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lonelypond · 7 months

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A Whole Heap Of Trouble

NicoMaki, NozoEli, Love Live, 2.4K, 6/?

The time to track down the A-Rise gang is nearing. Nishikino Maki has feelings to confront; Sonoda Umi has allies to recruit

A Whole Heap Of Trouble

For once, Nozomi Tojo was eager to climb the stairs to her room over the general store, to have some private moments. Business had been bustling, people in and out, full of news, but Nozomi couldn’t shake the sense that as much as the flow of information flowed freely on the surface, there were undercurrents and shadows in the depths. Maki’s cousin, Rin, was a friendly visitor nearly every day, but some days her purchases made no sense if Nozomi tried to link them to Hanayo’s ranch. And frankly, the only person in town who had as much cash as Rin was spending was Doctor Maki. Even when they socialized together, dinner with the girls and Hanayo at the saloon, once a week as usual for Maki, Nozomi couldn’t get a read on their relationship. The Doctor was even more closed off than usual. And Eli, Eli was working later, spending more time visiting distant ranches, and restless when she and Nozomi found themselves together. That wired energy would translate into nights with Eli that Nozomi wanted to linger in bed and daydream about, but somehow it wasn’t exactly the Eli that Nozomi knew and loved. Today, today, Nozomi would get answers from her oldest friend, the well worn Tarot deck she carried everywhere. Her thoughts on Eli, the feel of the cards against her fingertips familiar, Nozomi dealt out three cards.

A very mixed picture. In the Past slot she had the Two of Pentacles. Freezing passerbys outside looking in, unable or unwilling to reach for help. The Present slot was the frankly disturbing reversed Eight of Swords, a woman blindfolded in a maze of deadly edges. There is a path out of the present twisting around, but steps must taken blindly, forward. The future was a strike from a reversed Ace of Wands. Unexpected change. What path will be chosen?

Disgruntled, Nozomi reached again for the deck, taking the top card and turning it, giving the pictures shuffling around her some grounding. Three of wands. A horizon, perhaps a journey, a new start. A new start that embraced a past Nozomi had asked Eli had put behind her. Nozomi sighed. She should have known better than to set Eli on a path that took nothing forward.

Something important was about to happen, an opportunity for Eli to help, but only if Nozomi could convince her that breaking a promise was the only way forward. Reshuffling the cards, Nozomi left them out, where Eli would see them. The next step was to return something Eli believed gone forever.

###

Kousaka Honoka walked at a brisk pace, blue eyes taking in as much detail as possible, goofy grin on her face covering serious thoughts. She’d gotten a message, a fellow marshal had taken a chance and sidled up to the bar next to her, demanding they cut cards for whiskey shots. Honoka had lost two pulls of of three, but thanks to very carefully phrased challenges, Honoka knew that help was coming, riding out to the train intercept. Not from this town though. Honoka had realized A-Rise had chosen this Colorado town as a reunion point because Tsubasa had a very cozy relationship with the sheriff, who was passing information from the marshals. Honoka and Rin had known that there was a turncoat in the organization somewhere. They kept their plans limited to the people they could absolutely trust. Yazawa Nico had become one of them so Honoka was glad Rin had ridden after her. But that left Honoka in a lonely, dangerous position.

“Honoka!” Yuuki Anju, one of A-Rise’s lieutenants bounced up to throw an arm around Honoka, “Where ya been? Tsuba’s been looking for you.”

Honoka rolled up the frayed cuff of her jacket, showing a new undyed shirt sleeve. “Caught my sleeve on a nail at the livery, needed a new shirt.”

“Can’t wait to get to San Francisco and buy something fancier than you can get here.” Anju scuffed at the material.

“Yeah.” Honoka chuckled, “I’ll go straight for linen. Calico’s too coarse.”Honoka straightened her battered gray bowler, “Need a new hat too. This one’ll see me through the winter but…”

‘No flair.”

Honoka swallowed a wince at the woman’s matter of fact assessment. She really needed to dandy up before she saw Umi and Kotori again.

###

Yazawa Nico knocked gently on Maki’s office doorframe. “The girls are all packed and ready for tomorrow. Nico’s about to cook up lunch. Want some?”

Maki shook her head.

“They’re so excited. They say they've been wanting to go camping for awhile now. All the songs made them curious." Nico grinned, bright and jaunty.

Maki shrugged, “Busy.” She smiled down at her inventory, thinking of Ruby and Dia playing, tumbling around and roughhousing with her. “Plus, they outnumber me.”

“Nico fixes that.”

“You do.” The smile continued.

A pause.

“Nico will save you lunch. For whenever you're done with serious doctor things.”

“Thank you.” Back to serious doctor face.

Getting Maki to talk about anything for more than a sentence or two was becoming impossible. Nico wondered if it was punishment for Nico leaving or just the doctor shutting off her emotions. But Nico kept throwing out topics like baited fish hooks, hoping to snag the doctor's attention.

“Nico is looking forward to seeing this waterfall. Your pictures are gorgeous.”

Maki grunted.

“Nico is very lucky to have found such a beautiful place and such a beautiful doctor.”

Why did Nico keep doing that? Maki grumbled to herself. Maki didn’t know, had never known what to say to compliments. Nico must know that. She’d been tossing sweet words at Maki like lariat loops, but Maki just let them slip to the ground. She raised a hand to her warming cheek. A blush. Had Nico seen that?

Since their conversation under the stars two nights ago, Nico had carefully kept her talk mostly general, telling stories to the girls, asking Maki about ‘doctor things,’ but no more lips brushing anything or Nico expressing future plans. Why not? How could Nico just leave that statement out there, “Nico wants a family of her own sometime”, ambushing Maki at random, without any further discussion.

Maki was on feet, out of her office, before Nico was halfway across the living room.

“Why?”

Nico turned.

“If you want…” Maki couldn’t articulate what Nico had described. Her hands flailed in the air, “Why are you going away to get yourself shot? Again?”

Nico’s shoulders slumped, she looked back, but the girls remained in the kitchen. So she stepped toward Maki. “It’s the right thing to do. It’s what Nico has to do.”

“You’re not a marshal, you're not a hero. You’re just…” Maki stopped before she started crying.

“No, Nico’s not a hero.” Nico had Maki's hand again, and then Nico was brushing tears from Maki’s cheek. Her voice was a whisper, “Tsubasa threatened my family. I have to make sure they’re going to be safe. Nico made a big mistake back then; I’m gonna fix it. I can’t bring my problems here, Maki. You deserve better.”

“I don't care. I can help.”

“You have to take care of Ruby and Dia. They need you. Nico can take care of Nico.”

“You shouldn’t have to.” Maki was on a cliff and neither she nor an imaginary speeding horse knew where the fall would start.

“It’s what Nico does.” Nico was too good at easily shrugging off Maki’s arguments.

But before Maki could explode, two cheerful voices came rushing forward.

“Mama, come have lunch.” Dia skipped to Maki.

Ruby crushed Nico’s leg into a hug. "Soup!!!"

For this moment, the present, the presence of Ruby, Dia, Nico, and lunch pushed future concerns past the horizon. Perhaps Maki could just stay in this moment, not think, and let the cheerful bustle surround her.

“Yeah, come have lunch, Doctor Maki. You can sit next to Nico.” Nico winked, before she turned to pull Maki into the kitchen, not letting go of her hand.

“Soup!!!” Ruby cheered.

Maki picked up her youngest daughter, engaged in every detail, every sensation around her, forcing a match for Ruby’s enthusiasm. “Soup!!!”

###

“Nontan.”

Nozomi had fallen asleep. Eli had crept into the room so quietly, sitting next to Nozomi, brushing her hair with gentle fingers. Twilight had left the room in a limnal state, Eli catching just enough of a glow from Nozomi’s Tarot deck to wonder what the psychic had been up to before her nap.

“mmmmmm….Eli.” Nozomi murmured softly as she nuzzled into Eli.

“I’m back, Love. Did you have a good nap. Shall I cook you something?”

Nozomi shook her head, then pulled Eli down into a deep, slow kiss. Surprised at the sudden intensity, Eli pulled back, blue eyes seeking clues.

“I love you, Eli. From the very first day we met. You know that, right?”

“What’s wrong, Nozomi?”

“You’ve been restless.”

Eli sighed, then laughed, “Much as I love horses, they’re not really much for talking.”

“You miss….”

Eli’s response was sharp, cutting off what she thought Nozomi might say, “I gave that up when you asked me to, Nozomi. I have no regrets.”

Another kiss.

“I was silly. And worried. Scared.”

“I know.” Eli held Nozomi’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“I have something for you, something you'll need.” Nozomi whispered, her head pressing into Eli’s shoulder. She then leaned over to pull something out from Eli’s usual pillow. The dark, polished leather of Eli’s gunbelt, customized pearl handled twin revolvers were so out of place on the bed they often shared.

Eli froze, shocked at her lover’s action.

“Nozomi? Love???” Eli’s voice cracked. "What did the cards..."

“They say it’s time to embrace your past, to not be an outsider, to take steps forward.”

Eli pushed back from Nozomi, “You made me promise never to wear those again.”

Nozomi’s eyes fluttered closed, as the seer considered her next statement, “I should never have asked you to bury your past.”

“But it was for our future.”

Nozomi put both hands on Eli’s cheeks, holding the teary blue gaze, “Can you tell me you’re happy?”

A harsh knock on the door sent Eli diving off the bed, reaching instinctively for a pistol. The Russian’s reflexes were deep muscle history, the weight of the gun lay perfectly in her palm and she lined up a shot, just as if someone were about to break into her hotel room, to try to recover some of the money Eli had won at poker.

“Nozomi, Eli?” Umi. “I have a favor to ask”

“Of course.”

Nozomi slowly opened the door, Eli taking the opportunity to stash the gun belt under the bed. Umi stepped inside, head bowed.

“My apologies for intruding.”

“You’re always welcome.”

Umi flashed a glance at Nozomi, who pointed her to a chair. Nozomi joined Eli on the bed.

“What can we do ya for?” Nozomi asked gaily in her best company drawl.

Umi twisted her hands, weight centered, leaning forward over her firmly planted boots. “I’ll be riding out in a couple of days, with Rin and Nico.”

“Nico?” One question, two voices.

Umi frowned, “The big black horse new at Hanayo’s is hers. Maki’s been tending her bullet wounds. She and Rin escaped from the A-Rise gang.”

Umi’s voice was soft. But this was hard news. Eli and Nozomi had both heard A-Rise tales, a flood of crime, mayhem, and murder from Colorado to the Pacific sea. The gang had splinter groups, always on the move, uniting together for big heists. They had never been active in these mountains, but the stories went everywhere the rails did.

“Rin’s not Maki’s cousin? But she’s so nice. Does Hanayo know?”

Mutual confusion worrying her, Nozomi took Eli’s hand in hers.

“You cannot share this with anyone. Anyone.” Umi’s tone was so solemn Nozomi and Eli nodded automatically.

“Rin is a marshal. She was undercover with another marshal to get enough evidence to bring down the gang leaders. She saved Nico’s life, but had to leave her assignment.” Umi’s golden brown eyes flooded with worry. “The other marshal has been keeping her cover. And now we have a chance to ambush and corral the gang.”

“They’ve caused a whole heap of trouble.” Nozomi knew the news and gossip was always full of the gang.

“And they have informants inside law enforcement. They’ve paid off many sheriffs. We don’t know who to rely on in other towns.”

“So you’re going to go ambush the biggest gang in the West and rescue a marshal, you, Rin, and this Nico person. With no sheriffs to help you.”

“Kotori, as well. The other marshal is…” Umi sighed, “our partner.”

A memory of the fair haired tailor at work, strong hands cutting through leather fabric, sharp eyes measuring unerringly came to Eli. She had faced many less sure opponents across gaming tables and duel distances.

“Why did you come to us?” Nozomi batted her eyelashes, voice coy.

“Nontan.” Eli chided.

Umi cleared her throat, but there was no embarrassment in her voice, “My job is to keep Otonokizaka Falls safe. So when someone new arrives in town, I send discreet inquiries to some trusted colleagues. Eli Ayase is a well known name in some very big towns.”

“That’s not true.” Nozomi leaned forward, turquoise eyes glittering with mischief.

Eli smiled apologetically at Umi. “Nozomi, please don’t tease our friend.”

“She is right though.” Umi stood, “I am not here for Eli Ayase, blacksmith. I need the skills The Russian can bring to this job, guile, street smarts, and unerring aim.” She extended her hand to Eli, “I know you’ve hung up your guns, but I must ask you to take one more gamble.”

Nozomi stood next to Eli, her arms wrapped around her lover’s waist, Eli seeing nothing but a hearth fire worth of warmth in those eyes. She remembered the thrill of taking a risk, of only knowing the probable outcome, not certain of the success of a gambit. And Umi was her good friend. Eli wanted to be there, to help her return a loved one home.

“I’m in.”

Nozomi’s loud kiss smacked on Eli’s cheek covered Umi’s “thank you”.

“My hero.”

Eli rolled her eyes. “We’ll be doing this with a minimum of heroics and a maximum of solid planning.”

“Agreed.”

Nozomi’s raised a hand to her heart. “Y’all make a lady swoon with your sweet talk.”

Even Umi couldn’t hold in the giggle.

A/N: This one was hard yo…so many feelings. Although I did enjoy the chance to cast Tarot cards for Nozomi

#NicoMaki #NozoEli #Nishikino Maki #Yazawa Nico #Ayase Eli #Tojo Nozomi #Sonoda Umi #Kousaka Honoka #yeehawgust #Western #frontier orphan Dia and Ruby #getting angsty #but still fun #Think of Eli as Maverick

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