Summary: Hanayo learns Nico Ni is in town. Nico and Nozomi meet some of the locals.
Rin stared after the fleeing Maki, then turned to stare at the coffeeshop. She could just walk in and give Nico Ni Maki's phone number. After all, Nico already knew she and Maki had… Rin frowned. Maki could be so aggressively bold and then just as easily turn blushy and naive. Rin shook off the idea of making it easy for her friend. If Maki wanted to talk to Nico, Maki would talk to Nico.
Maki checked her rearview mirror. Yes, Rin's SUV was there. With the stuffed, decorative antlers on the luggage rack. If Rin was going to follow Maki, Maki was going to drive like an F1 driver hanging on to her qualifying spot. And then slide into Rin's favorite parking spot in front of her townhouse. And then, spring out of the car, sprinting up to point of entry, bang like a madwoman on the Hoshizora-Kozumi front door until, after too many moments, a flustered Hanayo peeps out.
"Maki? Is Rin okay?"
"She's fine. Annoying as always. Here's her phone." Maki handed Hanayo the tech.
"Why do you…"
A sharp gesture cut off Hanayo's question, then Maki leaned into a slight bow. "I'm sorry, Hanayo."
"Did you do something to Rin?" Hanayo's eyes darted from side to side. "Where is she?"
Then the stomping whirlwind of ginger cheer arrived, shoving past her visitor.
"It's okay, Kayo-chin. Maki's just in a BAD mood." Rin hugged her wife, then turned to confront her best friend. "Were you going to tell her? You got to tell her, Maki."
"Yeah." Maki folded."But I don't know…"
Another spin, a fed up Rin skipping the make Maki do it part. "Nico Ni's in town, Kayo-chin. Let's find her."
"NICO NI!" Hanoyo squealed then rushed inside.
"Kayo-chin'll find her in a minute." Rin predicted.
"How?"
"Surveillance cameras."
"That's not a good thing, Rin."
Rin shrugged.
Hanayo rushed back, her coat in hand, "She's shopping downtown with her manager, Nozomi Tojo. They're probably buying some things for Nico's siblings. We have to hurry."
Maki's feet were set in concrete. "What do I say?"
Rin pointed to the wreath on her door. "Invite her to your tree decorating party."
"I'm not having a tree decorating party."
"Yes, you are. It's easy." Rin grabbed Maki's sleeve and yanked, Maki stumbling off the landing, "Text Umi, Kotori, and Eli. Tell 'em to pick up snacks. You already have a tree, right."
"Yeah."
"See, easy. Even if Nico doesn't come, we'll have fun."
Maki nodded, but her head still buzzed with tension.
Nozomi and Nico strolled past old fashioned street lamps, linked by threads of lights. Everyone bustled cheerfully, careful of each other's space, even with arms full of shopping bags. Friends greeted each other, strangers smiled with warmth when glances met. Shop windows had themes, some classic, some clever, some just silly. Free samples of drinks and desserts were offered. There was no rush to hustle and every reason to linger.
"This is a cute little town." Nozomi was busy ogling the residents, not the shops.
"Yeah. If the venue has this same kind of vibe, it'll be a really cozy concert."
"You seem more relaxed, Nico-chi."
Nico did a little quick step, as she threw her pink and white scarf dramatically over her shoulder, "Nobody's looking at Nico."
And then the scream happened, "It's an emergency!" And a body slammed into Nico.
Running feet, more shouting, "Hanayo, NO!. Get her off her, Rin. NOW! We'll end up in jail."
Nozomi reached into her purse for her taser. Nico twisted with all of her slippery sneakinesss, freeing herself from the unsolicited embrace.
Two women, one tall and redheaded, one shorter and ginger haired had each grabbed an arm of the Nico seeking missile and hauled backwards. The redhead whirled with a deadly glare; the ginger had both arms around the woman in glasses. Nico recognized her rescuers from earlier, they'd been seated outside the coffee shop.
"You were at Lakeview Lattes"
"We were." Maki agreed.
"Why didn't you talk to Nico then?"
Maki and Rin exchanged glances.
"Can I have your autograph?" Hanayo pulled out a book and a pen.
Nico put a restraining hand on Nozomi's arm, "You look familiar."
Hanayo gleamed, "I've been at all the Midwest fan meets, I send you DMs on TWIG. I'm Number 1 Nico Fan."
"Number 1 Nico Fan…" Nico considered, "You've been a fan from almost the beginning."
Hanayo nodded so hard if she'd been a bobblehead, her head would be bouncing down the street.
Nico's body language changed subtly and suddenly, more welcoming. "Nico Ni loves all her fans."
"Me and Rin and Maki went to our first concert together when you opened for A-Rise four years ago."
"But Nico was better, right." Nico winked.
Hanayo hesitated, "Ummmm…"
Nico laughed and relaxed even more, "It's okay. Nico's an A-Rise fan too. They gave Nico a great launching pad. What's your name, Number 1 Nico Fan?"
"Hanayo Koizumi-Hoshizora."
"We're married!" Rin announced proudly, as she did whenever the opportunity came up.
"Double cuteness." Nozomi squealed, in a decent imitation of Hanayo's enthusiasm. Nico rolled her eyes.
Maki blinked through this whole conversation, mouth occasionally opening as if she were going to say something, but then flushing even more and glancing away, a glove hand pulling on her ear. Nozomi wondered how red she could get.
Rin half turned, to pull Maki forward, "This is Maki. You're doing a concert for her parent's charity. She's shy."
"NICO NI'S HEADLINING THE CHARITY CONCERT!"
Everyone winced at the sonic attack of Hanayo's excitement.
"Me and Kayo-chin'll be over here." Rin dragged Hanayo to free candy samples.
"Lotta hotness points for the college aged daughter," Nozomi whispered in Nico's ear.
"Nico's not shopping."
"Oh, are you leaving?" Maki's question was polite, her body language disappointed.
"It's kind of a small town. Nico keeps running into the same people."
Maki's expression turned to the sadder side of gloomy.
"It is a cute town though. Very lake-y." Nico was an idiot, Nico suddenly realized. Just lean into the cute celebrity persona. No reason for nerves. Nothing scary about the shy, gorgeous redhead with intense amethyst eyes.
Nozomi was chuckling, "Did your friends leave you here to say something?"
"We recognized you earlier and after we finished our…business, we thought if we ran into you," here Maki skipped the full "my friend cyberstalked you on the downtown cameras" explanation. "We'd invite you to see the venue and come to a tree decorating party at my parent's house." Maki glanced at Rin and Hanayo. "Hanayo's usually pretty shy. She won't be in your face the whole time." Even if I have to look her in the carriage house, Maki decided.
Nico glanced to Nozomi, "Nico wasn't planning to stay that…"
Nozomi cut her off, "Are all your friends that cute or…" Nozomi's gaze flicked over Maki, causing her to recoil, "As hot as you? I like some warmth in my winter, Nico-chi."
Nico frowned, "Now Nico has to apologize for her friend."
Maki giggled, then covered her mouth, eyes wide with panic as Nico raised a curious eyebrow.
Rin walked by, holding her wife's hand. "Me and Kayo-chin are heading to the gazebo."
Maki slipped into host mode.
"We'll be right there, Rin." Maki stepped to the side, waving Nico through, "You should at least see the venue. I usually run the sound so I can answer any questions."
"You're an audio engineer?"
"I know the gear."
"Do you play an instrument?"
Maki hummed, "Piano, synth sometimes."
"Yeah, lotsa plug ins with synths."
"Now it's mostly software but I have done a few DJ sets with keyboard assists, laptops, mics, and record players. Lots of cords. It gets complicated." Maki's hands were behind her back as she strode confidentially toward their destination, "I've got dedicated laptops with a huge music library. Your songs too."
"Your parents did say you were a 'll have to tell Nico your faves."
Maki nodded, face flushed, suddenly too shy to continue.
Nozomi nudged Nico Maki-ward. Nico swatted her hand away.
"Let's see this concert set up."
A/N: Merry Merry holidays to all.