In another life, one that would’ve been cookie-cutter and probably more pleasing to her parents – Nissa would’ve been a lawyer. Stuck behind some desk in some law firm somewhere, pushing papers around for the man in charge until she could prove her worth and earn her place. She could manipulate and argue with the best of them, move people like pawns sometimes to get what she wanted, and see the battlefield from all angles.<br/><br/>Most people glanced away when she spoke so directly and intensely to them. When she threw social norms out the wind of what a business meeting should entail and instead blazed her own path to the destination. Not Mateo Lucas, however. The man grinned. Like she’d seen some boxers do in the middle of a ring fight. Grinned because they loved the action of it, the thrill of it all. He didn’t hesitate in his steps, either. He answered her jabs with blocks and hooks of his own. She hadn’t scared him back into his corner of the ring. Instead, it was almost as if he’d choreographed her moves.<br/><br/>She tilted her head slightly as he pointed back to the artists renderings, telling her what she already knew about having access to the Abyss studios and equipment. Her eyes might have flicked to the screen, but they were continuously captivated by his deep gaze. He was taller, making her tilt her head back slightly. His aura wasn’t so much daunting… as it was promising.<br/><br/>When he put the question and offer back out to herself and Becky, she couldn’t help the smile that opened up on her face. Small, but significant. “Becky, do you have our general contract documents handy in that paper pile, by chance?”<br/><br/>Becky blinked a few times, her eyes fluttering behind her glasses. Mateo's reaction had caught her off guard and he actually seemed... pleased?  She had sat still and listened at his reply to her and now she felt like a cat watching two people play tennis as the feisty side of her girlfriend came out to play, line driving the ball right back at his head with each swing.<br/><br/>"Oh... yeah, I think it's here with our NDA also."<br/><br/>She shuffled through a few of the folders containing the requested documentations handing each one over to Nissa.  She also had to admit that she was surprised about his willingness to bend to her request as Abyss had a track record of being, well, stereotypical. Her curiosity of where this was going to end up was starting to override her timid nature.<br/><br/>Nissa had turned away slightly from Mateo to take the papers Becky gave her, and she flashed the woman a reassuring grin as she handed over not only the documents she asked for, but more. Things that would put words to the nitty-gritty of hashing out a partnership between Abyss and Naughty Otter. “Thank you,” she said, her tone considerably softer, less demanding. She also tapped the back of the papers twice with her first and middle fingers – a signal they’d long worked out forever ago that it was time to pack up and leave. Mateo wouldn’t have seen the movement and only her partner would know what it meant.<br/><br/>Turning back to the man in question, she set the papers on the table and slid them the short distance with her fingerstips so they were within his reach with a smile. “You’ve given us a lot to think about and discuss, Mr. Lucas, thank you. This is clearly a large project that warrants a deeper discussion between my partner and I to see if it would be the right fit for Naughty Otter.” She turned then, sweeping up her own papers and notes, following Becky as she stepped away from the table, trying to be quick without looking like she was rushing.<br/><br/>The brunettes insides flooded with warm comforting relief that she would be able to step out of what had been an interesting but intense exchange.  She scrambled to gather up the papers neatly, getting to her feet with the enthusiasm of a school kid that had just heard the end of class bell on a Friday. So much so that she had to double back to snap her laptop shut and stuff it into her arms.<br/><br/>"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Mateo... Err, I mean, Mr. Lucas." She said with a nervous smile "I'll change your mind about anthros, though. I mean, they're in Skyrim so..."<br/><br/>She stopped herself short, smiling again uncomfortably. Why was she trying to drag this out? She wanted out of the room, right? Sure, she was relieved but something in her tummy nibbled at her. There was a weird sense of longing? Fascination perhaps and a sense of unfinished business. The thrill of an unknown and untested element being introduced to an equation.<br/><br/>As Becky’s statement hung in the air, Nissa had to hold back a laugh. Becky was right – she’d change the man’s mind. She’d never known her girlfriend to back down on anything that was truly important. But the words cut the exit she’d been carefully trying to craft to keep the upper hand at that moment.<br/><br/>Instead she moved her gaze from Becky back to Mateo and gave him a grin. “She’s fierce in battles, Mr. Lucas, let me tell you." She nodded to the papers at the table then. "But look those over, and we’ll be in touch, I’m sure.”<br/>