A/N: Happy Valentine's Day
Don't Speak - No Doubt (Very good song. Highly recommend.)
Eli dropped Alisa off at the ballet studio with a million thoughts running through her head.
When in Italy, Nozomi had heard of her mother developing an illness, and how her father would not be supporting her, and filed for a divorce. He refused to pay for her medical bills, defaming his wife no longer fit to survive, as he believes it was her fault that Nozomi turned out the way she did.
Nozomi made money in Italy to support her mother by drawing and painting. When she earned her apprenticeship, it became slightly easier to support her mother and herself, but one month before she had finished her apprenticeship, Ms Toujou passed away.
Nozomi was not able to attend the funeral, as her father refused for her to attend the funeral. He had gone against his wife's wished of wanting to be cremated, and buried her in a graveyard back where the family had lived for a short time.
When Nozomi got back from Italy, her father had cut her off completely, throwing her out onto the streets to live and wanted nothing to do with his daughter. It had taken the twenty-one-year-old some time to find her feet, but she had met two university students who were in need of a roommate to keep their apartment: Eli Ayase and Nico Yazawa. Nozomi had, by some miracle, gotten a scholarship into a college for fine arts, and was able to fund herself by working for her tattoo master, Kussun.
However, when her father found out she was then studying, he had gone out of his way to destroy the scholarship by pulling some strings with the university in her third and final year. During that time, Nozomi and Eli had moved out, and the only way Nozomi could afford to stay with Eli was to sell her car.
Eli remembered the tear-stained face of her girlfriend as she sat outside of their apartment.
"That man is taking everything from me, just because I didn't turn out the way he wanted."
When Nozomi said this, Eli felt her heart split in two. How could someone turn against their own child? Their flesh and blood? Why was Mr Toujou going out of his way to give his daughter hell?
Eli had to pull herself out of her thoughts as she reached her apartment: the very apartment she and Nozomi had lived in ever since their final years of university.
Nico had decided to move back in with her family to help out around the house, but they needed new tenants for the lease. Lucky for them, three students, all a year younger than them, had offered to take over. That was how they met Honoka, Kotori and Umi.
The blonde reached into her coat pockets and pulled out her keys. With an automatic movement, she unlocked the door and opened it.
Upon entering, the florist found the bed sheets Nozomi had used folded neatly on the arm of the couch. Eli gazed sadly at the sheets, wondering if Nozomi would sleep there again tonight.
Normally, it took Nozomi a day or so to regain her regular habits, but if it involved her father, then who knew how long it would take her to get back to normal?
While Eli out to have a shower and get changed, she mulled over Nozomi's tendency to keep things to herself: the news must have been eating at her insides since Saturday.
Since she had been by herself for so long, Nozomi was used to keep everything to herself, locking away her problems and throwing away the key.
It had taken Eli some time to get Nozomi desensitised to opening up about her feelings, and the process was like wrestling a bull. The only difference being bulls were male and did not talk back.
Once Eli exited the shower and threw on some tracksuit pants and a tank top. Eli clenched her fists, remembering this face, and let out a snort of disgust.
Nozomi walked home, puffing on that goddamn e-cigarette. Her hat was tilted back, and her leather jacket was not enough to counteract the cold.
"I should really get a warmer coat," she thought, rounding the corner.
"I had a super warm one when I was in Italy that Kussun got for me…I wonder where it is?"
The artist felt a lot lighter after telling Rin the whole story, and the apprentice had to take twenty minutes to clean her up from sobbing before returning to her stencil practice. No one wants a crying tattoo artist near them, after all.
Nozomi trudged up the stairs to the apartment and pulled out her key. When she opened the door, the place was rather toasty.
Nozomi closed her eyes, letting the warmth embrace her. She took off her shoes and removed her jacket, revealing her navy blue t-shirt hoodie.
Upon entering the living room, Nozomi set down her bag and puffed out the synthetic flavoured smoke: she was slowly getting used to the e-cigarette, but it just wasn't the same as a regular cigarette.
"Elichi?" Nozomi called out, wondering where her girlfriend was.
She knew that their spat yesterday had shaken them both slightly, but Nozomi knew it wasn't the worst one they had.
Two years ago, they had fought about money, and it was a 'fucking Greek tragedy' (in Umi's words.) People downstairs at their Christmas party had actually left because of the shouting match that was happening upstairs.
Nozomi pushed that fight out of her mind as she slumped down onto the couch and placed her head in her hands. She could barely train Rin without the thought of her father looming over her, causing her mind to decay into a swirling black hole of anxiety and depression.
Nozomi hated this. She hated being weak. The artist was so caught up in her self-loathing, fear and anger that she didn't hear a certain florist enter the apartment.
"I'm home," Eli called out, but instantly found Nozomi on the couch.
Eli placed the bag, contents unknown, on their dining table and attentively walked over to the tattooed girl.
"Hey," Eli slowly sat down next to her, not touching her. Nozomi raised her head and turned to look at Eli.
When she was barely centimetres away from the blonde, Nozomi was able to truly appreciate her features: perfect cheekbones, defined jawline, and those mesmerizing blue eyes that shone when she was happy.
Nozomi pulled her lips into a smile, and took out the e-cigarettes from her pocket and slapped them on the table.
"Got rid of all of my cigarettes, it's just these from now on," Nozomi's voice was small and weak.
Eli's lips parted as she stared down at the metal tubes, and her heart sank.
"Oh, Nozomi," Eli sighed and gently placed a hand on her girlfriend's thigh.
"This isn't about the cigarettes, and I'm so sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have snapped like that."
"Eh, it's fine," Nozomi shrugged, placing her elbows on her knees so that her fists could meet her forehead.
"You would've found out sooner or later."
"I just wish you told me about your father," Eli's voice was barely a whisper.
The artist heaved a sigh and looked away from the florist.
"He's not one of my favourite topics," green eyes closed.
"Nozomi,"
At the sound of her name, Nozomi opened her eyes again.
"You're not alone anymore. This isn't high school, you have nothing to hide. I am here, and I will not be going anywhere anytime soon," Eli gently moved a lock of hair behind Nozomi's ear, getting a look at her latest tattoo in the process.
"You can tell me anything, and I will listen. Shit, God knows how many times you have listened to my mindless bitching, so please, let me help you," the blonde pressed her lips gently to Nozomi's cheek.
"It would be so much easier for you to deal with this if you just open up to me. We talked about this, remember?"
When Nozomi huffed away, Eli brought her brows together.
"Honesty is the best policy. That and…you know…actually talking."
The florist got to her feet and walked over to the bag she had left on the table. Nozomi didn't look up, but she heard some rummaging and rustling.
"You know, Nozomi," Eli started to talk while she worked.
"I'm so proud of you,"
"For what? Being a smoker with daddy issues?"
Eli chuckled, ignoring the darkness in Nozomi's tone.
"Believe it or not, its something else," Eli stopped what she was doing and looked up at the kitchen, eye crinkling at memories.
"I'm proud of you for getting through school, I'm proud of you for going to Italy, and I'm proud of you for getting through university."
"You were only there for one of those three," Nozomi mumbled, and Eli just chuckled again.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can be proud of the Nozomi I didn't know yet," Eli continued to work while Nozomi lifted her head.
"I'm also proud of you for opening your very own shop and not going under in the first year."
"…Thank you?" Nozomi raised an eyebrow. The blonde threw back her head and laughed.
"You'd be surprised how many independent businesses go under in their first year," Eli closed her eyes, remembering how difficult it was to maintain a steady income in her first year of having Bibi.
"But, you managed," when she opened her eyes, Eli peered down at her creation with a quirked grin.
Eli carried her creation as if it were made of pure crystal over to Nozomi.
"Close your eyes," Eli instructed the sulking tattoo artist.
"Why?" another raised eyebrow. Eli sighed and pouted.
"Do you want my hard work to go to waste?"
"Not until you tell me what it is," Nozomi pouted back. Eli huffed and shifted her weight onto her right hip.
"You're a stubborn, cheeky little shit, you know that?"
"So I'm told," Nozomi let a tiny grin twitch at the corners of her mouth.
"Will you just close your eyes for two seconds?"
"Fine," Nozomi obliged, shutting her green optics. Eli gently placed her creation onto Nozomi's head.
When Eli stepped back, she grinned.
It was the perfect size and shape for the artist's head. Stifling a giggle, Eli knelt down to meet Nozomi.
"I know it's been tough, especially with that bastard looming over you, waiting for you to trip so he can swoop in and make your life a living hell," Eli gently rested her hands on Nozomi's knees again.
Nozomi opened her eyes slowly.
"But you are so strong, Nozomi. You're like titanium or something, seriously!" Eli locked eyes with Nozomi, seeing the tears glistening.
"Your father is no match for you now, because you are stronger than ever," The blonde leaned into softly kiss the twin-tailed girl.
Nozomi slowly lifted up a hand to find out what Eli had placed on her head.
The texture was soft and crinkly, and Eli reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. She flipped the camera around, then showed the screen to Nozomi.
The tattoo artist took in her reflection from the front camera on Eli's phone.
On top of her head was a flower crown, made of white lilies, held together with some purple ribbon.
Her red cheeks and green eyes glistening with tears were shining as her lip quivered.
"You're beautiful, intelligent and so special, Nozomi," Eli smiled, and that was enough for Nozomi to unleash those tears.
The artist fell into Eli's open embrace, and sobbed.
Nozomi did not let go of the woman she loved for quite some time.
, ':)