Surprise, Surprise

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Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, but I'm pretty sure Drake reeeeeally likes me right now.

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Summary: In which Nenene develops a Devious Plot, Michelle receives a Surprise, Drake has a Lucky Day, and Maggie sustains Emotional Scarring. Drake/Michelle, Nenene/Maggie.

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When Maggie Mui returned from a trip to the grocery store to find a certain petite brunette authoress relaxing in front of the TV, her expression pure, untainted devious self-satisfaction, she wasn't entirely sure whether to be worried or curious.

That kind of wicked expression had led to good things before, like the time she'd snuck into the closet, late at night, wearing just a wide red ribbon and a smile, to deliver Maggie's other special birthday present, so it might mean something good this time, too.

When that same Ms. Mui narrowly escaped tripping over a pair of very large, very obviously men's sneakers and filling the air with vegetables and possibly a fish, curiosity vanished entirely before worry.

Nenene had been complaining a lot about her new editor recently; could she have…done something to him? Something that left his coat and shoes by the door, and put an evil smirk on the author's face?

Maggie set the big brown paper bag carefully by the wall, and approached the couch hesitantly.

"Uh, Nenene—" she began, abruptly cut off as a furious howl, in a distinctly familiar voice, filled the air. "Nenene…is that Drake?"

Nenene's already inhumanly wide grin widened just a little bit more.

"Yup."

"Is—is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine," the brunette said casually, catching Maggie's wrist as she neared the couch and tugging gently. "He gave it up for a while, but he probably heard you come in and thought he'd try again."

By now feeling a resurgence of curiosity, Maggie settled on the couch next to Nenene, and blushed faintly as the latter crawled into her lap.

"What did you do to him?" she finally asked cautiously, nevertheless fully enjoying the sensation of Nenene's hair beneath her fingers.

"Don't worry," Nenene chuckled, grinning up at her lover. "I just tied him up a little."

"Tied him up a little," Maggie repeated, utterly floored.

"Okay, fine, a lot," Nenene shrugged.

A long pause, during which Maggie tried desperately to piece the situation together, and Drake continued to shout expletives and promises of revenge just as soon as he figured out a way to free himself without destroying his girlfriend's furniture.

"Why?" she finally managed.

"I thought I'd help him get his lucky day for once," Nenene cackled. "He's in Michelle's room."

"Oh," said Maggie, hiding a smile.

It had been as much of a surprise to her as anyone else when her big sister had announced, actually blushing, that she was going to meet the big, gruff American for drinks on one of his last nights in town.

Then, barely four months later, surprise had become shock when Michelle had gone pelting down the stairs and out the door as soon as the rental car had pulled up, and leapt at Drake before he'd even made it out of the driver's seat.

Meanwhile, Nenene was cackling again.

"I hid a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in his pants, too."

"Uh…huh."

"Hey, it was either that, or finish my new book," Nenene shrugged. "I'm lazy, remember?"

By now managing to wrap her mind around this current state of events, Maggie chuckled softly and wrapped her arms around Nenene.

"How did you manage to overpower Drake by yourself?"

Nenene grinned up at her.

"I didn't. When Yomiko and Nancy found out what I was planning, they offered to help. Actually, Nancy kind of pleaded. I don't know why, but she seemed really into it," the brunette concluded with a baffled shrug.

"O-oh," Maggie said simply.

Really, there was little else to be said.

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"Oh, you guys really didn't have to do this!" Michelle chirped excitedly approximately half an hour later as the three girls started together up the stairs, Nenene leading the pretty blonde by the elbow and explaining with barely restrained glee that they had all contributed and prepared a special surprise for her.

For her own part, Maggie trailed after them, noting with no small amount of amusement, well tinged with the sensation that she would be a much happier woman without these mental images (particularly regarding her sister), that the angry shouts drifting from Michelle's room had all but stopped.

If she was a betting woman, she would have laid down a good chunk of cash that Drake's angry snarl had turned into an expectant grin the second Michelle's voice rang out cheerfully from the floor below.

"Go ahead," Nenene was meanwhile ordering, shoving Michelle gently into the bedroom. "Let's see how long it takes you to find the Harry Potter book we hid on him."

"Harry Potter?!" Michelle squealed delightedly.

"Yup. The last one."

"I haven't read that one yet!" the blonde gasped, eyes misty as she dragged Nenene and Maggie into a tight hug. "You guys are the best!"

And so, two young ladies stood in the hallway outside the bedroom, Nenene watching with a grin that stretched beyond the confines of the average human face and Maggie rooted to the ground in bewildered dismay as articles of clothing began to sail out the door. First a shirt, then an undershirt, then a belt, and then a pair of pants.

A victorious little yelp drifted from within the room.

"Found it!" Michelle proclaimed.

A brief pause followed, the silence broken only by the sound of heavy grumbling and reflections of the once again elusive nature of the mythical Lucky Day.

And then, as something moving very quickly caught her eye, Maggie seized the back of Nenene's sweater and dragged her out of the path of a flying hardcover.

"Yeah," she reflected as Nenene attempted to stifle her snorts of laughter. "I should have stayed in the closet this morning."

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End Notes: Hee! This one's been a long time in coming. My sweetie and I thought this idea was just adorable, but I suspect I didn't really do it justice. Oh, well. It wasted some time, right?