Summary: Nico and Maki are still adjusting to their life as parents and their new, seaside location.
Both the girls were sleeping, a rare afternoon break in from parenting. Dia, at the age of almost four, had an amount of energy that frightened Maki. She'd probably inherited that from Nico, but she also seemed to have inherited Cocoro's judgy hauteur. So meeting Dia's standards had already become a struggle. Nico had started to let Dia veto one food item a week, which led to fewer refusals to eat dinner.
Nico was in the room she'd claimed as her office. They were still moving into the Numazu house, redecorating with an emphasis on traditional design. Kotori planned to visit next week to pick screens for the common areas.
Stepping into Nico's office though was almost like stepping back into the Idol Research Club room from Maki's first year at Otonikazawa. No A-Rise posters, both Maki and Nico had agreed about that. Muse posters. Nico Ni posters. Lots of Nico swag. A smaller table. A larger whiteboard. Still two screens on a table behind Nico, with her laptop in between them. A state of the art sound system. A coffee machine and mugs for meetings. Currently, Nico sat at the table, facing the door, official looking books in three piles as she took notes.
"The girls are sleeping. Finally. I think Dia wore herself out doing Muse dance routines for Ruby." Maki rolled up the sleeves of her striped linen oxford. That and short khaki shorts were her go to outfit. Nico was usually in a floral, ruffled sundress.
Nico glanced up from her work, her proud parent grin glowing, "They're the cutest. Did you take any video? Cocoro, Cocoa, and Cotaro would love to see that."
Maki nodded. Since they moved to Numazu, everyone wanted pictures of Dia and Ruby. Maki felt more like a documentary film crew than a parent. Shaking herself away from a sigh, she slumped in the farthest seat from Nico and grabbed a book. It contained nautical tables. What was Nico up to?
"Nico-chan?"
"The Kurosawas are an old fishing family right, so we should know some of their history." Nico frowned, hand under her chin, "It should be your family though, not Nico's…"
"It is my family." Maki shouldn't have been surprised. Nico was, of course, overplanning.
"Yeah, yeah, you and your mom have similar features to the local Kurosawa branch, people will like that" Nico slid a book open to a picture at Maki, "and people will believe our story."
The picture was a multigenerational shot of a Kurosawa family boating outing, black and white collotype photo, a bunch of children the same age as Ruby and Dia. One of the older woman reminded Maki of her great aunt, the previous owner of this house. There was an air of contented happiness. Maki hoped her daughters would feel that here, instead of the rushed, hunted bustle that time in Tokyo had become.
"So, we met overseas, how about New York, in college maybe…" Nico had continued building a backstory.
Best to apply an editorial touch now. "That's awfully complicated, Nico-chan. Can't we just be from Tokyo?"
"Hmmmm…." Nico considered, "You are a terrible liar."
"You make that sound like a character flaw." Maki found a curl to twirl.
Nico shrugged as she got to her feet, bouncing over to hug Maki, "No flaws anywhere Nico notices."
Happier, Maki leaned back. "Parenting is exhausting. How did ours do it?"
"We were perfect children." Nico gloated.
Maki snorted, "Well, I was. I doubt you were anything but Dia on turbo boost."
Maki sometimes forgot that bringing up Nico's childhood could lead to small, somber silences so unlike Nico's usual moods.
"My dad would have loved the girls." Nico whispered.
Nico still had her arms around Maki's shoulder. Maki leaned back to kiss her gently on the cheek, an apology for having broken the mood . "Hey, if we're reinventing ourselves, how about I skip the doctor part."
That surprised Nico, who spun Maki around, concerned, ruby eyes searching Maki's.
Maki stretched her arms up, "Haven't you always wanted a trophy wife?"
Nico stared too long at Maki's rising bosom, then stuttered her way through a response as she met Maki's laughing glance, "Of...of course, Nico has the hottest, sexiest, smartest wife ever. Nico will sit down to write, Maki will wander around in sarong, Nico will get nothing practical done."
"And then I'll order delivery."
Nico was getting closer, tension and interest building between them, "If that's what Maki wants…"
"Maybe. Music." And then Maki remembered something she's always dreamed about doing, "I'd like to take out my camera…"
"Ooohh, sexy Nico pictures," Nico's sexy snarl still melted Maki, but Maki rolled her eyes at Nico rather than admit it.
"Ocean. Mount Fuji. Stars. Storms. Daughters." Maki dropped her arms around Nico's shoulders. "Anything but oranges."
Nico's lips brushed her ear, "Living here in mandarin country must be a nightmare for you."
"I ignore them."
"You can't ignore Nico." A nip on the ear, a breath blown down the neck. Maki could no longer pretend disinterest.
"Don't want to."
Good."
Kissing. Nico in her lap. Nico undoing her collar. Maki giggled.
"What?!" Indignant Nico.
"Your office really is a lot like the old Idol Study room. Whiteboard. Table. You getting me out of my jacket." More giggling. And Nico winding up to a rant.
"This is Nico's totally grown up office. And you are Nico's totally grown up wife." Adorably irate, Nico tapped on Maki's chest with a finger, two rings a solid reminder of their bond.
Maki slid her fingers through Nico's, raising them to her lips for a bite, "Want to move to Nico's totally grown up bed?"
A sexy, twisty kiss, "Nico will make you scream."
"Nap time. Daughters." Maki giggled again.
Nico frowned but then there was mischief in her eyes, before she dropped her head to kiss her way up Maki's trembling shoulder, "Nico will make you sing."
Maki had music and Nico and their family every day. None of her childhood dreams had been this grand. And as she began high school she'd met two of the biggest dreamers ever, Honoka, then Nico. Everything since had been a gift.
A/N: Had a sudden vision of Nico's office. Also, I miss doing these. Enjoy!