Gay Chicken (Or, the 5 Times Weronika Challenged Neo, and the 1 Time Neo Challenged Weronika)

"And I do believe that is a match." Neo's face and voice were completely flat as she crossed her arms and reclined back in her seat.

"GAH! DAMNIT! HOW DO YOU KEEP—?!" By contrast, Weronika threw her head back, hands in her hair, then she threw herself back in her seat as well. Neo pressed a finger to her lips, eyes darting around the rest of the café, an almost playful and teasing expression on her face as Weronika finally took notice of all the alarmed patrons now gawking at them.

Oh. Right. Weronika let the front two legs of her chair fall back to the floor with a thud, humiliated. And twice in like one second, no less! First, her dismal loss at the boardgame. Next, her outburst. And both were at Neo's hands. Perhaps she'd been embarrassed thrice over.

Stupid, fuckin' Neo… Little Miss Perfect Prissy Princess! Lady Lone might've fancied herself a queen, an empress, or even a goddess, but not Weronika Seperack. I might not have won the boardgame, but I'll DEFINITELY win at Gay Chicken before the day is out!

Whether Weronika's conscious mind was aware of it or not, despite Neo's icy façade, her fiery fellow vocalist and unit-mate knew her and could read her better than almost anyone else. That was why, of all the things to challenge Neo to today, Weronika chose "Gay Chicken".

She's always so uptight and haughty! Meanwhile, Weronika would've gladly undergone any humiliation, so long as Neo was humiliated too. That was why Weronika had such an outburst about the boardgame. While she was the sore loser wallowing in self-pity, Neo was sitting pretty.

Grrrr! Just like always! And maybe Weronika wouldn't admit it to herself, but as one of her other thoughts ran, Stupid, sexy Neo…

ooo

Half an hour later, Weronika's expression changed into one of complete and utter awe. Holy shit… She CAN smile…

The two of them were at an aquarium, and Neo's typically stony expression had softened into something far gentler as she stared through the glass at the penguins that swam lazily by. It's almost creepy! Neo's smile, that is. Not the penguins…

"And I do believe that is a match." Neo's face and voice were completely flat again as she addressed Weronika, eyes still glued to the penguins.

"Wh-WHAT?!"

"I see the way you're looking at me."

"WHAT?! HOW—?! Oh. Wait. Right. The glass." Damn you, Neo… "I- I- I was NOT ogling you! Or whatever! I've just never seen you smile!"

"Jealous that it isn't for you?" Neo finally turned around, her soft smile back into its usual, taunting smirk.

"N-no! Dumbass! You know damn well it's just because you look weird, ugly, stupid, and creepy when you smile!" Weronika floundered.

"So you find my normal face to be the most attractive?" Neo raised her eyebrows in mock innocence.

"What the—?! NO! Jeez! Quit twisting my words around like that!"

"Come now, Weronika, I expect far better of my ultimate rival." It took everything in Neo not to wink, to instead maintain her unreadable, unmoved expression. While Weronika looked seconds away from blowing another gasket, Neo reveled in her victory privately.

Really, Seperack, I know intelligence is not your strong suit, but I gave you a large hint, and yet it still flew right over your head! After all, how did Neo notice Weronika's stunned expression unless she'd been looking at Weronika too?

Oh, the irony, she is the only one who can coax a smile out of me, and yet it is the only smile she never notices. Weronika even pointed out how uncanny a smiling Neo was, so why did she never notice all the playful, teasing smirks Neo always gave her? Weronika brought out Neo's repressed, inner child, and yet like a child herself, Weronika was always too oblivious to ever notice.

The fact that Neo knew how often and how closely Weronika eyed her spoke for itself. She turned back to the penguins, but she continued to watch Weronika through the glass' reflection.

ooo

"Your… dining etiquette leave a lot to be desired," Neo remarked frankly as she watched Weronika, who sat across from her at their little two-seater table, stuffing her face full of strawberry pastries. It was lunchtime, and with a performance that evening, Weronika knew she would need all the energy she could get! Before dessert, she'd stuffed her face with meat and protein.

"Oh, 'ut up!" Weronika snorted, refusing to slow down even slightly, washing down her pastries with tea.

"Well, if you are attempting to seduce me, you are doing a terrible job of it," Neo sniffed in mock offense.

Seduce?! Weronika finally, nearly choked.

"I told you your dining etiquette left a lot to be desired," Neo smirked. "It was not merely for my, or any other patron's, benefit." Contrast to Weronika, Neo was slowly, quietly sipping plain black coffee with a small pile of chocolate confections on a plate beside her.

Scowling, Weronika tore her gaze from Neo's face, and it happened to land on the chocolate. Thoughtlessly, she her hand shot forward, and she snatched one up, not to eat, but to feed to Neo. Still scowling—which Neo found amusing because it was antithetical to the mood Weronika was trying to instill—Weronika placed the chocolate on top of one of her strawberry pastries and then held it out to Neo. Despite herself, Neo raised her eyebrows in surprise. Chocolate and strawberry. An obvious combination, yet Neo genuinely had not expected it.

All right, Seperack, I'll bite. Neo leaned forward and accepted the offering, holding Weronika's gaze as her lips brushed the other girl's fingers. She felt Weronika tense up, but she had to give the other girl props for refusing to break her gaze, even though her surprise was as plain as day. Of the two of them, it was obvious who had the better poker face.

Damn you, Neo! I didn't think you were the type… A moment later, Neo offered to return the favor. Weronika wanted to refuse, but… She wasn't a chicken! And so, albeit reluctantly, she allowed Neo to feed her.

ooo

Sweaty bodies, hot hands, insistent gazes, lips that sang one thing and whispered another. C'mon! Try me! Show me what you got!

Even though it was a performance, Weronika and Neo could still play their little game. With Elsie's backup vocals and Sophia's DJing setting the tone, Weronika and Neo sang and danced across the stage, almost more focused on each other than the roaring audience below.

Rubbing up against her, the friction as hot and intense as her passion, Weronika's back was pressed into Neo. Gonna chicken out yet?

Never. Neo smirked and wrapped an arm around Weronika's waist as Weronika continued to dance against her. Then Neo spun Weronika around, their faces only inches apart. Weronika flashed her a wolfish smile, grabbing her hips and pulling her in even closer until their bodies were pressed against one another again. One of Weronika's hands slid up Neo's back as the other remained on her hip. Neo's eyes flickered with approval as she lifted a leg as if to wrap it around Weronika. While the crowd raved, Weronika finally faltered.

H-huh…?! She released Neo's hip and back, almost stumbling away, eyes comically wide and mouth slightly agape. Neo gave a breathy laugh in the brief pause she had before her part of the song resumed, then quickly danced away to join Elsie by her side, leaving a confused Weronika in her wake. But Weronika wouldn't stay down and out forever, sliding over to Neo again and again the whole concert long.

I'm not gonna be the first to lose Gay Chicken! I'm not! With only hours left in the day, time was running out.

ooo

The show was over, but the game was not. At least, it wasn't supposed to be. But Neo had a knack for slipping away in a crowd even though she was always the center of attention. After what felt like eternity, Weronika finally found her… with other people.

That bitch! She knows exactly what she's doing! Trying to make me jealous, and trying to make me have to talk to her in front of all of these people! Never mind that their little game of Gay Chicken was all Weronika's idea anyway. And who said anything about jealousy?

"Hey, buddy!" Weronika snapped, shoving her way through the crowd, death-grip on her red solo cup.

"Hmm?" Neo raised her eyebrows, expression only mildly interested as she took her time turning around. She also held a red solo cup.

"You wanna take this outside?!" Weronika's grip on her cup became even tighter.

"Sure." Neo shrugged, face and voice as flat as always. A few minutes later, the pair managed to swim their way out of the sea of people, Neo's knack for slipping away coming in handy again. Then they were free to enjoy the cool, crisp, clean night air, far quieter than the rowdy party inside.

For a time, the pair walked in silence, Neo's eyes focused forward while Weronika's were glued to the sidewalk as she scowled to herself, hand intertwined with Neo's. The game of Gay Chicken was still on, after all, and Weronika halfheartedly hoped that handholding would finally be the thing that broke Neo. It was too touchy-feely for a stony ice statue like her, right? Well apparently not, because Neo held Weronika's hand right back, still as neutral and unreadable as ever.

Un-freaking-believable… But Weronika wasn't going to be the first to let go, no matter how many passersby she caught staring. Ugh. TFW you and your rival go out for a moonlit stroll to see which one of you chickens out first! Ugh… Come on, Neo, hurry up! Time's a-wasting!

ooo

Neo led Weronika to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the city. I've always enjoyed a view from up high. Hmph. Perhaps it appeals to my ego. To have the rest of the world literally beneath her feet. Though usually, she did not have someone ruling by her side. Blue-gray eyes slid to the side. If there was ever someone Neo would've actively chosen, it was Weronika, the only one who didn't follow her like a lost puppy or a blind sheep, as so many others did. It was… refreshing.

"Wow, what a lovely evening," Weronika snorted sarcastically. How much longer until midnight?

As if reading her thoughts, Neo finally addressed her. "Your little game of… "Gay Chicken"—"

Weronika couldn't help but snort-laugh hearing Neo say it.

"—was created with the intention of publicly humiliating me, was it not?"

"Oh, shut up," Weronika grumbled, amusement immediately vanishing. "You already know, so don't even ask!"

"Well, you may have failed in that regard," Neo continued calmly.

"I said to shut up."

"However, we still have a little time left… And… if you do wish for me to "shut up"…" Facing Weronika, Neo began to bring her face closer and closer to the other girl. Weronika's mind went blank, and her heart began to roar.

OhGodohGodohGodoh… WhatdoIdo? WhatdoIdo? WhatdoIdo? Neo's face was still getting closer. That insufferable, smug, arrogant face… No smile, but Weronika could still read her like an open book. You're enjoying this, aren't you, Neo? She was bitter.

Aren't you? Neo's eyes seemed to ask back, and Weronika refused to yield, even as Neo finally closed the gap between their lips.

Weronika's brain shut down again, and the next time she was aware of anything, Neo had already pulled away, but only to whisper in her ear, uttering another soft, breathy chuckle.

"This was a really good idea."

And Weronika had no idea what she was talking about.

AN: Inspired by ASDF "Hey Buddy, You Wanna Take This Outside?" As I have a friend (HellisJustAPlace on AO3 and DeviantArt) who made me a Neonika edit in Koikatsu that reminded me of the skit.

Also inspired by GreenieLive's post in Reddit's r/Jokes about Gay Chicken. I've joked that the "adopted daughter" of their Vermont Bed-n-Breakfast is Elsie and Sophia, LOL!

And inspired by the UC/AM Live. Seriously, in some of the songs, Neo and Wero's VAs are dancing all over each other and I'm like "SHIPPER FUEL, THX!" lol

Plus, more Neonika brainrot from me. Seriously, I like to think that even though Neo has tons of fans, and allowed all 3 members of Abyssmare to join and follow her, Weronika is the only one she actively chose rather than just allowing to tag along because she recognized that fighting spirit in Weronika and found it refreshing compared to the worship she was used to from everyone else.