the room at the center of the passage. 

She pulls down on the handle, opening the door slowly. She gawks at the mini recording studio set up; her instruments are all around the room, her vinyl records and posters laid out on the table, her keyboards are attached to the sound board and computer. 

She runs down the stairs straight into her dad, wrapping her hands over his shoulders tightly. "thank you thank you thank you" she squeaks. "oh god I forget how strong you are" Mark grunts, putting her down. "I'm glad you like it, it's sound proof so you don't drive your mothers crazy" 

"which we appreciate!" Carol chimes in. 

"Okay I really have to get going" Mark grabs his bag from the couch. When he's just about to step out the door Nini calls out to him. 

"Hey dad, LA right?"

"Yes"

"Tell her I said hi" 

Mark looks flustered, his face visibly red, his attempt to make a stern face failing miserably. Carol and Dana exchange a look with each other, then with Nini. "Me too!" Malou adds, smiling cheekily at her granddaughter. 

"and goodbye family" Mark says walking out the door, and all four of them burst out laughing. 

"ay okay enough, Nini go change and freshen up before Zephyr gets here"

"yes mama" 

20 minutes later...

Nini tilts her head to the right slightly, rubbing her towel through her drenched hair as she walks down the staircase. She decided to take a shower after the long drive, she put on her pajamas and singlet in a hurry when she heard the doorbell, beyond excited to see Zephyr. 

She stops midway, pulling the towel away from her face. Her hair falls messily around her face, small droplets of water falling to the floor. She tucks the hair behind her ear, staring down at the boy sitting on her living room floor putting a collar on Winter. He notices her, and looks up. 

He has fluffy brown curls and brown eyes, a small smile on his face. He finds her expression amusing, an embarrassed smile, red ears but it's kind. He kinda forgets about everything else in the room for a second, grinning lightly for a second as if to silently reciprocate.