Nico missed silly vodka chugging college bestie Eli. What she had now was law school confident hyper professional manager Eli Ayase. Which meant suits and buttoned collars and fancy restaurants and definitely no drinking games while Nico drools over her super fucking hot super sweet as melted candy driver. No, Nico could see Eli 's eyes add steel gray to the the sky blue at that admission. But How could Nico squelch the exhuberance that bubbled up at the memory of Maki. Surely Eli would want the full experience of something that seismic slamming into Nico's staid celebrity life. Well, if the life of the Number One Idol in The Universe could ever be described as staid. But Maki was the first person in years to get Nicp's fantasies runing like a finely tuned Ferrari.

Eli had a new suit. Blue. Very buttony. Nico was currently on a loosen Eli up quest. Eli continued to resists, choosing tailors and handmade suits over Nico's list of trendy designers. Nico took a a-snap of Eli as she entered the studio and began to sketch alterations on the outfit.

"You work in the cute, stylish people business not the boring, boxy people business. Dress like it. I pay you enough."

"You mean dress like Nico?" Eli's frosty frown covered genuine affection like knee deep snow.

"No" Nico pushed back from the master console. "Nico's cute is only for masters."

"They used to call me cute and clever Eli-chika."

"Your grandmother used to call you that."

Eli glared.

"And Ayase sama is never wrong."

A quick nod, a warm smile, and Eli slid a water bottle next to Nico.

"Why'd you blow off the driver last night, Nico?"

"Nico didn't blow off the driver."

"They called this morning. You never showed."

"No, Nico got driven to the preview. And then this morning, Nico had a nice ride out to Ridgewood. Mama says come visit soon."

Eli had frozen. "I didn't set anything up for today, Nico."

"Nico did. Maki said…"

"Maki?"

"The driver. The super hot driver Nico told you about, said to set up rides with her directly."

"Maki?"

"Yeah, she gave Nico a card." Nico slid it out from her phone case. "There. Just her number. Very discrete. Nico approves. Of the car service. And the fan service."

Eli sighed, "We are going to talk about how not to harass and objectify outside contractors." Eli stared at the card, impressed by the embossed lettering, "But first we figure out why you had a different driver than the one originally assigned."

"Figure it out outside the booth." Nico waved a hand toward the break room. "Nico needs to get back to work.:"

###

Eli rushed into the sound proof booth, the door booming shut behind her. Nico jumped, losing her place in the song. Need to rerecord. Something had triggered Eli's untucked stage, a level of anxiety where her shirt pulled out of her slacks or skirt due to Eli throwing her arms around in an exaggerated gesture.

"Nico is recording, Eli. No extra noise."

"Does she have your home address?"

"Who?"

"The driver? This Maki?"

"Yes. She dropped Nico off last night and picked me up this morning."

"You let this person you know nothing about drive you to your mom's?!"

"It's her job, Eli. Literally . You know that. You hired her. She's a driver. Bulletproof car and everything."

Eli paced like a pendulum with a jet engine. "Probably soundproof too. So nobody can hear the screams."

"Screams?" Nico is going to scream soon if Eli doesn't start making sense." Nico lowered her headphones and waved off the engineer. "It's okay, Kiel. We'll take a break. Go get some coffee."

"Thanks, Nico."

Nico pushed Eli out of the sound booth, sitting her in a chair, loosening her collar by undoing the top two buttons."

"Slow down, Eli. Breathe. Tell Nico why you're suddenly nutso."

"She's a spoiled rich weirdo."

"Who?"

"Nishikino. She's probably a pervert too." Eli stood up,her hands on Nico's shoulders in a hurtful grip, "Did she make you drink anything? Did you blackout? Do you remember everything?"

"Nico is always in control."

Eli pushed her phone under Nico's nose. Nico read two headlines.

HERMIT HEIRESS DITCHES OPENING

NISHIKINO MAKI ONLY PUTS NUDES ON HER WALLS NOT IN HER BED

"What's that mean?" Nico pointed to the nudes headline.

"I don't know. I just searched headlines Nico. There's so much. She's a billionaire, Nico, one of those rich,stupid, jokesters."

NIco had clicked through to the nudes article. "It says she's a talented photographer, inspired by ther family's Japanese heritage and the Provoke(magazine) era. The Nudes article is an effort to raise asexual awareness." Nico tilted her head. "She's demi, whatever that is."

"How can you be so calm!" She's obviously stalking you, luring you…"

Nico was rerunning her interactions with the hot hermit heiress/photographer.

"Nico went to her car."

"What?"

"It was a black car. She was wearing a uniform. Nico figured you'd found Nico some eye candy."

Eli sputtered. "No, Nico, I don't go looking for hot people to hire."

"You should."

"There are so many things wrong with that…" Eli screamed, hands covering her face.

"Eli, Eli, breathe." Nico was kneeling down, staring at her friend, worried.

Watery blue eyes met Nico's glance, "You're okay? You promise?"

"Nico's fine." Nico held Eli's hands, "I walked up to Maki, told her she was prettier than Nico, and got no reaction." Nico paused, "When I mentioned the creepy text messages, that's when she opened the car door."

"She's not a pervert?"

Nico raised an eyebrow, considering the prints in the articles, "Nico deoesn;t have enough information about that to judge. But Nico felt safe." And teasing her had been fun.

"I'll get a restraining order. Just to be sure." Eli grabbed her phone back.

"NO."

"Nico you can't. …she lied to you."

Nico's face went from cutesy to cutting, "Maki did lie. Nico knows. Nico is mad about that. Especially after this morning."

"This morning?"

"Meeting Mama and the kids."

"Oh. Eli understood. Meeting Nico's family was a very very private personal privilege. Eli couldn't think of any "dates" that Nico had ever taken home.

"Mama was suspicious.;

"Your mother is a total mama bear."

Nico laughed and rolled her eyes. "Nico knows." She dropped in the chair next to Eli. "Now let Nico think."

###

Nozomi had at least chosen Maki's favorite trattoria, with a back room that had a small private bar and a piano, serviced by a kitchen that had the tomato garlic basil sauce recipe of Maki's dreams.

Umi had arrived first, waiting at a table , her phone out. Maki wondered if either of Umi's wives, Honoka Kousaka and Kotori Minami, was joining the group. Or the third member of Lily White, and the reason they'd inserted themselves in Maki's life and business , her self proclaiamed high school bestie Rin Hoshizora. Rin had a mysterious fiancée, Hanayo Koizumi, her childhood sweetheart, who had graduated high school at 14 and then gotten her PHD in Electrical Engineering at 18, using her computer acumen to create a hyper popular Idol support fan app. Maki had meet Koizumi once or twice, but mostly zoned out of their conversations, all about celebrities. Maki hated gossip and speculation. Facts were the on ramp to success at any endeavor.

Maki's phone pinged. Nico.

N: Pick Nico up.

M; Can't ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

M: With friends.

Maki's phone buzzed. Incoming video call. Maki accepted, leaning against the bar after a wave in Umi's direction. A frowning Nico stared up.

"Where are you?"

"Dinner."

Nico made an exasperated noise. Then another voice said something off screen. Nico turned to reply.

"Where is that?"

The off screen voice again. Then Nico's full attention returned to Maki, eyes lava intense, "You, hot driver, stay there."

Nico ended the call.

Nozomi slid a tray of apertifs in Maki's direction.

"Who was that?"

Maki shrugged.

Nozomi swiped for Maki's phone. Maki pulled it back.

"Personal life." Maki growled. "Not professional. Stay out."

Nozomi leaned in, "You sure it wasn't about your new career? As a driver?"

Maki headed to the table. Umi had just finished her own call.

"Honoka wants us to head to a new club later."

"Exciting." Nozomi slid into a seat, passing the drinks around. "I'm free. Maki?"

Maki stared at her phone. "I don't know."

"You don't know."

"Yeah."

"There will be other nights." Umi's enjoyment of anything was never dependent on the number of friends as long as Honoka and Kotori were present.

"But this night is still young." Nozomi smacked her lips. "And so so tender."

Maki shook her head. "Before Nozomi ruins my dinner appetite, Umi, pitch me."

The bluntness of Maki's request startled Umi but her recovery was quick.

"I've been writing poetry, almost lyrics. And I'd like you to read them, Maki, to see if they inspire you."

"Definitely. What's your theme?"

Umi frowned. "So many people are moving or stuck or frightened, not sure if their path is a right path. We're all too isolated."

Umi was leaning forward, her hands clasped, her gaze inward, words a ramble, not rehearsed, but definitely thought out. "I want to create a work that can inspire people, embolden then, connect them, know that reaching out is strength that can save us all."

Maki rarely heard hope anymore. Or earnestness. Honoka and Umi breathed out those qualities so easily, infusing the air around them with positives, no matter how dark the news. If Maki could craft melodies to support Umi's words, the world might have easier days. So many longed for that daily.

"Show me."

Umi pulled a leather notebook out of her pocket, handing it to Maki with all the gravity of an ancient ritual.

Maki opened the book reverently, caught in the depths of Umi's emotions as she read words scattered and scrambled an balanced against each other, Umi pointed to a haiku and Maki mouthed the words, humming the beginning of a melody. Nozomi watched them with a warm affection she often hid for her too self conscious friends.

###

Nico had masked. Remembering Maki's comment, she added sunglasses, demanding Eli wear them too. If Eli had a fedora, she would have looked like one of the Blues Brothers. Nico chuckled at that thought. She'd had to watch the movie after losing a bet with a recording engineer. She'd been pleasantly surprised by the blues and soul influence and performers. Not so long ago, Nico might have been walled off from mass appeal by her heritage. TWIG allowed her to build a massive, growing, evolving fanbase. Numbers, followers, deals mattered more than anything and Nico had reached that stratosphere where her celebrity had vaulted her over most barriers. She could and did sell albums, clothes, hair care, make up, fashion. She offered advice. She cared. She toured, She showed fans how to succeed. Nico Ni's style, Nico Ni's brands, Nico Ni's power. There were always haters but Nico's loyal fans shut them down.

Tonight though, Nico wanted to shed the celebrity armor, the influencer aura, to just be Nico Yazawa, with a rare night free, going to a well reviewed trattoria to meet a hot girl for cannoli and confessions.

###

"Maki."

Nico's voice. Maki jumped. Nozomi had an unexpected gawking expression, staring behind Mia's shoulder. Umi glanced up from where Maki was underling a potential chorus but as she didn't recognize the person speaking Maki's name, Umi went back to writing notes.

Nico stood there, half a dozen steps away, hands on hips, posture tense and aggresive, a tall blonde woman with matching sunglasses and a mask behind her. Her mananger probably. Maki could sense the protective glare.

"What are you…How did you..why..."

"Well, Ms. Hot But Not In A Pro Driver Way, you're almost as famous as Nico so first, we're going to take this to a private room. No TWIGdropping. Let's go." Nico snapped her fingers, stomping past the table, ignoring everyone. The blonde fololwed. Nozomi swiveled to watch them march on by.

"Oh, Maki, you're in trouble, girl."

"Shut up, Nozomi."

"What's going on, Maki? Who was that?" The anger in Maki's snap got Umi's full attention.

"Nico Ni." Nozomi answered.

"The singer?"

"Yes."

"Would she do our show?"

Now Maki snapped at Umi. "Umi."

"Good idea, though. Who's the blonde, Maki?"

"Haven't met her. Maybe the manager."

Nozomi leaned back, toying with her braid, "Time for a manager to manager talk."

"No." Maki stood. Nico knew the truth. But Nico was here. That meant something surely. There hadn't been a text or a lawyer telling Maki to stay away. Nico wanted to talk. "Stay here."

"If things get spicy, send out the blonde."

"Nozomi."

Nozomi winked, "I'm rooting for you kid."

Maki wanted to kick something. The sexual spin Nozomi put on everything wore her out. Nozomi was too fond of teasing while Maki's tolerance for teasing was non existent. Maki usually took the easy way, ditching out of conversations rather than explaining how Nozomi was treading all over the nuances of a sexuality Maki was still figuring out. Take the hit and run. Avoid conversations with her hyper nozy manager. It got wearing. And sometimes, some rare moments, Maki actually wanted someone to talk to. Possibly she should sit Nozomi down and explain how the casual teasing from an otherwise caring and compassionate friend wore on her.

Today, the more important conversation was why was Nico here? What would Nico do. What would Nico say? Maki was afraid it would be loud.

Maki rested a hand on Umi's shoulder, drawing comfort from her friend's solidity. "Don't wait up."

"Oh we will." Nozomi giggled, "Don't worry.

Umi had her "as long as I have my notebook and a pen I am content" look so no help there.

Maki wondered if she should take in a bottle of wine with her. Or dessert? Or would Nico use them as weapons. Forward. quick steps. The door closed behind her. Ominous.

"You lied to Nico." No hesitation.

"We could have you arrested for kidnapping."

"Nico turned, "Don't go there, Eli. We are not good cop bad copping this. All cops are bad cops. Just be friendly but firm."

Eli nodded.

Nico turned back to Maki, "Lying to Nico is bad."

Nico sounded calm. Maki could read the angry tension in Nico's jaw. She'd pulled down the mask. No soft relaxed curves. Just harsh angles.

"Ok."

"Nico is angry."

"Ok.

Maki had picked up on that. Nico had been pacing the room when Maki opened the door.

"No. Not okay." Now Nico was shouting, moving forward, forcing Maki back toward the door. "Why did you lie to Nico? Nico took you to meet her family." A pause, quieter, "Nico trusted you."

The blonde had her arms crossed, "Our lawyers are working on a restraining order."

Maki paled and glanced at Nico, who saw panic in amethyst eyes.

"Eli."

"Yes, Nico."

"Leave." Nico pointed to the door.

"But Nico..."

Nico grabbed Maki's embarassingly limp arm and raised it up,"I can handle this terror, trust me."

"Hey." Maki pulled her arm back, cradling her torso, her other hand twirling a tousle.

"Go away, Eli."

"I'm calling the lawyers."

"No, you're not."

"Nico…"

Nico pointed to the door. Eli slunk out. Nico pulled out a chair for a weak kneed Maki.

"You look like you're about to collapse."

"I'm fine." Maki muttered, but she was grateful for the seat. She took a deep breath, feeling Nico's scrutiny. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell Nico at breakfast."

Maki faceplanted on the table, narrowly missing a spoon. Nico cursed, her hand brushing Maki's hair as she moved the spoon away.

"Don't do that, pretty and pouty. You'll mess up your face. Nico likes your face."

Maki sat back, staring at Nico, blushing, words too tangled for coherence.

Nico smiled. "So who are your friends?"

"My manager, Nozomi, and my friend, Umi, she's a poet, we make music together. She's got an idea she wanted to show me."

"So your days aren't just kidnap Nico, take pics, and declare "no nudes" in interviews."

"Nudes…what do you…why are you…" Maki had the edge of the table in a vise hold.

Nico laughed, "You're silly. No wonder you lied to Nico. You're terrible at sentences."

"I am not."

"Try that nude one again."

Maki turned away, red and furious.

Now Nico felt like slamming her head into the table.

"Maki?"

No response.

"Maki."

"What?"

"Don't lie to Nico any more."

"Okay."

"Are you hungry?"

Long lashes blinked over dreamfuel eyes. "Sure."

"Let's get a pizza to go and sneak out the back door. Nico wants to talk to Maki."

Maki stared at the door, wondering if Nozomi's curiosity was peaking. "Let's just sneak out the back door."

"Food first. Nico's starved."

"I know a place that's still delivering."

"Are you kidnapping Nico? Eli will…"

Too soon. Nico watched Maki stiffen.

Neither of them knew what to say next. But Nico was never at a loss for words for more than a minute.

"That pizza had better be really good. Nico is so so hungry. Nico wants to see your pics. Can we break into the gallery, sit on the floor and eat slices while Maki tells Nico camera stories? Nico knows all about modelling. Maki can take pics." Nico stretched out into a pose, flashing her well toned calves in pink and gold textured hose, fingers propping her chin, eyes all sparkly blinky, sliding her hands into a heart shape reaching out to Maki.

Maki laughed. Nico grinned.

"Now that's what Nico likes to hear."

A/N: Happy happy birthday to the Number One Idol In The Universe. May you get the girl (Maki) and the glamor your hard work deserves. Thanks for the inspiration.