A/N: 'You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To' is a jazz standard, made famous by Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Paul Chambers.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, all rights go to respectful owners.
The place Maki shared with Rin and Hanayo was on the third floor of a small apartment building.
It was fairly close to their respective shops, and right near Yushima station.
It was 7:26pm by the time Eli and Nozomi got to the destination. Out the front, they saw a small but familiar figure, leaning against a lamppost with smoke coming from their right hand.
"Nicochi," Nozomi grinned, and the small figure shot upright at her nickname.
"Nozomi, fancy seeing you here," was the awkward response, followed by a drag on the cigarette. Nozomi raised an eyebrow.
"I am Rin-chan's boss and tattoo master, of course I'd come along to see her new place."
"Is everyone else inside?" Eli asked, rubbing her left hand on her right arm. Nozomi was holding Eli's right hand with her left.
"Most of them, we're just waiting for Honoka. Apparently, she's bringing her new lady."
"The famous new lady is real, I see," Nozomi grinned as Nico took another drag.
"I'm just finishing this off outside, then I'll be in."
"Good idea," Nozomi took out her own packet, and felt the cold stare from Eli.
"Hey, just one, then I will be right in. I promise you," Nozomi's grin turned into a puppy-dog-pout, and the blonde groaned with frustration.
"Fine, I'll see you in there," she let go of Nozomi's hand and stalked off into the apartment building.
"Eli-san! Welcome!" A small girl with mousy brown hair opened the door and bowed. Eli bowed back and was invited inside.
The place was clean and tidy, and smelled of mango. The table was extended and had ten plates already set.
"Hello, everyone," Eli greeted the five occupants.
"Eli! Nice to see you again!" Kotori instantly got up from the table and hugged the blonde.
"Where's Nozomi?" Umi asked from the table.
Eli rolled her eyes, "Outside having a cigarette with Nico."
"Urgh, she needs to quit," Umi pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I don't understand why Nico smokes when she works at a flower shop," Maki noted, twirling her hair.
"I just don't understand why they do it in the first place," Kotori sat back down with Eli next to her.
"I'd love for Nozomi to quit, because she's practically a skunk now," Eli took off her jacket.
"Did you know that there is this new craze called vaping?" Rin reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow cylindrical item.
"It's just flavoured smoke that some people use to ween themselves of real cigarettes!"
"That's a thing?" Umi eyed the device.
"It's apparently all the range in America and Europe," Rin put the object to her mouth and inhaled, then blew out.
"Mmm…Apple flavoured!"
"There's no nicotine or anything?" The wheels in Eli's head started turning.
"Nope! It's completely harmless, and it's cheap, too!"
"That gives me an idea," Eli took out her phone to write a note to herself as the door opened, and in stepped Nico and Nozomi.
"Good evening everyone," Nozomi smiled at the table.
"Nozomi-senpai! Nice of you to join us!" Rin greeted her boss with smoke coming out of her mouth.
"I'm here too!" Nico plonked down next to Maki.
"But you were here, like, an hour ago," Maki noted, making the small girl's eyebrows twitch.
"So, how do you like the place, senpai?" Rin eagerly looked at Nozomi. The tattoo artist gazed around then looked back at her apprentice.
"I think it's lovely, Rin-chan,"
Rin clenched her fist and brought them into her chest with glee.
"So, Maki, how long have you been living here for?" Umi asked the redhead.
"Um, I moved in last December?
"What's it like living away from home? It certainly took you long enough," Nico smirked, and Maki just huffed.
"I'm enjoying it, miss 'I-still-live-at-home-even-though-I'm-26,'"
"Ooh, burn!" Rin cheered as Nico scrunched up her face.
"I have no need to move out! All my siblings are there and it's not like I can't!"
"Rin-chan, what are you holding there?" Nozomi caught sight of the small yellow vaper.
"This?" Rin held it up.
"It's a vaper, it produces flavoured smoke, apparently," Eli answered for Rin. Nozomi hummed and looked at Nico. They both knew where this was going.
"Although Rin-chan doesn't smoke, this is just a fun thing to do every and then for her. It's just flavoured smoke, you see," Hanayo took the device, stuck it in her mouth, and inhaled. When she exhaled, smoke came out.
"It's apple flavoured at the moment."
"Where did you get it from?" Eli asked Hanayo.
"A shop in Akibahara, actually."
"How interesting," Nozomi mused, playing dumb. Maki, however, spoke up.
"They have candy flavoured smoke, Nico."
"Really?!" Nico perked up at once. Maki smirked, "Yep, they also have raspberry, strawberries, chocolate, lemon and caramel,"
"Eugh," Nozomi quietly retched at the caramel option.
"It's supposed to be an alternative to cigarettes, so that'll be my birthday present to you,"
"My birthday is in July," Nico deadpanned.
"How about a very late Christmas present?" Kotori smiled. Umi smirked at Nozomi, she knew she was playing dumb.
"What flavour would you like, Nozomi?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"They don't have yakiniku flavour, do they?"
"No, but they have chocolate, Perhaps you and Eli can share?" Umi smiled at Eli, who raised an eyebrow.
"Chocolate flavoured smoke…what's next? Flying pigs?" Nozomi chuckled.