#and the cherry on top is that Nico would agree with me

[vieja-histerica]

Y’alls hatred toward Annabeth Chase is giving misogyny. SPECIALLY when it’s in favor of y’alls male favs (Nico).

[missingrobin]

Unconditional (part 2)romance

Description: Love. Lies. Heartbreak. A recipe for disaster. When you move to Riverdale you have to face your dark past and a possibly hopeful future.

Pairing:Sweet Pea x Reader, Jughead x Reader

Warning:language, drugs, violence, underage drinking, parties? (just don’t get triggered)

Word count: 4199 

A/N: Yall this story is getting so good! I’m so excited to keep writing and if you’re enjoying it  tell me below and if you have any thing you might want to see in this series or just in general send me an ask or dm me :)

Part 1

You woke to feel a heavy hand on your back. The hand belonged to Sweet Pea, your sorta kinda friend. It was around 11am most people had  already left the bar but few remained because they were still too tired to drive home. You looked up and saw that Sweet Pea was still asleep, so you gently wiggled his hand off your back and grabbed your things. Toni was awake and was already cleaning up the bar. You walked over to her to see what your newest adventure together was going to be.

“Hey Toni good morning,” you said

Hey Y/N how are you feeling?” Toni replied 

“Pretty damn good honestly,”

“Hey we should probably get you all moved in,” said Toni 

“Alright let's hit the road.” 

You both jumped in your cars and you followed Toni to her trailer. You drove down a windy road till you reached the trailer park. The trailer wasn’t anything you expected. It was painted a raziliant purple color and was quite large on the outside. The trailer was partially graffitied with beautiful drawings that made the outside even better. There was a pink motorcycle and a garden with lavish plants along the trailer. The inside was so much grander there were two bedrooms and a very modern kitchen .The living room was screaming comfort from the plush chairs to the soft blankets that sat in a basket near the tv.  After your tour of your new home for the time being you resided to where your room was and placed down your few  belongings.

 You laid your bed and took some deep breaths and tried to process what the hell was going on. One second you were in California fearing for your life now you’re in Riverdale in the safety of your new friends home. Time felt like it was never ending while you were being held captive by Nico, now you feel like there’s finally room for you to love your life and yourself. 

“Y/N let's go to Pops you’ll love it.” Toni declared while almost breaking down your door

“Okay,” you agreed. 

You spang from your bed with power and met Toni in the main living area. Together you set off for Pops in Toni’s white jeep.

When you arrived at Pops you got situated and ordered a Strawberry milkshake and a large basket of fries that you and Toni would share.

“Do you miss it,” Toni asked while twiddling her fingers around her glass.

“Miss what?” You responded even though you were deep in thought. Toni noticed. 

“California.” 

“Yeah,” you hesitated slightly. “I wish things didn’t have to go so wrong,” a small sigh left your lips.

“I just miss the beaches and the boardwalk but most of all my family.”  You didn’t dare to look up. You could feel your eyes start to grow heavier and your heart start to beat faster. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through all that stuff Y/N,” Toni reached her hand across the table in hopes to comfort you.

“It’s okay things will work out they always do.” you smiled 

“Hey on a lighter note there’s a party next weekend we should totally go,  It would be a great way to meet more people  and it's being held at the Quarry so it would be fun to explore,” Toni remarked brightly. Her puppy eyes gleamed and you couldn’t resist.

“Yes! That would be awesome!” you exclaimed with fake excitement. 

You both finished your meal and drove back home.  It was already getting dark so you decided to stay in and have a girls night. You stayed up to the early hours of the morning watching Clueless, Legally blonde, and many more movies to pass the time.

When you woke up you saw that it was 3:27 pm.

“Toni, Toni wake up it's the afternoon already,” you shook her till she woke up.

“Oh damn well there goes most of our day,” Toni replied with a melancholy voice 

“It’s fine lets just go hang out at the Whyte Wyrm,” you suggested 

“That’s a really good idea, let's go,” Toni slightly cheered up. 

You both hopped on Toni’s bike and drove to the Wyrm. The parking lot was nearly empty except for a shady black van but you ignored it and walked inside. 

“Lets play pool!” Toni exclaimed 

You both walked over to the pool table and had a pleasant evening playing pool and chatting with your new friend.  

“You suck ass Toni, why did you even ask me to play?” you laughed while holding the cue stick in between your hands.

“Because I thought you would suck more,” she giggled and poked you playfully with the stick.

“I just remembered my first day of school is tomorrow ugghh,” you rolled your eyes a

“Oh it's not that bad I promise, school can actually be sorta fun and plus you have Sweet Pea, Fangs and I to keep you company,” Toni replied with warmth in her voice.

“Yeah that’s true, I should really try to be positive about this,” you declared with hope.

“Precisely.” Toni smiled 

“Oh this is gonna be such a shit show,” you said while burrowing your hands in your arms.

“I thought you were gonna be positive.” Toni looked at you with a smirk.

“I gave up,” you replied with a grim look.

Toni looked around the room. You saw a clock by a dart board that read 11:12 pm. 

“It’s getting late, we should head home, we have a big day tomorrow,'' Toni smirked with an evil look.

You flipped her off and laughed. You were home in less than 5 minutes. You both returned to your designated areas and retired for the night. You took off your makeup and itchy day clothes and picked up your latest read The Diviners from your night stand. You read yourself to sleep and soon drifted off to a comfortable slumber. 

You woke to your loud ass iPhone alarm and groaned. You rolled out of bed and got ready for the day. You put on a fabulous denim skirt and a cropped long sleeve button up top. You accessorized with gold rings and a gold necklace. You looked in the mirror and you looked like the baddest bitch ever. You threw on your black heeled boots and headed out the door. You had to drive to school alone because Toni was already gone but you weren’t worried because you knew you were gonna make this school your bitch. 

Your drive to South side high was quite refreshing. You listened to Tame Impala with the windows rolled down and thought about what school was going to be like.

You pulled into the parking lot and got out of your car. All eyes were on you, boys looked you up and down, girls gave you fake smiles and whispered to their friends . People made crude comments  in all directions but you ignored the unwanted attention. You strutted up to the school doors and you were met by Toni and Sweet Pea.

“Damn Y/N you look so fucking hot,” Toni exclaimed while stared at you in awe.

“Thanks babe,” you wrapped Toni in a tight hug.

“Yeah Y/N you really do look great,” Sweet Pea said while raking his hands through his dark lush hair.

“Thanks,” you replied 

Sweet Peas face turned a velvety shade of pink and you noticed. Sweet Pea was obviously gorgeous but you didn’t have time to deal with a boyfriend, especially another drug dealing one that likes to pull knives on you. 

You and Toni headed off to your first period class together leaving Sweet Pea in the dust. His mind was filled with thoughts of you and what he would have to do to get you. 

In your first period class you sat with Toni and her friend Fangs who you just got acquainted with and laughed and talked about how shitty the school was. You were genuinely enjoying yourself. You giggled and barely paid attention to the teacher who was lecturing the class about drugs.

At lunch you sat with Toni and her friends again but this time you met Jughead. He was simply angelic, he had the best personality and above all he was a writer just like you. You couldn’t help but stare at his gorgeous face.

“So Jughead what do you usually write?” you questioned and slid  your hand under your chin.

“Oh god Y/N please don’t get him started,” Toni begged.

You ignored her comment and connected eyes with Jughead.

“I write anything that I feel matters, from articles to poetry,” he smiled at you and looked at your red stained lips.

In your head you thought of you and him sitting in pops together sharing a milkshake on your first date and of course you thought of your wedding and how cute your kids were going to be.

“Snap out of it woman, you’ll start drooling in a second ,”  Your internal monologue told you. 

You quickly realized that you were staring at his lips and you forced yourself to look at the ground.

“Y/N do you write?” Jughead asked 

“Yeah actually I do, but I haven’t written anything in a while,” you started staring at his lips again.

“Why not?” he questioned and adjusted his hat.

“So many reasons, maybe I can tell you sometime over coffee,” you flirted, making sure to make direct eye contact then to him and look him up and down. 

“I’d like that,” he smirked playfully while sucking on a cherry lollipop.

During that whole debacle Sweet Pea was staring at you and he was pissed. He felt his insides burn with rage and jealousy. 

“Why didn’t she look at me that way, I’m ten fucking times better than that dickhead,”  he thought  and sank his head to the ground with slight defeat.

He couldn’t take it. Sweet Pea stood up and stormed off through the cafeteria. His whole face was bright red and he wanted to fight someone. Fangs noticed Sweet Pea’s change in attitude and he took off after him.

“Hey bro what’s got you all hot and bothered,” Fangs questioned trying not to make Sweet Pea even more upset. 

 “That bitch and her little boyfriend.” Sweet Pea spit 

“Huh,” Fangs said utterly confused.

“Y/N and Dickhead,” Sweet Pea had anger fuming off him at this point. He reached forward and struck a locker leaving a dent.

“How many fucking times do I have to tell you not to talk about girls that way dumbass, and Jug didn’t even do anything they were just talking,” Fangs rolled his eyes.

“Is a coffee date just talking idiot,” Sweet Pea mocked with hate in his voice. 

“Look dude, it's not that serious and aren’t you the one who pulled a knife on Y/N when you first met her,” Fangs leaned forward closer to Sweet pea and balled his fists to his sides.

 “Oh yeah she told me about that dumbass,” Fangs replied with equal amounts of anger.

“Go Fuck yourself.,” Sweet Pea slashed words at his friend and stormed off and out the doors to the parking lot.

Fangs knew that Sweet Pea could get like this sometimes but he had never seen him so upset. He wondered why Sweet Pea was so pissed off about a girl that he just met a few days ago. Fangs knew that he had to let Sweet Pea go blow off some steam by himself, but it didn’t make how he just acted okay.

The school day went very fast and was pleasant. You had noticed tension between the Sweet Pea and Fangs but you didn’t want to get in the middle of that so you ignored it. Although you didn't see much of Sweet Pea at all for the rest of the day. 

After school you had your first shift at the Wyrm and you were excited because you would be able to bartend. You had drinking experience since you were 16 but you really didn’t like alcohol too much, only the sweet refreshing stuff but you absolutely adored making drinks.

You drove to the Wyrm and Toni walked you through some of the signature drinks which were simple enough to learn. Within 30 minutes you could make anything on the menu. You were fucking amazing at bartending and talking to strangers so this job was an excellent  way to make some cash while still doing something that you loved. Time went by like a breeze and before you knew it your shift was over. When you finished and clocked out for the night FP approached you. 

“Hey Y/N your work at the bar was fucking incredible great job tonight,” FP was thoroughly impressed by you.

“Thanks FP, I really appreciate the opportunity to work here. It's great,” you gave him a bright smile and wrapped your tired arms around your body.

“You’re welcome kid, Anyways have you met my boy?” FP prodded hoping to gain insight on your relationship with Jughead.

“Yeah I met him today at school he’s really nice,” your palms started to sweat.

“Oh cool, cool, hopefully you guys can become friends, god knows that boy needs some more of those,” FP chuckled lightly.

You gave a brief lowkey uncomfortable laugh.

“Oh I should really get going goodnight FP,” you tried to make your escape as fast as possible.

“Yeah you’re right kid, goodnight,” FP replied while strolling off to a group of older serpents. 

When you finally made it to your car you sat and tried to take in that conversation. Why was FP asking about Jughead? Why did he put such emphasis on you being friends? Most importantly why did your hands start sweating when he brought up Jughead? Sure he was really cute and he liked a lot of things that you liked but it's no reason to get all worked up about. Damn it, you knew you had a teeny tiny amount of feelings for him but it doesn’t matter, or does it?

“Let it go,” you whispered to yourself with slight disappointment. 

In Jugheads trailer he was having the exact same thoughts as you. He questioned why he felt like this and how he magically felt this strongly about some girl he just met. In his head he replayed the first time he saw you walking through the cafeteria looking stunning. With your beautiful long luxurious legs and your impeccable sense of fashion. He thought about holding you in his arms while he recited poetry to you in fourign languages. What the hell man he thought. Then he suddenly slapped the shit out of himself to make the day dreaming go away. 

“That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” Jughead muttered to himself as he rubbed his brutally attacked cheek. 

Several days later…

It was finally Friday afternoon. The weather was blazing and bright and you took that as a good sign. Your week had been thrilling from you starting your new school to you hanging out with your new friends and sneaking off with Jughead to hang out at the library during lunch. If you were being honest you would even say that life was currently fucking awesome. Although your week was going great you still had so much more to do like the Snake Bash starting at midnight. You still had to get on your craziest rave outfit and pregame but you just got out of school and you wanted to take a drive to reminisce on all the bomb shit that had been happening lately.

 After your drive you went back home to find sparkly shit all over the floor in your living room. 

“Y/N which one do I wear? It's the last Snack Bash of the school year.  I have to start it with a bang.” Toni was speaking so rapidly and she was quite literally jumping up and down. She held outfits up to her over and over again.

“Okay first of all where did you get all these dresses? Second wear the diamond cover up with a black swimsuit set under you’d look so hot in that.” you replied and took a second look at the shiny mess.

“Okay thank you so much.” Toni jogged over to you and wrapped you in a quick hug while trying not to step on the eight million outfits on the floor and then took off into her room.

You stepped off the mountains of clothes and went into your room to get ready. You searched through all your old rave clothes and then found the one. It was a metallic super cropped top with matching cheeky bottoms. You paired that with white fishnet tights and white doc martens that you stole from a store in California when you were homeless after your parents died. You did a ravishing makeup look that consisted of a lot of glitter and crystals. Finally your masterpiece was finished. You looked like a goddess and you knew it. 

You came out of your bedroom to find a crowd of your friends. Fangs, Sweet Pea, Jughead, and Toni were waiting for you so you all could drive to the quarry together. When everyone laid eyes on you they were stunned. You were thrown up on with immediate compliments. Jughead's jaw dropped to the floor. Sweet pea looked like he was drooling all over the floor. 

Someone finally spoke up. “U- Uh Y/N you look beautiful,” Sweet Pea professed while pushing back his hair with his strong ring covered hands. 

“Yeah you really do,” Jughead chimed in. He walked over to you on a finally clean floor and wrapped you in a warm comforting hug. 

Sweet Pea frowned and gave a look of disgust from the action but to everyone else it was just a simple hug.

The guys couldn’t keep their eyes off your body and you had to keep saying out loud that you weren’t a piece of meat. Although you looked divine your friends did too. Fangs wore a see through shirt and skinny jeans and his makeup consisted of a shit ton of glitter too. Toni wore the outfit you told her to and she curled her bubblegum pink hair into loose waves. Sweet Pea actually didn’t wear a shirt, he only had a kimono and pants on and a bandanna tied around his neck. Jughead wore a short sleeve button down shirt tucked into distressed black pants and of course that god damn hat.

You and your friends got in Toni’s jeep and drove to the Quarry. You blasted music and laughed the whole way there. 

When you reached your destination you could tell that this party wasn't going to be fucking crazy. Pretty girls danced with dangerous guys. Heads bobbed up and down, the ground almost felt like it was shaking. Colorful lights decorated the floor along with colorful outfits. You were drawn in just like the first time you went to a rave. Your eyes darted to where most people were dancing and you  and your friends immediately joined them. You ran off to the dance floor and moved your body with passion. You shook your hips along with your hair. You felt eyes on you as you got lost in the music. You were dancing with a group of Serpent girls when a handsome  stranger walked over and asked you to dance. You took the mysterious stranger's hand and deepened in the crowd. 

“I’m Leo.” the gorgeous man remarked 

“I’m Y/N,” you said while connecting eyes with the man.

He had a soft smile and beautiful hair that touched his chin. His eyes dared you to get lost in them. You danced wildly and rested your arms on his shoulders. 

The man became a little too handsy and you moved his hands off of your lower back. 

“Not so fast lover boy.” you smirked 

“Hey don’t be like that baby girl,” Leo said sternly. He moved his hands back to their previous place and discomfort washed over you. 

“Back off asshole” you spit pushing his arms off of you. You stormed off into the abyss of bodies.

You didn’t like that at all. You knew that it was probably a good idea to get away from him. You drifted off to find your friends but they spotted you first. 

“Hey Y/N is he giving you trouble?” Sweet Pea said while cracking his knuckles 

“Nah it's no big deal Sweet,” you replied in an effort to calm him down.

“Alright,” Sweet Pea hesitated

You grabbed Toni’s arm and you sped to the dance floor. You wrapped your arms around her and you swayed to the music. It was nice to have really good friends that would look out for you.

“Toni.” 

“Yeah Y/N,” 

“Thank you for everything,” you said warmly 

“You’re welcome, thanks for being here,” she pulled you into a close hug.

You both held each other and listened to Somebody Else by the 1975.  People were all around holding their loved ones and best friends. Time felt infinite. You felt Infinite. 

Behind the trees Leo and a gang of ghoulies plotted a scheme. 

“That bitch is so full of herself,” Leo spat while looking over at the crowd of people.

“Don't worry about Leo, we'll take care of her,” some goulie said while lighting his cigarette.

Sweet Pea stood lips locked with some pretty girl. Fangs was talking to some guy and you and Toni were dancing, but where was Jughead? 

“Hey I’m gonna go look for Jug okay,” 

“Got it,” Toni replied while still dancing . 

Your eyes scanned the crowd but there was still no sign of Jughead. You tried to come up with an idea of where he could be, but then a melancholy thought crossed your brain. Maybe he left with someone else, you dismissed the thought simply because you didn’t want to think of that. You walked back to the car with a droopy mood and tired feet.

When you arrived back at the car to your surprise you saw  Jughead sitting on the roof of the car looking at the stars. You strolled up to him.

“Hey stranger,” you almost whispered 

“Oh hey Y/N,” Jughead replied trying to act like you didn’t just scare the shit out of him.

“Not the party type?” you questioned

“Yeah not really.” he replied dully

You climbed to the hood and sat beside him. The sky was decorated with stars and the moon shined in the distance.

“It’s beautiful,” you sighed and laid down on the roof to rest your aching body.

“It is.” he agreed while resting his arms on his crossed legs.

“Tomorrow wanna go get breakfast at Pops and hangout?” you said calmly 

“Yeah that would be nice.” 

“It’s a date.” 

“Like an actual date?” he questioned 

“Yeah if you want it to be,” you replied with your heart racing. You were so good at flirting on accident that it should be a crime. 

“Then it’s a date,” he proclaimed while looking at you. He saw how the moonlight shined against your skin and his heart twirled. 

Your eyes were darting at all the different stars. 

“You’re a dork you know that,” you said while giggling.

“You’re too,” he said while playfully bumping you.

You sat up and looked at him. Time stopped. The World stopped rotating. It was just you and him. You turned to face him. Your eyes connected and you slid your hand on his neck. You pulled him closer and your lips locked. Your lips seemed to fit together like the perfect puzzle. The kiss was like no other, nothing could ever come close to it. It lasted a lifetime and when you parted you still felt buzzing on your lips. You had never been kissed like that. That kiss danced in your heart and was ingrained in your brain. Jughead looked at you and smiled, his cheeks were flushed with pink.

The air was filled with passion, there was no need for words. You simply just laid back down on the roof of the car and he slid his hand into yours.

You could still hear the music from the party booming in the other direction. The wind was chilled and the fresh spring air swept over your body like a blanket. Your body shivered because of the temperature outside. Jughead noticed.

“Do you want my jacket?” he questioned 

“Yes please,” you replied with a smile.

Your hand felt safe and right wrapped in his but that didn’t stop the various amounts of insecurity from coming in and drowning your brain with hesitation. Was this right? Is it too soon? What if he’s like Nico? You silenced and came to the realization that he might not be like Nico. What if he was actually a good guy.

You jumped into conversation with Jughead about the copious amount of things you shared in common. Maybe things will work out.

Well that was pretty freaking cute but the good shit never really lasts. Hearts break. People lie. And love is a dangerous thing…  

Tag list:

@chipster-21​

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[lonelypond]

Idol House: House Party

NicoMaki, Love Live, 1.7K, 1/1

Nico is overbooked for her birthday. Will Maki have a cure?

House Party

Nico’s office. Nico’s desk. Executive producer Yazawa Nico. Nico was almost impressed. It wasn’t a large office, but it had a window. And on her desk to the right of her desktop was a large framed picture of Maki and her siblings looking goofy while enjoying the Christmas lights at Yomiuri Land. Maki had bought them all matching Santa hats and was wearing a red coat with a white collar that made her look like the jolly old elf’s close relative. Looking at it never failed to make Nico smile, no matter how frustrated meetings and phone calls were making her. Maki magic.

Maki magic was what Nico needed now. Tomorrow was her birthday and Nico had a morning schedule full of meetings and an afternoon trip out of Tokyo to a photoshoot in Numazu. Nico’s new niche was fashion influencer so pics on the beach in the latest swimwear was a mid summer essential. A working birthday. Nico thought it would be more fun, more fans, less train tickets and driver schedules and far too pragmatic photographer portfolios. Even the ones who’d included near porn shots made them look businesslike. The magic was being drained out of everything.

Which is why...Nico closed her eyes, leaned back in her chair, and thought about the last time she and Maki had spent a full weekend alone together, in Kyoto, for Maki’s birthday, cherry blossoms scattered everywhere, and Maki glorious in both sun and starlight. Why can’t Nico have a birthday like that? Instead, she was staying late at the office to finalize the details of their concert tour, which was finally, after multiple delays, about to happen.

Her door opened and Nico jumped. Maki was there, in a dress that looked like a light trench coat with the shoulders ripped off, a thick black belt, and scattered bold photoprint patches. A straw fedora and kicky black boots with a hint of chain finished the outfit.

“You’ll give Nico a heart attack. Knock.”

Maki just shook her upper torso, Nico’s objections gaining no traction on her bare shoulders, and stepped around Nico’s desk, leaning to sit on it, stretching her legs out, hands in faux coat pockets.

“You’re finished.”

Nico pointed to the schedule she was in the middle of, “Nico’s to do list says no.”

Maki leaned over, hint of lavender shampoo drawing Nico in, looked very seriously at Nico’s screen, and hit the power button. The screen blanked.

“HEY!”

Maki stood. “I have something to show you.”

Nico had a brief thought about trenchcoats, fantasies, and what Maki might not be wearing underneath that dress, her hand sneaked out, the fabric was lighter than she expected. “Show Nico?” Nico’s voice trembled more than she ever would admit to.

Maki chuckled, and leaned in slowly to stamp a kiss on Nico’s cheek, “Later.” Her fingers laced through Nico’s and before Nico even registered movement, they were on the other side of her office door.

“You just can’t kidnap Nico.”

This kiss actually had Nico’s lips a tingle, “Yes, I can.”

Nico nodded. Maki laughed. Nico relaxed. Maki magic. Nico wondered what else her fiancée had planned.

###

“Where are we going?” Nico wasn’t familiar with this section of Tokyo. Neither of them spent much time here. This part of Minato-ku was mostly residential, with embassies every couple of blocks. Had Maki set up a surprise party in one?

“Home.”

“Home?”

“Home.”

This was certainly a neighborhood that Maki’s expectations of a house would fit into. What had Maki done?

“You mean, our home?”

“Yeah, my great aunt left me a house in a neighborhood that doesn’t have partnership certificates yet, so my parents and I agreed that I would keep that as a business investment and buy a new house.”

Nico closed her eyes, fidgeting with the engagement ring on her finger. “You bought a house.”

“Yeah. For us.” Maki could be so earnest. “It’s ours, Nico-chan. You can decorate it however you like. There’s a big room in the basement for when Cocoro, Cocoa and Cotorou visit and we pull out the futons. And we can turn the basement bedroom into a recording studio. And there’s a room that will make a great nursery…”

“Nursery?” Nico squeaked. She was planning her first tour of Japan and Maki was talking about...

Maki sounded sheepish, “I haven’t moved in much furniture yet...just the piano and…”

Nico laughed. Of course, Maki had bought a piano first thing. She’d probably been playing it for a week or however long she’d had the house already. Nico wondered if it was the piano from the Nishikino’s music room or a new one.

“Actually, there’ll be a baby grand in the music room and a grand piano in the…”

“Two pianos...does this house have a kitchen or just musical instruments in every room? How many rooms?”

“Of course there’s a kitchen, Nico-chan. Open so when we have....”

“Stop.”

Maki hit the brakes.

“No, Nico meant….” It was too much to be sitting strapped into the bucket seat of Maki’s sports car, trying to explain to an excited and eager Maki why just unilaterally buying a…”Just show Nico this house.”

The car behind them honked angrily.

###

Maki had picked up on Nico’s doubting mood and was nervously driving into the three car garage of a modern building, mostly windows facing the street, dark gray concrete nearly invisible in the night.

Maki turned off the car and pivoted to face Nico, “I…”

Nico could hear the worry in Maki's voice. Time for some Nico magic. She reached out, hands on Maki’s cheeks, making sure that Maki couldn’t turn away. The apprehension rising in those beloved amethyst eyes twinged Nico’s heart in ways nothing else ever had.

“You’re amazing, Maki-chan.” A long kiss that left Maki pressing for more, but Nico held back, “I love you.”

“I love you, Nico-chan.” Maki was confused at Nico’s change of mood, but the power of the kiss had scattered her worries.

“So give Nico the tour of her birthday present.”

Maki’s huge grin was worth Nico squelching (for the moment) all the doubts that had rushed her.

###

They had climbed to the top floor, Maki chatty, full of plans. And Nico stepped onto a gleaming marble floor, in a huge room furnished, with precisely one small area rug, one couch, and a polished grand piano. The kitchen had been tucked into a corner. Windows everywhere. Maki was bouncing, excited. Nico was spinning, overwhelmed. The marble floor was cold and slippy under their house slippers and then Maki slid hers off, pulling a pair of socks out of a basket by the elevator, slipping them over her feet, taking a couple of rapid steps and then she slid across the floor, red hair flying everywhere, laughing madly, bumping the couch and falling into it, her trenchcoat dress twisting around her waist, exposing more leg. It was ridiculous and sexy and silly and so very very Maki. Nico couldn't take her eyes off her wife to be.

“C’mon, Nico-chan. How far can you get?”

A challenge. Maki asked that question with no flirty undertones, while nearly falling out of her dress, lounging playfully across a couch. Nico loved this about Maki, these moments of genuine, in the moment joy, not thinking, acting; living, singing, creating music. And Nico loved when that energy turned sultry. But that was a later tonight thing. Right now, across this gleaming room as big as the apartment Nico grew up in, Maki was sitting up, excited to see what Nico would do next, if she could match her efforts, meet the gauntlet thrown. Now, it was time for Nico’s A game, not to be outdone by a mischievous junior. Maki and Rin had probably had a tournament when Maki decided where to put the piano. But Nico had two decades of kitchen wax sliding practice and was just darn sneaky. Nico grabbed a pair of cute pink socks out of the basket, put a hand on the steel beams of the atrium just in case, was pleasantly surprised to find the floor had some texture, which gave her the confidence to take several running steps through the hall and aim herself past the couch, trusting her sprint speed to give her enough momentum. Sneaky and speedy, keep Maki surprised. Always a good strategy. Nico grinned, waving at an open mouthed Maki as she passed the couch.

“Ha!” Nico slid to a stop before she hit the floor to ceiling window wall and spun, “You have the best ideas, Maki-chan. More ways for Nico to win.”

Maki was hanging over the couch, as happy as Nico had ever seen her, gem eyes aglow with love and mischief. “We’re going to have so much fun, Nico-chan.”

“Tomorrow, for Nico’s birthday, we get a bed.”

Maki blushed, but didn’t look away. “There’s futons in our bedroom suite. I wanted to pick out a bedroom furniture together when you got back from Numazu. And for dinner, there’s sushi upstairs on ice.”

“Upstairs?” Nico was done being overwhelmed and now just wanted a map.

“Roof terrace. Nighttime view of Tokyo. Karaoke system for parties.”

Nico had carefully worked her way back to the couch, “Nico prefers this view.” On her knees, she reached fingers out to caress Maki’s cheeks, slide through silky hair, pull in ever tempting lips for a kiss that would thrill them both. “And you’ll play for Nico tonight, please, Maki-chan? Your piano. In our house.”

Maki’s eyes blazed with all the warmth of hearth and home and huge, caring heart and Nico didn’t care how many rooms there were or how even if her career hit huge heights, she never could have afforded this. All that mattered was this rarest of jewels, the purest of hearts, the woman who had chosen her and wanted this for them.

“I love you, Nico-chan. Happy birthday.”

Nico could get used to presents like this, she realized as she fell into Maki, laughing, all their world just this space they shared now on this couch, Nico holding Maki tight enough to make their own gravity, a party no one else could crash.

A/N: In a restless mood so cued up Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia album and the Coffeeshop Christmas Carol playlist and finished this.

[etlunainmorte]

✒ P.S. I Love You ✒

***

VI

***

"So, how did your first night go?" Avery mildly asked later that same morning in the dining hall as all the occupants of the room enjoyed their fluffy pancakes, maple syrup, and coffee.

To this question, V carefully placed (Y/N)'s diary on top of the table, hoping Avery would recognize it.

"What's that?" Nico asked with her mouth full of those fluffy pancakes as she pointed at the leather - bound book with her fork.

"I believe this,... belongs to someone you know,... Ms. Avery." V simply answered as his peripheral vision landed straight onto Griffon as the demonic bird slyly landed on Roman's chair, probably with the full intention of terrorizing the man once more.

Avery's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she took the book from the table and examined it. "This looked super old." She opened it, and upon reading the words on the first page of the journal, her eyes widened like saucers. "Damn! I thought this thing's lost! Like, what the fuck!"

"My love, what is it?" Roman curiously asked as he leaned closer to her to see what was written on the journal. At the same time Griffon managed to steal one of his pancakes.

Avery focused her gaze on V, looking really baffled, and yet, happy at the same time. "This belongs to my great grandmother who died at 1899. You see, there was, how should I say this,... ?" She mused aloud as the others, especially V, waited for her answer. She pursed her lips, her fingers drumming on the table, and looked at them once more. "Something huge, like, really huge, happened here on that year, and I believe it was the cause of her death. You see, she passed away at the very young age of nineteen."

"What happened to her?" V, who was so shocked upon learning that the girl he saw - that radiant and lovely and happy girl he just saw - died that young, asked, his voice a bit unintentionally louder than he liked.

"I'm not sure, really. Some say she died of childbirth. Some say she died of an illness. I even heard some relatives say she died due to heart attack. The only thing I could remember was: every time I ask my relatives about it, there would always be a different version of how (Y/N) (L/N) - Lancaster died. And this thing?" Avery declared as she showed them her ancestor's diary. "It's thought to be lost. Either stolen by one of the Lancaster servants on the day she died or lost in a fire. But, you found this, V. What a strange coincidence!"

"I did. Yes." The poet uneasily answered due to the fact that the things around this house were really turning too mysterious for his own liking,...

... and due to the fact that Griffon was now happily lapping away at Roman's coffee, and no one even noticed, or they're just playing ignorant about it to not make Avery's soft Hispanic fiancé upset.

"Where did you find this?"

"At the room on the second floor. The one from the left."

"Hmm." Avery hummed as she closed the book shut. "That one from the left? That's very strange." She uttered, then slid the book back to V, who received it with much care and pride like a veteran soldier receiving a medal for his years of services. "Well, I'm not really a diary kind of person, and it's useless to me, anyway, so, you can have it. Nothing's written on it, anyway. Except for her name, that is."

"For real?" Nico asked, intrigued at what she just heard from Avery. "Like, nothing at all?"

"Yep."

"V?"

The poet obliged and opened the book. He browsed and re - browsed the pages and found nothing, except for (Y/N)'s name at the first page, and the date she wrote it.

May 1, 1898

V ignored the fact that he certainly saw (Y/N) write something in it on that weird vision he saw last night and turned his attention back to the group. Maybe she ripped the pages she wrote on or something?

"Ms. Avery, would you kindly tell me about these,... strange occurrences,... you've been experiencing as of late?" V asked, carefully choosing his words while trying to ignore Griffon as the bird ate one more of Roman's pancakes.

"Ah, yes. The ghost." She answered, emphasizing on the word, ghost. "If you want, I'll show you something first, then I'll tell you everything I know."

"Of course." V agreed as he stood up and finally gave Griffon, who successfully consumed Roman's entire breakfast, the subtle angry eye.

"What in the world?!" Roman gasped as he finally noticed his breakfast, or lack, thereof. Griffon simply flew away from him with what sounded like a strange and, yet satisfied, cackle.

A few moments later, all four of them found themselves in the music room that also served as the mansion's library, and as V glanced at the whole place, and the shelves upon shelves of old books, not to mention the grand piano in the middle of the massive room, with much wonder in his eyes, he could not help but smile to himself. The whole house may feel depressing and both physically and emotionally draining but, this place? V felt happy, or giddy, in it, as a matter of fact. Excited, even. Almost as if he was in an entirely different place, altogether.

It's as if what's left of the happiness, or positive energy, in this house were all concentrated in this area, and this area alone. Particularly on that old, grand piano. Yes. He could definitely feel it.

But, why?

"I stay in here whenever things in this house get too scary." Roman admitted to him with a sheepish smile, probably in admittance that he's not the bravest soul around. "When things get too much around here, I go to this room, lock the door, and read something." Roman chuckled as he scratched his temple and gestured at the grand piano. "I can't play the piano but, I'd really like to learn how. Avery can't really teach me, to be honest."

"Well, I'm right here if you need some musical assistance." V graciously offered.

"Wait, are you serious?!"

But only as compensation for being terrorized by this little Demon. "I' am."

"Gracias! I mean, thanks!"

"No problem."

"Over here!" Avery called from the farthest corner of the room. "Here's a portrait of my great gran."

In his eagerness to see (Y/N) as a portrait, V practically rushed to where Avery was. He wanted so much to see the happy and infatuated girl in that vision he had. He wanted so much to see her infectious smile, those shiny and bouncing (H/C) curls, the twinkle in her eyes.

Yes. Those big and beautiful (E/C) eyes,...

However, the smile on V's face vanished as soon as he laid eyes on (Y/N)'s portrait.

"Ah, she looks,... kinda sad?" Nico muttered as she looked up at the portrait of the Lancaster matriarch.

It was true. The girl that V saw and the girl in this portrait,...

... they looked very different. It was like they were a different person. For the once cheerful and radiant girl full of life,...

... was somehow depicted as a sorrowful woman without even a hint of a smile. That youthful face he once saw has seemingly aged a few decades, and those radiant eyes that captured his undivided attention looked dull and hopeless. Those plump, cherry - colored cupid lips turned into one thin, emotionless line, and her flushed cheeks turned hollow and ill - looking. The positive aura she gave off was absent in her frigid state, and the healthy color of her skin has become noticeably pale. And probably the most important of all: the girl he saw may only be wearing a simple white dress but, her beauty and charisma outmatched that of the matriarch's in the portrait, who sported the high fashion of the late 1800s from head to foot.

She really looked entirely different.

V's eyebrows furrowed and his lips went down to a frown at the sight.

What made her into this,... ?

Avery cleared her throat and gestured at the painting as if she was introducing them to a real person. "I'd like you to meet gran. Lady (Y/N) (L/N) - Lancaster." She sighed and dropped her arms. "Honestly though, Roman is right. This room is the safest place in this house. Anywhere else, you'll just end up either depressed, if you aren't already, or badly injured or wounded. Things don't just float around here. They'll float, then land straight to your face without a warning if you're not careful. The last six helpers I have left this place with all kinds of bruises and wounds on their body, even injuries like broken bones. And they all blamed that one ghost who resides within those rooms on the right side of the second floor."

That's where I first checked until that specter led me to (Y/N)'s room. "What's in those rooms?" V questioned her.

"Just an old bedroom and two study rooms. Nothing too important."

"I see." V answered. He, then, crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Avery very, very seriously. "Have you, perhaps, felt something else in it? A strong feeling? Anything at all?"

Roman and Nico watched the woman as she crossed her arms, herself, thinking deeply about the question. At the same time, V's trusty familiars, Griffon and Shadow, grabbed this opportunity to snoop around the area, particularly the shelves and the grand piano in the middle of the room.

"Now that you mention it, yes, I have!" She finally answered. "The last time I slept in one of those rooms, I felt,... sad and super tired. Like I wanted to end my own life! But, I know myself. I'm stronger than that. So, I moved my things to the first floor right next to this room. I may have acquired a bruise and some scratches during my sleep on the second floor but, I don't care. My great gran has protected me since I moved down here."

Roman smiled at his fiancé and wrapped her in a gentle embrace as he planted a kiss on top of her head. And the tender gesture displayed by the two kind of embarrassed both V and Nico, who looked away just in time when Avery reciprocated with a kiss.

"So, we would really appreciate it if you could get to the bottom of this mystery for us." Avery pleaded with a tone unlike the one she used the first time V met her. "If you want to ask any questions, or want to ask for any kind of thing at all. Please. Don't hesitate to let us know. Your presence alone means a lot to me and Roman. Thank you for coming here, V and Nico."

Nico smiled and nudged V with an elbow. "Sure. We don't want a ghost crashing on your wedding day, after all. Isn't that right, V?"

The poet only smiled as he simply nodded, his peripheral vision catching sight of his familiars already waiting for him near the piano, signaling to him that they have found a sort of clue.

After all, they would need all the clues, and help, they could get.

A restless and violent spirit that has the ability to manipulate things and hurt people.

That strong feeling of depression that could overwhelm anyone into committing suicide.

That one room on the left, and those three rooms on the right.

The huge time skips when he visited certain parts of the house.

This one safe room.

That strange journal he found.

The (Y/N) he saw on the vision.

And the (Y/N) that was depicted in the painting.

Not to mention her alleged "protection" to anyone who came into this room.

Many things don't add up. The scattered and unreliable information provided by Avery's relatives regarding the Lancaster matriarch's death and the things that took place in this house in the late 1800s, Maria and her enigmatic statements, that strange boy, that veiled ghost,...

... and (Y/N)'s drastic change to that unspeakable being of hopelessness,...

V has to stitch them all up and find more clues, and he truly hoped that Avery or Nico could help him solve this mystery.

But, first, he has to speak with his familiars about that thing they just found.

And maybe scold Griffon for stealing the red handkerchief from Roman's pocket just now,...

***

✒ @la-vita and @micaelagua . ✒

***

✒✒✒

***

[fandom-collective-writers]

Get On Your Knees

Prompt: MidCin Sid smut “get on your knees”

Requested by: Anon

Writer: @xathia-89​

Well, it’s not full on smut, but it’s kind of smutty? I hope it pleases!

---

It was impossible to catch my breath as Sid wasn’t letting go of my hand. The scenery was rushing past as we ran through the streets and alleyways, avoiding the line of sight of anyone who might recognize me. It had been announced a few days previously that I had chosen my Prince Consort, but until our engagement ceremony, then his identity wouldn’t be revealed. A point that Sid was thoroughly exploiting at this moment in time. He had donned me in my heavy cloak, one of the few I had to conceal my identity if I needed to escape off somewhere in times of hardship and insisted that we hadn’t gone on a date in too long because of Giles, so he wanted to let loose for once.

I was yanked ungraciously into a deep, arched doorway before the heavy door was slammed open. The informant was smirking at our exuberant entrance which had attracted the attention of virtually every patron in the murky bar. A loud and exaggerated sigh came from the woman behind the bar, a sign to everyone to return to normality it almost seemed as she was pouring out some liquor in preparation. The sounds of various games and conversations filtering back through to make a relaxed atmosphere and somewhere to hide, not that I was allowed to lower my hood yet as he made a grab at my wrist to stop me doing it.

“You don’t like to be subtle, do you, Sid?” She had the sound of an exasperated mother scolding their child for the umpteenth time as we approached the bar.

“Subtle isn’t fun,” Sid’s smirk was soon replaced by something a little more serious, much to my surprise. “Do you have a room free for some private drinking?”

His concern caught me off guard, especially since he still had hold of my wrist to stop me from showing my face.

“Does your missus know you’re here? She’s had you stupidly busy of late,” the bartender grinned all knowingly, before nodding in my direction. “And what will your, ah, ‘friend’, be having?”

“Your famous cherry brandy,” Sid shrugged, “Providing we get the private room of course.”

“You know this place better than you like to admit,” the woman replied with a shake of her head and gestured for us to follow. “Usual cost of course,” she shrugged before unlocking the door which made me frown at Sid. His glare was silencing, he bought and sold information, and he would never do it so boldly in public. There was a table with a cloth over it, and four solid wooden chairs around it before I found myself forced into the room with the barmaid. Both of us spun around to scold Sid when we realised he had shut and locked the door, separating the three of us from everyone else. “Okay Sid, you want to explain yourself here? It won’t take too long before someone wants a refill and realises where I am, which will cause trouble for you.” Her tone had cooled considerably and also held no underlying threat as she had her arms folded and eyes narrowed at the informant.

“Helen, I’d like you to meet the missus,” Sid was smirking again as I realised that he was now signalling for me to lower my hood.

I was hesitant, but taking off my cloak was going to be a weight relief at least after this long. I was slow in my actions, much to Sid’s irritance, but not as much as Helen’s eyes flew wide open as recognition set in. I greeted her automatically with a curtsey and a dip of my head.

“Holy mother of cow,” the woman was wide-eyed, unsurprisingly shocked to see the Princess of Wysteria currently in her tavern in the middle of town before turning back sharply to Sid. “You are the Prince Consort that’s the gossip of all the town?!” She yelped, obviously floored by the revelation.

“I know, I have terrible taste,” I smiled, and startled the poor woman from the monopoly of the conversation by Sid. “But your silence would be appreciated, and Sid does have a donation to make should you agree,” I explained softly. “He does not yet have the same limitations about his movements since he has not been formally announced as Prince Consort, but I would indeed be frowned upon if it was discovered that I was here.”

“I haven’t seen you,” Helen admitted, her hands on her hips in defeat before Sid dropped a small coin purse into the pocket of her apron and then unlocked the door before we could arouse suspicion by keeping her away from the bar for too long.

It had only taken a few calls to refill our glasses before Helen had made us pay for the bottles and left them in the room with us. I had forgotten how long it had been since I had been allowed to drink this sort of quantity of alcohol, and it was going to my head, but I was never going to admit that to my Prince Consort.

The door to the main tavern had been thrown open, attracting even our attention in the rear of the bar.

“We’re looking for Lloyd Grandieur!” One voice called out, it was vaguely familiar, one of the higher-ups in the royal guard as it dawned on us that Sid’s presence was officially missed at the palace now.

“You are wearing the royal crest, I am certain you could not try and take my door off its hinges. The palace would be getting the bill naturally,” Helen was as calm and collected as ever, though making no denial that Sid wasn’t present.

“Quick, get on your knees and under the table,” Sid hissed, throwing my cloak over me before I could work out what was going on.  Both of his hands on my shoulders, and I was very grateful that Helen had opted for the cloth while my shoulders were pinned between his knees.

The new view also told me that my teasing hadn’t been as ineffective as I had been led to believe. I had been leaning forward a little too much just for his benefit, and Sid wasn’t as immune as he’d been acting, especially as thoughts of previous escapades when I had been trying on some lingerie just for him, and the lace bra had been more enticing than any of the corsets. I found out that Sid really liked lace that night. I bit my lower lip as the sounds of footsteps edged closer to the room, and Sid making a grunting noise was his usual greeting to the guards when he was in the room with me. Sid had been trying to keep in control of the situation by acting cool, but the alcohol had ensured I missed that point as a devious idea snuck into my head.

“Lloyd Grandiuer,” the guard sounded wary, as though the two had dealings before. My hands were already making quick work of undoing Sid’s trousers. They were looking too tight to be comfortable, and I knew he couldn’t shift his arms off the table top without giving me away. Something that he would never dream of doing, but my only warning came in his thighs trying to squeeze me to stop my antics.

Not that it stopped me from freeing his cock from his clothes, and sliding him straight into my mouth as I pried his thighs apart. I was going to be in a world of trouble, but I was enjoying myself as I could feel my essence start to wet my panties. It wasn’t often that I could use this tactic against Sid, my tongue rolling around the head of his member as he was trying to argue with the guards that he shouldn’t get straight up, my teeth grazing over him as he was fighting to keep control.

“Let me finish up, and I’ll be straight back to the castle,” he was going to lose his temper in a moment, and even the guards had to concede that Sid wasn’t the Prince Consort yet.  They didn’t have the same power over him as they did over me. There was a low level of complaint, but the footsteps told me that the guards had admitted defeat, and the door was closed to on the way out.

It took two seconds for his hands to grab at my head, thrusting his length down my throat for several seconds before he came hard. His nails were digging into my scalp as I swallowed eagerly while refusing to break eye contact with the informant.

“You are in so much trouble, Princess,” he promised, his voice a low growl as he was tucking himself back in. My arm was grabbed by him, and we left in a hurry, my hood thrown over my head to ensure that no one in the tavern recognised me before I was dragged back to the castle.

It felt like it took extra time to sneak me back in unseen to my room in the castle. Nico was smirking knowingly at us both, especially since Sid appeared a little unruffled while my personal attendant took his time in pouring out the rose tea for us. I was considering helping Nico to prolong the ritual until Sid snapped and pushed him out of the room the second both cups had been poured. I could hear Nico’s laughter and goodnight bid from behind the closed doors, and then all of Sid’s attention was on me.

He covered the distance between us in a few hurried strides, then I was picked up as though I weighed nothing. My legs were locked around his waist as my laughter was ignored.

I bounced when he threw me to the bed, and then my wrists were pinned under his hands. Sid had lost his cool for once, as my chest was heaving against my dress. He was undressing me with his eyes, and also letting my imagination begin to run free as he kept me under him.

“You seem to enjoy pushing me Princess,” his voice was so low that it was threatening to drop through the floor. “So, you are going to strip everything off, and get on your knees and present yourself to me. I need to teach you how naughty it is to swallow what is meant to be making the heir to the throne,” his growl was delightful as I was freed from his confines. The promise of a long night ahead making me giddy with lust as I eagerly complied.

[saberin]

Coca Cola Hennessy

pairing: Nkmk  words: 1k+ Merry christmas!!! @ mon hun anon you can stop hounding me now 

“I didn’t think you’d be the kind to drink,” She says, pulling your half-drunk ass out of the bar you frequent.  “At least not this much.” Your class notes for that day spills out of the file you’ve been carrying around all day, and you suppose you’ll regret in the morning for losing it. At the moment though, you’re hyper focused on how good the shorter girl (putting visibly lot of effort in dragging you) looks, specifically how cute she is. You shoot her a smile and hope it doesn’t come out too dumb.

“When Nozomi told me you’re a medicine student I thought you had more self-control.” She rambles on, you hear something about a good catch and you grin, still confused but whatever works. The street at night is too quiet for your liking, you feel your heart pound louder than ever and it gets on your nerves.

“I do.” You manage. The urge to puke on the sidewalk is strong, but if there’s one thing you know you shouldn’t do, it would be not expelling ten cups of coca cola hennessy mixed with your stomach acid right in front of a really cute girl. And that is enough self-control to put Eli to shame.

Nico snorts, in a way that you really don’t like because that reminds you so much of your baby cousin whom you wished never existed. “Hey Maki, where’s your apartment?” Your bar mate of three weeks asks, whipping out her phone as she does so. Bar mate makes you giggle a little, you suppose it is a little pathetic to get attached to a (complete!) stranger even though you’ve been sitting beside her for the past six drinking sessions now.

You point to a block just a little way down the street and pushes her arm down. No calling, you don’t want Eli to find out you’ve been getting more drinks than you could possible take from Nozomi.

“I can walk home.” You mutter, releasing yourself from the embrace. The smell of cool air hits, instead of her cherry smelling perfume. You kinda miss it a little.

“Are you sure?”

“Uh, what’s your name again?” You almost whip out your wallet to tip her before you realize she isn’t the girl serving you drinks.

She tuts. Just like your professor and you wince. “Nico. I just told you that an hour ago. Nico’s hurt!” She exclaims as you lean on the wall, trying to catch your breath. She refers herself in third person, you internally grimace despite all the mud in your brain.

“Thanks uh, Nico?”

“No problem.” She clicks her tongue and gives a wink. That’s really when you give her a good look, and you have to agree she looks really good in that blouse and mini skirt. It makes you wonder what a pretty girl like her is doing all alone on Christmas eve.

“Hey uh, Nico?” You tug at your tie to loosen it, and bite your lips only to find her staring at it like how you’re staring at hers.

“Yeah?”

There’s a brief charged moment and you think you might’ve been touch-deprived, or simply too far gone tonight. Nico bites her lips a little and you decided to take the bite, quite literally.

“Thanks.” You drop the word and kiss her. “See you on Wednesday.” You whisper into her ears as you twist on your heels, almost haughtily, but all the past experiences with boys tell you that’s a cool and sexy exit.

Except you trip over your own feet, straight into her arms; completely unexpected, uncalculated and straight up uncool. There is a breathy moment in which you just look into her widening eyes yet again, and you feel the earth spin again but not in a good way. Not like this, you think, before collapsing on top of her on the pavement.

“Ow-”

The street lights are surprisingly ambient, shining in a way that’s almost soft. Almost as soft as the laughter you’re hearing from this girl before you.

“Miss I-can-walk-home,” Nico laughs, extracting herself from tangled limbs. “God Nozomi definitely didn’t tell me about how much of a mess you could be. Good marketing on her side.”

“Maybe home is where your arms are,” You stick out your tongue at this youngling and squint hard. Somewhere out there your brain is telling you that’s not the way to flirt but you’re lowkey annoyed at your own incapability to walk home and stuck in your (very attractive) bar mate’s arms. You stick your tongue out further, much to your own chagrin. It earns you two pinches on the cheeks and you slap those arms away.

“What are you doing on Christmas eve alone anyways?” Nico asks, exhausted and you both sit on the sidewalk. She looks almost pensive, but you catch her side glances and return them with your own. At least you think she could appreciate how much you dressed up for nobody on Christmas, if only to pretend to be busy from the suitors you get from university.

You take a while to answer, the cogs in your brain are barely functioning. “On a date.” You huff, taking a shameless whiff of her perfume as you lay on her shoulder. A bold move on your part, but Nico doesn’t seem to really mind. The street lights shine softly, and it seems like no one is around at this neighbourhood at four in the morning.

“And where is your date?”

“I could ask you the same you know,” You bite back and kick your legs out, “What’s a pretty girl like you doing alone on Christmas eve?”

“Nozomi invited me, apparently to uh, a date. You know. That bartender.”

“She sure looked like she has time for you today,” You laugh, pushing your fringe up. This earns you an exhale from Nico that even drunk you couldn’t miss.

“Well I could say the same for your wonderful date, Maki-chan.” Nico rolls her eyes, and pushes your head off her shoulder. Rude, you think, but for some reason you think you’ll enjoying prodding this girl.

“Thanks for being my wonderful date,” You put your chin on your knees and grin, hoping it doesn’t come out too dumb.

“I don’t think you qualify,” Nico giggles, before leaning in for a kiss. “Not yet.”

[nocturnityy]

Serendipity

A Percabeth fanfiction based on this prompt from @stars-above-luna​

Check it out on fanfiction.net too! –> click here!

Annabeth had been so excited when she’d first entered Bianca’s, a quaint little Italian restaurant near her house. It was her first date in a while. Lately, she’d been doing a lot of extra credit work. It was worth it, but it had cost her sleep and left little time just for her. Then, Matt, a new kid had asked her out. He had floppy brown hair and olive skin. His cheeks were dotted with freckles. He’d moved to New York a few weeks ago and she didn’t really know much about him. So, left without a single reason to say no, she had said yes. Annabeth remembered how Matt had asked if she knew any good places near by. And so she’d recommended Bianca’s. Annabeth had a friend who owned the place and she knew that the service was great, despite not actually having been there many times. Annabeth had given well-researched directions to from bianca’s to Matt. She texted it to him several times as well to appease her anxiety.

Then the night came. She’d picked out a silvery grey blouse that shined like moonlight. It was her favorite, one of the few gifts she’d gotten from her distant mother, Athena. A strange one, too, considering the rest were mostly books and a few other hard-to-find antiques. But it had brought her nothing but good luck since her mother had given it to her. Annabeth wasn’t exactly a big fan of superstition, but it couldn’t exactly hurt, could it? Under it, she chose to wear a purple pleated skirt along with dark grey tights and a pair of indigo flats. She wore the same owl stud earrings she always did and skipped makeup entirely. She could sketch the Eiffel Tower easily from memory but she was hopeless with makeup. Oh, how the Fates must hate me, Annabeth would sometimes think to herself sarcastically.

She ignored her stepmother in the kitchen playing with her two half brothers, they’d had a fight recently and things were a bit tense between them. Instead, she went straight to her father. After saying goodbye, she’d Uber’d to Bianca’s and arrived at 7 on the dot, exactly when they planned to meet, though Matt didn’t seem to have arrived yet. After being led to her reservation by the maitre d’, she set her bag down and looked out the window, maybe Matt was close.

After maybe 5 minutes, she’d given up on looking. The waitress, a short girl maybe a few years older than Annabeth, had come by once already, asking from behind her dark locks of hair if Annabeth was ready, but he wasn’t here yet so she had asked for a few more minutes. Matt was late, but surely he’d be there any second, right?

To pass the time while she waited for Matt, Annabeth decided to look over the restaurant more thoroughly. She hadn’t been there in several months and they’d obviously done a bit of renovation since the last time Annabeth had been there. Some things were the same. The wallpaper, for example, hadn’t changed at all. In fact, it looked as pristine as the day she had first seen it, several years ago. The tables, on the other hand, were decidedly new. Before, they’d been small tables with square linoleum surfaces. Now though, the tables were some kind of antique wood with white linen tablecloth on top that added to the restaurant’s charm. Overall the space felt much more spread out, too.

A voice interrupted her thoughts and Annabeth looked up to see the waitress with dark hair at her table once more.

“Are you ready to order yet?” She asked patiently.

Annabeth winced. This was the fourth time she had asked and Annabeth was no more ready than she had been 20 minutes ago. “Oh, um, could I just have a few more minutes, please?” Annabeth asked.

The waitress sent her a pitying glance but nodded politely before turning away and walking off to serve another customer. Annabeth’s heart plunged. It seemed everyone in the restaurant was aware that her date had stood her up. The apologetic glances only served to make her feel worse and even Annabeth was beginning to doubt that Matt was ever going to arrive.

Annabeth glanced up at the small clock on the wall. 7:28, it read. Matt was nearly 30 minutes late, or at least he would be if he had even planned to show up at all. Annabeth felt like crying. Five more minutes, she decided. Five minutes, and if Matt still hadn’t shown up after the five minutes were up, then… then- then she’d leave, her silver blouse having brought her nothing but bad luck for once.

Annabeth waited then. The pitying stares had only gotten worse. Every few minutes she would hear a “poor girl” or something similar echoing around the restaurant. She wanted nothing more than stand up and say that she didn’t want their pity. But she couldn’t do that, no, the last thing she wanted was to cause an even bigger scene than the one already unfolding at the moment.

Annabeth counted down the seconds in her head, trying not to let the tears that had already begun to well up in her eyes fall. 30 seconds left. 20. Ten.

Then, just as she was nearing 0. Someone new entered the restaurant. Annabeth wouldn’t have paid attention to such a thing, but he was heading towards her. He looked 17, her age, with inky black hair and sea green eyes. He wore Khakis and a sweatshirt with the words “Goode Swim Team 2016” on it, as if he’d tried to look nice but had given up halfway through. He strode towards her table with confidence. She had never seen him before in her life, but that didn’t stop him from striding over to her and sitting down at her table opposite of her.

Loudly, he said, “Sorry I’m so late, babe, traffic is crazy right now.” He smiled earnestly at her but her only response was confusion. But the stares had backed off. No longer did she feel like she was choking under their gazes. She felt a million times better. Though, she couldn’t help but stare at the boy in front of her, a question in her eyes.

“I’m Percy,” he whispered to her, “just go with it, okay? Whoever didn’t bother to show up is a dick.”

Annabeth could hear her heart beating in her chest. This stranger had covered for her, prevented the embarrassment that no doubt would have occurred at this very moment had he not shown up, had she been forced to leave, tears threatening to fall because Matt had stood her up. But that hadn’t happened, and she would be forever grateful. Of course she would “go with it” because he was being sweet and trying to save her.

At that moment, though, before Annabeth even had the chance to introduce herself, their waitress returned, smiling brightly. “Ready to order?”

“Oh, I think so,” Percy said, but he hadn’t touched the menu in front of him. “I’ll have one Chicken Alfredo, you have that, right?” She nodded. “Oh, and a cherry coke please.” The waitress wrote it down and then turned her head to Annabeth. 

“And you?” She asked.

“I’ll have water, and the Spaghetti Marinara, no meatballs, please,” Annabeth said easily, she had studied the menu several times over while waiting for her douche of a date, Matt. She could probably recite it from memory by now.

“Alright,” the waitress said, “should be ready soon.”

As soon as she was out of hearing range, Annabeth introduced herself. “I’m Annabeth, thanks for the save.” She smiled gratefully.

“Hey, no problem,” Percy responded, “My apartment is right across the street and I noticed you sitting here. I had to do something.“

"Well,” Annabeth said, “aren’t you a hero.”

Percy rubbed the back of his head, “I guess, my best friend Grover says that I have a saving-people thing.”

Annabeth tried to stifle her laughs. “Like Harry Potter?”

Percy grinned. “Exactly like Harry Potter.”

“So,” Annabeth said,“ tell me about yourself. Let’s make this a fake date to remember. You’re in high school right? You look my age, at least.”

Percy raised his eyebrows teasingly. “Yeah? Okay, well, my name is Percy,” his cheeks reddened, “um, as you already know. And yeah, I’m in highschool, I’m a Junior. You?”

“Oh, I’m a Junior, too.” Annabeth didn’t really know what to say next, though. The silence continued on for a few more seconds and only seemed to get more awkward. Trying to break through the ice, she asked, “You come here often? Since you live so close.”

“Not really, but my friend Nico hangs out here often so sometimes I peek in to see if he’s here. His sister owns the place.”

“Oh, really? I guess I’m friends with his sister, then. Bianca, right? We met a couple of years ago.” Annabeth said.

“Really? Cool, well look how much we already have in common, then.” Percy grinned, flashing pearly white teeth at her.

“Yeah,” Annabeth agreed, “guess so. How long have you lived in New York?”

“My entire life, though, I still seem to get lost every so often.”

“Huh, well that’s another thing we have in common then. Getting lost, I mean. I used to live in San Francisco, but I moved here in 9th grade. Even with getting lost, though, you must know a whole bunch of shortcuts, wanna regale me with them?”

Percy smiled, he seemed to be quite talented at that, “I’d love to, but first, I think our food’s here.”

Annabeth turned, and sure enough, Percy was right. Their food was here. Percy’s Chicken Alfredo looked delicious while Annabeth’s Spaghetti Marinara seemed to glow in the soft lighting of the restaurant. As they ate their food, they continued to make small talk. Laughing every so often and smiling at what they had in common and what they didn’t. Eventually though, the clock ticked nine o'clock and Annabeth knew that she had to go home soon, her father had asked her to be home before 9:30 so she wanted leave in the next few minutes.

“I had a wonderful time, Percy, but I should really be leaving soon.” Annabeth said.

“Me too,” Percy agreed. “If I stay out too late, no doubt my mom will think I’ve gotten into trouble. She’s really paranoid about that sort of stuff. But, um, Annabeth?” He sounded unsure.

“Yeah?”

“I had a great night with you, and I was kind of wondering if maybe you’d like to go on another date? Like, with me?”

Annabeth grinned. “I’d love to.”

Percy, who had been fumbling with his hoodie’s drawstring, lit up like a Christmas tree. “Great! How about, um here, I guess? Next Friday!” Percy pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket as if he had been waiting for this moment. He pressed the paper into the palm of her hand. “My phone number,” he explained. Then he backed a few feet away from her, said goodbye, and crossed the street to his apartment.

Annabeth smiled as she watched him go. Maybe, despite the disaster that was Matt not showing up, her silver blouse was lucky after all. It had brought Percy into her life, hadn’t it? She couldn’t wait for next Friday.

[i-write-shakespeare-not-disney]

Warm Me Up 35

I wrote all of this today guys. All of this came to me TODAY. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WRITER’S BLOCK SO HORRIBLY THAT I COULDN’T WRITE UNTIL TO-FUCKING-DAY. 

So.... you know, feedback, fanart, moodboards, and reblogs are very very appreciated. 

Click Here for Ch. 1

Click Here for Ch. 34

index

The best way to start off a birthday was definitely with a midnight breakfast. Dr. Solace and Miss Naomi were both too tired, and suggested they go alone. They would celebrate with Will throughout the day after a good rest. Kayla, of course, begged to tag along, and although her parents tried to pry her away, Nico and Will both said it was fine if she went.

There was a Denny’s nearby, and it was late enough on a weekday that it wasn’t very full. Nico wondered how Kayla was awake this late, and how she still managed to wake up at ungodly hours. She jumped excitedly at the sight of a crane machine offering stuffed animals, but Will prodded her along, promising he’d get some change later to let her play.

It felt nice to be out with just Will and Kayla. It felt like he could finally breathe and relax. The Solaces weren’t rude to him. Miss Naomi was so kind, it made Nico feel strange and wistful. Dr. Solace was pleasant, but obviously still felt guilty over the argument he had caused and the things he’d said. Still, it felt like they constantly observed him. They were careful and analytical, watching him and his interactions, like they were trying to figure him out. It made Nico nervous and tense, but he didn’t say anything.

Now, with just Kayla and Will with him, he felt more relaxed than he’d felt all week. Part of him was anxious to go home that weekend, but he also knew Will would be leaving for a final group of orientation.

Kayla sat beside him and began pointing out all the things she liked to eat, which was most of the adult menu. While he helped her color in her child’s menu, he glanced up and saw Will looking at him with a strange, misty-eyed expression. “What?” he asked.

Will shrugged and smiled. “Nothing.” Nico frowned and raised an eyebrow, but Will just kept smiling fondly.

After a while, once they’d ordered and had their drinks, Will’s hands encased Nico’s. Kayla was distracted by the whipped cream on her hot chocolate. “I remember,” he began softly, “we went to a park once, and you said you didn’t think you could be good with kids.”

“Is that why you keep staring at me?” Will bit his lip and smiled, causing Nico’s heart to melt. He leaned over and pulled him into a quick kiss which cause a scarlet blush to dust across his cheeks. “You’re a dork,” he muttered lovingly. “I’ll be right back.” He stood and walked over to the bathroom.

When he was washing his hands, the door opened and a guy with curly brown hair walked in with a small girl in tow. “Come on, I can’t take you to the girls’ one and I’m not leaving you alone,” he said exasperatedly as she tugged away from him. “Please don’t make this so diffi- Oh. Hi. Sorry.”

“No worries,” Nico said with a smile. “She yours?”

“No, she’s my sister,” he said. “But I’ve basically raised her, so….” Nico nodded in understanding. Will had done the same with Kayla. “Come on, I’m not going to have you making a scene here. You promised you’d be good if I brought you.”

“I’m not a boy!” she shouted. “I don’t wanna go here, I can go to the girl one by myself!”

“You’re still too small to go alone,” he protested.

“I’m seven!” Nico’s eyebrow went up. She was small for a seven-year-old. She looked like she was five. As her brother began to protest, she began to jump up and down, begging to go to the other bathroom alone, and tugging away from her brother.

Nico cringed awkwardly, but unable to leave because they were blocking the entrance. “Please, do not do this here,” her brother hissed. “If you stopped freaking out for two seconds, we could’ve already been back at the- whoa, hey, hey, hey.” He knelt down beside her and fumbled in her little sequined purse.

She was struggling to breathe. Her shoulders shook and her protests had stopped as she breathed heavily, the sound irregular. Her brother took out an inhaler and managed to calm her down. Finally, Nico decided to take a chance. He cleared his throat and nervously suggested, “If it would make her feel better, I can guard the door until she’s done. Then you can pretend it’s a girl’s bathroom.”

The little girl looked a little tired, so Nico wasn’t sure if that was what actually made her agree to the suggestion. He walked out and stood by the door until the two siblings walked back out. “Um, thank you,” the guy said.

“No problem,” he answered. “I work at a kid store, so I know kids can be a little hard to handle.” The guy grimaced and nodded, chuckling awkwardly. “Enjoy your food,” Nico said, walking away to his table.

When he sat down, the food was already there, and Will raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“Some guy was struggling with his little sister. Long story.” Will nodded and they began to eat. Kayla’s pancakes were topped with several berries, while Will had gone with the traditional ones. Nico had just dived into a stack of cinnamon and caramel glazed pancakes when they heard a squeal.

“Dr. Solace!” The little girl from the bathroom came bounding up to them. “Remember me? I’m your sunflower!” Beside him, Nico noticed Kayla twitch. She glared at the little girl and returned to her stack of pancakes, stuffing her mouth angrily.

Before Nico could ask, Will managed to stammer, “Flor? Wh-What are you doing here?”

“I’m on vacation with Joey! He’s over there.” Nico glanced over to where a very exasperated Joey had been trying to recall his little sister. The curly haired boy from the bathroom.

Defeated, he walked over to them and sighed. “Sorry about Flor. She recognized you and got excited,” he said, avoiding looking at anyone.

Nico frowned and glanced at Will who was a cherry shade of red.

“Who’s he? I saw him in the bathroom,” Flor asked, looking at Nico.

Before Nico could answer, Will said, “That’s my friend. And that’s my little sister.”

“Oh, Kayla, right?” Joey said, finally looking up. Will seemed to sink into his chair a little. “Um. Hi, I’m Joey,” he said, introducing himself to Nico. “Will watched after my sister when she ended up in the hospital from an asthma attack once,” he explained.

Nico nodded and glanced over Will with an expressionless look. “I’m Nico. His friend.” Will looked at him and gulped. He wasn’t an idiot. He could piece things together. From the way will was unconsciously covering his mouth to the blush on both Joey and Will’s cheeks, and the backstory, Nico knew who the guy was.

He couldn’t help giving him an annoyed once over, picturing him beside Will at a movie, or asking him on a date. “Flor, come on, you have to eat your waffles,” he told her, ushering her away. “Sorry.”

They disappeared, and Will finally seemed to be able to breathe. Nico poked his food but didn’t eat. His mind was busy tormenting him with concocted images and over analyzations. After a while, Will glanced at him and frowned. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Not hungry,” he said curtly. Will looked at him, his eyes changing as realization dawned on him.

“Nico,” he began.

But Nico turned to Kayla and swept her hair away from her face so she could eat. “You’ll get all sticky. Almost done?” She nodded, then glanced at Will.

“You never called me a sunflower,” she muttered, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

“What?” Will looked at Nico in disbelief, but Nico wouldn’t look at him. “Kayla, come here.” She stood and walked over to him, her eyes brimming with tears. Nico kept his eyes on her as she hugged Will tightly. “Kayla, come on, she’s just a little girl I had to help in the hospital. Don’t be upset. You’re prettier than any flower in existence, so I can’t just call you one.” Nico fought back a scoff. “Come on, stop crying and finish eating, okay?” She nodded and kissed his cheek, moving her plate to sit next to him.

Nico remained silent, thoughtful, and the drive back was uncomfortable. As they pulled up to the house, Will glanced back and then looked at Nico. “She’s asleep.” Nico nodded, about to get out of the car to get her, but Will stopped him. “I’m not going in the house with you still mad at me.”

“Then you’re sleeping outside?” Will narrowed his eyes, a look all too familiar to Nico. Still, as much as he wanted to stop before they argued, he couldn’t help the feelings churning in him.

His boyfriend glanced back at his sister then turned off the engine of the car while leaving the air on. He got out and waited at the hood of the car. With a sigh, Nico followed, making sure to shut the door softly and not wake Kayla. He stood beside Will, staring off at the road.

“I told you it happened. I told you everything even though I didn’t have to. Why are you mad at me?”

Nico sighed and shut his eyes. “It doesn’t matter.” He tried to walk away, but Will grabbed his arm and held onto him. “We’ve been doing so well, don’t ruin it,” he pleaded.

“I’m not,” he answered. “But you’re getting angry with me for going on a date with this guy months ago when we weren’t even dating. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Nico scowled and pulled his arm away. “That’s not it!” he snarled. “God, Will, just leave it alone, I’ll get over it.”

“Nico, please.”

He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. “I told you I didn’t like him, okay? I told you-”

“I know! I know what you said, and I know why you went, I know you told me!” he snapped, struggling to keep his voice down.

“Then what the fuck, Nico?”

“That’s not even why I’m upset, Solace!” Before Will could respond there was a knock on the car window. Nico glanced over and saw Kayla with disheveled red hair all around. “Forget it,” Nico sighed. He walked over to the door and opened, scooping Kayla into his arms. “Let’s get you to bed, Monkey.”

He started toward the house then glanced back over his shoulder. “Happy birthday, Will,” he said softly. But Will heard it. He saw it in his eyes.

With Kayla in his arms, he went into the house and struggled to get her bed undone to put her to sleep. Suddenly, a soft voice said, “Need some help, hon?” He looked up to see Miss Naomi, her eyes still scrunched from her previous sleep. She walked over, barefoot, kicking aside stray toys. She undid the bed and Nico laid the seven-year-old down. Miss Naomi tucked her in and smiled at him. “You okay?”

He nodded, but he was glad the lights were off. She yawned and nodded, shuffling out of the room. “Oh, hey hon. How was Denny’s?”

“It was good,” Will answered. Nico’s stomach twisted. He felt unbalanced. “Did Nico already go to bed?”

“No, I was helping him put Kayla to bed. Goodnight, sweetheart. And happy birthday.”

A few seconds later, Kayla’s door opened and Nico faced Will at the door. “I’m going to bed. I’m tired,” he mumbled. But Will didn’t move aside for him. “I’m not doing this in your sister’s room,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Talk to me. Before this gets worse. I don’t want to spend my birthday with us fighting.”

“That’s the point; I don’t want to fight.” Will sighed and crossed his arms. “What?”

“Why are you angry with me?”

“I want to go to bed and you’re not letting me get to my room.” Will scowled and ran a hand through his hair.

Then he said, “Let’s go for a drive. We need to talk. Please.” Nico grimaced, but Will was obviously not relenting. And it was his birthday. He shrugged, his own prideful way of giving in, and Will gestured for him to go first. They walked back to the car and Will drove off to God knows where. The city lights were bright and Nico could see a river under the bridge they were driving over. Once he’d parked in an open area, Will turned to him and sighed. “Okay. Tell me.”

“What do you want me to say, Will? I don’t want to fight.”

“But you’re already mad at me! And you not telling me why is actually making me angry. So either way, we’re going to end up doing this.”

“This is what we did the first time! We argued and fought over everything, and I don’t want to do that again.”

“So you’re just going to stay angry? At least before we would talk through things! Nico, honestly, I don’t know why you’re mad at me-”

“I wish I was mad,” he interrupted. He looked out the window and leaned his head on the cool glass. “I saw him in the bathroom first. I saw the way he was with his sister. Fussing over her, worrying, trying so hard. Like you do with Kayla. He said he’d practically raised her. Then… he goes to the table and… you get all red and panicked. You call me your friend? It was like you wanted to impress him or something. I mean, who could blame you? With the curly hair and light eyes and tanned skin, I mean come on. The dude was like… I don’t know Adonis.”

Then, with a feather light touch, Will turned Nico to face him. “I don’t want him. I want you.”

“Why?” he whispered back. “He was perfect, Will. You had that. You kissed him. Your only response when I asked you why you didn’t want to keep dating him was that he wasn’t me. What does that even mean? He’s better. He… he’s good enough.”

Will sighed and shut off the engine, getting out of the car. Nico stared after him as he walked around the car and opened his door. “Come on,” he prodded gently. Nico stepped out and Will took his hands and pressed them to his lips. “Nico, I love you. And I will tell you as many times as I need to that you are good enough for me. Baby, you know me better than anyone. You know about the scars on my arms, you know my weird quirky habits, you know my family, you know my past. No one else knows that much about me.”

Nico wanted that to be enough. He wanted those words to soothe him, but they didn’t. He just looked at Will with a pained expression. “Nico, do you have any idea what your eyes do to me?” he whispered. Nico’s gaze flickered up to him. “They fuck up my thoughts. I can’t speak, I can’t breathe, I can’t think. I love being able to wake up and run my hand through your hair until you wake up and smile at me in a way that makes my heart stop. God, Nico, I feel so lucky to have you, that I can only hope you feel even a fraction of what I do. I’d be happy with that.

“Yes, I kissed him, but I couldn’t stop thinking of you. Of what you would say if you saw me, if you knew. That I should have been kissing you. He isn’t you. He doesn’t know me like you do, he doesn’t make me feel things the way you do. You know, when we were friends and I realized I had a crush on you, I felt… heartbroken each time I was with you. Because I thought someone as… amazingly attractive and seductive and beautiful like you would never look at me as anything more than a dorky friend.

“I just… I felt so bad about leaving him that day, that I felt guilty.... Guilty about my life getting better because I got who I wanted and I didn’t even want to give him a chance. I was the first date he’d gone on with a guy, and I was already in love with someone else. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

Nico could believe that. He did know Will. He knew how considerate he was of other people, how anxious he could be to please others. He sighed and placed his hands on either side of Will’s freckled face. “You’re insane if you think I don’t feel incredibly blessed to have you beside me, Will Solace. I love you so much, I fear losing you every day. After what your dad said… I mean, I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about what I can possibly do to be good enough.”

“You’re a very stubborn guy, Nico,” Will chided with a smile. Nico chuckled weakly and Will pressed his lips against him, removing every fear and worry.

When he pulled away, Nico pressed their foreheads together. “Just to be clear, I wasn’t jealous.”

Surprisingly, Will didn’t refute it. He nodded and kissed him again. “I know. It was insecurity. I have experience with that feeling.” Nico frowned and pulled him in again. He kissed the corner of his lips, his jaw, and down to the hollow of his throat, with Will breathing heavily the entire time. He kissed up to the crook of his neck where he loved to lean against him.

He bit down on the skin, not too harshly, but enough to leave a mark. Beneath him, Will whimpered and leaned back against the car as his legs seemed to give out. His hand had pulled Nico closer as if it were an automatic reaction. Nico’s eyes widened as he felt something between the two of them.

“Don’t. Say. Anything,” Will whispered.

“Well, hello there,” Nico chuckled.  “Looks like someone likes getting bitten.”

Will scowled and rolled his eyes. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

Nico scoffed and pulled away. “That… is totally different.” Before he could get away, Will caught his arm and pulled him in, promptly biting down on Nico’s fingertips, making him fight back a moan. He stared at Will, who smiled a little too smugly for someone who was just as turned on.

Without another word, Nico kissed almost ferociously and pushed him back against the car, fumbling for the door. When it opened, he fumbled in, pulling Will along with him. Granted a car wasn’t the most comfortable of places for a make-out session, but they couldn’t exactly do it at his parents’ house either.

Laid across the backseat, he leaned up into Will, kissing, biting, eliciting wondrous moans from him. It’d been a long time since he’d seen Will this undone. Will’s fingers slipped between Nico’s and gripped his hand tightly. His hips pushed against Nico’s, making them both breathless.

He struggled to sit up, straddling Will. “Happy birthday,” he murmured as he bit his earlobe.

Will groaned and chuckled. “Oh, this is a nice present.” Nico smirked and kissed him desperately, biting his lips.

“Is this too fast?” Nico whispered worriedly.

Will scoffed. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

Nico rolled his eyes and pushed Will golden hair back. “I know. I’m definitely not one to talk, but…. I actually care about you. You’re not a one night stand. I care about the pace here.”

Will pecked his lips lightly. “I’ve been in love with you for so long, Nico. This feels perfect.” Nico smiled and kissed his lips again, sliding down to his neck, his hands sliding down to the button on Will’s jeans.

He shuffled off his lap to get down lower, and his foot hit something-

“Cowabunga, dude!”

They froze. Nico looked up at Will and raised an eyebrow. “Was that… Michelangelo from the Ninja Turtles?”

Will frowned and leaned over, scrambling in the dark. He came up with a smiling turtle with an orange bandana. “It’s Kayla’s.”

“Oh my God,” Nico groaned as he pulled himself up to the seat beside him. “We’re not doing this in your mom’s car.”

“No, we really shouldn’t,” Will laughed, leaning against him. “Nico?” He hummed. “I love you. So much.”

“I love you too,” he whispered back, kissing his shoulder. “You want to know something?” Will nudged his cheek gently, prodding him to go on. “When I first met you, outside the café, your eyes made my heart stutter.”

A husky, tired chuckle filled the car. “What?”

He pulled back and looked at Nico. “Really,” he said. “You walked out into the rain, with this determined, wary look on your face. You said hi to me and looked right at me, not at all intimidated.” He looked into the same eyes that had filled his dreams from that first encounter and sighed in content, knowing they were his to look at for as long as he could. “I was a goner as soon as I saw your eyes.”

“You hated me,” Will said with a confused scrunch of his nose.

He chuckled and shook his head. “No,” he said softly. “I was afraid of you. You saw right through me. Through my lyrics. I was afraid you would break me. And you did.”

“Was that a bad thing?” Will whispered.

Nico thought of all the chaos and the flurries of emotions that had consumed him over the last year. He thought of the fighting, the fears, the heartbreak, the laughs, the cuddles, the kisses, the dates, the breakups, the makeups. Then he smiled and nudged their noses together.

“No.”

Click here for Ch. 36

[kyoune]

a party for n(one)

the greatest tragedy, giles thinks, is that all of them are completely useless. byron thinks it’s the fruit punch. 

summary: a modern au drabble about the suitors throwing a party for their princess, and how they’d probably ruin it without giles there. some minor spoilers (regarding byron and nico) and implied mc/everyone

“We should throw a party.”

It is Leo who suggests it first, though this isn’t particularly surprising. Leo is always looking for some excuse, party or not, to avoid doing work - as is the case now, his half-finished paper dripping over his desk, begging to be finished before it inevitably succumbs to gravity. He pays it no mind and clicks his pen.

Giles’ forehead crinkles up, eyes concentrated on the dying paper. Amethyst burning into red eyes, he snaps back, words tuned like a death threat, “Finish your work first.”

As always, Leo ignores him, dismissing his reprimand with a wave of his hand and a devil-may-care smile. He continues, “Yeah, yeah. But you know, it’d be nice to surprise the “princess” for finishing her final exams.”

It’s not a bad idea, Giles has to admit, but it comes from Leo, so he’s tempted to decline. Speaking strictly from personal experience, anything that Leo thinks up is a red flag for disaster, though that wasn’t sufficient enough for him to turn down such an innocent suggestion. 

Fortunately, there was no need for that this time.

“With what money?” Alyn snorts, halfway stumbling down the stairs. He’s got a point, as well as a dumbbell and a cannister of protein powder in his hands. “If I remember right, a certain someone managed to spend it all on food and drink last time we were at the bar…”

Perhaps that little incident had slipped everyone’s minds, as immediately after it was spoken, the room went silent. The older Crawford scrunches up his face, expressing no more than a disappointed huff, back to the drawing board. He wheels around and faces the paper, forgetting for a moment that he indeed had an assignment to do (again), and then hastily wheels back, completing a full 360 spin on his chair. Leo Crawford is not done procrastinating. Yet. “Where is that guy, anyw - ”

“Aw, we can do that! I bet she’ll love it.”

Horribly off cue, Nico springs out from behind the couch, causing Alyn to drop his dumbbell and Giles to jolt in his seat. Leo, an experienced jump-scarer himself, merely widens his eyes, watching the two mutter curses at Nico under their breaths. Not that guy, Leo mentally notes.  

Only Louis is unfazed; sitting idly at the head of the couch, the blonde sips his tea and serves Nico a scowl of disgust. At this, the pink-haired boy pouts, drawing up his most dangerous weapon: the puppy-dog eyes. They don’t work.

“How did you even get in here?” He asks, taking yet another sip of his tea. Alyn moves towards him and waves the protein canister as an offer. Louis politely declines.

“The door was open.” Nico shrugs. “And money isn’t a problem! We can just ask Byron!”

Giles and Alyn are both about to open their mouths, asking how the hell would that ever be a good idea, that they shouldn’t borrow money from others, that -

But Nico is too familiar with scoldings - their narrowed brows and sharp inhales mirror the way Albert moves when he’s about to unleash a barrage of lectures on him. Without any pause, he strides over to the entrance and cuts them off with the most over-the-top sweep of his arm, yanking the handle and revealing the key to his plans.

The marbled doors give way to Byron’s intimidating stature, his chauffeur Albert at his side. Standing at 6’0, the young man exuded an aura of razor-sharp regality, as was to be expected of a CEO.

The tension, however, faded when the men realized he wasn’t moving. Or reacting, at all.

“Right Byron? Er… Byron?” Nico’s hype dies when his half-brother doesn’t respond, body frozen in the doorframe, face taut. Actually, upon closer inspection, he’s not even blinking. Is he even breathing?

Leo treads over, waves his hands in front of the CEO’s eyes. Nico joins in on his antics, blowing raspberries and removing his eyepatch (which Albert smacks out of his hand). Byron still doesn’t move.

“Uh, is he… you know…” Alyn makes a cutthroat gesture, “...dead?”

Albert answers him first, with his characteristic Glare (How Dare You Insult His Majesty Edition).

Before anyone else can jump to conclusions, another arrival saunters into the foyer, uninvited. It’s Sid, who shoves the Stein newcomers aside without a second thought, as if he’d somehow didn’t even see them on his way in.

“Oi, heard there was gonna be a party.” Grinning like he’d won the lottery, he takes in the dumbfounded faces around him and promptly realizes something is amiss. Throwing a glance (and his ponytail) over his shoulder, Sid finally notes the snarling Albert and definitely-not-a-statue of Byron leaning against the door.

Without missing a beat, the giant walks up to Byron, and flicks his forehead. Nothing changes, to which Sid chuckles.

“Aw, he’s sleeping with his eyes open? Cool.”

The comment seems to spark something in Albert, who is now frantically shaking Byron’s shoulders. Apparently, even Byron tires of his own childhood friend sometimes.

Nineteen minutes and five rounds of shaking later, the man finally comes alive. Blinking his grey eyes slowly, Byron’s movements are stilted, but firm, as if he were a buffering robot.

“Ah… good morning.” The greeting is spoken slowly, drawn out as its speaker shakes out the grogginess in his body. Beginning his stretches, Byron is halfway through a forward fold when the collective awestruck silence begins to dawn on him. He looks up, surveying the crowd, and arches a brow.  “What?”

“We are intending on setting up a party for the ‘princess’.” Giles, always the sensible one, explains, “However, we are short on funds, so we would like to ask for your assistance.”

“You know? The girl you’ve got a crush on?” Leo winks, and Giles wants to say ‘everyone does, everyone adores her. how could you not fall in love with her?’, but instead he holds his breath, keeps his mouth shut. This was to be a party, after all, not a battle royale. The image of nine, maybe ten men slaughtering each other with biting remarks and eyes set to kill (no actual violence, or so he hoped; all of them were gentlemen, weren’t they?) flashes briefly through his head, and he shudders.

There is silence, for a minute. Byron does nothing but furrow his brow by the slightest angle, immersed in thought, his expression neutral.

“God. This guy’s even more of a doll than you are.” Sid mutters rather loudly, nudging Louis, who snaps back “Don’t touch me.” 

It’s like this for a while; no one speaks, waiting for Byron’s reply with bated breaths, all except for Sid’s taunts and Louis’ “I’ll kill you. Do not speak to me ever again.”

“Okay,”  At last, the one word brings Byron back from his mini-reverie. “What do you need?”

All at the once, the room explodes into chants and requests, mostly unrelated to the event at hand. Alyn rattles off the names of fitness supplements and a gym membership, Leo whips out a list of difficult-sounding titles, Sid clicks his tongue and says, “Surprise me”, and Nico modestly asks for strawberry ice cream.

“For the party, gentlemen. For the party.” Giles sighs, fingers pinched around Louis’ collar, who has been trying to escape the room for the seventh time. Huffing, the blonde protests that he’s met his “Sid Tolerance Quota” for the day and needs to recharge. Now.

The tutor ignores him. “We’ll need fifteen watermelons and five pounds of cherries,” He begins, the pen in his hand beginning to work up a frenzy. The others stare at his handiwork with amazement, observing as the list fills, handwriting neat and organized, the Ts crossed and Is dotted. That is, all but one person.  

“What is this, a math problem?” Sid snipes, throwing an arm around Giles’ shoulder. This earns him the privilege of being the fourth person Giles has ignored today, and a seething “So, who will do the honor of going shopping?”

Eye contact never wavering, the tutor almost needs to drag the question to his lips, and there is murder in his voice. Sid instantly backs off.

“We’ll go. We got it.” Leo affirms, grinning as if he was now Giles’ Most Okay-est Friend.  

“We?” The younger twin repeats, incredulous in disbelief. Alyn is shaking his head so turbulently that he does not notice Leo’s steel grip on his left arm, dragging him to the entrance. Byron watches the two elbow each other out of the room.

“We should get started now.” Giles sighs, rubbing his temples.

“I agree,” Byron nods,  “We don’t have time to be sexy.”

The entire room freezes, allowing Bryon’s statement to ferment in an uncomfortable silence. Everyone looks to each other, a What? plastered to their faces. No one has any idea what he means, except for Albert.

“AHEM. I believe he means to say, ‘We cannot afford to stand around and look pretty.’” Albert clears his throat, clarifying Byron’s misspeak, “Anyhow, we will take care of the preparations outdoors.”

‘We will?’ Bryon mouths at Albert, head canted in bewilderment. A gloved hand gently tugs the perplexed CEO towards the backyard, attempting to relocate Byron before any more damage could be done. Nico trails close behind, skipping across the foyer to the glass doors, but does not leave without flashing the tutor an apologetic grin.

“Good luck!”

If he could, Giles would return the sentiment, but an earsplitting clang from the kitchen conveniently drains him of any hope in humanity.

“Thank you... I’ll need it.”

To everyone’s surprise (and Giles’ relief), the collaboration is quite peaceful. With each person assigned to a particular role, the preparations run smoothly, and the only discord that has occurred so far (it’s been twenty minutes) is the discovery that Louis is absolutely horrible at blowing balloons. Sid begins howling, Louis begins seething, and Giles has to force the two into duties located at the far ends of the dorm, or else they’d have a case of Louis “accidentally” strangling him.

When the twins return, Alyn has 9 bags of groceries strung down his arms, while Leo leisurely reads a brochure about the various types of apples, bare-handed. Hefting the load a few centimeters past the door, the weight proves to be too much of a strain, and the poor younger twin is shaking as the bags slide downwards.   

“Need help?” Leo laughs. Alyn gifts him a death glare, and through some newfound source of sheer force (probably Leo-hatred), manages to stumble five inches further into the living room. He trips.

Sid, wordlessly, passes by the fatigued knight and takes half his haul with ease. There are no crude remarks, no insults, not even an ounce of amusement; he’s completely silent, as if to say ‘You’re pathetic’ in his own Sid kind of way. Alyn sighs with relief when he’s out of sight, but when Sid returns, he scrambles to shoot him a ‘What the hell I totally could’ve done that myself’ look.

Sid sneers, his lips curled into a challenging smirk. Alyn replies with an almost quite realistic bark. The two immediately engage in a grocery weightlifting competition, much to Leo’s amusement, and Giles decides that oh, he really needs to go walk his dog or something (“You don’t even have a dog,” Louis remarks, from the back of the room) And by that, he means he needs to check on the Stein trio.

Outside is not much better.

Albert is stuffed into a "#1 dad" apron two sizes too big, and Nico darts about the yard like a child on a sugar rush. One minute, he's on his 8th try at hauling the bag of coal over, and the next he's behind Byron, tightening his matching "Kiss the Chef" apron.

It is obvious that no one in the Stein trio has ever cooked anything before. Bryon overcooks them, and Nico undercooks them, and Albert won't even touch the grill. Offended by Nico's offhanded "Hey, your hair matches the charcoal!" comment, the grumpy male had relegated himself to fruit punch stirrer, away from the likes of the younger boy and his annoying jests. He makes a horrible fruit punch stirrer, whatever that was.

"Albert, there's too many lemons in there."  

"Yes. I like lemon."

"The princess doesn’t."  

"I don't care what the princess likes."

"I care." Bryon interjects, dumping a basket of cherries into the mix. Giles opens his mouths, a protest at the ready, but the ardency Bryon has shown from the start stops him. For all the good intentions the party was thrown with, the kingly young man seemed to be the only one who didn’t give him a headache, disregarding the fiasco earlier.

Then, the doorbell rings.

"Welcome home!"

The cheer is disjointed; Led by Nico, half of it is shouted too early, and the other half echoes after. Somehow, Louis and Nico happen to welcome the princess first. Giles suspects Louis simply has fast legs, and Nico may have slacked off.

Alyn and Leo continue their game of elbowing each other all the way until the duo have shimmied to the front, Sid following close behind. The Stein trio shuffle in a few minutes late, and Bryon affectionately waves to her with his spatula.

Though the banners are angled awkwardly, the music scratches with radio static, and the twins can’t seem to stop jabbing at each other, the effort pulls a smile to her face. Even if it were only to be polite, the princess laughs, and rewards their work with a humble bow.

"Wow... I don't know what to say... but um... is something burning?”

author’s notes: i love seeing the suitors interact because it usually ends up with some really funny moments. also since it is an otome game we see more of the princess’ relationship with the suitors than ones between themselves so i wanted to explore this a bit? Yeah

so as you can tell, i am horrible, horrible with dialogue. sorry if it’s choppy as well! I have to leave for university in a few days, so i wanted to get this out as fast as possible, which means i had to rush it quite a bit. I may or may not try to re-write this better later orz. forgive me.

notes about the au: i know there’s already a modern version of MidCin but this was like college-au-ish. the wysteria boys all live in one dorm with the “princess” (it’s more of a codename than a title or her real name) and the stein trio & their cryptid robert live in a richer dorm down the street, and rayvis has his own apartment next to the stein trio. robert used to have his own place but he partied too hard and got kicked out. Byron is a CEO of a major company and Albert is his right-hand man, as always. also yeah everyone has a crush on the mc but only giles and sid are aware of this… we’ll see how that goes sometime else…

sorry for the spiel (and for the lack of robert and rayvis, i just couldn’t figure out what to do with them)! thank you for all the warm reception on my previous works too, i’m super happy that you enjoy them! ♡

[vlindervin7]

59 pretty please with a cherry on top 😊 And congrats with the 500 followers 🎉🎉🎉

Thank you!!

‘Are you drunk?’

Nico had opened the door to his apartment and was greeted by a mop of shiny blond hair and bright blue eyes. Will leaned against his door frame with a stupid grin on his face. He pushed himself off it, stumbling a little before regaining his balance.

‘No’ Nico raised his eyebrows. ‘Possibly.’

‘What are you doing here?’ It’s not like it was the first time Will had shown up in the middle of the night to Nico’s apartment. Usually ringing snacks and a movie. Nico was used to it by now. In the very beginning of their friendship, he’d thought it was a little weird. Someone showing up at his apartment without warning. Being friends with Will had changed a lot of things in his life and habits. 

He’d never showed up drunk, though. That was a first. ‘I… can’t remember.’, Will answered after having thought for a while. 

Nico let out a sigh, but smiled a little at the same time. ‘Well, come in then, Solace.’

After Will bumped his head against the door and almost stumbled over a table, Nico figured it’d be better if he just took him by the arm and carefully led him to the couch. 

‘Sit here. I’ll bring you a glass of water.’ Will nodded and looked ready to pass out any moment now. 

Nico wondered what had happened that led Will to drinking, while he filled a glass of water in the kitchen. Will hated alcohol, always telling Nico he shouldn’t drink too much because it was actually one of the most dangerous drugs out there, blah, blah, blah – things Nico didn’t completely agree with and honestly didn’t really care about. But if Will ignored his morals like that, he must’ve had a pretty valid reason. 

‘Here, drink this.’, he handed Will the glass who drank half of it at once and gave it back to Nico when he was done. Then he laid his head on the back of the couch and looked at Nico. 

‘You have pretty eyes.’, he mumbled then. 

Nico huffed, surprised. ‘What?’ He sat down next to his best friend.

‘You’ve got like… these long lashes. And a pretty mouth too. Really red and –’ 

‘You’re drunk, Solace. You’re not making any sense.’, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t blushing at least a little bit. ‘C’mon, lie down. I’ll bring you a blanket.’ 

Will let himself be pushed down on the couch. He didn’t close his eyes, though, just kept looking at Nico. 

‘I really want to kiss you, Nico.’, his words slurred. ‘I always want to kiss you, but now especially.’

Okay, now this Nico had not been expecting. This whole evening was a surprise. Will wanted to kiss him? And he decided to say it now? Possibly the worst time ever? Nico had been in love with his best friends almost since the very beginning of their friendship, but he always figured Will didn’t feel the same way, so he didn’t say or do anything about it. Even if it verged a lot of effort not to just press his lips against Will when they were sitting close, watching a movie on his laptop. Or to angrily push him against a wall and crashing heir mouths together when Will looked particularly good.

God, this was torture. Now, Will actually wanted to kiss him too, but Nico couldn’t do anything about it. He didn’t want to take advantage of Will in his drunken state. He didn’t know if Will meant what he was saying or if it was just the alcohol making him say things he didn’t mean. He sighed deeply and got up from the couch to get Will a blanket. 

He draped it over his half-asleep form before whispering a quiet: ‘Goodnight, Solace.’ and making his way to his own bed. He’d deal with this tomorrow.

Send me prompts from this list and I’ll write you a short drabble.

[anyorderofus]

Mirror, mirror on the wall in the bathroom of our third floor flat

Happy Sunday, 

We hope you’ve had lovely weeks and weekends. We hope on this eve of the Arsenal vs Sutton (who woulda thunk it?) match, we might put a wee cherry on top of your already lovely Sundaes, through the medium of blog. 

See you next week for fun and frolics dripping in: I hated poetry at school

Enjoy!

Alexandra & Nico|Nico & Alexandra 

Alexandra 

Mirror, mirror on the wall in the bathroom of our third floor flat,

You’re my favourite and you’re my least favourite. I don’t like that you compare me to me nor do I care for you showing me the spots on my face that I already know are there. I can see the scars of past spots too, no need to point them out. I dislike you for highlighting that mole that changed or that my teeth darken as a sign of the too many cups of coffee a day and I hate you for filling in the bags under my eyes with what seems like your weekly shop just to make sure I’m sure they’re there. I hate it on the fat days when you agree for me and underline the fact that the odd glass of wine pays and it makes me seethe when I see your hints: reflecting in you the sports bra I’ve left hanging on the radiator behind me, waiting to be filled.

I like you for not lying to me though. Thank you for that and Mirror, I like that you’re there at all. You’re the third person we live with, depend on when rushing out. You let me in, let me share notes on you for him and provide me with a place to just stop and consider the me I am each day, the me that people will see. You let me take a closer look; see what I am and where I’ve been. The scarring spots can be a mini firework display of celebration: I made it through the teenage years and my tinted teeth show wide as I remind myself that brushing will lessen this soon and I’ve been through worse in this department; 3 years of braces endured before you and I even met.

You (literally) reflect what is behind me, and whether that is a sports bra, a living room next to the bathroom on our third floor or a window to the outside, to another beyond, you make it look bigger and make bigger look possible. You look to a past filled with stuff whilst showing me a future and a version of me as me as me is me now. You let me transform into what I could be too; the make up when I need that extra boost, an extra hand to squeeze but subtly, no not there – that’s too much, you missed a bit. You put up with my mouth twisting and reshaping into the role I’ve been preparing for since Year 8 to an audience of you. You are my Olivier stage.

You don’t always show me the prettiest of them all but I think I like you much more than I let on. Maybe it’s the altitude; the 3rd floor bathroom is very high up.

Yours,

Your subject

Nico

‘You talkin’ to me?’

I bet you get asked that all the time.

Let’s take a moment to get reflective.

I bet you hear that all the time also.

Seriously though, couple of questions. Firstly, after I have a shave, why do I look like a worm wearing a cheap wig? If I move to a higher floor would the light catch me differently and give me more of a jaw line. If the answer is ‘no’, would a lower floor help?

Did you know there’s a paper named after you?

When people ask you who the fairest of them all is, do you say the most attractive person in the kingdom like in that story, or the best referee, umpire etc.? I think the latter might be more useful for sporting events and competitions like the Olympics or golf.

Also, if I put a mirror behind me and look at my reflection in that reflection, would that half your work load? I’m happy to do so if that helps you make me look good post-shave.

Is there any way I can move so fast you can’t keep up? If not, please let me know, that way I can stop trying. My arms are starting to hurt and I think I’ve pulled something in my neck.

If I break two mirrors is that fourteen years’ bad luck, or is it best to just save up mirrors and break them all when the end is nigh? Does this include all reflective objects or just specifically mirrors and/or looking glasses? On this subject, was the word ‘eye glass’ only not ‘looking glass’ because that was already taken or, are they also called that because they are used for looking in, too? (It’s okay if you don’t know this one, I understand you’re a mirror not an optician.)

Finally, I want you to know that I see a lot of myself in you. Except when it’s cold.

Thanks a lot, keep up the good work!

Here’s looking at you, looking at me, looking at me,

Kind regards,

Nico

[jpkenyon]

Preparing for (aerial) captivity

I’m heading abroad for 10 days, and this necessitated two things from a reading standpoint: 1) I needed to finish library books, and 2) I needed to load up on reading material for my flights.

The first was relatively easy. Thanks to a weekend followed by three days of work followed by two days off, I was able to power through Michael Connelly’s Dark Sacred Night, Nico Walker’s Cherry, and Sebastian Junger’s Tribe. The first was top priority because it was my Dad’s checkout that he let me read first because he had too many books stacked up himself (more on the juggling act that is the library hold system another time). I finished just in time to give it to him at Thanksgiving. The Walker I had been reading for a while, setting it aside when other things came up, and the Junger was my book club’s latest pick.

So, I hit the plane with only long-term reading projects awaiting me when I return. I am taking one of those with me: Music: What Happened? by Scott Miller, late of the wonderfully quirky pop band Game Theory. Miller assembled a series of mix CDs that covered what he deemed the best songs of each year from 1957 to 2009. He then essentially compiled the liner notes from each CD into this book. This is so up my alley, as I confirm his good taste when we agree, decry his taste when we disagree, and make notes to check out things about which I was unfamiliar. I must admit, I admired Miller’s well-crafted music more than wanted to listen to it at times, but his ear and ability to describe what he hears makes for an enlightening, endearing read.

I’m about halfway through, and figure I can read the rest on the plane. I’m headed to Australia, so a 16-hour flight awaits. I don’t want to take more than this, however, because I don’t want to cart around a lot of books that I’ll only need to bring back (I have a stack of supermarket paperback crime novels to read and leave behind for just this purpose). I assume, given that I am making a City of Literature-related trip to Melbourne to help this sister City of Literature celebrate its 10th anniversary, that I will return with many new books. Might as well plan (and pack) accordingly.

That means a lot of electronic reading, for the most part. I’m still working my way through Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter, and would love to finish it on this trip. In addition, I have many magazines saved in PDF format on my iPad (and remembered to mark them for offline reading so they’ll actually be available... a lesson learned from an early trans-continental journey). I also have a print issue of Book Forum that just arrived in the mail. I rarely get through one of these dense things before the sell-by date feels like it has passed, but with this much time as a captive audience, perhaps now is BF’s moment.

I also have many podcasts that have piled up, a lot of new music and, of course, the seat-back screen full of movies you wouldn’t watch anywhere else to occupy me. Even with those distractions, with a full 20 hours in the air each way, I should be able to get through a substantial chuck of my planned reading.

If I somehow exhaust all of that, I also have an ebook of Jeff Tweedy’s new memoir, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) loaded up. I eventually will read this, though I might be a fool to start it now as I stare down the end of the year with about eight books still on my reading pile.

Books cited:

Dark Sacred Night, Michael Connelly; Cherry, Nico Walker; Tribe, Sebastian Junger; Music: What Happened? Scott Miller; Vibrant Matter, Jane Bennett; Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back), Jeff Tweedy

[lonelypond]

2025: Breakout

Love Live, NicoMaki, 5.3K, 1/?

Summary: Super Idol and Closely Held Government Secret Yazawa Nico's been back from her tour, but she and Tokyo's top robotics expert, Nishikino Maki, have been at odds, unable to just pick up their relationship. And even if they can, how can they make a future work in a Tokyo that wants to limit their choices. Sequel to 2024.

A/N: Giving myself a Lunar New Year present a day early and posting this as a challenge. I rough drafted this chunk a year ago maybe and I kept tossing between potential story arcs and stalled. However, this is one of my favorite AU's so I'm giving myself a nudge. Any chapters to follow may or may not follow a linear timeline. Apparently I’ve missed juggling multiple AUs. Enjoy!

Also, thanks again to the Love Live Wikia for song translations. And may the Year Of The Pig bring you health, prosperity, and happiness. Thanks for all your support.

Chapter One

"Ebbing and rising,

The waves of my heart wash me away The strength to desire something this much Is the passionate Reason in my chest

That's strange; I'm feeling fervent! Once you've taken the first step, you've gotta run Has everyone gone through this? Everything starts to pick up; Ah, I can't stop

I think I want to give those things a try; I'll walk forwards while counting them"

And that’s Love Arrow with "Yuuki No Reason". Winter is winding down with a bit too much gray for our liking, but the next Tunnel Rave theme is Neon Night. Password is “first step.” Text it to the number you know for the location. And we’ll also be hosting a virtual dance floor for those of you who can’t make it out. Diamond Princess has banned Nico Ni songs but send us your requests for anything else that hits the target for you. And Ballet Twist has some advice about which toys to avoid when you hit the virtual dance floor.

FALLING INTO HER EYES

Five times in the past month. Professor Nishikino Maki couldn’t seem to avoid events that the Number One Idol in Japan aka that demon doll, Nico Ni was scheduled to perform at. She couldn’t blame either Nico or her mother. Nico had barely returned from her tour of the North of Japan, released a new single with a new sound and a burst of popularity, pleasing her government minders. Tonight was the fifth event, an unveiling of a new Robotics lab at a small company Maki often consulted with. Maki wondered if the Air Special Defense Forces did too, but the robot she’d examined the night she’d uncovered Nico Ni’s double life was the only one of its kind she’d heard of. And Eli had put discreet questions out but received no answers. Maki was having no success growing her own organoid brain, even at a small size.

Maki had decided casual was the ticket for tonight so tailored black trousers, her N-Zan, grey button down shirt, loose white tie, black vest. She and Nico had tried meeting for a meal -- pizza -- in a dive near Muse, when Nico had first returned to Tokyo, but it had been an awkward encounter, neither of them sure what they could safely discuss in public. It had also ended awkwardly, a quick kiss and a promise to meet again when their schedules cleared.

Which didn’t suit Maki at all. No 1 Idol and the rest of the Idol Fools had been painting regularly, but Maki had noticed an increase in curfew drones and police foot patrols in areas that had been hit by them. Which worried her.

Maki entered through a few photographers and reporters, nodding in their direction, but neither answering questions or smiling, as they expected. Next would be the colleagues excited by her latest breakthroughs in electrical transfer from skin photocells. Batteries for emergency only would leave more room for processing power. She and Eli had been working on a breakthrough for two years, but after seeing what was possible with organic brains, Maki had to fake her excitement. But it had led to her contract being renewed, a budget increase and the possibility of hiring another grad student, although the department had pushed her to hire one of the younger male grad students, preferably a married one. That had been the theme of Nico Ni’s last song, a slow, pulsing number, the joys of newlyweds under the cherry blossoms, which had led to Nico performing at every wedding Maki had been invited to recently. The wealthier families being able to hire the crazy popular Idol made both marriage and wealth seem more exciting to everyone looking on through their personal devices. Maki was really quite fed up with both wealth and marriage, although she did appreciate that her money made much of what Soldier Game did possible as she had provided the seed money for Eli’s investment portfolio.

Inside, someone had draped black fabric everywhere, lights shimmering against the folds, highlighting the textures. Seemed gloomy, but maybe that was just Maki’s mood. At least there would be dark corners and Maki could hide there. She grabbed a bottled seltzer water and slunk into the corner she’d decided on. Wait for the music to start, give it a few minutes, then find the founder, shake his hand and express her reluctant need to get back to her lab. It was a great plan. Maki had spent at least an hour going through the steps in her mind, including the slight nod when the demonic black eyes of Nico Ni glanced in her direction. As if she didn’t know her, as if she thought the eyes were actually black, as if she hadn’t been dreaming every night about…

Nope. That was a trap. Take a sip of water. Focus. Ignore everything below eye level. Until they simper.

“So the brilliant Professor can’t stop stalking the great Nico Ni?” Nico’s voice sounded even peakier than usual.

Maki took a long moment and looked down her nose at the singer, taken aback by a Nico shaped hole under a lace cage of deep blue lights. It was disconcerting, she heard Nico’s voice, but as her eyes struggled to find definition in Nico’s face, she could only sweep the contours and as her line of sight followed the line of Nico’s body down, and she was pretty sure some of the curves were padded, but there was nothing but depth. Maki shivered, a hand instinctively reaching out but as she connected with the light cage, Nico Ni hopped back, “No touching, Professor. You’ll break the illusion.”

“Sorry,” Maki grunted, pushing her hand into the wall behind her to contact something solid, her eyes still futilely attempting to make sense of Nico’s lips and nose, lost in the darkest black she’d ever seen.

There was silence, a hole between them as black and deep as whatever was obscuring every detail of Nico’s appearance. Nico fell back into character, leaning forward toward Maki, what might be an arm sweeping her finger to her lips, her voice a coquettish giggle, “Don’t tell anyone, but Nico Ni is debuting a new song later. About pretty girls.” Maki was glad she couldn’t see the wink. That was her cue to accuse Nico Ni of being simplistic or untalented or invasive. Her cue for disdain and disinterest. They’d done this same exchange too often recently and Maki didn’t have the drive for another round.

“I’m sure I’ll enjoy the performance.” Maki shrugged and went in search of the founder.

Nico frowned, startled out of character for a breath as she watched the redhead get further and farther away. “No fight left?” Nico muttered, uncertain. Then with a smile obscured by designed darkness, she swept back into the crowd, every awed comment, every intake of breath, every ‘Nico Ni’ shouted greeting fueling her for the upcoming performance. No time for worry.

Maki had left halfway through Nico Ni’s performance and headed to the dojo. She and Umi were trying to build an light array based on specs Hanayo had given them. Umi was also working a program to mimic the abilities and reactions of the organoid brain. Maki calculated that if they could find the right pattern, seizures could be triggered in the A-RIse bots, similar to how patterns effected epileptics. It would be a strategy to use against them, if necessary. Eli was working on sourcing parts for a Taser sized EMP device that could trigger a robot shutdown. Nico would probably refuse if Maki asked to borrow one to test it on. But that didn’t mean Maki wasn’t going to work from the data they’d gotten. Maki guessed Nico and the rest of the Idol Fools would let their paint cans idle tonight. It would probably take Nico far too long to get the body paint off to make any other activity practical.

Maki pulled up the main screen and did an automatic check for Soldier Game mentions and #sgame on TWIG. The social media chatter had been dropping; the government had had a bunch of bots pushing Nico Ni’s latest single and spreading the rumor that Soldier Game were government agents. Attendance at the last rave had dropped and Nozomi had passed a rumor on to Eli that there might be a raid at the next one.

Maki sighed and hearted the latest IdolFools image. They needed to talk about a way to pushback. Eli had started taking advice from Nozomi, but she thought they needed to be public figures, something not even Eli agreed with. And Umi was preparing for a trip to see Alisa. Maki was the only person lacking advice from someone significant in her life.

Her phone buzzed? She looked down. The encrypted weather app. A change in the Kyoto forecast. That meant Nico.

N: Where are you?

M: Working.

N: Nico is at your place. And you only have pizza. （●≧艸≦

M: Why are you at my place?

N: TO SEE YOU (ღ꒡ ᵌ꒡)⋆﹡♡⃛*⁎⋆(꒡ᵋ ꒡ღ)

M: I’ll be there in 10 minutes. Stay put.

N: ┗(^o^　)┓三

Maki pulled her hat down and tossed on a dark hoodie. Back into the tunnels. To see Nico. Her stomach fluttered a little as her pulse picked up. She hoped Nico had gotten out of that nightmare makeup. She had enough bad memories of the Idol’s ‘demon doll’ side.

Maki was surprised to find Nico calmly on her couch, wearing baggy cargo pants and an over sized sweatshirt. Her face had been scrubbed clean, but there were disconcerting slashes of dark on her neck that Maki kept staring at.

“You need to upgrade your makeup removal stash. Nico will give you a list.” Nico put down the book...one of Maki’s recent organic robotics purchases and leaned back, “Hey, genius.”

“I have a name.” Maki snapped.

“Professor Nishikino.”

Maki sighed and fell into the couch, “I missed you too, Lt. Colonel.”

Nico’s head was suddenly in Maki’s lap, Nico’s eyes literally holes in her head. Maki didn’t scream, that was a plus, although she did nearly bite through her lip.“Please, Nico-chan, take out your contacts.” Maki tried not to shiver, but Nico caught the movement away from her and bounced up immediately.

“Do you have anything that isn’t pizza?” Nico complained as she hurried into the half bath. Maki took a container out of her kangaroo pocket, “I picked you up some kind of rice dish from a street vendor.”

Nico leapt over the couch, kissed Maki and grabbed the box, “You are so worth it.”

“Worth what?” Maki kept staring at the paint slashes, which moved as Nico swallowed. Eerie.

“Sneaking out after curfew, fraternizing with enemies of the state, risking my career,” Nico turned, mid chew and winked, “And my heart.”

“You have one?” Maki doubled down on snarky and wished she hadn’t. This was a real chance to talk to, to be with Nico and here she was, back to blowing it. Nico raised an eyebrow and Maki saw another slash of dark under it. This looked like Nico had a tiny hole in her head. Tonight was a winner in the least favorite Nico Ni costume derby. “I’ll wait while you get out your stethoscope, Doc.” Nico waved her chopsticks toward Maki’s lab.

“I’m sorry.” Maki slid a little closer to Nico, “How’s the recovery from the A-Tak?”

“Nico hasn’t fallen in” Nico counted off something with the chopsticks, “Three weeks.”

Maki nodded, a little closer, her arm on the couch behind Nico. She watched as Nico picked up every last bit of rice and then neatly placed box and utensils on the table. Then Nico turned, “You look even better than I remember.”

So did Nico. Lips thankfully free of black paint, crimson eyes a mysterious, welcoming warmth. Maki could feel Nico so vividly, where her arm rested near the Idol’s back. Maki was 1000% sure there were important topics to discuss and lines to draw, but Nico wasn’t moving away and Maki just wanted to charge forward into a kiss. Touching Nico’s lips was a jolt, the first time Maki had been overwhelmed by the sensations that exploded, but this time woven into an even greater crash of sensations was the memories, the touches, the thrusts, the skin against skin contact that made every flinch, every twitch a wave. And Nico was moaning yes, and Maki barely heard a zipper through the cacophony in her ears and Nico was encouraging Maki to lift off her sweatshirt, then Maki’s lips were sliding down Nico’s tensing abdomen, her hands stroking up the dancer’s muscles that had always fascinated her, Nico crying Maki’s name and Maki suddenly desperately hungry for a new taste.

###

Couch again, Maki thought as she pulled Nico closer, before the blanket slipped off both of them. Not that Maki would have minded the view, but...not letting go of Nico while creating a warm space for snuggling seemed to be a higher priority to her instinctive reactions. Nico yawned and pecked a kiss on Maki’s cheek.

“Hey,” Nico wondered sleepily, “Where were you? The university’s further away than 10 minutes.”

“Top secret.” Maki murmured into Nico’s hair, “No one knows.”

Nico flipped so she was lying on top of Maki, her eyes full of the impish glee that had charmed Maki through the computer screen, “I can find it.”

“Ha!” Maki shook her head. Nico pressed her lips together, dragged an extremely distracting hand along Maki’s ribs and dropped her head to whisper, “Bet I can” into Maki’s ear, triggering shivers.

“No.” Maki managed to get out.

“No?” Nico pulled back, quirking an eyebrow.

“Won’t find it….” Maki was finding hard to get words out as Nico’s hands ranged lower, taking their time over her curves.

Maki kicked the blanket off and Nico laughed, “Getting hot?”Nico hovered over Maki’s lips, barely brushing kisses against them. WIth a moan, Maki wrapped her arms around Nico, forcing the Idol even closer.

“I think that’s a yes,” Nico whispered as her hand skimmed over Maki’s breasts and Maki gasped, nodding, her legs hooking around Nico’s as momentum took more than the blanket to the floor.

###

Nico and Maki were sitting, backs against the couch, pizza shared between them, blanket wrapped around them, speakers playing jazz.

“How’s the Soldier Game business?” Nico popped the tab on a cold coffee.

Maki frowned, finishing her slice of pizza, “Not as much traffic; government spreading rumors that we’re government agents. We’re trying to figure out a strategy to ‘retake a defensible position, ‘to quote Umi.”

“Give the people what they want.” Nico stated simply.

Maki turned, ignoring the blanket that fell off her shoulder, enjoying Nico’s inability not to stare, “And what do the people want?”

Nico’s finger traced a gentle line across Maki’s nearest shoulder, tapping lightly up her neck, “The people want sexy.”

“Sexy? But we’re anonymous…” Maki looked confused.

“So? You don’t need pictures. Music can be sexy. Haven’t you heard Nico’s latest?” Nico stared at Maki for a long moment and when no response was given, she shrugged and continued, “Nico will forgive you. It’s capital S, triple XXX, kiss the girl hard, SeXXXy. Kind winds don’t really blow the clothes off girls.”

Maki had recovered and her eyebrow went to war, raising archly to eloquently express doubt, “I don’t see yours.”

Nico roared with laughter, then kissed Maki hard enough to scramble Maki’s next thought, which was fine with Nico, “See, sexxxy. Spice up your music. Give the cute girls what they want.”

Maki growled, as she moved into Nico, “And what do you want?”

“There’s the sexy,” Nico bopped Maki on the nose, causing the redhead to sit up,”Growl like a...panther, prowl...visualize.” Nico gestured at herself, then slid the blanket off her shoulder, “You don’t get to see this much of the Number One Idol in the universe without some game.”

Nico was giggling. Maki sighed and leaned back.

“What’s wrong?”

“You have no sense of mood.”

“Nico Ni knows mood.”

“Nico Ni knows nothing.”

Nico pulled Maki in, kissing her so long and with so much weight that the redhead was breathless and panting and leaning forward for more, “Nico knows Maki will remember this.”

Maki didn’t want to let Nico win, while at the same time desperately wanting Nico’s kiss. Nico took advantage of her internal argument to once again advance, her caresses expertly deployed to melt Maki into a shivering mess.

“...want...No 1….Lt….Col...Yaza...you...,” Maki managed to get out amid mostly animal noises.

Nico’s laugh was a cold contrast to the warmth her hands were driving straight through Maki’s legs, “I bet I can have you singing my latest song. I know you listened to it.”And all senses surrendered before Lt. Colonel Yazawa’s bold sweeps. No treaties were signed.

THE MORNING AFTER

Fortunately, Maki did not have an 8 am class scheduled so sleeping in after Nico left at dawn was not a problem. There was a department meeting at 3 so Maki headed in early to clear out her email and prepare. A woman, dressed in more business like attire than the usual student wear, was pacing outside her office.

“Hello?” Maki greeted her visitor.

“Doctor Nishikino?” The woman’s voice had a lovely, musical lilt but everything else about her screamed razor sharp professional edge.

“Can I help you?” Maki tapped out her passcode, puzzled.

“Did you receive Doctor Amago’s message?”

Maki shrugged, “I had family business this morning and haven’t checked anything.”

The woman shook her head and followed Maki into her office, uninvited. Maki sat behind her desk, typed in her password and waited.

“If you had read Dr. Amago’s message, you would have expected me.’

“I am sorry if my being unprepared is causing a delay in your day.” Maki bowed her head slightly, monitoring the tone of her voice closely, “Can we reschedule for another time?”

The woman shook her head, still standing. “I am Inoue Kiku, departmental assistant for media relations.”

Maki realized the woman frowning at her was her link to the media, the Ms. Inoue who passed on all the requests for interviews.

“Dr. Amago has asked me to pass on a directive that the government had given to him.” Inoue linked her hands behind her back, light eyes boring into Maki’s. “For such a high profile department, working so closely with military suppliers, the government requests that you hire an assistant who is both male and married.”

“W...what...why?” Maki half rose from her chair, hands clenching.

“While we acknowledge that Ayase-san’s work has met the requirements of the position, we feel that two women at the head of our premier robotics efforts sends the wrong message.”

Maki stood, hands shoved into her desk to channel some of the flaring rage she felt, but any comments she thought crashed into her faltering mental filter so she just stared into Inoue’s expressionless eyes, mouth slightly open.

“Ayase-san will be moved to another, less visible department.” Inoue stated.

Maki shook herself, “I am not firing my assistant and replacing her with a random male. Does the university demand any level of talent or skill or experience of this imaginary male?

Inoue didn’t back down, even as Maki’s voice gathered force, “The government representative I spoke to was not concerned about that. We would pre…:

Maki inhaled and drew herself up, briskly cutting off Inoue, “I don’t care. I am not replacing Ayase-san. Her work is excellent. Please inform Dr. Amago of my decision. Should another research assistant slot open up, I will certainly consider his advice, but my main concern is the quality of the work being done. That will not change.”

“Your status does not make your position more secure, Dr. Nishikino.”

“Thank you for sharing your belief, Inoue-san. Please leave my office. I need to catch up on my correspondence.”

Inoue shut the door behind her and Maki fell back into her chair, all the post night with Nico jaunty replaced with worry for Eli and frustration with a government that had decided, once again, to put women in secondary positions. Eli’s partial Russian heritage heightened the probability that the department would not stop pushing until they’d found a way to replace her with a ‘definitive picture of traditional Japan.” Maki needed to install a speed bag here as well, especially if the government was planning to use her to further its agenda. How did Nico manage? Maki closed her laptop. Quick walk was a better use of her pre meeting time. She didn’t really want to think about the choices Nico made daily and the message Nico was promoting. Maki had been able to float a little above the fray, buffered by circumstances and money, but now she could feel the ground shift, about to tilt her into the messy middle of the fight.

###

Nico entered the offices. Sergeant Takeda saluted, “He wants to see you.”

Nico nodded, stepping quickly into Komura’s office.

“Yazawa.” Komura was sorting through papers.“Sir?”

“Phase Three is approaching and we are being ordered to develop new public outreach strategies. There’s a meeting in two hours with the rest of the team. Your “find a new songwriter” suggestion was a big success and a commendation has been posted in your file, but I want at least three more usable ideas from you.” Komura met Nico’s eyes, grim, “There are elements pushing back and we need to counter their efforts.”

Soldier Game, Nico thought to herself, and Maki had insisted that their numbers were lacking, but Nico couldn’t think of anyone else out there pushing counter propaganda. Well, the Idol Fools, but...

“Is there anything in particular going on, sir?” Nico was surprised that she asked, and recovered, “so I know where are our efforts are weak?”

Komura stood, clapping Nico on the shoulder, “You’re a loyal airman, Yazawa. I respect that.” He sighed, “Mostly foreign influences, celebrity postings on TWIG, a podcast and a few Japanese artists, some of whom are anonymous. We’ll be discrediting the public figures, but we need some high voltage celebrity presence ourselves.”

Nico nodded, good soldier Nico time. A strategy to boost Nico Ni’s image had flashed in her mind immediately, but she wasn’t going to enjoy it and she was willing to bet a certain temperamental roboticist would hate it.

“I’m on it, sir.”

“Good. Two hours, Yazawa, use them well.”

Nico saluted, thoughts pinballing between opposite worlds and incompatible needs.

INTERLUDE

Eli was always surprised at how quickly Muse had become a second home and how comfortable she had gotten with Nozomi. It was still disconcerting when Nozomi would fix Eli with an intense stare and insist Eli pull a card from her Tarot deck. The last had been a Two of Rods, with Nozomi insisting that Eli was preparing for a journey, to which Eli’s reply had been that she’d pulled Umi’s fortune by accident. And had then sat through a lecture on how the cards did not tell fortunes, they provided guidance. Considering how Nozomi’s turquoise eyes had twinkled and Eli’s reward after, Eli was willing to learn more about Tarot any time Nozomi was willing. Eli was willing to learn more about anything any time Nozomi was willing.

They were upstairs, in Nozomi’s room, jammed between the Idol Fools workspace and Kotori’s fabric and clothing storage. Eli was lounging on the bed in a open shirt while Nozomi puttered in the kitchen, making tea, in a sarong and bra.

“Is there always this chemical smell?” Eli wondered.

“Sorry. I’ll open a window. They must be trying a new paint formula. They mask the profile with smells the drones won’t track, mostly spices.”

“So that’s why I get a curry craving whenever Honoka and Rin hug me.” Eli yawned and laid back.

Nozomi giggled, “What kind of tea do you want?”

“You.” Eli propped herself up on an elbow, her best come-hither grin aimed right at Nozomi.

Nozomi shook her head, “Chamomile it is.” After pouring water into the kettle, she sat on the side of the bed, taking one of Eli’s hands in hers, “I need to talk to you, Eli-chi.”

Eli immediately pulled Nozomi in for a hug, worry replacing any other thoughts, “What’s wrong?”

“Honoka and Rin found three more teens who were kicked out by their families.” Nozomi said, softly, her head pressed into Eli’s shoulders as the blonde tightened her hold, “We’ve almost got a safe place set up for them, but we need a little more help…”

“What do you need?” Eli’s organizational skills readied to receive a list

“Money, food, clothes….They had the clothes on their back and two kept their phones.”

Eli kissed the top of Nozomi’s head, blue eyes earnest, “I don’t have much, but I’ll talk to Maki.”

Nozomi shook her head, “No, Eli-chi, what they need is Soldier Game. We need to reach out to as many people as we can. We’re going to need more safe spaces and to tell people how to find them.”

Of course, Soldier Game. Eli blushed a little, embarrassed at her misunderstanding of Nozomi’s intent. Nozomi tilted her head, watching as Eli looked shyly away and took the blonde’s hand again, “You are a wonder, Eli-chi. You care and do so much. It’s what I love most about you.”

Eli raised her head, amazed as she heard Nozomi’s words repeat in her head. And then before she could stutter out a response, Nozomi’s lips reinforced the message they’d just breathed out.

###

"Flow like the waves until dawn breaks My feelings swirl more violently than usual And I feel as though I could fall apart completely

Should I sleep? The moon eventually grows light A gentle dream falls upon my chest

With this clichéd sadness and clichéd pain, I barely hold back tears and watch the stars They shine brighter than usual, and seem to fall As they quietly illuminate me…"

Greetings! That was our newest song "Arifureta Kanashimi no Hate". Ballet Twist here wishing you gentle dreams. But some of us are facing rather harsh realities and so we’re here tonight with a request from the IdolFools and new friend CupQueen, who are finding safe spaces for those turned out and turned against by families, landlords and friends. Next tunnel rave, three days from now, please bring an item that would get you through a dark night. We have to help each other. Code word is star watching; you’ll get the usual text. And watch the clubs for a Minalisky appearance; Love Arrow has heard they’ve been really restless lately and looking to burn up a dance floor ENBY style ‘til they close down the club.

On a brighter note, two newer and gayer episodes of Dynamic Leadership Rescue Force have been given the RAY treatment, redubbed for your virtual pleasure. Strap into our VRLock and see what Captain Sasaki and Dr. Tora have discovered on the Shadow Planet.

And now, our resident street medic, Diamond Princess, has recorded some tips for taking care of yourself out in the wild. Listen up. We got your back, hoods and g-skis, but you have to stay safe ‘til we can get you to help.

“DATING” Maki yelled. Eli and Umi looked up from the light array they were working on. Maki was hovering over a Yazawa Nico oddly lacking confidence.

Nico muttered, head down, Maki leaned down, Nico reached a hand out to Maki’s cheek, Maki stepped back and turned on her heel.

Eli and Umi exchanged a glance, as they caught the look on Maki’s face, sullen and scared. “Come upstairs, Eli. Alisa texted me some new photos of her latest eaglet.” Umi grabbed Eli’s arm, both doing their best to ignore the other two in the bunker.

“Maki…” Maki’s eyes were tearing and Eli hesitated, not certain what would be best to say. Nico’s head was still down, hands shoved deep in her pockets, “We’ll be upstairs when you’re done.”

Maki nodded. After Eli and Umi left, Nico came up gently behind her lover and looped both arms around Maki’s waist, “It’s not really dating and I don’t like it either, Maki.”

“I hate it.” Maki spat.

Nico leaned her head into Maki, “How can you…?”

“I have a job.” Nico said quietly.

“D..did Komura think this up? Because…” Maki began, fists clenched and started to press into her thighs.

“I did.” Nico’s voice was so soft Maki couldn’t believe she’d actually heard Nico correctly. “It was my idea.”

Maki turned, Nico’s arms still around her, amethyst eyes open and lost, “Nico-chan?”

Nico swallowed and then blew out a long breath, “After I saw you last, Komura told me our superiors wanted us to develop pushback strategies against things like Soldier Game. Having Nico Ni make public appearances with high profile athletes and celebrities was my suggestion.”

“Why? Do you want to?” Maki felt as if she were going to fall and Nico seemed to sense the sag in energy because she moved them both to a chair, sitting across Maki, arms around the redhead’s neck, one hand playing idly with curls of hair.

“No. And nothing will happen. But I have a job. And I want to do it well. And I don’t want anyone looking for reasons I might be disloyal.” I don’t want them looking for you, Nico thought as she took one of Maki’s hands, brought it to her lips and kissed the palm, “I won’t lie to you, Maki. But there’s some things I can’t tell you right now. You just have to trust me.”

Maki knew Nico was trying to distract her by letting her lips slowly move from palm to wrist to forearm, but she was too detached to notice the gentle pressure. “Nico-chan.” Maki’s tone commanded Nico’s attention and the ruby eyes blinked up at her, mischief clouded by worry.

Nico let Maki’s arm drop and put both her hands on Maki’s cheeks, ensuring that their eyes stayed locked on each other, “I want you. So much. Only you. Nico never imagined feeling like this when I was 18 and they said, “Hey Nico Ni, sign up here for ten years and be an idol.” Nico frowned, “I never imagined anyone as amazing as you in my life, Maki-chan.” Nico kissed Maki, lips desperately twisting to break through the barrier Maki’s stiffness was building around her heart. ”Please trust me. It’ll be like spending time with my little brother for Nico. People will mostly care about seeing posts on TWIG. I won’t care at all.”

Maki sniffled as Nico licked away tears rolling down her face, “I hate this, Nico-chan.”

Nico kissed Maki’s cheek softly before replying, “I know. But I can’t just quit.”

Silence. Both of them staring ahead, no future to be seen, wondering if the other’s was darker. Maki could feel Nico, so close, so much brighter and warmer than any tomorrow she could see. Nico would be with other people, talking, laughing, maybe kissing, maybe…

Nico’s eyes were serious, as if she were reading Maki’s mind, “I won’t.”

Maki had no words, but her hands grabbed the back of Nico’s head and pulled the Idol in for a deep, yielding kiss, any self control Nico might have had dashed by the sudden softness inviting her in, Maki’s whispers encouraging her to prove how much Maki would haunt her thoughts, pushing Nico deeper into the swell of need surging between them, into an intensity of emotion Nico was not prepared for, but there was Maki’s voice, the movement under Nico’s hands, the fingers gliding shivers across Nico’s back. Nico pulled back, staring into trust and warmth and confusion, taking a breath to regain control.

“N...Nico-chan?” And that breath became a hiss as Maki touched a hesitant finger to Nico’s underlip.

Another surge, another kiss, another second became an eternity for Nico, “I love you, Maki-chan.” And then Nico ensured that neither of them said anything else, so she didn’t have to think about what “I love you” meant or hear a response that would lead to a court martial. A moan, a cry, a plea, she knew how to handle those.

[lonelypond]

Rock Me Baby

Love Live, Love Live Sunshine, NicoMaki, 2K 

Another Idol Protection Program Chapter. As always, your mileage may vary, characters are not mine, liberties taken are. 

NicoMaki, parents of Dia and Ruby, run off to have a family and escape the paparazzi. These short, fluffy fics follow those adventures.

25 Years Ago

“Motorcycles would be sooooo coool!”  Rin shouted as she, Hanayo and Maki made their way from the train station to the restaurant where they were meeting Nico.

“Yeah,” Maki grinned, flipping up the collar of her leather jacket, giddy at the thought of Nico after three months of her girlfriend touring. “Nico wouldn’t recognize me when I pick her up at the airport next time.”



Rin air revved the throttle on an imaginary motorcycle and spun back to face Maki, high fiving when she raced by. Maki grabbed her hand and pulled her back, pointing to a Hanayo who was wandering ahead, humming to herself. Rin and Maki nodded at each other, crept up quietly behind a distracted Hanayo, linked their arms and threw her forward a little down the sidewalk, Rin jumping ahead to catch her girlfriend.

“Whatcha singing, Kayo-chin?” Rin wondered.

“Cherry Bomb.”

“Good one, Kayo-chin!” Rin cheered, throwing her hands up to the sky, “Hello Daddy, Hello Mom, I’m your ch…ch…ch…”

“CHERRY BOMB!” Maki and Hanayo joined in with a shout, “Hello, world, I’m your wild girl…”



“Wild is right,” a laugh cut in from behind them, one that made Maki’s heart skip. “You haven’t been keeping up your vocal practice. Nico will win at karaoke easily.”

Maki was breathing as fast as her feet turned, “Nico-chan!”

The small, black haired woman smiled, elegant in a black lace sheath over a dark pink minidress. Nico posed for a moment, then ran toward Maki, leaping into the taller woman’s open arms. Maki whirled them both, only putting Nico down so she could kiss her without tilting over from hyperventilation and dizziness. Rin and Hanayo stood off to the side, arms around each other’s waist, happy to see their best friend so happy again.

Nico ran her fingers through Maki’s red hair, much shorter now. She took a step back, Maki seemed taller, and stranger too, in boots, torn, tight jeans, a t-shirt with a woman lashing into a guitar drawn out of a lip print and a…black leather jacket. Maki also had a single ruby ear stud and a couple of leather cuffs.

“Maki-chan…” Nico raised an eyebrow and spun Maki around, eyes widening at the Sakura Bomb spraypainted across the back, with an exploding cherry blossom in the center, “you look…”



“So cool, right!” Rin grabbed Nico in a hug from the side. “We all got jackets after we saw The Runaways movie, Maki found an artist.”

Nico hugged Rin back, glad for a chance to change the subject. “Hey, Rin-chan! Nico missed you.”

Rin’s hair was curly and she was wearing a leather vest with Wild Girl and a snarling kitten painted on the back, over pretty patterned disco pants and a David Bowie t-shirt. Hanayo had opted for an all denim look, Nico was half afraid to ask what she’d had painted on the back of her jacket.

Nico found herself nodding her head several times, taking in the sight of three of her favorite people gleaming at her and looking so different from the last time she’d seen them. Teenagers, for another year, they were teenagers, this is what teenagers did, Nico reminded herself, suddenly feeling old at 21, looking down at her own outfit, which was yes, a little too formal for the Rock n’ Roll themed ramen restaurant Rin had found, but Nico had wanted to look good for Maki. Did Maki even like Nico’s style anymore? Should Nico have just borrowed a pair of Cotarou’s blue jeans and worn a concert t-shirt?

“Nico-chan?” Nico was startled by Maki’s voice and a hand reaching shyly to take hers. Maki’s eyes still had that gleam when they looked at Nico so maybe…

“Sorry, Maki!” Nico kissed her girlfriend quickly. “You look great. Nico is just tired. And hungry.”

LATER THAT NIGHT BUT STILL 25 YEARS AGO

Nico had never realized she hated the smell of leather until Maki had hung her jacket over Nico’s shoulders when Nico shivered as they were walking together in the park. Rin and Hanayo had headed back to their hotel room and left Nico and Maki to catch up. They were both a little nervous, between Nico’s touring schedule and Maki starting college and a hospital internship, they’d had very little time to talk. Nico was used to borrowing sweaters and shirts that smelled like Maki and this one didn’t. And that made her grumpy. Nico glanced over at the redhead too shy to look at her and wondered how to jumpstart a conversation.

“So you like Joan Jett?”

Maki shrugged, “She knows what she wants and goes for it.” There was a pause, “I envy that. You do that too. It’s impressive.”

There was a bench, Nico stopped. Cold as it was she slid the jacket off as she sat, glad to escape the hard feel scraping against her skin. Nico preferred silky and satiny fabrics that slid and shimmered. Maki sat next to her, very close, very warm. Nico leaned her head on Maki’s chest, finally able to get close enough to feel the connection they had. She wondered if Maki felt it too.

Maki frowned, Nico had ditched the jacket. Maybe she didn’t want anything of Maki’s anymore. Maybe she’d discovered she didn’t miss being with Maki. But here she was melting into Maki’s side, feeling so warm and close.

“Kiss me, Maki-chan.” Nico whispered, turning Maki around.

“Why you’d take off the jacket?” Maki asked, worried.



Nico sighed. So like Maki to get caught on the least important detail when Nico had already skipped ahead to the fun part. So Nico ignored the question and pulled Maki into a deep kiss designed to knock everything else out of her genius brain. And because it was Maki and Nico, it worked, for awhile. Maki responding with eagerness and urgency, her hands roving everywhere as Nico kept running her fingers across Maki’s scalp and enjoying every shiver she induced.

“Nico-chan…” Maki gasped. Eventually.


“Yeah,” Nico agreed, grabbed Maki’s hand and headed for the hotel, This had become a private conversation twenty minutes and one unzipped pair of jeans ago.  Nico tried not to groan when Maki remembered to grab the jacket. Sakura Bomb it was.

NOW

Dia followed her grandmother into a room she’d never stayed in.

“Mama’s room?” Dia asked, looking at the walls, which had a framed μ’s poster and many framed records, mostly jazz, but Dia spotted all of Nico’s albums there. Dia moved to the wall, reaching out to touch Nico’s first single.

“Your Mom always had vinyl copies pressed because she knew your Mama collected them.”

Dia grinned as her grandmother glanced fondly around the room, “You can sleep here tonight since Maki isn’t using it.”

Ruby was still sleeping in her grandparents room when their parents were away. Even at 13, she was still very fearful.

Dia sat on the bed, not feeling sleepy and decided to explore the closet. Walk in. Her mom had a closet like that at home and Mama was allowed to keep a few clothes in it. Dia pushed through mostly dresses, some old μ’s costumes, a few button down shirts and suits. Some hat and shoe boxes were shoved back on a shelf and there was a large box Dia couldn’t help pulling down. Written on the outside was “Do Not Open This Nico-chan! I mean it!”

Dia hesitated for a brief moment, but it said “do not open this Nico-chan” not “do not open this Dia” so curiosity won and Dia opened it.

Inside was a picture and a single ruby ear stud lying on top of a carefully wrapped leather jacket, some t-shirts and a few leather cuffs. The picture was her mama smiling at the camera with Rin and Hanayo, the three of them dressed like a rock band, Rin playing air drums, Hanayo singing something into an invisible mic while Maki did what Dia assumed was play air guitar. Nico was dressed in a super girly, super pretty dress and looked like she’d stepped out of a different world, bemused, all her attention on Maki, and blowing a kiss in that direction.

Dia pullled out the jacket. Cool, crinkly, leather, Sakura Bomb spray painted across the back. She’d have to show Ruby in the morning. They could have fun playing dress up with everything in this closet until their parents showed up.

Maki had left the sedan at her parents and lured Nico into the convertible, damage to Nico’s careful hairstyle ignored for once as they drove out to the inn Maki had found for a night together without the girls. Nico was about to leave on a book signing tour and Maki wanted to be sure Nico had incentive to hurry home. Nico was yawning as they pulled up to the Nishikino mansion. There had not been much sleeping. But she could nap on the drive back to Uchiura.

Dia and Ruby ran out to greet them, Dia wearing a leather jacket that Maki hadn’t seen in years and Ruby in an old “Runaways Live From Japan” t-shirt that had been stuffed away in the back of the closet for the same number of years as the jacket. Dia was now tall enough to fit in Maki’s clothes and everyone was still getting used to it. Nico circled her oldest daughter, glancing suspiciously at her wife.

“Grandma let me sleep in your room. Ruby and I had fun playing dress up this morning. Isn’t this a great jacket.” Dia twirled and posed.

Maki hugged her daughter, winking at Nico, “One of my favorites. Your mother thought I looked so cool in it.”



Nico hmmpphhed…Maki chuckled. Her mother held the door open so everyone could return inside, “I decided Dia was old enough to sleep in your room, now that she’s so tall.”



Nico hmmmppphed again, to Maki’s amusement as she waited for the moment her wife would explode.

“Maki-chan?” Ah, the sweet voice, this was going to be fun.

“Yes, love?”



“Didn’t we agree that Nico never had to see that jacket again?”



Dia started to pick up the prickling energy between her parents and stared, while Ruby happily followed her grandmother into the house.

Maki shrugged, her arm around her daughter’s shoulders, “I wrote very clearly on the box “Do Not Look Inside Nico-chan” to save you from that.”

“She did.” Dia agreed brightly.

Nico shook her head and mumbled something about daughters, bad influences and taking after the wrong parent. Dia decided to duck inside. Maki decided to press her advantage, wrapping her arms around Nico’s waist.

“You could barely keep your hands off me when you saw me in it.”



Nico flared up, “You know that’s not why.”

“Do I?” Maki leaned in for a kiss, but Nico dodged and grabbed the keys from Maki’s hand.

“I’m going to my mother’s, until that jacket disappears again.” 



Maki laughed, “You know she’s going to keep wearing it.”

Nico grimaced, “Ughhh…you could not encourage her.”

Maki laughed, “As a parent, I have no opinion. I support her interests. Like my mother did with me.”



“Your mother didn’t have to date that jacket.” Nico still remembered the smell and the horrible crackling feel of the tanned leather. But she decided to try charm rather than complaint and moved closer to Maki, flicking her tongue over her own lips and running a hand through Maki’s hair, “I am glad you decided to keep your hair longer.” Nico pulled Maki down for a rough kiss. “And if you convince your daughter to leave that jacket here, Nico can hurry back from her tour.”

Maki laughed, “Nico will hurry back anyway.”

Nico frowned and stepped into the car, “I’ll be at my mother’s. Do not let Ruby watch that movie.”

Maki saluted as Nico pulled out. Movie. That was a great idea. Time to call Rin and Hanayo. Maybe they could bring Tora over. But after last night, first Maki needed a snack.

Maki was perched on the kitchen island, phone in one hand, chips in the other when her mother wandered in. Her mother frowned meaningfully, but Maki ignored it.

“Rin and Hanayo are bringing Tora over. We’re going to watch The Runaways and maybe have a sleepover.” Maki announced.

“Sounds fun. What about Nico?”

Maki’s grin was sly as the Nico-tone, which she hadn’t changed since high school, went off, “She’s been text lecturing me about setting a parental example.”  She glanced down at Nico’s latest and laughed, “She’ll be back later with pizza. We’re staying another night.”

Maki’s mother rolled her eyes and pulled her daughter off the counter, amused at the thought of a household lively with teenagers, actual and otherwise, for another night.