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When Nico goes on stage to perform, she has two goals in mind: to shine as bright as she can, and to bring the biggest smiles to people's faces. It's been that way since she was a kid, when her only stage was the living room floor and the audience consisted of no one but her mother, and it hasn't changed one bit.

Until she met Akiha, anyway.

To Nico, the mere fact anyone could look down on idols is unthinkable -- and worse yet, even as she got to know Akiha, that opinion of hers has barely budged. If she could, at least, just write her off as some ignorant moron spewing pointless nonsense, that would've been one thing. But something about that girl caught her interest, and she found herself running into her again and again, until they've come to form an off sort of friendship. Until Nico's come to respect-- even like her.

Akiha's not stupid. She's capable, mature, and effortlessly elegant, a lot of things Nico would like for herself. Not that she'd admit it, because god knows she's bigheaded enough as it is -- but she can't just write Akiha off. She can't ignore it. The thought is a tireless drill at the back of her head, even when they're talking about anything but.

To have her insistently cling on to that baseless disapproval feels, by this point, like a personal insult.

So today, Nico's decided to prove herself. Her school's holding a fair, open to all, and u's will be performing. It took every form of badgering Nico has in her arsenal, from aggressive demands to guilt trips to puppydog eyes, but she successfully convinced Akiha to come. This time, beyond a doubt, she'll make her understand.

The school auditorium might not hold the flare of some of their previous venues in Akiba, but it does offer one significant privilege: peace of mind. They don't have to go up against other groups, they don't have to worry about the weather, and they've been allotted an entire half-hour, making this their longest concert to date. This gives them the chance to perform in their units of three on top of their usual group songs, and Nico's even the center in one.

And she's going to show Akiha exactly what she's worth.

"Nicocchi, you're spacing out." Backstage, Nozomi flicks her forehead, causing her shoulders to twitch. "Don't tell me Super Idol Nico-chan's getting nervous now, of all times?"

"Don't be stupid," she snipes back, flipping a twintail before reaching for her water bottle and gulping down a mouthful. It's cool, and helps sharpen her focus. She grins up at Nozomi. "What's a show like this compared to Love Live?"

"Heh, that's what I like to hear!"

--

Nico doesn't let herself fixate on Akiha. Her eyes skim the crowd for her between songs, and once she's found her, she shoots her the occasional glance from the corner of her eye. But she doesn't let it serve as a distraction, and she definitely doesn't let it hinder her from putting on the best show she can. She sings and dances her heart out -- all nine of them do, just like always -- and the audience cheers and yells and squeals, calling out their names.

It's only after the last song is over and the crowd's begun to disperse that she marches over to Akiha, grabbing hold of her wrist and tugging her towards the backstage with only "come with" to serve as greeting.

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In the back of her mind, Akiha's still counting kisses. Their first one had been a while ago, their second one was fairly recent. Would that peck count as a third? It's such a silly thing to get hung up on, but it's impossible not to feel it. She's kissing Nico, after all. It's something she'd never thought would happen.

It feels incredible, though. Even when it's just little pecks. She leans after Nico as she pulls away, pecks right back at Nico, lips briefly brushing across hers. She wonders if that's still three, or if they've moved onto four.

"When I put my mind to it, I can do anything," Akiha protests without any of her usual huffiness. She just doesn't have it in her anymore. Not when she's so happy.

"I wonder what you love about me," Akiha not so subtly asks in return, eyes meeting Nico's. There's a surprising vulnerability to them. Well, surprising to Nico. Akiha has friends, but they're a stubborn and out-of-sorts lot. Souka is more likely to swear at her than pay her a compliment, and Hanei is so deliberate and slow-paced that Akiha's not even sure if she's heard her say more than four words at a time.

And if she asked Shiki or the twins why they loved her, she's certain they'd have reasons - but the underlying, unspoken reason would be 'you're my sister,' 'you're my employer.'

She guesses she's never had love that she felt she earned, all on her own. She wants to know what she did to earn Nico's. Frankly, it was probably accidental. She doesn't think of herself as a very lovable person.

The way Akiha asks that, with that sheepish eagerness to her voice, makes a wave of overwhelming fondness surge up from Nico's belly. "You're cute," she blurts, more of an uncontrolled urge than a deliberate answer. It's something, though, at the very least.

But there's so much more to it than just that, and Akiha deserves to hear it. It's just... finding those words doesn't come half as easy. As unapologetically upfront as Nico is on principle, when it comes to this stuff -- this mushy, sentimental stuff -- she always finds herself fumbling. But Akiha's at least as bad, and she still went and gave an honest answer, so it's only fair she tries her best, too.

(And, if she can give her this same giddy-bubbly warmth Akiha's words planted in her chest... she wants to.)

"I love," she begins, tentative yet sincere, "that thing... what you just said before. How when you want something, you'll make sure you get it. I guess we're kind of kindred spirits like that!" She laughs, but it's not really a joke if she means it, is it. The word choice, made dramatic for humor, gains a whole different weight in the atmosphere of the room. Nico flushes, but doesn't regret saying it.

"I mean... I get that. And I respect that in you, too. We're always arguing, but it's because we're both the kind of people who don't back down. So, uh... I don't think it's bad. I mean, I kind of like it."

A thoughtful beat--

"And you're impossible." She laughs again, at her own bluntness more than anything. "Which makes it feel like-- like I gotta work to get to you, you know? But I want to. You make me want to. 'cause you're..."

Really, seriously beautiful every time she opens up, and it feels all the sweeter for the time and care it takes.

But god, no matter how honest she's trying to be here, there's no way Nico could get herself to say something that embarrassing. She bites her lip through a slow grin, lopsided with self-consciousness and a little bit goofy; softly, her palm curls around the back of Akiha's hand. "Like a cactus, right?"

Akiha's been called a lot of things in her life. Beautiful, elegant, but never cute. She finds herself flushing at Nico's words, taking them in as she keeps speaking. The 'kindred spirits' only intensifies her reaction. She gulps, audibly, at it. Can feel the weight, not in her throat but in her chest.

"Nico," Akiha begins, before Nico's even finished the thought. The fact that it finishes with the cactus joke doesn't even deter her. She leans in closer, wraps her arms around Nico, tight. She pulls the other girl onto her lap, one hand held close to her hips, the other one reaching up to move through her hair. She curls it in her fingers.

"If I were a cactus, you'd be full of holes," Akiha shoots back, smiling. Her smile can never be goofy, but it's the lightest Akiha thinks it's ever been. Not practiced, not an attempt to be elegant or attractive or confident, just full of affection for the girl in her arms. It's been at least six years since she's been able to smile like this.

"-- I felt like I was about to cry," she admits, laughing softly at her own weakness. "I would have, if you had an actual conclusion. Thank you for being so terrible at this, Nico."

Between the closeness, Akiha's hands on her, and the look on her face, Nico can't care one bit when she's being made fun of. Her own smile only broadens in turn, the pull of muscle enough to make her cheeks ache -- but she can't care about that, either.

"I don't need to hear that from you," she coos, voice halfway to a sing-song. Leaning down, she lightly bumps their foreheads together. Rather then pull away afterwards, though, she stays just like this.

Would Akiha have cried, really? Just because of something she said...? The thought tugs a distinct strum in Nico's chest. The jab that follows the admission is wholly too warm to sting, but it still evokes an urge: she wants to make this perfectly clear.

"That conclusion was totally serious, okay? Like, have you seen cactus flowers?" The words carry a playful ring still, but then she tips her head, touching her lips to Akiha's cheek. Nico's eyelashes flutter, and her voice comes softer, after.

"They're really, really pretty."

Somehow, their foreheads touching is just as intimate a gesture as actually kissing. She can feel Nico's breath on her face, hear her words loud and clear.

Which makes it so much more meaningful when Nico clears things up. Makes it clear just how much of a compliment Nico was trying to pay her.

After making such a show of not crying, it's hard to imagine her going back on that five seconds later. She takes a deep, even breath, tilts her head to try and hide the tears at the corners of her eyes. She isn't crying. Just a little overwhelmed.

"Then we're both cacti," Akiha tries to come back with, her voice more wet than anything. Overwhelmed is becoming a less viable excuse by the second. She takes a deep, shuddering breath, reaches up to wipe at her own eyes with the backs of her wrist.

"I shouldn't be - crying. How am I supposed to explain my eyes being red to Kohaku or Hisui?" She wonders aloud. Her breaths are still shaky. She's not breaking down in tears, but it's clear she's having to try and hold herself back.

"Woah," comes the tactful knee-jerk reaction at the first sight of tears. Nico's jaw goes slack with astonishment, and for a moment there's little more she can do but gape.

Not-- not that Akiha's the type who'd admit to almost crying if she didn't one-hundred percent mean it, but oh god, she's actually crying. The scenario is almost as inconceivable as the confession preceding it, and Nico is left at a total loss for a response.

But she can only stare for so long before starting to feel guilty for it, and so she finally pulls herself together with a shake of her head, and brings both arms around Akiha's back.

"Alright, c'mere." The pads of her fingers rub calming circles into the space between her shoulder blades, and Nico nuzzles temple to temple, keeping her voice hushed and careful. "It's fine to let go once in a while, right?"

"I'm sorry," Akiha murmurs, leaning into Nico. She hasn't cried since she was a child. It's easy to imagine why she's gotten like this - so much on her shoulders, just this one moment of relief, of acceptance. It's a sudden shift, but when she tries to break it down, she can understand her own emotions.

But breaking it down is very hard, when Nico's touching her so soothingly. When she's saying she can let go.

"I shouldn't be like this," she adds, biting her lip as she fights back the tears, hugging Nico more tightly than ever. Her lower lip is quivering. It's pathetic. Right after Nico's praised her strength, she gets like this...

But she can't imagine Nico caring. And that's the biggest relief of all.

"I promise I won't stain your clothes. Just... give me a moment to collect myself, please."

Edited 2016-11-03 22:59 (UTC)

Nico huffs out a laugh, hand momentarily pausing its movements to prod Akiha's back. "Like I care about that, goofball."

It's such a silly thing to even think about, but then, that's how Akiha is, isn't it? She's always going to fuss over petty little things like that -- and she'll always look for reasons to chastise herself for being anything less than perfect. Like she's failing someone just by having feelings.

"Geez," Nico's shoulders heave with a sigh. This girl, honestly... "You don't have to worry, okay? I've gotcha. It's okay."

"I'm a lot to get, Yazawa," Akiha mumbles against her, huffing. At least the tears seem to be dying down. Somewhat.

Akiha's breathing is more even, anyway. She shudders against Nico as she tries to get her breaths even, shoulders shaking. "I'm fine," she finally says, sitting up straight again, brushing her hair back into place and rubbing her palm against the corners of her eyes.

"I'm fine. It was just... very overwhelming. You're a very kind person, Nico," she admits. For all her reassurances that she's fine, she seems ready to cry a bit more at any moment. Though that impression is fading with every breath, every motion. She's very practiced at picking herself back up. It's a pretty sad thing to have a talent for.

"Please warn me next time you're going to be so sweet. I'm hardly the kind of person who can afford to cry like that in public."

Nico doesn't know how to begin to reply. It's not only knowing it was her words that brought Akiha to real, honest tears -- but that she would admit it so plainly. If it were her, Nico's fairly certain she'd still be insisting some dirt got in her eye, that's all, no matter how transparent a lie it would be. She'd always taken Akiha to be same in that regard, but... it looks like she was way off mark, huh.

It's so much to take in, wrapped in the layers of tension and anxiety and relief that came before it, and her stomach's still doing flips from being looked in the eye and called kind. What does she even say to that? To any of this?

The same thing she does to any other compliment, apparently.

"But I can't heeeelp it! Nico-nii's charm is just too much to control! It's my blessing and my curse!"

... Yeah, even she feels embarrassed saying that, this time. She's quick to give up the act, and instead simply cups Akiha's face between both hands, and brings their lips together once more.

That should express enough, right...?

"Much like you're my blessing and my curse," Akiha shoots back, even as Nico leans in to kiss her.

It's not that Akiha's an especially honest person. She's lied to her brother plenty, for his own good. It's just that she's committing to Nico. Lying to her fool brother is one thing, but what sort of person would she be if she lied to the person she claimed to love? Even when the truth is embarrassing, that's no reason to withhold from Nico.

After all, she loves her because she respects her.

Their kiss isn't nearly as nice as the last few, and Akiha realizes that it's because of her. Specifically, she's so busy thinking about all that that she isn't doing a great job of kissing back. She's quick to correct that mistake, leaning closer to Nico and tilting her head, taking her further into the kiss.

It's a good few moments until Akiha pulls away.

"I wonder if you have much experience at this," Akiha muses as she does, tilting her head down at Nico. "You seem better at it than me, to put it bluntly."

"R-really?" One corner of Nico's mouth twitches up entirely too high. Her natural instinct dictates that she roll with the flattery, boasting about her experience that doesn't actually exist --- but she thinks better of it, and swallows the urge back for once.

"Err, well-- experience is a relative thing, you know? That is, uh..."

God, sincerity can be so hard. Nico bites her lower lip, eyes darting off to the side. "... You're my first."

"Perhaps you've just spent too much time thinking about it," Akiha teases. Or rather, tries to tease. She appreciates Nico's honesty too much to be too harsh.

Her hand reaches out, fingers stroking along Nico's chin and cheek. "Of course, I've no experience either. If any of those suitors had tried to kiss me, I would have smacked him."

But she doesn't want to talk about those right now. So she leans in closer still, brushing her lips along Nico's forehead, smiling down at her.

"Well, we've plenty of time to get that experience, don't we?"

Boy, for someone who cried over being confessed to not five minutes ago, Akiha sure can make Nico's heart flutter with commendable ease. She instinctively tips her chin towards that delicate hand, cheeks flushing warmer against Akiha's palm.

Nico's honesty may have cost her a bit of her pride just now, but... it doesn't feel bad. It's actually kind of nice, knowing the two of them are on equal grounds. That they're getting into this together.

"... Yeah," she murmurs her agreement, a dopey little smile twitching back onto her features as she nuzzles into Akiha.

What a totally uncool answer...

Oh, well. It's fine this way.

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:oooo hi!!!

hiii. it's been way too long. i didnt notice i hadn't replied until like. now.

haha well!! welcome back :"")

glad to be back! thanks for replying, too.

sure thing!! honestly i love this thread and would've still tagged back in 2020

we should play akiha/nico until 2020 tbh

hey man i'm down

if you got any other thread ideas for these two hmu (not that this isnt cute mind)

yeah!!! or we can talk something out together if you'd like!

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