A small drabble that was written to celebrate Honoka's bday.(I know. Belated.) Uploaded for BiderSweet(Thanks for the fluff~)

"C'mon Mr. Bear. Please don't fall." The bear fell. Honoka was playing a crane game at the local arcade. She had found a plush bear that peaked her interest and she was trying her best to win it but she wasn't doing too well. Luckily Nico was there to help.

Nico frequented this arcade in search of exclusive idol merchandise and she happened to notice Honoka failing miserably.

"Sup Honoka. What're you doing?"

Honoka turned to look at Nico with tears of frustration in her eyes. Nico made a bold move and wiped them with the sleeve of her sweater.

"Nico-chan?"

"Geez, don't cry at an arcade. This is supposed to be a pleasant place."

Honoka sniffled. "Yeah but I can't get this bear. I really want it but it just keeps slipping out of the crane. I want to give up but I just can't."

"Want me to get it for you?" asked Nico like the cool senior that she tried her best to be.

"You'll do that for me?!"

"Sure, why not? I win stuff here all the time. You could say that I'm an expert."

"Thank you Nico-chan!" Honoka stepped aside to let Nico take control of the machine.

Nico put a coin in and flicked the joystick several times very carefully. She made sure to line up the crane just right by checking it from the side. With her tongue sticking out, she pressed the button that lowered the claw. It grappled the toy but it broke free right away.

"The heck is wrong with this thing? Oh well, I'll try again."

Same result.

"Ugh, no wonder you're upset. I'll keep going though."

This time she grabbed the bear by the leg and just when it was about to enter the prize shoot it bounced off the side of the glass.

"Seriously?!", Nico raged but she gained her composure quickly to keep a good impression.

"Alright, I'll get it for sure this time!"

Honoka giggled for seemingly no reason.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I was just imagining you inside of one of these machines. You're probably small enough to fit inside."

Nico didn't find that very funny but it was true that she could probably craw up the prize chute. She thought about doing that to get the plush but that wouldn't be very cool.

"This is it. I got it now."

Nope.

"This is hopeless... but I'll give it one more shot."

Both of them had high hopes for this attempt. It seemed like time moved in slow motion. The crane squeezed the bear tightly and glided it over to the hole. It dropped down and Honoka snatched it right out.

"Yay! We did it!" Honoka hugged the sleepy looking bear. "Thanks so much Nico-chan!"

"It was no problem." It was a problem but it was worth it.

"Here, you can have it." Honoka extended the bear out to Nico.

"No way, you wanted this so badly. How could you just give it away like that?"

"It's okay. Just take it. You won it after all."

Nico didn't say anything in return. She went back to the machine, inserted a coin, and effortlessly won a bear that was a darker shade of brown.

"Let's trade."

Honoka smiled and happily traded her toy.

"This was fun, Nico-chan. Let's go to the arcade again sometime."

"Sure."

The girls walked home together with their gifts held against their chests and a nice feeling in their hearts.

PS: The world needs more HonoNico.