A/N: Ok I know it's been forever which totally goes against my promise of updating regularly, but I've been so busy as exams are coming up so I'm having to study yet I have no motivation. Oh well...

This is the second instalment of my NozoMaki Bodyguard AU from the first NozoMaki in this fic so if you haven't already please read that first!

I've also rearranged the pairings list to make it a bit more free and a mix of Aqours and Muse and not just Muse for 3 chapters and then Aqours for 3 and so on.

The order of oneshot/chapter pairings after this one:

KanaChika (Next)

HonoRin

NozoUmi

YouChika

AnjuEli

UmiMaki

YouRiko

KanaMari

NicoRin

YouHane

Now please read, review and enjoy!

...

Title: Conflicted

Pairing: NozoMaki

Rating: K+

...

It had been exactly a month since Nozomi Tojo had moved into the Nishikino mansion and become her personal bodyguard, and Maki was not impressed.

Well, impressed was maybe not the correct word to use; annoyed and slightly confused seemed to fit the bill more. Over the past few weeks she had been under the employment of her parents, Nozomi had proved to be the most unlikely candidate for a bodyguard the redhead had ever seen. The woman had aspects much like Honoka did as she was extremely kind and energetic, yet she had a calm aura about her that seemed to constantly do its job of calming her forever stressed parents. There was nothing wrong with her figure, not at all, but Maki couldn't help but glance at her well developed..chest sometimes and wonder how she could do half the things usual bodyguards did with something so big getting in the way. She had attended dinner every evening with the Nishikinos and of course during the day she was with either Maki or her parents at all times, and the outfits she wore were on the cutesy side with flowers, stars, soft colours and pretty patterns in the form of dresses and neat skirts with blouses. Her closet just confirmed Maki's thoughts; she looked like a sweet childminder or librarian than a bodyguard!

Maki just couldn't wrap her head around it, but when she expressed it to Honoka all she got was a flash of disbelief.

"Eh? What do you mean, Maki-chan?" The ginger asked after her redhead best friend revealed her thoughts on her 'bodyguard'. The duo were currently in the kitchen where they were fixing themselves some form of lunch, or rather, Honoka was.

"You have to know what I mean! Nozomi, she looks nothing like a bodyguard, not in the slightest!" Maki replied from her seat at the breakfast bar across from Honoka's current position at the countertop.

"Well...I guess..." The older girl mumbled, opening one of the nearby cupboards and reaching up on her tiptoes to grab a loaf of bread. She set it down on the work surface before turning back to Maki. "But that doesn't matter, right?"

"How does it not matter?!" The redhead exclaimed, crossing her arms. "She looks like a childminder for children under four or a librarian rather than a bodyguard! One that can easily be pushed over! What good is that if someone wants to steal from here?!"

There was silence for a long minute, the only sound heard being the clean cutting of tomato, bread and lettuce from Honoka's end of the room. Until the ginger decided to break it.

"It's not all about appearance, Maki-chan,"

"What?" The younger girl said, eyes fixed on her maid.

"Well... I never thought I'd be a maid, y'know? I always wanted to be an idol. I'd get to wear cute dresses, sing lovely songs and meet lots of people who called themselves my fans! It all sounded so magical and I just wanted it so badly!" The ginger cut another tomato sharply down the middle. "But life had other plans. I knew I needed to work to get money, but becoming an idol was out of the question. So I looked for a job. I didn't care what I ended up with; I just wanted to be able to support my family. And that's when I seen your parents' advert for a maid," She placed the sliced tomato on the closest pieces of bread. "I applied for it without a second thought. I had to take my chances, even though I knew I had no chance whatsoever! I was extremely clumsy, not very bright and struggled with simple tasks like washing clothes and making dinners, not to mention the fact that I looked like a homeless child. I expected to be turned away from the door the second it was opened to me, but I wasn't. Your parents let me apply properly, and let me explain myself and even after that they let me take the job! I was so happy," She placed the completed sandwich on a plate and sat it down in front of Maki who had a rather stunned expression on her face. The ginger smiled. "Basically what I'm saying is, don't judge a book by its cover. I didn't think I was suited for this job at all, but your parents still gave me a chance and now I've learned everything that I need to know! All because you were all patient and got to know me first." Honoka winked. "Get what I mean, Maki-chan?"

The redhead nodded sheepishly after a moment, reaching forward for her lunch and took a tender bite without a word. Honoka returned to the counter to prepare her own lunch, but before she reached it, two words made their way to her ears. Her smile only brightened.

...

Maki sighed as she left the kitchen area, thoughts of what Honoka had said ran through her mind. There was nothing that the redhead could even say to counter her friend's advice as it was reasonable and made her feel guilty. And anything that made Maki Nishikino feel guilty was correct and immediately made her previous actions or words wrong.

She felt guilty for a number of reasons, mainly because she knew she had upset Honoka, which was never her intention. She knew the ginger liked Nozomi; she had taken a shine to her immediately, eagerly giving her a tour of the house, making sure she had her fair share of food and giving her the same bubbly smile that she gave everyone around her. Maki hadn't meant to upset; she had only let her opinions get the best of her. She seemed to do that a little too often nowadays.

"I heard all of that, y'know?"

"Eh?!" Maki spun round on her heels, and instantly met the turquoise gaze of her current thought process. Talk about bad timing... "What are you talking about?!"

A small grin settled on Nozomi's lips as she leaned back against the nearest cream wall, slowly with grace that made her seem even more mysterious to Maki. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Honestly I'm hurt that you feel so negatively about me, Maki-chan,"

The redhead was struck dumb. There were various sorts of reactions wandering through her mind at the moment- scream, yell, feign innocence- but she wasn't sure which one would work in her favor. If she had learned anything about Nozomi over the past month it was that she was an extremely good judge of character, and she always seemed to be able to figure out a person straight away. Where people would consider it a gift and skill, Maki considered it an annoyance seeing as it made this situation more difficult for her.

Not sure of which approach to take, she changed the subject.

"W-What are you doing sneaking up on me like that anyway?! I could've easily been more startled and tripped!"

"Well that wasn't the case, was it?" Was her bodyguard's quick and smart reply, her grin spreading a little wider on her lips. Maki grimaced, whilst on the inside she seethed with rage at the tone the purple haired woman had just taken with her. She had come to realize that where the woman had a relaxing and rather kind tone, she could also make use of sarcasm and teasing. Maki often seen Honoka being subjected to Nozomi's tiny teases, and she had to admit that it was slightly amusing to see the flush and pout that crossed her friend's face at the time...

Getting back to her original train of thought, the redhead turned away, crossing her arms as to appear unfazed by both Nozomi's actions and words towards her.

There was a short silence between them that dragged on for what felt like an hour to Maki, but she had no intentions to break it. She didn't know why she didn't just walk away; there was nothing stopping her after all. Part of her was still incredibly curious about her bodyguard and wanted to know why Nozomi had taken up a job that she clearly wasn't suited for with her appearance and attitude. And that part seemed to be getting to her judging from how she had acted with Honoka in the kitchen and how she was acting now.

"I never would've guessed Honoka-chan came from such a rough background,"

"Eh?" Maki turned around again, pulled from her thoughts at Nozomi's words. She faced the purple haired bodyguard who gave her a small smile.

"Honoka-chan; she doesn't look like she comes from as terrible a background as she does. She's so happy and full of life all the time, so much that it's as if she never even came from that sort of place." Nozomi explained. Maki just stood there and listened as the woman spoke. It sounded as if she was happy and even proud but there was something else under all that that the redhead could detect... Sadness...? The pure look of slight hurt and hope on her bodyboard's face cut off the retort Maki had prepared, ready to tell her off for eavesdropping and she had no right to learn all this information about Honoka who hadn't told her willingly. Instead she settled for a mellow response.

"Well, she doesn't let it define her as a person. It doesn't matter what background Honoka came from; she looks forward not back to where she came from," She explained, her mind flashing back to the conversation in the kitchen. She remembered that day incredibly clearly when she had first met Honoka. When the door had been knocked a week or so after her parents had announced the request for a bodyguard for their only daughter, the redhead had expected an older woman that was plain as plain and grumpy to be on the other side, but was greeted by what she instantly could only think of as a teenager. The girl looked closer to her age than that of a usual candidate they received at the mansion, and Maki had a good mind to turn her away just for that, but then she caught a proper glance at her. Ginger hair fell in tangles around her face, part of it in a side ponytail that was barely holding together, the palest skin she'd ever seen yet she had the most beautiful and deep eyes that captivated her despite her initial thoughts. She gave the rest of her a glance over, and shock flooded her system at the state of the girl's clothes; it looked as if this was all she had and she slept on the streets! Without another thought the redhead had tugged the ginger inside, who instantly tried to explain again why she was there in stammers, and presented her to her parents

Maki had no clue why she had done it. Perhaps it was her appearance that reminded the redhead of the poor children she had seen on the streets whilst she drove by without a thought, or the look of utter gratitude and longing in those deep eyes as the family of three fed her and clothed her before accepting her application that she didn't even have for the job of the family maid.

Maybe Honoka was right; it wasn't right to judge someone straight from the start, as she hadn't appeared to be the person she turned out to be and Maki considered Honoka a part of the family!

But she still couldn't be sure about Nozomi.

"You care for her, don't you?" Nozomi spoke up, her eyes trained on the younger woman who seemed as if she was reminiscing.

"What kind of a question is that?" Was Maki's retort, her arms crossing again. "And it's nothing to do with you anyway," She turned the other way and continued down the hallway. What an annoying woman, she thought, huffing.

Unknown to her, Nozomi watched her leave with a small smile crossing her lips. "You put on a cold front, but you really do care, don't you Maki-chan?" The bodyguard looked towards the kitchen where she heard the echoing sound of glasses clinking together and then looked back to where Maki had left. "Hm, you are a mystery, Maki Nishikino. A mystery that I intend to figure out,"