Summary: Maki's single parenting as Nico attempts "Nico Ni Goes Off Grid, Part 1.5"
Hoshizora Rin and her daughter Tora, were hosting Rin's BFF Nishikino Maki and her daughters Dia and Ruby at Rin's parents house. They'd finished breakfast awhile ago and the girls were playing happily while their mothers had coffee. Maki had her phone out on the table, having shown Rin pictures of the finished teahouse at the Kurosawa household her mother had given her and Nico as hideaway from the prying eyes of a Tokyo where the Nishikino heir and Nico Ni the Idol were too well known. The NicoTone, which hadn't changed since high school, went off, and Rin was surprised when Maki didn't pick up the phone and smile at whatever silly face selfie Yazawa Nico had sent to amuse her wife. Instead, Maki glanced briefly at her phone, then turned it face down.
"So how are the wedding plans?" Maki returned to the previous topic.
"Fine. Kayo-chin's really excited and Tora's learning all about how different cultures celebrate weddings. She wants us to have people break plates the night before like they do in Germany. She was practicing one night and Kayo-chin almost went nuts."
Maki chuckled a little. Tora's moods went from calm to crazy energy with no warning at all. She could see both parents in the girl and wondered if her friends thought the same when they looked at Dia and Ruby. She could see so much of Nico...Maki shook her head and gave her phone the side eye, "Do you have a date yet?" Maki sighed, "Nico keeps adding things to her schedule."
"Nah, no rush." Rin shrugged, turning to check on the girls. Ruby was playing with animal blocks and Dia and Tora were stacking the ones Ruby hadn't claimed.
"You two amaze me."
"Hey, your wedding happened too suddenly for me to attend and I was STILL IN TOKYO then."
"Yeah."
No smile from the redhead. Rin became even more suspicious about her friend's mood.
Then Maki stood, " I have to get Dia and Ruby back to my parents. I'm meeting a friend for lunch."
"Tora and I will walk you home through the girls' favorite park."
Maki nodded.
The park was mostly empty, although the weather was nice enough that many people were out strolling. Maki and Rin sat on a bench, mostly quiet, as Dia and Tora tried to coax Ruby onto a swing. It wasn't working and Maki decided to rescue her youngest daughter when someone called out her name.
"Maki!"
Rin glanced up. A short, dark haired woman was rushing across the park.
"Oh, hey, Natsu." Maki waved, "We were just heading back to my parents."
Tora and Dia had decided to race, with Rin as the finish line. It was a tie, one on either side of Rin, so she scooped them both of the ground. Ruby had a firm grip on Maki's hand as her mother talked to this stranger, the tiny redhead tugging to be lifted.
"We can just go to lunch from here if you want to bring your daughters. This is Ruby right?" Natsuko reached down to pat Ruby's head, causing her to cling even harder to her mother's leg, thumb in her mouth.
Rin watched as Maki smiled briefly, lavender eyes downcast, "No, they'll need a nap soon. And the more sleep they get in the afternoon, the more likely I am to get sleep at night," Maki sighed, running a hand through her hair, "I must look exhausted."
Natsu shook her head, cheerful. "No, you look good, Maki. Much more rested than either of us ever got during med school."
Maki nodded, bending to pick up Ruby. Rin snapped a picture as Ruby smiled and rubbed her mother's cheeks.
"Ruby's so pretty," Dia suddenly announced to the world, but then switched to critical mode, "But she makes Mama carry her a lot."
"Mommer can carry anyone." Tora announced proudly.
Dia bzzzed, not believing her friend.
Rin grinned at Dia, as she slung the 4 year old up over her shoulder, "Try me. We'll race Tora."
"No fair." Tora pouted, "You're too fast, Mommer."
"Dia'll slow me down, kitten. Just enough to make it fair."
Dia, now safe on Rin's back, laughed and looped her arms over Rin's shoulders, "No I won't. I'll steer."
"Sounds great, Dia-chan." Rin spun, careful not to jar Dia, and shouted, "Hey, Maki, bet you can't catch us!"
Maki was startled out of her conversation as Rin sped toward the Nishikino's house, carrying Dia.
"Sorry, Natsu, I'll see you at lunch." Maki grumbled at Rin's impulsiveness under her breath.
"And I'll convince you to go to that big party your parents are throwing. You need a break." Natsu waved a goodbye.
Maki initially refused to race after Rin, but Ruby was bouncing and whispering "go go go" and Maki found herself once again in a headlong, silly chase after her best friend, both of them now carrying daughters. Tora, running alongside Rin, bounced and laughed at Dia.
Nico picked up her phone from her makeup table. She'd sent Maki a couple of texts, with no response. Nico's big news, a supporting role in a sparkly ninja idol Netflix movie targeted at tweens shooting in Vancouver next month had gotten a very subdued response from Maki, as had the Korean concerts that had been added to the dates Nico had originally scheduled. Yes, they were supposed to be together by now, off the grid, raising their GIRLS in a small seaside resort together by now, but after a mostly calm year adjusting, so many opportunities had come up that Nico couldn't resist the urge to have a big SPLASH before she completely disappeared.
Now, two and a half months into a brutally heavy touring schedule, Nico was missing Maki sorely. And not sure what to do about her wife's increasing detachment. Maki's temper flares were easier to deal with than this...weary chill. And then there were Dia and Ruby. Nico had never expected it to be so physically hard to be away from her wife and daughters, but keeping in constant motion helped.
Not a text from Maki. A picture from Rin. Of Maki and Ruby at a park near the Nishikinos, one where Nico and Maki had often met. Nico looked closer. Somebody Nico barely remembered, one of Maki's few friends from medical school, was in the background of the shot, watching Nico's wife and daughter with a bemused smile. Nico frowned as she read Rin's text.
R: EVERYBODY misses you Nico-chan! (੭ ˃̣̣̥ ㅂ˂̣̣̥)੭ु
R: Maki's snooty doctor friend is dragging her to some SUPER BORING party tomorrow. She's cancelling on movie night ＝(￣□￣;)⇒ We were going to watch the Joan Jett documentary.
R: Tora sends her love and says bring her something with the Korean Olympic mascot on it. Kayo-chin says 'get IceNice9er autographs! for her."
Another pic, this one of Dia and Tora running around the park.
Maki hated her parents's staged charity events. Nico stared at her phone, remembering the near manic babble of nearly every video call with the girls, although Ruby mostly made noises, not words.
Was Maki that desperate for adult conversation? Or just too tired to say no to her parents? Or…
Nico glanced at the first pic again. And the two rings on her left hand. She remembered how happy Maki had been to surprise her with an engagement ring,10 years after Nico's proposal and Maki's simultaneous announcement of their marriage to be. It had taken a few months to sort out the details and fit the official wedding into Nico's schedule; getting their certificate from Shibuya and moving in together had been the easier, immediate step. Nico smiled as she recalled how small and cozy the apartment had been, even with the upgrade to a one bedroom, and how reluctant both of them had always been to leave it. Umi had bruised her hand nearly knocking down the door a few times getting their attention.
Maybe the Big Splash wasn't the most important thing right now. She wondered how good the Nishikino's travel agent was.
This week in Tokyo was reminding Maki why she really didn't mind having moved to a small seaside resort town, Too many meetings, too much business, too many numbers, too many people who wanted to coo over pictures of Dia and Ruby and wonder how Nico could stay away from such cuties. Or mention that their husbands never had time for family either. But Ruby's difficulties in sleeping in strange places or while travelling had put a crimp in any tour with Nico while the girls were too young for school plans. Dia had thrived as a baby but Ruby had never really adjusted when Nico took her on the road at 3 months of age. They'd all suffered through another six months, touring as a family, but everyone was getting miserable so Maki took the girls back to the Kurosawa homestead while Nico wrapped things up. Which the Idol had planned to do, in good faith, but then being at home had made her restless for an audience and so many opportunities had started dropping in her path that Nico felt obligated to agree to some. And then the Nico Ni train had steamrolled into this...Maki shouldn't have been surprised. Nico Ni loved an audience.
Maki had let her parents and Natsu talk her into attending the event tonight. If it hadn't been for her favorite jazz combo as the entertainment, she might have demurred. But it had been so long since she'd heard a live performance of music without amplified pop vocals or had even a sip of a mixed cocktail. Surely being an adult could be more than meetings and child care.
She opened the door to her parent's house, half dreading the need to change and explain to Ruby and Dia where she was going and hear their cries for a video call to Nico...Maki's ears perked up at a familiar voice, Nico's, singing a song Maki had never heard before. Maybe Nico had sent the girls a recording of something she was working on….Maki smiled. Nico had been careful to stay in close touch with Ruby and Dia, sending texts and treats...then Maki heard a thump and Nico's laugh, not pre recorded, as Dia joined in and Ruby shouted, "Momma, Me! Me!" Maki immediately kicked off her shoes to run to the media room, suddenly giddy. Her mother had watched the whole scene quietly from the stairs.
Nico, hair loose, wearing leggings and an old t-shirt of Maki's was helping Ruby with some dance moves, holding Ruby's hands up while the tiny redhead stood on Nico's feet and the Idol moved them both through the steps while Dia watched and copied as best as she could at four years of age. It was ridiculous and charming and beautiful and Maki couldn't believe it.
"Nico-chan?" Her voice spiked with nervousness.
"MAMA!" Dia ran to hug her, "Mom's showing us a new song so we can dance for you."
Nico grinned, "I got IceNice9er, my opening band, to teach me their new single for my best girls." Nico lifted Ruby up into a hug, carrying her over to Maki so Nico could kiss her wife on the cheek, "Plus, Nico heard a very smart, very pretty doctor might need an escort to a party tonight so I rescheduled a few things." Nico searched Maki's eyes, her own apologetic. "I cancelled even more."
Maki felt Nico's arm go around her waist, Ruby between them, Dia at her side. She dropped her chin onto Nico's hair, still as soft as ever, relaxing for what felt like the first time in months. They were together. Nico was here.
Maki's mother made an appearance, "Dia, Ruby, it's time for a snack. Come on, I put some fruit out."
Dia followed her grandmother but stopped in the doorway when Nico still hadn't put Ruby down.
"One more surprise." Nico kissed her daughter, "Ruby and I have been talking."
"Talk." Ruby echoed seriously.
"And Ruby wants to see what happens when her mom makes a movie."
"Movie...Mama, movie!" Ruby reached out to Maki.
"So we're all going to Vancouver for a month, if it's all right with you, Maki-chan."
Maki was starting to suspect Nico had had her thoughts bugged and frowned at her mother who shook her head and shrugged as she took her granddaughter from Maki.
"Nico-chan, why are you doing all this?" Maki asked when they were alone, her tone suspicious.
Nico pulled Maki in by the waist and kissed her soundly, startling the redhead, who blushed and stepped back. "I missed you. ALL OF YOU. And Nico Ni was working so much to forget it, I forgot it." Nico hugged Maki, holding her burstingly tight to make up for so many distant days. "Then your pushy orange cat of a BFF sent me a picture of you and Ruby in the park yesterday and I remembered."
Nico chuckled as Maki pulled her even closer, "RIn might have nearly failed out of college once or twice, but she's better at people than even Nozy. Her students are lucky."
So am I, Maki thought, as Nico continued, "I love you, Yazawa-Nishikino Maki, and I am so sorry to have left you alone so much."
"I love you, Nico-chan." The rest of what Maki whispered was lost in Nico's hair, along with tears.
Nico pulled Maki back to the couch, so the redhead was sitting half in her lap, arms wound around Nico's shoulders, "There's a suite waiting upstairs at the Park Hyatt for later when you get enough jazz."
"What about…"
"Your parents are dropping the girls off at my mom's on their way out tonight. She and Cotarou will take care of them for a day or two." Nico ran fingers through Maki's silky hair, along the curve of her ear, feeling the redhead respond, hearing the hiss as Maki tilted her neck to push into the touch, glorious eyes fluttering closed, tongue flicking across her lips. Why had Nico stayed away from this?
Maki knew people would occasionally call her spoiled and perhaps she was, but tonight, tonight, she was going to revel in that feeling. It had been too long since she'd been this close to Nico, and she was damn well going to let herself enjoy the entirety of Nico's attention for as long as she could. She was having trouble remembering why she wanted to go out at all as Nico's lips caressed her ear lightly, whispering wants, murmuring admiration.
Maki stood, Nico moaning a little as she found her arms empty.
Lavender eyes sparking with mischief, Maki let her voice tease, "We'd better go get changed, Nico-chan." Maki leaned in the doorway, but her glance wouldn't meet Nico's, "It's a very, very fashionable affair. I don't think you have anything to wear."
"Nico is prepared for any occasion." Nico raised an eyebrow, her arm along the back of the couch, "Is Maki-chan going to pick out my outfit?"
Maki giggled, she'd tweaked Nico enough that a hint of indignation had sneaked into the Idol's voice, which made Maki bolder, "No, Nico-chan. But you can pick out mine."
Drop a flirty wink and hustle upstairs to the guest suite. Maki counted to three and heard Nico's hasty steps behind her. Her mother would figure out what was going on when they were missing from downstairs. For once, Maki didn't care what the elder Nishikino might guess about their activities, as Nico's arms caught her, spinning Maki into a kiss that made her glad they weren't on the stairs.
"Gotcha" Nico smirked.
"Always."
A/N: Author gets ragingly sentimental ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Actually, part of my plan for these was to hit some of the spots where times are rough (in any relationship) and romance needs a reboot.
I've been sorting out the timeline of this, especially the middle part where Nico and Maki become parents. I switched where the KotoUmi child should be when I sorted them, but I'm now typing up the chronological order of these now and then gradually tweak any ages that need it.