Disclaimer I don't own Love Live!'s characters, and same for the new group Aqours.
Btw! They're our favorite shippings' children, so don't worry if Hanamaru and You are sisters, and that the same goes for Kanan and Yoshiko!
A little one shot for Halloween ... Happy Halloween everyone! Don't scare little children too much! c:
"Mummy, Mama!"
"Mari, don't run in the stairs, it's dangerous!"
"Mama," Mari pouts, her feet now on the last step, "I'm seventeen, I'm not a baby anymore!"
The tall blonde woman only smiles at her daughter, ruffling her hair. Mari shakes her head and tries to put her blonde hair back in its place. She faintly grumbles, separating her phone from her ear.
"You'll always be our baby, no matter how old you are." Eli chuckles, restraining herself from ruffling Mari's hair one more time.
"What do you want honey?" A purple haired woman approaches the two loves of her life, a kind smile on her lips.
"Can I go spend the night at Dia's place tonight?"
"What-"
"Elicchi." Nozomi immediately pats her wife's collarbone, teasingly smiling. "Let her be all lovey-dovey with her girlfriend."
Mari suddenly violently blushes, pressing her hand on the phone as if she wanted to spare the person she's calling from hearing her parents.
"I-I- ... W-we're not girlfriends!"
"Ara, young love~"
"N-no, you don't understand Mummy! Geez ... It's just that I'll already be with Ruby-chan and her to prepare ourselves for Halloween. Everyone will drop by their place tomorrow."
"And? Can't you go tomorrow too?" Nozomi teases her daughter, flashing a grin.
"..." Mari's cheeks become even more red.
"I'm kidding sweetie~ Of course you can. Are her parents fine with it?"
"Dia?" Mari places her phone against her ear again, talking through it. "Did you ask your parents if they were fine with me coming to your place tonight?"
Mari slowly nods her head, certainly because of Dia's answer. The blonde smiles at her parents.
"Of course they're fine with it. Can I go now?"
"Now?" Eli raises an eyebrow, sharing a glance with Nozomi.
"Yes sweetie."
"Nozomi-"
"Do you have everything with you?" Nozomi purposely ignores Eli, whose jaw almost drops to the floor.
"Yes. Thanks Mummy, Mama!" Mari hugs her parents, before running to her bedroom, which is upstairs.
"Nozomi ..."
"Come on Elicchi. Let her go with her girlfriend." Nozomi smiles as she approaches her blonde lover, searching something in her pocket.
"You heard her, they're not girlfriends."
"And you believe her?"
The spiritual woman gets a tarot card out of her pocket, and turns it to show Eli the picture. The Lovers. Eli lightly blushes, and shakes her head. Nozomi only smiles, softly cupping her wife's cheeks, stroking them with her thumbs.
"Our baby's growing up Elicchi. She's just like us when we were her age."
Their lips brush, and Eli breathes against Nozomi's.
"I know ..."
"Dia is a nice girl. She's smart and reasonable. With what Mari told us about her before joining Aqours ... I thought she was talking about you back in our high school years. A strict Student Council President ..." Nozomi's finger draws Eli's lips, and then she pecks them. "I know Ruby and Dia are the ones we kdon't really know, but it's fine. They can't be bad girls."
"I'm going!" Mari suddenly interrupts them, being ignorant of what had been said between her parents. She catches her brown coat and adjusts her bag on her back. "I'll see you tomorrow, or you two are going to hang out?"
"We'll be out tomorrow." Nozomi smiles. "You can have the house for you, but it'll be scary if you're all alone."
"Oh, too bad ... I wanted to come with the girls to scare you two to death." Mari pouts.
"That's mean, Mari."
"I know, I know~"
"Be careful on the way." Eli says as she hugs her daughter, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Send us a text to tell us you're at Dia's place, alright?"
"Yes Mama." Mari smiles and takes her shoes, pecking her parents' cheeks and then leaves the house.
Once the door is closed, Eli turns to her wife, an amused smile dancing on her lips. "Scaring the two of us to death, huh?"
Nozomi only grins as an answer, mischievously.
"Ah, Mari-chan, you're here!"
"Hello Anju-san, I hope I'm not bothering you."
"Oh come on, I knew you since you're in Eli's belly, just Anju is fine." The auburn haired woman giggles as she lets Mari enters. "You're not bothering us at all. How are you?"
"Fine, thank you. What about you?"
"I'm fine! Say, before I forget, spaghetti bolognese for dinner, is it fine with you? Erena really wants to eat pasta tonight."
"Everything is fine with me." Mari smiles, thanking the adult one more time.
"You know that if you don't like something, you can tell me." Anju smiles back and then points at the corridor behind them, winking. "Dia is in her bedroom, I don't think she heard you."
"Oh ... Thank you! But, wait, where's Ruby-chan?"
"She's sleeping at Maru-chan's place tonight, but she'll be back tomorrow with everyone else."
Mari nods, offers Dia's and Ruby's Mummy a smile before going to Dia's bedroom. She inhales a little bit and then quietly opens the door, without knocking.
She smiles at the sight in front of her : the brunette is too buried in a book, to the point of not knowing that Mari is here, against the door frame. The blonde girl waits a little bit, just to see if Dia is going to notice her. But the girl's blue eyes never leave the book she's reading.
Mari rolls her eyes and approaches the bed, immediately wrapping her arms around Dia's neck while climbing on the bed right next to her. The brunette jumps with surprise at first, before sighing with relief when a lock of blonde hair falls in front of her eyes, quickly recognizing her perfume too. Dia puts the book away and wraps her left arm around Mari's waist, while her right hand grabs Mari's forearm.
"Sorry I didn't notice you, Mari."
"No problem. You were too cute anyway~"
"Idiot ..." Dia lightly blushes though, and lightly moves back to face her.
The two girls look at each other, yellow eyes melting into blue ones during few seconds. Mari is the first to close hers, and Dia instantly follows. Their lips softly touch, taste the others between some pecks before meeting completely, in a soft and happy kiss.
"You know Dia, my parents have serious doubts. About us, I mean." Mari says once they break the kiss, their lips staying close though.
"I know, I heard them when I called you."
"Do you really want to ... Keep hiding our relationship? I mean, I don't think that my parents, at least, will take it badly, they're both girls after all ... And same for your parents."
"But what about my sister? What about Aqours? What about people?"
Mari sighs and pecks Dia's lips one more time, before breaking the hug as she stays on her knees, facing her blue eyed girlfriend.
"It's not against you Mari, and I don't want to hurt you with that ..." Dia also sighs, as she sits better in front of the blonde girl. "It's just that ... I don't think I'm ready. To tell it to everyone."
"But don't you want the others to know that I'm yours and only yours?" Mari lightly smiles as she takes Dia's hands in her own. "Don't you want us to kiss whenever we want, and not just when no one is here or that we're sure they're looking elsewhere? Or, even, don't you want us to hold hands without racking our brains to find a stupid pretext to do it?"
"Yes, but-"
"Well, me too." The yellow eyed girl weakly chuckles, before hugging her. "Alright, it's fine. It's no big deal, I don't care."
"Mari ... Of course you care."
The latter shakes her head and looks at Dia, with a smile on her lips. "No, it's fine. I'm with you anyway, so it's what matters the most, right?"
After these words, Mari brings her lips on Dia's again, pulling her in another kiss.
"So, Mari keeps calling us with the '-san' huh ..." Erena says, her hands plunged into the sink, as she's washing the dishes. "It's weird, she has always called us by our names without such honorific."
Anju closes the fridge and turns to look at her wife, a smile on her face. "You're so oblivious, Erena. There's something going on between Dia and her, it's evident. I've talked about it with Nozomi when I saw her last time, and she's certain that our daughters are together." Anju smiles and hugs Erena from behind. "And I'm also convinced about that."
"Why don't they tell us?"
"They're still young, and they're certainly thinking that everyone will be against them." Anju shrugs and places her head against Erena's shoulder blade. "I'm sure Dia thinks that way. She's our daughter, we know her better than anyone else after all."
Mari shivers when Dia's hands find shelter on her hips.
"Damn it Dia, your hands are so cold!" The blonde lightly squeaks, shivering once more when Dia's cold fingers trace her curves.
"Don't you want to warm me up, Mari?" Dia smiles as she leans on and pecks Mari right between her breasts. "Your body is always so hot."
"But your hands are too cold!" Mari chuckles as she grabs both of her girlfriend's hands, rubbing them to warm them up. Before placing two of her fingers in her mouth, licking them to give them even more heat. And to embarrass Dia above all else.
"M-Mari, hey ..."
"What? I thought you liked it." Mari then kisses her knuckles.
"You're a bad girl."
"Ara~ Am I going to be punished?"
"Oh yes. And very, very much." The brunette mysteriously smiles at her girlfriend, before disappearing under the cover.
"W-wait, D-Dia!" The yellow eyed girl chuckles at first, especially when she feels Dia's hands stroking her legs.
But quickly enough, Mari bites her lips when hot breath and hot kisses start overwhelming her thighs.
When Ruby came home, along with her best friend Hanamaru and You, Hanamaru's big sister, Anju and Erena already left, saying to the two third years that they were going outside to meet Tsubasa. Chika, Kanan and Yoshiko were the next to arrive, and Riko was the last, because she was trying to calm down her parents who were bickering, as usual.
The nine of them immediately started dressing up for Halloween, helping each other with the costumes they decided to wear tonight. Mari, Hanamaru and Kanan were the ones who put makeup on their friends.
So, the result was that the shy Ruby became the famous Mad Hatter from the movie. Kanan decided to let Ruby's hair loose, but Mari curled it to make Ruby a cute Mad Hatter (because the shy girl refused to be too scary). But the three make-up artists had fun when they had to put makeup on her : one of her eyebrows was now a thin line of pink, while the other was light green. Hanamaru even used different colors of eye shadow on Ruby, a gradation of purple turning pink above one eye, and a gradation of blue only above the other. They used a brilliant red lipstick for her thin lips and a bright white blusher all over her face. For the outfit itself, Ruby had a long red coat that covered a checkered shirt a a brown skirt made with tulle, and high-thighs striped light pink and white.
On the other hand, Dia became a fallen angel. While Hanamaru was busy with Chika and Kanan busy with her little sister, Mari was with Dia, having a great time to put makeup on her girlfriend, while the others were dressing up. She put blue eye shadow above Dia's eyes, before drawing things with a black eyeliner from her eyes to her temples ; like thin lines that looked like broken wings and then some discreet arabesques not to upset Dia. Mari let her lips in peace, but chose to draw black crevasses on Dia's arms and all over her bare back, mostly around the false ripped wings they have fixed around Dia's bust size. She also drew some on Dia's legs, right under the hem of her dress, mid-thigh. Some of the crevasses almost looked like scalds.
Dia was wearing a form-hugging dress, which was a gradation of white, turning grey and then black in the end. The hem of the dress, just like the wings, seemed ripped and torn apart.
The little first year Yoshiko -or Yohane- was a demon, not really surprising because of her sort of obsession about it. The makeup for her was easy, seeing that she didn't really like that ; Kanan just put a black eye shadow and a dark purple nail polish. But on the other hand, Yohane bought red contacts to accentuate her demon side ; she also bought a sort of crown, with sharp dark red horns. To contrast with her form-hugging dark blue dress -lightly opened around her belly-, the behind of it was puffed-out and with more bright colors : white under, purple and with red ribbons. Even if there were skulls here and there.
While Yoshiko was rather sexy with such costume, her big sister Kanan was scary in her own. She was Aqours' mad butcher for Halloween. Wide jeans, heavy and quite masculine brown boots, and a white shirt under a white apron. The apron ... Which seemed to have been stabbed. Where there were some cuts, Kanan added false blood around, before splashing more and more all over the white apron. She also took a false and big cleaver, with a red blade.
Concerning the young and wise Riko, she had been inspired by her Mommy's job : tonight, Riko was the surgeon of Aqours. A blue mask with some drops of blood, dangling around her neck for the time being. She had the entire suit : blue coat and trousers, with red hand marks on it. To add the crazy and gloomy touch, Riko borrowed to her mother a needle full of blood, linked to a small pipe, itself linked to a blood pouch. Plus the famous and loyal stethoscope. Except that this one was really old and it wouldn't have been reassuring to see a doctor auscultating a patient with it.
Concerning the Koizumi sisters, that is to say You, the eldest, and Hanamaru, the youngest, both of them were different. You was a phantom pirate. Her little sister applied a white blusher all over her face, while Mari put a light grey lipstick on her lips. They drew two black scars : one on her cheek, the other under her neck ; but also a red one, as if it had been done right now : it crossed her right eye, that Chika hid behind a eyepatch. For the outfit, You had typical pirate clothes, but they were mostly grey seeing that "she's phantom, a ghost!" : grey shirt held by a belt, itself made by material they've found in the house ; the famous pirate hat, that everyone tried to alter to make it seem pretty old. Just like Dia's dress, the hem of You's shirt had been ripped, and the same went for her pants, from her knees to her ankles. To complete the outfit, You had a sword in hand ; she hesitated to put a headband made with a scarf, but she finally decided that no, it would have been too much.
While Hanamaru was the bad elf of the group. Mari colored her cheeks with a red blusher, also her nose, but didn't put more makeup on her : they already all gave the best of themselves when they had to fix Hanamaru's fake pointed ears on her own, trying to make them be one with the girl's ears. Then, she put her outfit on : entire overalls, striped black and white, just like the prisoners. The 'bad' touch had been added with a glass of beer in her hand. Real beer though, but Hanamaru promised her friends she wasn't going to drink it, reassuring Ruby at the same time.
There was a huge contrast between the two last members, Mari and Chika. The cheerful second year was a zombie, the white blusher making her look deadly pale. Her bright orange hair was a big mess, and Kanan used a strong lacquer to hold this mess, just for fun, and because the third year deeply enjoyed this sight of her childhood friend. With ripped clothes and such hair, Chika had a priceless face ; but the latter didn't mind. She was too joyful anyway to get worked up.
While Mari was more ... Fit for a queen. The queen of vampires. Long black dress, hugging all of her curves, high-heeled and laced boots, and a black cape, even if the red hooked collar brought the color to her outfit. Well, aside her blonde hair -which had been curled for the occasion- and her face, which was all white because of the white bluser they almost all used tonight. She put herself the bright red lipsticks on her lips, emphasizing them thanks to her pale complexion. She decided to draw a thin red line thanks to the lipsticks, from the corner of her lips to her chin, as if she had been drinking blood earlier.
Finally, after an entire afternoon during which they talked about everything and nothing, were distracted while dressing up for Halloween, they're finally ready.
And the sun has started setting.
"So, we're going to your place after the candy hunt, Mari-chan?" Chika the zombie asks, tilting her pale head on the side.
"Yes. My parents aren't there tonight, so we'll be all alone." Mari smiles, adjusting her black cape better around her neck.
"But you're the one who lives so far away from the city ..." Kanan fakes a sigh, spilling more false blood all over her apron, and also on her hands.
"Why are you living so far, by the way?" Riko asks, placing her mask over her mouth, holding it so You can correctly tie it up behind her head.
"It's the most spiritual place here, seeing that it's near a sanctuary in the forest. Well, Mummy is the one who says that and Mama never argues with her on this anyway." Mari giggles.
"I-i-isnt it s-sc-scary?" Ruby shyly asks, already shaking with fear.
"Scary? Why would it be scary, Ruby-chan?" Hanamaru says, gently hugging her best friend to relax her.
"B-b-but it's Ha-Halloween ... An-and we'll be close to a f-f-forest ..."
"Ruby, you crybaby." Dia sighs.
"B-but it's s-s-scary O-Onee-chan!"
Mari only smiles and places a reassuring hand on the little Mad Hatter's shoulder. "It's fine Ruby-chan, nothing will happen. It's just going to be the nine of us and that's all. Don't be scared, we'll be with you anyway."
Ruby slowly nods her head, a little bit more reassured.
The candy hunt went well. Some of their fans recognized them and offered them a lot of candies, chocolate, lollipops and all. Plus, they all are the daughters of the famous idol groups µ's and A-RISE, so even if they're just starting their school idol career, they were already popular thanks to their parents. It runs in the family, it seems!
Chika, Kanan, You and Yohane also had a great time : they purposely scared to death some adults because it's the Halloween mood, the Halloween spirit they said. They also scared little witches, fairies and demons on their way, but quickly apologized because those little monsters were just children. And, even if sometimes it made them laugh, the glare they received from the parents immediately stopped them and made them apologize profusely.
Finally, with handbags and hands and shirts full of candies, they all took the path that lead to Mari's house. Where there's absolutely no lights.
"The noises coming from the town seem so far right now ..." Chika sighs as she walks in front of everyone, normally now -because minutes ago, she was walking like a zombie to fit her character perfectly. "It's just our footsteps. And, err ... Well, the rain too!"
Ruby, clinging onto her best friend's arm, squeaks behind her. And of course, drops of water begin falling on them, gaining more and more intensity as minutes flow by.
"You're scared because it's Halloween, that's all~" Mari chuckles.
"It's so easy to say that when you're used to walk here everyday ..." Yohane pouts, crossing her arms over her chest and walking faster with her friends.
"Aren't you scared when it's winter, Mari-chan? With the short days and all?" Chika asks, glancing at the blonde who just shrugs.
"I'm used to it, you know."
After few minutes of joyful talks, because it was too terrifying when the only thing they could hear was the rain, they reach Mari's house. Kanan used the flashlight of her smartphone to help Mari find the keyhole, and they all enter, illuminated when she turns on the lights and warmed up by the heat of the house. To everyone's relief.
"Hey hey, Mari-chan, do you have some horror movies for tonight?" Chika excitedly asks, as the nine idols go to the living room after removing their shoes.
"Chika-chan, I don't think it's a good idea." Riko winces, pointing at Ruby and Hanamaru behind her.
"N-n-n-no ..." Ruby says, shaking like a leaf.
"Come on Ruby-chan!" Chika wraps herself around the shy and frightened first year, hugging her. "It's just a movie, they're using bad effects and it's not blood but ketchup!"
"B-b-but Ch-Chika-chan ..."
"So while we'll watch the movie, Ruby will go to bed alone." Kanan teasingly laughs, winking at the redhead.
"N-no!" Ruby screams, hugging Chika back.
"I know, I know! I have an idea~" You chirps, sitting in the middle of the living room, on a pillow she took off the couch. "Let's tell scary stories while eating candies!"
"Oh yes, I like your idea~" Mari smiles as she sits next to the short haired second year, placing one bag full of chocolates and sweets in front of the two of them.
They all gather around them, and it ends with the nine high school students sitting in circle, candies in the middle. They didn't turn off the lights, for Ruby's sake who was already dying because of the fear.
"Can Yohane start?" The latter says, removing her crown with the horns and placing it on her lap. Once they all smiled at her and nodded, she begins her scary story. "It all started a rainy and stormy night-"
"Cliché, Yoshiko."
"Mou, Onee-chan!" Yohane pouts, glancing at her blue haired sister. "Don't interrupt my story and don't call me like that!"
"Sorry, sorry, I just love teasing you~ Go ahead."
"So ... It all started that night ... Rain was violently clattering on the windows ..."
"J-j-just like n-now ..." Ruby whimpers, glued to Maru's arm.
While Yohane was in the middle of her story, even though she was reaching its outcome, the living room is suddenly plunged into total darkness, stopping the first year dead in her tracks. She immediately falls silent, just like her eight dear friends, who also had been taken by surprise.
"The hell?" Riko blurts out, as shocked as everyone.
"Th-there was no thunder!" Chika growls, fear slowly getting the upper hand.
"Relax." Mari says as she gets up, certainly going to reach the switch. "One of you must have turned off the lights by accident."
"But Mari-chan ... We were all here, together." Hanamaru says in a weak voice.
"Wha- ah. Yes, indeed." Mari freezes.
"D-d-d-d- ... DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE HERE WITH US?!" Ruby suddenly screams, her high-pitched voice violently quivering.
"Ruby, calm down." Dia's composed voice rises right after.
"It's impossible." Mari breathes. "We would have heard the door opening, or a window, or something else ..."
"That's right." Kanan sighs with relief. "It's fine, it's just the nine of us."
"B-but ... If it's someone who was already here?" Riko gulps, hugging a pillow against her.
"Impossible," Mari answers, sitting once again. "The door was locked, I was the one who opened it when we arrived."
"Don't you have rooms upstairs?" Yoshiko suddenly questions, frightening her friends to death.
"U-u-up-up-stairs?!" Ruby whines, not reassured at all.
"Don't tell me there's someone else here ... I mean, for real ..." You's weak voice rises then, even if her friends can hear that the second year tries her best to sound composed and calm.
"Where's the electricity meter?" Dia asks.
"I don't know ... Wait, I'm going to call my parents. They know it for sure." The blonde gets up once again, growling. "Wait, I left my phone in my bag. I suppose it's the same for all of you?"
"Yes ..."
"I'm going to use the home phone."
And Mari blindly makes her way through the living room, approaching a small table near a window by feeling.
"Y-you shouldn't go alone Mari-chan ..."
"It's fine Chika-chan, it's my house, I know where things are. And I won't die, you know." She giggles, putting things into good perspective.
Her hands find the table as the yellow eyed girl slides them on, reaching for the home phone-
"KYYYAAAA!"
"M-Mari/chan?!" The eight girls shout, jumping on their two feet.
"Wh-wh-what's that?!" Mari stumbles backwards, falling on her butt after few steps, her hands shaking. "Wh-what's on my hands?!"
"Wait Mari-" Dia's hand falls on the top of her girlfriend's head. "-ah, you're here. What's wrong? What happened?"
"Th-that thing!"
But they're plunged into total darkness, so none of them can see what is all over Mari's hands, not even the smart Student Council President. Mari is the only who can feel it : it's a little bit slimy, and it's mostly on her fingers. It was ... All over the home phone.
"Alright. Enough." Kanan says, her tone pretty serious. "If one of us is trying to scare the others, then stop, it's the most rubbish joke and it's not funny."
"But Onee-chan, we're together since this afternoon! Mou, you idiot, trust us more!"
"And nobody touched the home phone either." Mari sighs as Dia helps her stand up.
"What is that thing on your hands? That's gross."
"Hey!" The blonde pouts, reaching the brunette's hands teasingly, by feeling.
"Eek! Mari, stop that, I can't bear that sensation!"
"M-Mari-chan, wh-what do we do?!"
"Chika-chan, stop crushing my arm first, there's no way to be scared."
"A-aren't you afraid?" Hanamaru asks in a small voice.
"Of course she is!" Riko gasps. "Everyone is afraid of what's happening right now!"
"It's ... Very reassuring Riko-chan ..." Chika shakes her head, getting rid of terrible thoughts.
"Can't we go to your room?" You suddenly offers. "It's going to be less scary, and maybe the electricity works in your bedroom, Mari ..."
"Yes, maybe. Let's go so?"
"Yo-shi-ko~ Let's go~" Kanan teasingly giggles.
"Mou Onee-chan, I told you to st- EEEEEEK!"
A sort of click can be heard and suddenly, the sound of something being spilled everywhere startles everyone, and mostly the Sonoda sisters who freeze when they receive some liquid on them. Lots of liquid. When the two scream, taken by surprise, Hanamaru drops the glass she was holding on the carpet, spilling the beer but not breaking the glass.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
"What's that?!"
"What's wrong, Kanan-chan, Yoshiko-chan?" Chika screams, more than terrified now.
"Buuut what do we have all over us?!"
"It doesn't smell good!" Kanan complains.
"And it's cold!"
"And it's stuck in our hair!"
"Eeek, that's gross dammit!" Yohane curses.
"WHO DID THAT?!"
"I-i-it wasn't us, K-Kanan!" Ruby weakly says, afraid of her friends accusing them in the end.
"Who's amusing themselves playing tricks on us?" You grumbles.
"A-are they going to kill us?!"
"Stop saying nonsense, Ruby."
"B-b-but Onee-chan ... They-"
"We'd already be dead if that person was here to kill us. Relax, we're going to find them and they'll stop. Alright?"
"Mh ..."
Suddenly, doors start slamming upstairs, and the stairs creak. The nine idols immediately fall silent, listening, to be attentive and be sure that ... Someone is going downstairs ... Where they are.
"B-back up girls ..." Dia whispers.
They do so, before hearing a light squeak behind them, coming from You who just bangs into the couch and finds herself sitting on it. The second year stays calm, until something soft and fluffy tickles her ear and her neck.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" You sudenly jumps at the other side of the couch, fidgeting, as if to dodge any other UFOs that could come against her one more time.
"What's wrong You-chan?" Riko asks, almost shouting, as scared as the other members of Aqours because of You's outburst.
"S-something touched my ear! I don't know what, but I don't like that!" The ash haired girl covers her ears, shaking her head.
"Mari-chan, I'll kill you!" Chika suddenly says, clenching her fists.
"Huh? Why?"
"Because your house is too scary!"
"You'll deal with Mummy tomorrow. It's not my fault, I'm living where my parents live!" Mari defends herself.
"If we're still alive tomorrow," Ruby sobs.
"Alright, girls." Dia suddenly claps her hands, catching her friends' attention. "Let's stay calm, it's going to be even more complicated if everyone is freaking out like right now."
"So, miss genius, do you have a plan to make us stay calm?" Kanan asks, with a teasing tone -her best way to relax herself.
"Let's get out of here." Dia simply says, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Silence.
"... What?"
"Why didn't we think about it?" Chika suddenly becomes herself, all cheerful. "Yosh! Let's go!"
"With what's happening, I'm sure the door is locked."
"Shut it Yoshiko!"
"Don't call me like that, it's not my real name you dummy!"
"Mari-chan? Go go go, open the door!"
Mari doesn't answer, and Ruby muffles some sobs.
"A-a-are we s-stuck here?"
"... ... ... I'm afraid that yes, Ruby-chan ..."
"Yohane-chan, you jinx!"
The nine girls come back in Mari's living room, totally defeated, and even more terrified. After all ... They're stuck in a house, which had been built far from the town, with just a huge forest around it. It's the night of Halloween, they've crossed path with demons and monsters today, and it's heavily raining. Luckily, there's no thunder tonight, so it's quite reassuring. But the worst is that they're stuck here, with a supposed stranger. An unknown person. Who's playing tricks on them, scaring them to death.
Suddenly, fluorescent bones appear in front of the Aqours' girls, startling them and making them freeze instantly. It seems to move closer but well ... The only thing they understand is that those bones clearly draw a skeleton.
A moving skeleton. Right in front of their hopeless and horrified eyes.
They all scream, some clutching onto others' clothes.
"Th-there's s-s-someone with u-us!" Ruby yells.
"HELP US!" Riko shouts, taking the first arm she can find right next to her, as she tightly hugs it against her.
"Th-they're g-g-going to kill us!" Ruby starts sobbing.
"But we're too young for that, idiot!" Dia grumbles, trying to stay composed.
"And i-i-i-it's just a-a b-bad joke!" Chika says, trying to sound positive and calm, but her shaky voice betrays her.
"TAKE THAT!" Yohane screams, blindly giving punches in front of her, as if to hit the terrifying skeleton.
"Hey! It's going upstairs!" Kanan notices, as it runs away.
Indeed, the nine high school students perfectly hear footsteps, almost thumping on the stairs. And the skeleton seems to go higher and higher too.
"An-and if it's a thief?" Maru suddenly asks, eyes widening in realization.
It makes Mari's blood boil. "N-no! There's my parents' bedroom upstairs! And mine!"
And Mari runs after the skeleton.
"W-wait Mari-chan! Don't go alone!" Chika squeaks.
And quickly, Aqours catches her, and they all find themselves in the middle of an empty corridor.
"Where it is?" Yohane asks, more curious than scared right now.
"Why does your corridor seem crowded?" Riko asks out of the blue, feeling rather uneasy.
"Wait, my corridor is normal. And ... The skeleton didn't even open a door ..." Mari breathes. "Hey, I have an idea! Let's go to my room. It's ... Right here, normally."
The blonde pushes a door, and a cold wind greets the idols, along with the sound of the heavy rain, more audible here. Mari freezes when she notices that her window isn't closed, the shutters violently hitting the frontage of the house outside. She immediately closes the window, wiping her face right after.
It really means that someone entered the house ... For real ...
"What's your idea, Mari-chan?" Riko asks, still clutching onto one of her friends' arm.
"Shh ... Walls have ears." Mari awkwardly chuckles, as she seems to search for something on the floor, under her bed ... "Wait here. If it's a thief, they're dangerous."
"What?" Ruby shakily whines.
"No, you won't go alone!" Dia tops, and Mari can already imagine her girlfriend shaking her head.
"It's fine, I have something with me~"
"Huh?"
Mari passes her door, stepping once more in the corridor, tightly holding the object she has in hand. Despite the howling of the wind and the rain clattering on the house and the windows, it's so quiet and scary ... But the third year has to do it. To protect her friends, and her parents' house too!
Her heart races immediately when she sees the neon bones few meters in front of her, as she tightens her grip on the object and instinctively raises it ... But then her poor and weak hear misses a beat, even seems to stop, when an unknown hand is placed over her mouth, taking her backwards. Mari screams, even if it's muffled by the person's hand, and struggles when she feels their body glued to her back. While struggling, she moves her hands backwards, hitting something with the object she was tightly holding.
"Ow!" The one who's holding Mari suddenly complains as they receive several hits, and the yellow eyed girl could swear that she already heard that voice. "S-stop! Turn on the light!"
The light in the corridor is suddenly turned on.
"Wha-"
"Damn, it hurts Mari!" Mari is suddenly released, as she falls on her butt, blinking.
"It was you?! ALL OF YOU?" The third year gasps as her eight friends join her in the corridor when they see that the light is back, before gasping too.
Here they stand in front of them.
The Grim Reaper, a mummy, a dark ballerina, a werewolf, a black angel, a witch, a psycho nurse, Catwoman, a skeleton -no, the skeleton-, a zombie indian, a she-devil and a pirate. The Grim Reaper with short brown hair, the mummy with ginger hair, the dark ballerina and her blonde hair and the werewolf has purple locks ; the black angel has long blue hair, while the witch's is grey, the psycho nurse dark purple hair and the sexy catgirl has auburn locks ... The skeleton and presumed robber with her short orange hair finally seems too innocent to be a thief, and the zombie indian has short chestnut hair ; then the she-devil and her raven hair and the pirate and her red hair ... Impossible to make a mistake.
It's their parents.
Their parents, damn it!
With sly, teasing and amused grins on their faces.
"Oh, it's already over nya?" Rin the Neon Skeleton says, pouting.
"Ruby." The catgirl and her dark slinky outfit says, removing her mask with cat ears. "We're so sorry sweetie!"
Anju rushes to her youngest daughter, hugging her as Ruby whimpers again.
"It was just a joke sweetheart." Erena, the psycho nurse, sympathetically smiles at the red haired Mad Hatter.
"Seriously?" Tsubasa growls, removing her black hood and rubbing the top of her head. "You hit me with a baseball bat?"
Mari awkwardly giggles. "Sorry Tsubasa ... But you scared me to death, so I had no choice ..."
"And why do you have a baseball bat in your bedroom anyway?" The red haired pirate asks, removing the hat on head to stop the dangling feather to tickle her nose.
"Mama gave it to me after the burglary." Mari points at the blonde and dark ballerina.
Eli doesn't have the time to say something that Umi, the black angel, turns around and shots a dead glare to Nico, losing some black feathers at the same time.
"NICO!"
"What?!" The she-devil answers, stepping backwards, hiding behind Maki.
"You've spilled it on my daughters! Only on them!"
At those words, Kanan and Yohane look at each other. They're covered with ... Red liquid ...
"I-is it blood?" Kanan grows pale. What did their parents do to spill so much blood on the two Sonoda sisters?
"False blood." Nozomi giggles, removing her fluffy grey hood with wolf ears above it. "Don't worry about it, we didn't kill people to collect their blood and throw it on you."
"It's very gloomy, Mummy."
"Umi-chan, calm down." The grey haired witch places her soft hand on Umi's bare shoulder. "We all agreed on that anyway, it's no big deal if it had been spilled all over Kanan and Yoshiko."
"D-don't call me like that, Mum!" Yohane squeaks, and Kotori only giggles.
"But it should have been the nine of them!" Umi pouts, crossing her arms above her bustier dress.
"Bad timing I suppose?" Nico awkwardly giggles, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry Umi, but Maki-chan didn't tell me to activate the trap timely."
"I told you!" Maki gasps, almost outraged. "It's just that you weren't listening because you thought Riko had been gripping You's arm! So, it's Nico-chan's fault!"
"But she was clinging onto You's arm in the end, LOOK!" Nico accusingly points at her daughter and You.
Riko is well and truly hugging You's arm against her chest, and when the two realize it, Riko immediately releases her and lightly blushes.
"It's no big deal, Nico-chan you idiot!" And with that, Nico receives a bump from the red haired pirate on her head.
"Y-y-you're all i-idiots ..." Ruby sniffes, still against her Mummy.
The adult laughs, as Honoka, wearing a white dress and who seemed to be draped in a sort of white fabric -or bandages?-, approaches Anju and Ruby, gently patting the latter's head.
"Sorry Ruby-chan, but you can tell that Nozomi-chan is the idiot between all of us."
"Honoka-chan seems to be ready for her punishment ..." Nozomi glances at the ginger woman, who gulps.
"B-but it's the truth, i-it was your idea Nozomi-chan!"
"Mummy, you traitor!" The blonde student gasps, looking at her werewolf mom.
"Weren't you the one who wanted to scare both your Mama and I to death?" Nozomi giggles behind her hand.
"Revenge nya~" Rin chirps.
Finally, that night, Mari had to wash the slimy green substance off her hands, and she carefully did the same with the home phone. She learnt that Nozomi knew she was going to try to call them and so she covered the home phone with that substance she bought ; and that Nozomi was the one who had predicted that at some point or another, their children would have wanted to leave the house, and she was the one who locked the main door.
The students also caught a glimpse of Erena and Eli that were undoing their trap mechanism, with a huge bucket that had been suspended in the middle of the living room ; they also learnt that Nico, being the smallest of the adults, had to stay hidden under the table and had to be ready to pull the wire to actionate it and spill the false blood on them. Mari was surprised she didn't even notice her when she approached the table to call her parents. Also, You learnt that it had been Maki, who tickled her with the feather of her pirate hat earlier when she fell on the couch.
And, of course, the mysterious skeleton was Rin, who ran upstairs earlier than expected because she had been afraid of Yoshiko, who tried to hit her.
Hanamaru helped Mari when the latter decided to wipe the beer off the carpet, because Maru accidentally spilled the contents of her glass.
But finally, it's without a hitch that they had a fun evening, between mothers and daughters. They didn't try to cook something, because the candies that the nine students brought back were enough for everyone. And Eli was the first amongst the adults who had insisted, supporting the girls, when she saw the amount of chocolate : come on, it's just one night, and it's Halloween.
They even did a karaoke, every woman for herself. One thing was sure : Nico was furious because she wasn't the first. But she was in the top 10, at the seventh rank. The great winner was Anju, followed by Nozomi and Mari ; the three of them formed the top 3. Chika, Dia, Eli were right before Nico, and the three last members of the top 10 were Ruby, Umi and Kanan. Honoka was the one who had the lower rank, earning loud giggles from everyone. The µ's' leader was the most rubbish player this time.
"Dia?" Anju calls as she closes the door behind her. "What are you doing here, all alone?"
"Huh?" Dia turns her head to look at her mother, replacing her elbows by her hands on the guardrail. "I just wanted to get some fresh air."
"There's something bothering you, right?" Anju smiles as she approaches her daughter, leaning on the guardrail too.
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"You're my daughter." The auburn haired woman giggles. "It's not like I was totally gaga when you were in Mommy's belly."
Dia chuckles and then smiles at her Mummy, looking then in front of her. The rain had calmed down minutes ago, and it became pretty cold since then.
"Say Mummy ... Did you and Mommy already hide your relationship? I mean, at the beginning?"
Anju looks at her daughter, before giving a faint smile, her gaze landing on puddle of water in front of them. "Yeah, we hid it at first."
"Really?"
"Yes. Not because we were ashamed or something else, it's just that we wanted to see if it was working between us at first. Well, it lasted lnger than expected, because it was so great when we came together again! But then Tsubasa walked in on us making out, and it pushed us weeks after to at least tell it to our parents. It was the least we could do."
"..."
"Mari, right?" Anju looks at her daughter again, who widens her blue eyes. "It sticks out like a sore thumb. She became incredibly polite with Mommy and I. I mean, not that she wasn't before, but really. It's like we've changed for her, like we're now her mothers-in-law." She giggles. "And it's so easy to say, just the way she's looking at you ... And the way you're looking at her."
"A-ah ..."
"I know you certainly wanted to hide it, because of criticisms and all, but you could have told us. You know, Erena's parents didn't accept our relationship, and they still don't." Anju sadly smiles. "When we were in college, they told Erena they didn't want her to see me, even if she never listened to them. They didn't come to our wedding-"
"Really?" Dia gasps, surprised. "I know I've never seen them, but ... It was their daughter's wedding! How did Mommy do?"
"Tsubasa's father said yes to show up with Erena at his arm. He was like a second dad to us, he supported us when we started A-RISE ... He had always been there for us, your Mommy and I were like his two other daughters." Anju smiles. "But anyway, they never did any effort to accept our relationship, even if it was to fake it. The last time we saw them, it was when Erena gave birth to you. Erena called them when she learnt that she was pregnant, but they never showed any interest in her pregnancy."
"How did they know I was born?"
"Erena's close cousin told them. So they came ... But it didn't go well. They told us it wasn't normal for two girls to have a baby, that our baby was going to be mentaly troubled-"
"I'm not mentally troubled." Dia frowns, rather upset because of her grandparents' words.
"I know." Anju giggles. "They'd be so surprised to see how you're in good health, how good your grades are! Mommy chased them, and we never saw them again."
A warm jacket is suddenly wrapped around Dia's shoulders, and the latter and her mother turn to come face to face with two women. Eli and Nozomi.
"All of that to say how lucky you are, Dia." The purple haired adult gently smiles. "Your parents accept your relationship, and it's even more perfect because I think that Mari's parents are for your relationship." She winks, giggling when a blush makes its way on Dia's cheeks.
"Relieved to finally say it out loud?" Eli smiles.
"Y-yeah ..."
"Mari will be happy to know that you said it."
"I ..." Dia sighs. Anyway, she can talk now, they seem to know what her Mummy said. "I'm sorry if I've hurt her with that ... Did Mari talk to you about our relationship?"
"No." Eli shakes her head. "She respected your will. You're lucky our daughter is understanding."
"Yes," Dia smiles.
"I think you can go tell her the good news." Nozomi winks once again, pointing at the blonde inside, who's talking with Chika, You and Tsubasa. "Ah, by the way, we finally divided the rooms. We didn't eavesdrop you two, we came to tell you the sharing out for tonight."
They all found mattresses, bedcovers, pillows and even futons for those who prefered them to allow everyone to sleep here.
Nozomi and Eli have the biggest bedroom, so they take Nico, Maki, Erena and Anju with them for the night. Mari chose to sleep in her bedroom, with Dia, Riko and You. Hanayo and Rin take their place in the guest room, bringing with them the three first years : Hanamaru, Ruby and Yohane. Honoka, who lost during the karaoke, was kind of banned to the couch, with her wife and her daughter, plus Chika's childhood friend Kanan -Chika insisted so Tsubasa and Honoka said yes.
Everything left Kotori and Umi alone ; they took the sofa bed that is in another room, called the 'office' because when she has to do some work at home, Eli does it here. Umi promised not to do bad things in it, while Kotori was pouting beside her when she said that.
"Mari?" Dia suddenly calls, while they're alone in the bedroom, because Riko and You left to put their pajamas on.
Mari hums as an answer, focused on patting her pillow to make it perfect for the night, indicating Dia that she's listening even if she's not looking at her.
"I-I told my parents and your parents about us." Dia blurts out, her cheeks turning pink.
Mari stops dead in her tracks, a smile appearing on her lips. She looks at the brunette, gladly surprised. "Repeat that?"
Dia throws her blonde girlfriend a pillow, that she dodges. "You heard me!"
"It happened when you were outside with them, right?" Mari smiles and comes closer.
"Yeah ... At first, it was just Mummy but then your parents join us and ... Mommy too, so ..."
Mari suddenly tackles her on the bed, tightly hugging her, happily laughing.
"M-Mari?"
"I'm so happy~"
And the two kiss, a wide smile on both of their faces.
"Ah, err ... Sorry." You's embarrassed voice suddenly rises, making them freeze.
"Y-You-chan! We could have moved backwards, you idiot!"
The third years break their kiss, their gazes falling on the two second years. The four of them are blushing ; Dia and Mari because they've just been caught, and You and Riko because they've just walked in on them making out.
"W-we didn't mean to-"
"Riko-chan, it's fine." Mari smiles, being the first to recover from the initial shock, as she sits on the bed to let Dia get up. "It was sure we would have been caught one day or another ... Sorry."
"I can see we're not the only one." You smiles back, while Riko suddenly shakes her arm, blushing even more.
"What?"
"Riko and I are together too~" You proudly announces, jumping on the bed to join Dia and Mari, leaving a dumbstruck Riko on the doorstep.
"Really?" The brunette blinks, as surprised as her girlfriend.
"Yep~ We hid it, but ... It feels so good to know that there's someone else that lives the same thing as us. Right, Riko?" You finally turns to face her dark red haired girlfriend, who slowly nods.
"Awh, you two are so cute together~"
Mari suddenly hugs You, calling Riko to come, as she also pulls Dia in the group hug.
After the fear they have faced today, because of their adorable parents, a hug and some pecks weren't that bad to end this night of Halloween.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE~
I know I know, it was more based on Aqours ... I hope you've enjoyed it though! I wonder if I'm going to turn this one shot in a two shots to focus on our favorite pairings. Like, the plan and how they did it and maybe their costumes ...
See you, and don't eat candies too much!~