#and they get peevish about it and start being stubborn about walking

[theforumcat]

wait, are goose jokes about actually hating them?

YES I’ve been chased and hissed at by a Canada goose but it doesn’t make me hate them guess I’m just built different

[this-is-my-canon]

Admit It, Prompt: Drugs/Mind Control 薬物/マインドコントロール

A/N: Takes place around the time of the Buu saga, could be a canon what-if, some elements of vegebul

Purple liquid darkened as it swirled around in its flask, the tiny bubbles rising to the surface before the glass stilled.

Bulma snapped her goggles to her forehead, beaming with pride as she raised the glass.  “There.  Now we’ll see!” She stooped below the counter, her white lab coat billowing behind her as her knees hit the ground.  She needed a less conspicuous container for her new creation.  Vegeta was never going to drink it with the way it looked now.  She reached in, digging through unorganized plastic containers until her hand landed on just the right one. “Mom?” Bulma’s head hit the top of the cabinet.  She hissed through her teeth before ducking out and calling, “Trunks!” “Ah,” Trunks said with an adorable smile.  “I thought you were in here.  What were you doing down there?”

Bulma stood and slid the flask of purple liquid behind her back.  “Just…looking for something.  What’s up?”

“Dad sent me down here to get you.” “Really?"  Bulma raised a brow.  "Why?” Trunks shrugged.  “I d'know.”

“Tell him,” Bulma said with a glance over her shoulder as she tried to conceal the growing smirk on her face, “I’ll be up when I’m ready.” Trunks grumbled, rolling his eyes as he turned tail for the stairs.  “Fine.  Also, Mr. Satan and Buu are here.  They’re upstairs talking to Grandpa.” “Great!  Thanks, Trunks!” This was great.  Guests were arriving.  The potion was ready.  Finally, Bulma would get the public confession she’d been waiting for.  She knew how much Vegeta loved her.  But he refused to say it aloud.  He especially wouldn’t do so in front of a crowd.  But thanks to her genius scheme, it was going to happen.  Tonight.  It was much easier to convince Vegeta to eat something than to confess his feelings, after all.

______________________________________________________________

The party was in full swing when Goku arrived.  

He didn’t mean for that to happen. Hopefully Bulma wouldn’t be angry about him being late to another one of her parties.  Hopefully Chi-Chi was over her initial burst of anger he’d been able to hear from the other side of Mt. Paozu. ��Because he really wanted to eat.  The food smelled delicious, and everyone else was already eating without him.

Goku raised a hand, almost calling to Krillin, but stopped himself.  His friend was feeding his little daughter, and Eighteen was watching him. She was speaking to Chi-Chi.  Goku grimaced and ducked his head behind a concrete partition.  He’d be ready to face up to his wife for his carelessness in a minute, after he had at least a little something to eat.

Goku’s eyes widened when he turned away from the crowd to spy Vegeta and Bulma huddled in the corner. They’d give him some of that purple, soupy stuff everyone was eating. Goku grinned as he stepped away from the noise of the party to hear Bulma’s voice.

“You’ll see, Vegeta,” Bulma was saying as Vegeta noisily slurped the soup, his eyes cast downward.  “Now you’re going to learn how your wife always manages to get what she wants.”

Goku licked his lips, salivating as he watched the heady steam waft from Vegeta’s bowl.  Vegeta was downing the soup.  There wasn’t going to be a drop left for Goku if he didn’t get in there soon.  Goku jumped between them, waving his arms just before Vegeta looked up from his bowl and met his eyes.

“Hey,” Goku cried. “Leave some for me!”

“Goku!” Bulma screamed.

Goku turned to see Bulma’s blue eyes bulging, a vein throbbing in her temple, her teeth bared. He pried the full soup bowl from her fingers and turned again to blink at Vegeta, lifting the bowl to his lips. “Thanks,” Goku said.

It wasn’t as good as I expected it to be, Goku decided as he tilted his head back to wash it all down.  But it was a start.  

Goku licked the soup remnants from his lips as he met Vegeta’s gaze again.  Vegeta looked…weird.  He wasn’t glaring at Goku, for once.  Pressure rose from Goku’s belly to his chest.  After releasing it in a belch, he smiled.

“Goku, you idiot!” Bulma cried as something smacked hard against the back of Goku’s head.

“Ow!”  Goku rubbed the spot and sent Bulma a peevish glare over his shoulder.  “What’d you do that for?  I was hungry!”

“Kakarot,” Vegeta said. His voice, unusually low and husky, made Goku forget what he was saying.  “Turn around.”

Goku raised his brows as Bulma’s jaw dropped.  She looked past Goku, concern and curiosity defining her features.  She gave Goku a tight shake of her head.  

Ignoring her warning, Goku turned his head, hesitantly.  “Vegeta?”

“I want to see you.” Vegeta’s strong grip on Goku’s shoulders made him flinch, but the touch was surprisingly gentle.  “I want to see all of you.”

As Goku slowly turned around following Vegeta’s guidance, Bulma growled from behind him.  “Vegeta!”

Just as their eyes met, Vegeta blinked and shook his head, before his brows finally narrowed in that familiar glare.  “Bulma! What did you do to me?”

Vegeta pushed Goku away so hard that Goku nearly stumbled backward.  Immediately, Vegeta’s face looked apologetic.  Goku didn’t know whether to be more surprised by the shove or by the look.

“That was meant to work on me!” Bulma said.

“What was?” Vegeta said through clenched teeth.

“Ohh,” Bulma growled, angling Goku a glare as she crossed her arms.  “Do you have any idea how many hours of work you just wasted?  I don’t have any more of that stuff lying around.”

“What stuff?” Vegeta said.

Goku rubbed the back of his head, looking back and forth between the feuding couple.  “I think she means the bland soup I just drank.”

“Hey!” Bulma said.  “Bland?”

Vegeta turned to Goku, his glare softening the moment their eyes met.  He worked his jaw before words finally spilled from his mouth.  “I’ll get you something better to eat.”

Goku blinked before his eyes lit with excitement.  “You will?”

“Whatever you want, Kakarot.”

“Wow!”  Goku wrapped his arm over Vegeta’s shoulder, instinctively recoiling before he realized Vegeta wasn’t striking him for the hasty, casual move. He furrowed his brows, turning his eyes on Bulma.  “I think somethin’s wrong with Vegeta.”

“Yes, there is!” Vegeta said the moment Goku shifted his gaze to Bulma’s perplexed face.  “I feel like I lo-ove-“

“Vegeta!” Bulma snapped. “Don’t say it!”

Goku frowned at Bulma. “Say what?”

“Vegeta,” Bulma said as she shoved Goku aside and stepped forward to wag her finger at her husband. “I’ve put up with your stubborn ass for too long to have to stand here and watch you finally say it to one of our best friends instead of me!”

Vegeta’s eyes bulged at Bulma’s face.  “You!”

“Say what?” Goku repeated. “Vegeta?”

“You gave me something, I know it!”

Goku blinked.  “Huh?”

Vegeta bared his teeth.  “You poisoned me!”

“It isn’t poison!” she shouted.  “It’s-ughhh, it’s to make you admit you actually feel something, you walking chunk of ice!”

“Well now I do feel something,” Vegeta said with a wave toward Goku, “for Kakarot!  Are you happy?”

“No!”

“Good!”

“Uh, guys?”

Both of them shot Goku a glare and shouted in unison.  “What?”

Goku rubbed his head.  “Somebody wanna tell me what’s going on here?”

Bulma scowled.  “What’s going on-”

“-is my wife just poisoned my mind and made me lose all sense of reason!”

“And now Vegeta’s in love with you, Goku.”  Bulma’s words flooded out before she tapped her fingers together and winced at Vegeta’s reproving glare.  “I mean, he thinks he is.  Because of the potion.”

“I don’t think I am,” Vegeta scoffed, before slowly rolling his eyes toward Goku and softening his gaze.  “I feel it.  Goddammit, Kakarot.  Why do you have to look at me like that?”

“Like what?”

Vegeta bared his teeth and crossed his arms as his eyes pierced into Goku’s.  “Like your eyes are only for me.  Like you want to transport me away from here with you and leave everyone else behind.  Like…you’re begging me to tell you how I feel.”

Goku raised his brows to Bulma.  “I’m doing all that?”

“You know you are!”

“Okay,” Bulma said, raising a brow and stepping back.  “I’m going to have to whip something up to fix this.  Goku,” she said with a giggle.  “Think you can keep an eye on Vegeta?”

Goku shrugged.

“And Vegeta,” Bulma whirled on her heels to raise a rigid finger in Vegeta’s face.  “Don’t you dare let those words slip from your lips.  Those words are only meant for me, you hear me?”

Vegeta wrinkled his nose and raised his chin.  “Should’ve kept it to yourself, then, instead of concocting this asinine plan of yours to make everyone else hear it.”

“I mean it!”

“Fine!”

Goku was bursting with amusement at what he’d just heard.  He smiled at Vegeta, whose nose was still in the air and whose eyes were stubbornly evading his gaze.  Goku’s smile only grew wider as he waited.  By the time Vegeta side-eyed him, Goku’s smile was nearly touching his ears.

“What?” Vegeta snapped.

“You’ve told Bulma you love her?”

Vegeta winced before snarling at Goku.  “Don’t mention that word around me right now.”

Goku laughed.  “But you have, right?  You just said it!”

“So what?” Vegeta snapped as he balled his fists by his sides.

“Well, it’s just hard to picture you saying it.”

“Why, because I used to kill people?”

“That’s one reason, yeah.”

“What’s another reason?”

Goku recoiled from Vegeta’s aggressive step forward.  The music was blaring from the party and no one else seemed to recognize Bulma and Vegeta’s elongated absence or Goku’s arrival yet as they waited for Bulma’s return in this secluded corner.  And suddenly, Vegeta’s closing proximity was making Goku nervous.  Still, he couldn’t stop himself from saying the words that came from his mouth next.

“Well, you never say anything nice to me, really.”

Vegeta’s eyes narrowed into a peevish glare.  “I literally said some of the nicest things I’ve ever said to you only moments ago.  Don’t tell me you forgot already.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t count,” Goku said.  “That’s only because of the soup.”

“Does it bother you that much, Kakarot?” Vegeta asked with a raise of his brow.  “I never thought you cared.”

Goku grimaced and backed away from Vegeta’s advance until his back was pressed against the wall.  When he was forced to stop, he gulped.  “It doesn’t.  But um…it would be nice to hear you say something nice…and mean it.”

“Hmph.”  Vegeta smirked and looked into Goku’s eyes.  “Well, you’re not going to make that happen.  You can make me say nice things now, but like you said, it doesn’t really mean anything.”

Goku frowned.  “No, I know I can’t make you do anything, Vegeta.”

Vegeta glanced over his shoulder, then his right, before leaning in to whisper to Goku.  “But I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I don’t even care if you tell anyone, because Bulma will explain it away as only something I said because of the potion anyway.”

Goku furrowed his brows.  “I don’t get it.  If you’re about to say something nice, isn’t it?”

Vegeta chuckled.  “That’s what they’ll think, but the truth is, I’ve thought this all along.”

Goku cocked his head.  “Thought what?”

“I admire you, Kakarot,” Vegeta said.  “I always have.”

Goku felt his breath catch in his throat.  The sincerity in Vegeta’s voice was unmistakable.  Goku still suspected that the potion Bulma had given him was the reason Vegeta was willing to admit it, but given what Vegeta was saying and how he was saying it, there was definite truth behind his words.

Goku smiled at Vegeta.  “Really?”

“Really.”

“All right, Vegeta,” Bulma’s voice traveled from the passageway toward the house before her face came into view.  “I think I have an anecdote ready for you.”

“Good.”

“Goku,” Bulma said with a sly smile as Vegeta headed her way.  “I hope you weren’t stuck making out with Vegeta to keep him occupied.”

Goku balked.  “Huh?”

Bulma giggled while Vegeta brushed past, growling at her, “Come on!”

When Vegeta stormed out of sight, likely beet-red and dying to take that formula, Bulma tilted her head considerately at Goku.  “He didn’t…confess anything to you, did he?”

Goku smiled.  The words, ‘I admire you, Kakarot’ were stuck in his head.  But he knew what Bulma meant, and though she was playing it off as if it didn’t matter, he knew it would.  Knowing what confession she was referring to, Goku could answer her without having to lie.

“No, he didn’t,” Goku said.  “He must really love you, huh?”

Bulma smiled, relief visibly washing over her features.  “Well, of course he does!”

With a chuckle, Goku tossed a thumb over his shoulder.  “I better join the party.  Don’t want to keep them waiting any longer than I already have.”

Bulma winked.  “Don’t worry.  I can handle the prince-of-all-confessions from here.  You go tend to your lovely wife before she decides to throw you out of the house tonight.”

With a giggle, Goku turned for the party, practically skipping toward the buffet table as Bulma disappeared into the house.  This party was going to be not only as good as he anticipated, but even better.  Because now, he was filled with the giddy feeling of knowing Vegeta’s true feelings toward him - even if his confession was induced by some sort of mind control.

[lonelypond]

Casual Lunacy, Ch. 35

Love Live, NicoMaki, 3K, 35/?

De-Lovely

The walk home had been as romantic as you could get when handholding meant Maki brushing Nico’s hand with her warm furry shoulder and serenading meant Maki howling what Nico suspected was an approximation of “It’s De-lovely.” The night was almost young, the air was nearly clear, Fangs' tech was done for the day, and Nico could go home, collapse on the couch and ACTUALLY relax, at least until tomorrow when she had to wake up early, head to the Cup o’ to work a shift and prep the Sunday/Monday food, and then go back to the theatre for a redo of Fangs tech. Nico was not looking forward to that, having to rework cues was boring. Yes, Nico knew it was necessary, but that didn’t make having to be there while it happened any more fun.

Maki was having a slightly less relaxing night, every time she snuffled at any part of Nico, she smelled Nico PLUS Kashima, which in wolf form, was bringing out the urge to chase Kashima down and...Maki raised her snout, sniffing the air, she could smell Kashima halfway across campus, going home with some woman other than Nico. Maki glanced at Nico, tempted to sprint off and return quickly. But then Nico ruffled the fur behind Maki’s ear and said, “Nico is happy to see you, pretty girl. I was feeling lonely.”

Maki sniffed Nico’s hand. Besides a huge dose of Kashima and a surge in vanilla and magic, there was fatigue and frustration and not so much of the delicious and delirious mix that would always entice Maki Nico-ward. A little more than half the moon shone brightly and Maki could feel that tug again, although not in any way she could currently articulate. She howled, full voice, then drifted a little ahead of Nico, wary of potential dangers. Maki had been eager to see Nico, practically desperate to push Nico toward her apartment so they could...Maki shook her head, that thought was a bit blurry, mostly an urge to roll around on Nico’s couch in her current form while Nico...Maki stopped, letting Nico catch up and stood taller when she felt Nico’s bare hand on her shoulder, the connection a magnet between them even if something in the atmosphere pricked at Maki’s primal instincts, friction seeding cantrips of doubt. It was probably only that Nico smelled so different, stage makeup and strangers, people Maki couldn’t make a mental map of from trace fragments. And Kashima, smelling bold and...forceful. Maki whined.

“What’s the matter, Maki?” Nico nudged Maki with her hip, “We’re almost home. You can tell Nico all about it, then Nico will tell you exactly why she smells so much like Kashima...Nico only wishes it was a funny story instead of a list of how many places can Kashima accidentally put her hands wrong. She was so busy trying to…”

Maki snarled. Nico stopped. Lavender eyes were glinting too green for Nico’s liking. Something was off…Nico smiled, hands back in her mittens, clapping them together to signal a new scene starting, one where Nico fixed the mood by talking about Nico.

“Come on, Maki, let’s hurry up. Nico is too too cold,” Nico very dramatically hugged herself while shivering, directly in front of the werewolf’s nose, Nico concentrating on memories of last night, Maki at the piano, Maki sprawling underneath Nico, no human sounds passing those lips carved out of perfect pink...Maki pushed forward, sniffing eagerly, and Nico could feel the change, Maki’s renewed interest in her. Nico trotted past Maki, only two more streets to cross, then Maki gets the “don’t be jealous” lecture and Nico gets to brush her lips against something more yielding than the starched fabric of Dracula’s collar.

Nico was great at planning. Pick any strategy game, any historic battle, and Nico’s thinking would be the mirror image of the winning general. Nico knew how to identify a problem, create a plan to solve that problem, and put that plan into action. Easy peasy. Got Nico where she was right now. Which was up against the wall that was the realization that a stubborn werewolf girlfriend might not exactly be a problem Nico could use her strategic resources to solve.

Maki was sitting in front of Nico’s bedroom, obstinately blocking Nico's passage. And trying to actively shove Nico toward the bathroom. When Nico refused to move, Maki would sniff Nico and whine, eyes lavender and pouty over a drooping snout.

“Maki is jealous, huh? Upset because Nico smells like Kashima.” Nico dropped back into the couch, wooly socks propped up on the table in front of her, “That’s cute for maybe 10 seconds, pretty girl, but we can’t have this. Nico is in a business where in order to maximize Nico’s talent and cuteness, I’m going to have to get close to sweaty, possibly hairy people who are not you.”

Maki whined, adding a particularly pathetic howled series of notes at the end. Then she leapt over the table and landed across Nico’s lap, rocking the couch.

“Oooooppphhh...ow, Maki, Nico wasn’t ready for that.” Nico spread her arms across the back of the couch, refusing to encourage Maki with petting. Maki took advantage of this to lick Nico’s face from chin to ear, then dragging her rough, wet tongue across Nico’s nose to slobber from the other ear back chin-ward, then nuzzling into Nico’s neck, softly whining.

“Uuugghhh” Nico pushed against Maki, but the werewolf had settled most of her weight on Nico’s lap and was snuffling her way down Nico’s sweater, distending the neckline, “This is ridiculous. Nico has better ways to spend her Saturday night than being a sponge for werewolf saliva.” Nico grabbed under Maki’s snout and forced the redhead to make eye contact. “MAKI.”

Maki froze.

Nico dislodged the werewolf from her lap. “Good. Nico is going to go shower, to get the smell of Kashima AND YOU off her.” Nico sighed as Maki whimpered. “While Nico is doing that, find something to wear. Nico needs to get you a werewolf backpack full of clothes.” Nico stood, arms crossed, “Actually, Nico will be right back.” Nico disappeared into Umi’s room, Maki shuffling after her, puzzled. Nico came back with a dark blue corduroy shirt, muttering, “”Girlfriend who never brings clothes” surely falls under the “joint resources in case of emergency” clause.” Nico draped the shirt over Maki’s back, “Wear this. It’ll be a little tight, but Nico deserves a perq after all this. And no peeking at Nico in the shower.”

Maki sat back on her haunches and nodded. Nico chuckled, hands mussing the fur between Maki’s ears, tone playful, “Don’t worry, fur, red, standing up, eyes, jealous, green.”

Maki snorted, brow furrowed, suspicious.

Nico ignored her and continued. “Nico has an idea about how you can make this up to her.”

Human Maki might have wondered why Nico smelling brash and confident was such a draw, wolf Maki just clamped her jaw closed to stifle the thirsty whimper.

Smirking, Nico tapped her nose on Maki’s, voice a low thrill, “See you soon, pretty GIRL.”

Pleased. It was an odd feeling, Nozomi thought, her face open and cheerful, her loving fiancee on her arm, snuggling as close as she could because after dark, and a difficult tech done for the day. Satisfaction surrounded the two of them like a precious bubble and Nozomi slowed her steps to enjoy every breath of it.

“I was looking forward to a free day tomorrow,” Eli sighed.

Nozomi patted her hand, “You were looking forward to more time to study for midterms.”

Eli sounded hurt, “While lying in your bed, next to you, Nozomi.”

Nozomi, “Ah, you wouldn’t have gotten much studying done then, Eli-chi. You were very distracting on stage today. I’m glad Shalin’s running the light board not me, I’d be missing cues while you slink across the stage being sexy.”

Eli’s grip tightened, “It’s fun playing a villain. It’s so physical, looming over Micah, trying to snatch Harker before Dracula ruins the party.”

“Dracula, the Party Ruiner.” Nozomi started to cross Sheridan Road, but Eli pulled her north.

“Remember, Nozomi, we have to meet Hanayo. She’s in a panic. Someone saw Rin on the Lakefill.”

“Poor Rin.”  

Eli shrugged. “More like nasty ‘People Threatening Rin’.”

“True.” Nozomi swung her hand down to grasp Eli’s and picked up the pace, “Let’s go help some cute girls.”

Rin’s eyes were a curious mix of two greens Nozomi thought as the small woman stared at her from her perch on the desk. Eli had just finished shaking Hanayo’s hand and was about to ask a question when Rin spoke, “Just tell ‘em, Kayo-chin.”

“Rin!” Hanayo turned, ignoring the other two women in the room.

“Everybody else you talk to seems to know,” Rin sounded peevish and Hanayo paled. Rin stood, anger altering her pixie cute appearance so she looked feral in the shadows of the half lit room. “Hi, I’m Rin. I’m a werewolf. If I don’t get captured by Kayo-chin’s STOOPID bosses, maybe I’ll rip something off you.”

“Rin.” Hanayo’s voice snapped back fiercely. Eli stepped back, hand reaching for Nozomi.

Rin shrugged, and climbed into the lower bunk bed, “What’s the point?”

Eli squared her shoulders, voice calming. “We’re here to help both of you. Thank you for trusting us with your secret, Rin.”

Rin flipped her hand, tossing off Eli’s offering, “You're scared. Of me. And "They" get to do anything they want.”

Hanayo knelt in front of Rin, “No, they don’t. I’m making copies of everything for Professor Põder. They’ll be expelled; there might be criminal charges. It’ll be a better case…”

“I DON’T WANT TO JUST SIT AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE…” Rin shouted, hands gripping Hanayo's shoulders. “Maki’ll bite through walls if they do anything to…”

“Rin…” Hanayo hissed, frantic; Rin paled, suddenly nervous.

Nozomi tried to mirror Eli’s posture, with the addition of a mostly truth, “Nico-chi already told me. Don’t worry.”

At that, Rin, though still angry, relaxed and Hanayo’s stir of panic calmed. Nozomi’s curiosity to see Maki in action as a wolf increased.

Hanayo pulled out her chair and offered the bed opposite the bunk for Nozomi and Eli to sit.

Nozomi kept an eye on Rin, while Eli began trying to coax what had happened out of Hanayo.

Hanayo hiccupped, “Two girls took a picture of Rin, we think. Anju has a “lost dog” story posted in some NU social media groups, with a reward. It’s the screenshot of Rin Tsubasa showed me.”

Eli nodded, taking care to continue to exude calm, “So you think they’ll get in contact with Anju?”

Hanayo nodded, hands atremor as she fidgeted, “And if I’m in the picture…”

“Just text Anju that you saw the dog this afternoon.” Nozomi leaned her head on Eli’s shoulder, “At the very least it will confuse them.”

“Sneaky.” Rin said, sounding impressed.

“Yep.” Nozomi waved her fingers in the air as if an invisible card trick were happening, “Delay, staying on the attack, and an honest face are your friends.”

Hanayo gulped, pulling out her phone and looked to Rin who nodded. “What do I say?”

Nozomi moved to lean over Hanayo's shoulder, “Just that you saw the post somewhere and that dog ran up to you this afternoon.”

Hanayo typed with one finger and all of her concentration. Rin sighed and laid back on the bed.

Anju was staring at her phone, eyebrows very low, eyes narrowed and moving back and forth between the text from Hanayo and the email on her computer screen with a jpeg of Hanayo on the Lakefill, next to what looked a lot like the werewolf Tsubasa had been searching for. Anju had posted that picture around, frustrated by Tsubasa’s obsession distracting her from coming up with solutions to the transmitters crashing the Wirtz electrical infrastructure. Anju just needed everything to go exactly as planned once. For that, she needed Tsubasa focused on her problem, not the werewolf. And Koizumi had been too good to be true, it turns out. Now, and pale purple eyes gleamed with the strategies gelling behind them, how could Anju use this to her advantage?

Maki was pacing. In human form. Wolf would be a bad idea right now, Maki was restless enough, the moon still prickling under her skin...damn Neruda...and the nightmare...so many Kashima notes in the air around Nico earlier that Maki could still pick them up, which had led to waking in a cold sweat from a dream of Nico in white gown, offering her hand to a glowing eyed Kashima, who started to transform with a howl when Maki woke up. Nico had mumbled something, but not woken, and Maki had grabbed Nico’s fuzzy, oversized, pink bathrobe and fled to the couch, her heart racing, breathing out of control. At least Nico had put her outfit from earlier in the laundry hamper so Maki wasn’t actively confronted by it. She pulled Nico’s bathrobe up around her mouth and nose, concentrating on taking in as much sense information on Nico as she could absorb. She fell into the couch, kicking her legs in the air, then pumping them as if she were cycling a bike. She didn’t want Kashima to make her crazy; rationally, Kashima was low on the competition scale, Maki had NEVER sensed any hint of attraction from Nico when Kashima was around...but on a more primitive level, Maki was jealous. She pushed the imaginary bike to a sprint pace, legs flying, then flopped out full length.

“Maki?” Nico was standing in the door of her bedroom, nightgown back on.

Maki huffed, “I’m jealous.”

Nico sounded sad, Maki could smell the disappointment, “Nico knows, but…”

Maki flipped on her side, eyes glinting green at Nico, self awareness subduing her tone, “I’m jealous of the time Kashima gets to spend with you, the duet, the work you do together…”

“Oh.” Nico came into the room, sitting on the coffee table once again, “Nico is more interesting than writing papers.”

“Yeah.”  Maki admitted. She had finished the paper, but pre Nico Maki would have considered her effort a rough first draft.

Nico tenderly stroked the line of Maki’s cheek, “That song you wrote for me was better than Porter. Please tell me you’re at least minoring in music.”

Maki sat up, taking Nico’s hand in hers, “We never really had this kind of a talk did we?”

“Nope,” Nico yawned, “There were too many conversations where Nico had to lecture you about taking proper care of your dog. Or wearing warmer clothes. Nico has given up on that.”

Maki laughed as she raised Nico’s hand to her lips, “Hi, I’m Maki Nishikino. I’m a freshman, I haven’t picked a major yet, but…” Maki slid Nico’s fingers so the tips were resting on her lips, “I live for playing the piano. And touching you.” Maki nipped at Nico’s fingers, “Oh, and I howl, very tunefully, pitch perfect, always in the direction of the moon.”

“Not true, sometimes you howl at Nico.” Nico tapped Maki’s nose, then ran her hand up in to Maki’s hair.

Maki leaned in, “It’s your skin that the moon lives in, Nico.” Maki swept Nico’s hair back behind her ear, “You glow. Brighter than anything. You’re amazing.”

As much as Nico thrived on compliments from discerning audience members, this was a conversation train she had to derail. “Nico has an early morning. And has already expressed her appreciation of your songwriting skills.” Nico winked, “Remember?”

Maki laid back down on the couch, robe falling open at the waist, enjoying the delicious mix of want starting to stir in Nico, “I can still feel your...”

“Good.” Interrupting her far too smug and unclothed to be that hot girlfriend, Nico stood, reciting her near death scene lines over and over again in her head, forcing herself to look away from Maki, “Nico likes to be thorough.”

“Nico?” Maki let a plead of a whimper out, her own hand tracing the line of her hip.

Nico turned, but her eyes were on the wall behind the couch, not Maki, “This is an important week to me, pretty girl. You said you’d help. So help.”

Maki started singing, staring at the ceiling,

"I've got you under my skin I've got you deep in the heart of me So deep in my heart, that you're really a part of me I've got you under my skin I've tried so hard not to give in I've said to myself this affair will never go so well But why should I try to resist, when baby will I know so well That I've got you under my skin I'd sacrifice anything come what might For the sake of having you near"

Maki knew Nico was moving closer, and amused, but she let Nico’s kiss surprise her, “We can get much nearer tomorrow night, pretty girl. Come to bed when you’re ready to sleep.”

A quick glimpse into the depths of ruby swirling with so many emotions Maki hadn’t identified yet, a finger tingling from a brief touch on Nico’s bare leg, the smell of contentment and sensuality and comfort filling the air of the room. Not all that Maki’d hoped for, but so much better than the nightmare,

"Don't you know, silly fool, you never can win Use your mentality, wake up to reality But each time I do, just the thought of you Makes me stop before I begin...

Good night, Nico." Maki whispered to herself.

A/N: Right, and now I get this back on track.