The ringtone screamed inside the tent. Maki groaned, reached out a hand, and reminded herself to bash whoever was on the other end of the call, not the phone.

Honoka immediately started babbling. "Maki it's so cool here your parents are the best for dropping me off on their flight thanks so much for asking them Paris is going to be so cool say hi to Nico got to run call you later."

Maki ended the call with a grunt. Nico raised her head from where it she was sprawled over Maki's torso.

"Honoka never did understand time zones."

"Nope." Maki yawned.

"There's your actual number one idol in the universe."

Maki sat up, clutching the blanket around her, shock not completely faked, "Who are you? My girlfriend, the actual number one idol in the universe, was here just a minute ago."

Nico chuckled, an easy, sexy, relaxed sound as she sat up to kiss Maki, "Still Nico."

"Then what did you…"

"Nico's been thinking a lot recently, about dreams and plans, and…" Nico paused, pulling Maki back down so they were lying face to face on the joined sleeping bags, "and you."

Maki couldn't make words happen, caught by the nearness of Nico, the prickles of desire licking across any part of her within five centimeters of Nico."

"Wait a minute, I want to see your face."

Nico reached out to turn up the camping lantern.

"Why?" Maki snapped, nervous suddenly.

"Because it's Nico's favorite sight in the world, goof."

"Oh." The blushing cycle had started, so Maki changed the subject. "What did you mean? About Honoka?"

"Oh…just that when Nico was a kid being everyone's idol, making everyone smile was such a BIG dream. But Nico never really wanted to do it alone, like Honoka is now, with her guitar, out there for strangers…I mean, Nico could have, but…"

From the downturn in Nico's voice, Maki knew she was talking about high school.

"And then there was Muse. And your music…"

A long pause. Nico sounded so serious and beauty breathed out of every angle of her profile and Maki felt herself drawing closer. Nico noticed, smiling the quiet, content smile that only Maki had ever seen. She reached out a hand to stroke Maki's shoulder. "And then there was this bullet train of a tsundere."

"I am not a tsundere."

Nico and Maki both giggled.

"Who ran right into me, full speed, who Nico couldn't ignore, who Nico couldn't bear to see cry, or be lonely."

A gentle finger traced Maki's cheekbone. "And we kissed."

Maki remembered the explosion, the shock, the want, her entire world reorienting around Nico, finding both her true north and a bright star to navigate by in one tiny woman, one tremendous force.

Nico's finger lazed across Maki's lip now. "Nico wanted one smile, one gorgeous, glorious smile."

Maki sighed, "I feel so selfish sometimes."

"But you still want Nico all to yourself, right?" There was that wink, smug and impossible.

Maki nodded. The atmosphere, the tension, this mood, with Nico so close, always stole her breath, stripped away everything else.

"Nico is selfish too. I don't want to share you." Nico so near, a question in her eyes. Maki nodded. Nico pounced, the kiss quick but fierce, Nico's arms now locked around Maki.

"So Nico has a new dream, not a kid's dream. I want to make music, a family, a home with you, Nishikino Maki, Nico's number one everything."

Maki thought she couldn't take the way everything inside her hammered at Nico's breathy whisper, Nico's arms holding firmly when Maki might push away and scatter.

"You said Honoka…"

Another kiss, bolder. Maki lost any connection to conversation in her thoughts, only aware of Nico's hands suddenly everywhere.

"I love you, Maki."

"Love you."

More kisses.

"This is what Nico wants you are what Nico wants so smart so caring so pretty so vibrant so Maki my Maki"

Nico's words smashed into static in Maki's head. Maki lunged into kiss, Nico's response to pull her impossibly closer, tease her neck, hair, shoulders, whisper so many everythings as Maki moaned desperate responses and then….

Calm. Maki so close, so safe, Nico's hold so tight. The static cleared as their breathing slowed and synched.

"I love you Maki. Marry me."

Maki had already melted. And swooned. And screamed. And whispered. And demanded. And cried. Oh wait, that was now. Maki could feel the tears and Nico gently kissing them away.

"Maki?"

Maki nodded into Nico's shoulder.

"Was that a "yes, I'll marry you Nico" or a "yes, I am Maki?"

Maki laughed, "Both."

"Good. Nico might have gotten the wrong tent."

Maki pushed Nico away, grabbing for a pillow, but Nico caught the movement, moving to intercept.

"Nope. Nico wins."

Maki's grin matched Nico's. "Nope, I did."

"Nico is a catch."

Maki raised an eyebrow, controlling most of the tremble in her voice. "Modesty continues to suit you."

"Nico knows." Nico squeezed Maki in a hug that rolled them back and forth. "There's even a ring for you in Nico's bag if you're nice to Nico."

"How nice?" Maki nipped at Nico's earlobe.

"Well, maybe not nice."

And with another surge, any other world went away.

A/N: I found this on a legal pad. Don't remember when I wrote it. I do remember thinking Nico and Maki probably went camping occasionally, perhaps on the anniversary of a certain breakthrough moment.

Things have been crazy. I hope this helps your December start brighter.