Ah. Relaxed. A nice long soak in a lavender scented bath, candles lined around the tub, Erik Satie filling the aural space. Maki leaned over to blow out the last candle, then reached for her lilac raw silk robe, loose tying the sash. Time to see what her "better" half had been up to.

Sliding the screen open, Maki paused, leaning in the doorway. Nico was sprawled, prone, in the center of their sectional couch, always center stage, papers scattered around her, perfectly pink lips pursed around the end of a glitter pen. Picture perfect pose of an Idol at work. Ready for her selfie. Of course, she was. This was Nico. Everything was calculated, the song drafts written on paper that could be autographed and given to eager fans, over eager fans if you asked Maki.

"Can't stop staring at Nico?" The teasingest. shrillingest smirk in her voice.

Maki hadn't intended to get caught. Now she needed to win the serve back. But she knew how to get Nico's attention.

"Writing about a mermaid?" She let the robe slip off her shoulder, leaning over the couch back.

Nico flipped over, grinning up at Maki. "How wet did you get?"

No, Maki told herself as she gripped the couch and kept staring into Nico's gleaming eyes, she wasn't going to go up in a flaming blush that easily. Nico would have to work harder. Maki focused on the music. Taylor Swift. Lavender Haze.

"Planning to steal the Swifties?"

"Maybe Nico was thinking about getting lost in your lavender gaze."

"Apparently Taylor Swift already did. Maybe our glances crossed at a party?"

Nico's jaw tensed.

"Kidding." Maki grabbed a pillow, dropping it to the floor, then kneeling on it, arms on the couch back, her fingers running through Nico's sable hair.

"Her fans would burn down a country for her." Nico grumped.

"That's not healthy, Nico-chan." Maki frowned, "It's too easy for people to get sucked up into parasocial relationships and have outsized reactions. Then when anything negative happens, the fans weaponize themselves. It's easy to feel protective when you feel like you know someone and they're threatened."

"Maki feels protective."

"Of Nico, not Taylor Swift. I'm glad you're not as famous, honestly."

Nico pouted, "Her breakup songs have made her legendary."

"Everybody is talking about the breakup before her first date. That must be tiring."

"But her fans can relate better to the breakups with loser dudes than the dating famous ones."

"They're the same, aren't they. Loser famous dudes."

Nico had moved on to a Nico centered topic.

"Nico's never written a breakup song. That's a lot of parasocially underserved fans Nico's not helping heal, helping return..." Nico's glance dropped to Maki's hand.

"No." Maki's right hand covered her left, her eyes narrowing.

"Just as an experiment. For the fans."

"You're not getting the ring back, Nico."

"Sure, sure. We don't actually have to say or do anything, Nico just goes quiet for awhile then takes some gloomy, selfies, shadowed lighting," Nico had bounced up, arms gesturing toward corners and curtains, "Isolated, alone, with coffee, with a scarf, hiding the sad corners of a fake smile, very mature, very diva-ish, then we have a very public, very happy anniversary."

"No."

"Nico is just…brainstorming, being creative."

"Nico is just being envious. Doesn't Nico have enough…fans?" The question had an edge.

"Nico's been in a rut, I need to go new places…"

Maki's eyes narrowed, sparks flinting off dangerously sharp amethyst shards, "New?"

Stupid Nico.

"Nico didn't mean…"

Maki stood up, slowly, as chilling as a glacier, sash loosening even more, robe falling open, Nico could see where water had beaded on…Nico froze, no breath for this icy, sexy moment.

Then, Nico rebounded, hands out, set on seduction. "Wait, Maki, let Nico show you..."

Maki turned, robe falling, three quick steps before Nico could finish her sentence, and Maki was at the bedroom. Nico hopped the couch, Maki's robe tangling her feet and slowing her down. Another step for both of them and Maki slammed the door.

"Maki? Maki-chan? How is Nico supposed to get anything done after watching you walk away?"

No response.

"Maki? Nico is so sorry."

Stupid Nico, Nico thought again, in front of the door, trying the handle, no entrance.

"Maki?" Soft, persuasive tone, almost a whisper.

"I'm asleep."

Nico laughed. Maki sounded AWAKE. And angry. She was probably punching a pillow. Or ranting not so quietly about Nico or Nico's fans or…Nico wanted that energy in her hands.

"I forgot how good you look, out of the bath, all sexy, sleek, and soft."

Hurrrummmmppphhing noises.

"Nico's favorite audience is very private, all the attention of the number one fan in the universe, Nico's favorite fan, Nico's best fan, Nico's sexiest…." By now Maki was surely a blushing mess, fidgety, on the bed, twisting, remembering all the pleasures of Nico's undivided attention.

"Don't you have a song to write?" All those words. Stubborn Maki. But there was a tone in the silky, breathy voice, a push to keep the tremble secret, to hide the opportunity.

"Maki wants to inspire Nico."

"Maki doesn't want to wait."

A challenge. And Nico was back, fully charged, fully confident, vaulting over the couch back, grabbing a pen, songs playing in her head. Lavender Haze. Diamonds and Pearls. Images. Venus rising from the surf, sirens pulling pirates down, draped in kelp, drowning in seawater, saved by a pearl passed in a passionate, pulsing kiss. Nico could practically feel the tingle in her lips, her tongue as the scene gained color and texture in her imagination, flaring red hair spreading out, inviting, daring, damp; Nico diving in, lips pressed urgently against chill skin, yielding and melting as it warmed.

Not treasure ships, treasured lips. Nico would look good on stage in a pirate outfit. But first an offering for an angry sea goddess. Time to get lost in a siren's song.

A/N: Well, I was having tea, "Lavender Haze" came over the speakers, and this happened. Enjoy.