gaaaaay | (no subject)

It's been three days since Eli's gone to visit her family in Russia, and another two weeks before she gets back.

Nozomi already doesn't know how she's going to make it.

Moving in together has spoiled her; while she used to be perfectly fine going about her morning routine alone and returning to an empty apartment every evening, now, with the distinct Eli-shaped void in her day, the loneliness is unbearable.

Of course, she has her friends, whom she's always trying to meet as often as she can. And when she's with them, Nozomi forgets all about her loneliness -- but once their meetup is over and they all go their separate ways, it sets right back in.

Her home just feels too big with only her in it.

It's Friday evening and she has reading she was given to do over break, but Nozomi can't focus at all. It's too quiet; she can hear the ticking of the clock far too clearly, the chirping of crickets outside. She's read the same sentence four times now and she still has no idea what it says.

Nozomi falls back onto the mattress with a flomp, and spends a moment frowning up at the ceiling before inspiration strikes. With rekindled spirits, she reaches for her cellphone on the nightstand, and hits the second number on her speed dial.

"Nicocchi," she says in way of greeting, and doesn't bother with pleasantries such as 'hello' and 'how are you'. "Why don't you come over?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nico rolls her eyes but before she can even utter a word, the other girl is already dragging her along. For a second, Nico was already second guessing why she came. 'Wait, why am I here--- right, cake. You got this, Nico,' she reassured herself. But upon glancing back to Nozomi, she already felt her energy being drained. Cake sure seem pretty good about now.

"You're really eager today, aren't you?" she commented.

"Is that a bad thing?" Nozomi chipperly deflects, before her smile slants into a smirk. "Besides, I'm sure Nicocchi has some energy to spare, too, having invested none of it in her summer homework."

Immediately darts her head away from Nozomi. "H a h a," she lets out the most forced laugh anyone can bear witness to. "Oh stop it, Nozomi-chan~ You're such a joker!" Nico gives Nozomi's shoulder a light, playful slap before quickly turning both her attention and the topic towards the cafe.

"Oh boy, cake!" she beams, forcing out the cute from her pores.

Nozomi rolls her eyes through a grin, not bothering to mention that she isn't faring much better on that front herself. Cake is indeed the better thing to focus on, here.

They head inside and take a seat -- thankfully, it's not too crowded this evening. The waitress approaches before long and hands them a pair of menus, and Nozomi leafs through hers more out of habit than anything, not even reading the words. She knows this place well enough by now that she doesn't need to.

"So what'll it be today, Nicocchi?"

Having been here a handful of times, Nico practically strides in like she owns the place, seating herself comfortably. She flips through the menu out of habit as well, more so just looking at the pictures to see which looks most appetizing at the moment.

But something just didn't feel quite right. She looks up to Nozomi, quirking a brow. Sure, Nico enjoyed being selfish whenever she can but seeming needy around Nozomi didn't sit quite well with her. In fact, being babied by Nozomi just didn't sit well with her at all.

Letting out a little huff, she sets the menu aside, "Whatever Nozomi feels like eating is fine."

"Since you came here for this, is there really any reason to be holding back?" Nozomi laughs. Well, that side of Nico is cute, too. It just makes her want to spoil her more.

"Well, strawberry shortcake is fine, isn't it?" They've been here enough times that there's no real need for her to ask.

Nico furrows her brows, "This wasn't the only thing I came for--!" She pauses, her lips thinning into a faint frown. Crap. Nozomi's probably going to get the wrong idea now.

"Anyway, no one's holding back," she says, clearing her throat while avoiding eye contact with the other girl. But the moment Nozomi mentions strawberry shortcake, her front dissipates for a second, glancing to the other before turning away again. There was a small glint of contentment in her eyes.

"Yeah, sure," she replies nonchalantly. "I'm cool with that."

Nozomi's smile is remarkably devoid of any teasing -- she just looks sincerely happy to hear the words.

"As for me, I guess it just wouldn't be right to come here without ordering a parfait," she ponders aloud, and then signals the waitress over to give her their order. She asks for a milkshake, too, while she's at it.

"So," she turns back to Nico once the waitress has taken her leave, "is your family doing well, Nicocchi?"