NicoNozo, requested by masteryoyojoel.
*Disclaimer: I do NOT own Love Live!
For the girls of Muse, there were things about Toujou Nozomi that they were quite familiar with. One of the more infamous things about her is her groping of the other members. Most of the time it's the way she punished the other members, so she usually has good reason for it. Which leads to another thing that Nozomi is known for by the other members. Especially toward the first- and second-years, she played a mother-like role in Muse. Part of the reason is that she's the oldest of the nine, and partly because she is usually around to give advice to the other members when they're having troubles. She enjoys helping the others out, though not as directly as someone like Honoka or Rin would.
So imagine what a shocking scene it was for Yazawa Nico, one of Muse's costume designers and a fellow third-year, to walk into the nurse's office and find the busty spiritual girl crying. The place was empty except for Nozomi, who was sitting on one of the beds. Originally she couldn't be seen behind the curtain, but Nico heard the sounds of soft sobbing, which lead her right to Nozomi. Of all the students in this school, Nozomi was definitely the last person Nico expected to see like this. She knew that Nozomi kept things like this well hidden. Yet something about this was very different.
"Ah, Nico-chi," Nozomi said as she turned and caught the shorter girl watching her.
"Nozomi... what's wrong?"
"What do you mean? There's nothing wrong-"
"Come on, I know you better than that. You don't cry in public, especially not this much."
"... Maybe you're right."
"So, tell me. What's wrong?"
"You... want to listen?" Nozomi asked as she wiped away another tear.
Nico nodded. Nozomi didn't say anything for a few seconds.
"Alright," she sighed. "It's not much of a story to tell, though."
"So? What is it?"
"Well... A few days ago, Eli-chi told me who she liked. And I found out today that she had confessed and they started dating."
"But, that's a good thing isn't it?"
"Well... yeah. I mean, I told her to go through with it. But..."
"... You like Eli, don't you?"
Nozomi lowered her head a bit. "Yeah..."
"Oh... I... Uhm... I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For bringing it up, I guess..."
"You don't have to be sorry for that."
"Well... How do you feel about all of this?"
Nozomi shook her head. "I... I don't know. I mean, I really want to be happy for Eli-chi. I mean, she's my best friend after all..."
"But, you still have feelings for her, and it upsets you that she's out of your reach now," Nico finished.
"Yeah..."
She lowered her head again, a painful expression forming on her face once more. Something about seeing it didn't sit well with Nico. She made her way to where Nozomi sat on the bed. Nozomi had noticed when Nico was in front of her, but she didn't look up.
To Nozomi's surprise, she felt hands reach for the back of her head. In the next moment, she found herself pressed against Nico's chest, wrapped in the shorter girl's embrace. Nozomi didn't understand Nico's sudden actions. Everything was quiet for a bit while they held still like that.
"I'm not very good at this..." Nico started. "But, everything is going to be fine."
"... Huh?"
"I-I'm just saying. You're a strong girl. I know you won't let this keep you down."
Nico started rubbing the back of Nozomi's head. Nozomi didn't say anything for a while. She just wrapped her arms around Nico, hugging the shorter girl.
"Thanks, Nico-chi," she finally said.
"Y-yeah..." She finally let go of Nozomi so they could see each other. "So...are you okay now?"
"Yup." Nozomi smiled. "Feeling better now."
"Alright. Well... we should go. We still have practice."
Nico quickly turned around, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. She hoped that Nozomi didn't see her blushing.
Nozomi was walking through the halls toward the clubroom the next day afterschool. She got held up a bit at the end of class, so she was a little later than usual. Luckily for her, the only other person in the clubroom when she arrived was exactly who she wanted.
"Hi there Nico-chi," she greeted.
"H-hey, Nozomi," Nico returned, unable to meet Nozomi's eyes.
Of course, Nozomi wasn't going to leave that detail alone.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked innocently.
"No, nothing at all." Nico silently cursed at herself for blurting out her answer.
"If you say so." Nozomi giggled as she sat down in the seat directly across from Nico.
Nico tried desperately to focus on anything else other than the spiritual girl sitting in front of her. However she found it incredibly hard, especially when she snuck a glance and found Nozomi looking back at her.
Silence filled the room for a few moments, but Nozomi knew she had little time to work with, and decided she wouldn't tease Nico too much.
"Hey, Nico-chi, about yesterday…"
That got Nico's attention right away. She wasn't expecting Nozomi to bring up what happened yesterday so soon. She was starting to get nervous, but she turned to face Nozomi. Somehow, Nico hadn't noticed that Nozomi had stood up, leaning over the table so that their faces were close. And then the last thing she was expecting to be happening at this very moment was happening.
Nozomi was kissing Nico.
Those soft lips, the soft touch of Nozomi's hands on her cheeks, holding her in place. Even if it was for a few seconds, Nico would never forget any little detail of how incredible it felt. Nozomi pulled away as it ended, a gentle smiling resting on her face.
"That's my thanks for what you did, as well as my apology," she said.
"Apology?" Nico repeated.
"Yes, it's my apology to you for not noticing your feelings sooner."
"F-feelings? I-I don't-"
"You can't lie to me after that kiss. You've been longing for it," Nozomi said knowingly.
"I… I… fine. You're right, but how did you find out?"
"Up until that kiss, I didn't. I only had a feeling about it because of yesterday. There was just something different about the way you reached out to me compared to normal. But, it was a nice kind of different."
"Oh… I… I see," was all Nico could manage.
Nozomi nodded. "So, I'd like to correct my mistakes, if it's not too late."
"… Nozomi, you big dummy." In one motion, Nico pushed herself onto the table. She landed on her knees right in front of where Nozomi stood, and embraced her. "Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
Nozomi gently returned the embrace, before sweeping Nico off the table and carrying her like a bride.
"I know that now, and I'm sorry."
Instinctively both closed in for a kiss. Maybe it's because she was being carried like this, but Nico felt better than she ever thought possible.
"I expect you to make up for all that time," Nico said through a blush.
Nozomi smiled. "Anything my girlfriend wants."
Hey everyone, nobodD here!
This was the hardest oneshot for me to write. I mean, I started this back in October or November. But I couldn't come up with an ending I liked. On and off I would come back to this doc to try and finish it, only to not be happy with the ending and deleting it. I still don't know how happy I am with this ending, but it feels a lot better than the other attempts I had up until this point.
Other than that, it's just a short and simple oneshot. I've been meaning to do oneshots a little more often to finish requests that I haven't gotten to because I've been focused on my stories. Here's to hoping the others don't take quite as much struggle to finish as this one.
Alright that's it from me, see you next time!~