Limbo

Author's Notes: I meant to finish this by Valentine's Day. Oops.
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live! School Idol Project.

Maki hated Valentine's Day.

It wasn't that she hated seeing happy couples, but it was more of how disgustingly overt they could be—the block-the-hallways-while-making-out, hands-on-your-ass, suck-on-your-face kinds of affections that invariably made her gag every time. It was ridiculous. Appalling. She didn't have to deal with this in high school.

On Valentine's Day in high school, everyone used to be prudes. In high school, people used to be cute—nervous fidgeting, eyes cast shyly to the ground, chocolates and confession letters hidden behind their backs. Things were nice back then. Sweet, even. But in college, everyone seemed to ramp up their sexuality at all once and become elephants in heat, or something.

Thankfully, though, Valentine's Day this year was going to take place on the weekend, where she could just hole herself up and avoid the population in the safety of her apartment. She'd hurt her back helping Rin and Hanayo move into their new apartment yesterday, too, so she didn't want to go out anyway. But, yes. This weekend, there would be no more awkward hallway jams, no more gaggles of couples in her face. Just her, herself, and the anatomy textbook.

The doorbell rang. Maki tensed, continuing to highlight her textbook. Maybe she could just ignore it.

DING DING DING.

Maki slapped her worksheet in her face, groaning into it in frustration. Maybe not, then.

"Be right there!" she called out, slamming her marker down. Then, muttering under her breath, "God, it better not be a stalker or something—"

"Come on, loser!" said the person from the other end of the door—Nico? Maki looked in through the peephole. Yep—Nico. Nico, with her hair half up, wearing large shades, an overly thick jacket, and a face mask. 'IncogNico Gear,' as she liked to call it. What a lame pun from such a famous idol. "Get dressed. Super Idol Nico-Nii is taking you out."

"What are you doing here?" Maki asked, opening the door. Nico slipped in past her, pulling off her glasses and face mask, and that was when Maki noticed she'd done something different than usual with her makeup: eyeliner drawn bolder than usual, a touch of red eye shadow, a hint of blush. Maki gave the rest her a once over, finding the skirt of a red satin dress peeking out of her jacket. Honestly, barging into her apartment on Valentine's Day, dressing so sophisticatedly—it was almost as though—

"Are you taking me out—on a date?" Maki blurted out, feeling a blush creep up her neck. She hated to admit it, but Nico looked good.

Nico stuffed her sunglasses in her pocket. "I knew you'd be holed up in here all day studying or something." She punched Maki in the shoulder. "Live a little! Valentine's Day only comes once a year, you know."

Maki rolled her eyes, rubbing the spot on her shoulder that Nico hit. "You didn't tell me you were going to come over." Honestly, she hadn't seen Nico once over the past two months, never mind the lack of communication; Nico had texted her maybe a grand total of five times. Not that Maki really blamed her. Being an idol demanded lots of her time. (Though that didn't mean Maki had to like it.)

"Duh." Nico stuck out her tongue. "That ruins the point of a surprise."

"But I'm busy studying, Nico," Maki argued. "You know, the thing where I learn how to be a doctor? Doing the important things in life? Besides"—Maki shrugged—"Valentine's Day is nothing but a stupid commercial holiday."

"Please," Nico drawled, checking out her fingernails. She'd even painted them red, Maki realized. Nico knew that red looked good on her. Really going all out, wasn't she. "You're only saying that because you're single and don't understand the nuances of romance."

"Excuse—"

"Nah-ah-ah." Nico wagged her finger. "Don't even argue, Ms. I'm-Too-Busy-To-Date. You have a whole line of people waiting to tap your ass—"

"Wow, okay," Maki cut in. "First of all, hypocritical—"

Nico ignored her. "—and yet you're not willing to give any of them a chance. Why?" Nico narrowed her eyes.

Maki rolled her eyes. As if Nico didn't already know why. "I told you, I'm not interested—"

"Exactly," Nico stressed. "You're not interested. And that's fine! You don't have to be interested. I'm just saying you shouldn't judge how couples like to spend their time, because you don't understand."

Maki shrunk back. Well. That was a good point, but still. Way to ignore the elephant in the room. "Fine," she conceded.

Nico shrugged off her jacket and hooked it on the coat rack. "Anyway—I'm not here to take you on a romantic date or anything. A friend date."

Maki raised her eyebrows. "A friend date," she echoed, gesturing widely to Nico's outfit, noticing how nicely her dress hugged her hips. A strapless dress, too, Maki realized, trying really hard not to grumble in embarrassment at staring. Nico didn't have much in the way of a chest, but it'd definitely be a lie to say she didn't have hips either. Ever since becoming an idol, Nico's confidence had skyrocketed. The awkward, body-conscious outlook that Nico had back in high school was replaced by a genuine, self-assured poise, and while it made Maki feel proud, it was also a little intimidating. Nico actually becoming hot was never something Maki considered—she'd always thought of her as cute, or even pretty—but here she was, in all her hot glory.

Six years could really change someone. The pictures on magazines that Maki always passed by on the streets never did Nico any justice, either. Maki blushed. "You're awfully dressed up to be taking me on a friend date," she pointed out.

Nico bit her lip, looking to the side. "W-Well. Valentine's Day is an excuse to treat yourself well, too! To go all out! I like looking my best."

"You look great," Maki said without thinking. She resisted the urge to smack herself. "I-I mean," she fumbled, "you, um—" She placed a hand over her mouth and looked away, failing to come up with a way to save face. Nice, Maki.

Maki had always told herself not to let these things slip out, especially considering the nature of their relationship—or lack thereof. Being 'friends with benefits' was weird. She felt weird.

She felt awkward and fifteen all over again, falling in love with her best friend for the first time, when she first realized how her raging temper matched her raging insecurities—wanting, desperately, to show her love, to prove her wrong. She felt bitter and eighteen all over again, when Nico had finally debuted as a real idol, amassing the love from fans all over the country, growing out of her shell without her help. She felt lost and twenty again, when she'd let Nico kiss her after she found out about her feelings. And here she was now, at twenty-one years of age, in some sort of sexual-but-not-romantic relationship with her best friend of six years—a liaison formed out of gratitude.

"Thanks," Nico said, her voice soft. Maki closed her eyes, wanting to quell the rush of emotions in her chest. She shouldn't indulge. "That means a lot, coming from you."

Maki hated being in this limbo. Sometimes she didn't know where the boundaries were. Sometimes she'd slip too far back, and Nico would reel her right back in, like now. Sometimes she'd go in too deep, and she'd never be sure if she could ever leave. But then again, maybe it'd always been too late. At fifteen, she fell in love with a girl that carried the ambition of the whole world on her shoulders, always tackling challenges with a smug smile, and ever since then, Maki's whole life got flipped upside-down and turned inside-out. She didn't know how to escape, or if she even wanted to.

Maki crossed her arms, huffing. "Whatever. I was just being polite."

"Yeah, yeah." Nico waved her off. Maki's heart dropped. Ignoring the elephant in the room, as usual. "Go get dressed already."

Maki cleared her throat, frowning at Nico. "There's actually another reason why I didn't want to go out today, you know."

"Oh." Nico blinked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah," Maki said, rubbing her hand along the underside of her shoulder blades, wincing when she pressed down on a knot. "My back has been hurting a bit. I wanted to take the weekend off to rest."

"Aw, Maki!" Nico put her hands on her hips, glaring at Maki as she scolded her, "You should've said something from the start!"

Maki pouted. "But you must've put a lot of effort making yourself look good. I felt bad." She straightened out her shirt, suddenly feeling very underdressed compared to Nico. "Actually, you know what—I'll just head to—"

Nico placed her index finger on Maki's lips, effectively shutting her up. Maki frowned against the digit. "No wayyy. I mean, I kind of invited myself over and expected you to come along, but I didn't even consider if you actually needed rest. I just wanted to surprise you." Nico retracted her hand, and Maki exhaled in relief. "So, I'm sorry. Why don't we just hang out here instead?"

Maki stiffened. Was this really going to be a good idea?

Before she could answer, Nico had already stepped out of her heels, placing them neatly on the shoe rack. "In fact," Nico said, turning her head to smirk over at Maki over her shoulder, "why don't I help you with your back? Super Idol Nico-Nii isn't good for just singing, you know." She winked. "I've picked up a few things here and there."

Does that include sleeping with other people? Maki wondered but couldn't say. "Yeah, I bet. Becoming an idol must've made you all worldly," she said instead, hating how the bitterness seeped so easily into her voice.

"Oh, don't sound so jealous, Maki. I bet you're doing amazing things, too, now that you're on your way pursuing a medical career," Nico replied. Maybe it was her imagination, but Nico did sound a bit more somber. Maybe Nico felt guilty, for leaving her behind, for not committing. Probably just false hope, though, Maki figured.

"Something like that. But it's tiring." Maki sighed, feeling the aches of the past few weeks settle into her muscles. "I really have my work cut out for me."

Nico pulled her in, wrapping her arms around Maki's back, rubbing a hand up and down along her spine. "Well, that's why I'm here. To help you unwind," she whispered, and Maki shivered, leaning into her embrace, inhaling her scent. Strawberries and vanilla.

Maki closed her eyes, hating how quickly she could succumb to Nico's affections. But it was her fault, too, for giving in. She could just as easily tell Nico to leave, never come again, but she didn't want that. She was in love, intoxicated—consciously and willingly—and a small part of her knew that Nico loved her, too, even if it did hurt that Nico couldn't stay. She just wasn't ready to settle down yet. Neither of them were.

"Okay," Maki said, and that was all Nico needed to drag both of them into the bedroom.

For a supposed 'friend date,' Nico really did go all out on making the whole setting as romantic as possible. Dimmed lighting, scented candles lit across the room, slow saxophone music playing in the background—all for a massage. Something felt different from all their previous encounters. In the past, they were more casual with their meet-ups, holding an unspoken agreement not to go out of the way for each other. But tonight, Nico had spent an awful amount of time prepping everything, and Maki wondered—not for the first time this evening—if Nico had something else up her sleeve.

Lying flat on her back against the bed, Maki watched as Nico sauntered over, hips swaying. Nico crawled over, straddling her hips, hair falling loose past her shoulders as she undid her ribbon, smiling down at Maki. Maki looked to the side, blushing and feeling oddly self-conscious. It wasn't as though Nico had never seen her topless before, but with Nico looking so gorgeous, still all dressed up in her form-fitting, curve-popping red satin dress, Maki felt just a little sheepish not matching. Why did Nico have to get so hot.

"Turn over, Maki," she said, leaning down and clutching Maki's shoulders, locks of hair falling down and tickling the skin on her chest. Maki obliged, flipping herself over, hearing a bottle uncap as she lay on her stomach. The scent of almond oil filled the air before Nico spread it across her back, warm fingers pressing into the tender skin below her shoulder blades. Maki hissed when Nico found her knots, pushing her thumbs against them in a wide circular motion.

"Yeesh, girl. You're all tight—everywhere," Nico commented, sweeping a hand up to Maki's neck working her way down the edges of her spine. "You should take more time for yourself to relax, you know."

Maki grunted. "But how?"

"I don't know—what is it that you college kids do nowadays? Clubbing?" Nico kneaded into another knot at the base of her spine. "Oh! Strip clubs?"—Maki nearly choked—"Maybe you need a lap dance or something," Nico teased.

"Gross," Maki retorted, mouth forming into a grimace. "Strip clubs are gross. Why would I ever want a lap dance, anyway? From a stranger?"

Nico's palms stilled against her back. "I could give you one, then," she said in an irritatingly flippant sing-song voice that she only ever used when she wanted to piss her off or do something really daring. Maki couldn't tell which one it was in this case.

She flipped herself over so she could see Nico's face. "What?"

"I said," Nico began, whispering, leaning down so that their lips were mere centimeters apart, "I could give you a lap dance." She traced an oiled finger between the valley of Maki's breasts, smirking when Maki inhaled a sharp breath of air.

"Don't be an idiot," Maki grumbled, using both hands to push Nico at arm's length. "I bet you don't even know how to, anyway."

"Wanna bet?" Nico challenged, a mischievous twinkle dancing in her eyes, and Maki just knew that she had messed up. Honestly, she had no idea what Nico was capable of. The private lives of idols were a mystery to everyone—including her, even though she was Nico's best friend—and to think that she was the only one Nico ever messed around with was just a foolish fantasy. Maki didn't want to get her hopes up. Who knew what else Nico got up to behind closed doors.

"Um—" Maki shifted. Cleared her throat. "—on second thought, no. I believe that you can, just—"

"I kind of wanted to show you anyway," Nico interrupted. "You do look really tense. I want to help you relax. Besides—" She traced her fingers along the underside of Maki's breasts, smiling coyly when Maki shivered under her touch. "—I'm dressed for the occasion. Do you want to see?"

Maki breathed. When did she ever not want to see. "Okay," she rasped. God, she was too gay and weak. And curious. Could Nico actually pull it off?

"Help me unzip my dress then," Nico said, settling back down to sit on Maki's hips. "My hands are too oily, and I don't want to ruin it."

Maki sat up with her until they were both at eye level, noticing how Nico's pupils dilated when her gaze strayed to her chest. Maki never cared too much for her breasts—too cumbersome (she thought big breasts were overrated, anyway)—but with the way Nico looked them, with all the reverence and affection in her eyes, warmth travel straight down to her groin. Nico could evade all she wanted about relationships, but at least her body could never lie. Nico wanted her, and Maki knew it.

As Maki reached around her back and slid down the zipper, she leaned down to press kisses against Nico's neck, taking pleasure in the small gasps that she gave her. The dress fell loose around Nico's hips. At least she could have these moments, Maki thought. Quiet moments where they were alone together, away from the scrutiny of the public, where Nico actively sought her out. It had to mean something, right?

Nico clung onto Maki's back, nails lightly scraping her skin as Maki dragged her tongue across the base of her throat to her pulse point, sucking. Maki felt the vibrations of Nico's moans against her lips before she could hear it, and Maki loved it—the way Nico always reacted so honestly to her, clutching her like she was the only person she needed. Maki closed her eyes. Here, at least, she could pretend.

"M-Maki," Nico gasped, pushing Maki back onto the bed. "As much as I enjoy this, I want this night to be about you."

Maki blinked as Nico leaned back and stepped out of her dress, and that was when she realized that Nico was actually wearing—erk!—a lacy black bra. Matched with a garter belt and thigh highs. Sexy lingerie. Oh gosh. So that was what she meant by 'dressed for the occasion.'

"Were you planning this?" Maki asked, jaw dropping as Nico crawled back on top of her, grinding against her navel.

Nico gave her a sly grin, and Maki wanted to go hide in a hole. Christ, why did Nico have to play her like this. She saw hints of Nico's nipples through the see-through bra, hardening against the fabric. Maki closed her eyes again. Too gay to deal. "Mmm, maybe," Nico said. "I was practicing for you."

'Practicing.' Super Idol Nico-Nii practicing lap dancing. With whom? Though, then again, Maki didn't really want to know. "Oh."

"Let's get you comfy against the armchair, Maki," Nico suggested, leading them both to the seat, setting up a nest of pillows before propping her up against the cushions. The pillows had been a gift from her parents, a housewarming gift for moving into her first apartment. Maki had never found use for them, always opting to shove them to the floor before sleeping, but now—

The bass of an unfamiliar song drummed from the surround stereo. Maki saw Nico clutching the remote, hints of mischief playing at the corners of her mouth as she tossed it to the side, landing within the mess of sheets on her bed. Maki gulped. When had Nico hooked up her music player?

'I can't believe all of the things they say about me.'

Nico straddled her hips again, and Maki felt her hair brushing against her belly. "No touching, Maki. Got it?" she said, and Maki could only nod, numbly, as Nico slid both hands up her inner thighs, spreading them apart while maintaining eye contact. "So I can have better access to you." She winked, backing away and stepping to the side. Maki hyperventilated. She fought the urge to cross her legs.

'They call us dirty 'cause we break all your rules down.'

Nico strut in a wide circle around the armchair, pausing only when she arrived behind Maki, taking the time to bury her fingers within Maki's hair, massaging her scalp and pulling away once she resumed her stride, sauntering to the side. Maki's heart jumped. Her breathing went ragged. Whatever Nico had learned, it was definitely working.

Nico lifted her leg and planted her arched foot right in the gap between her thighs, leaning forward, back flat, as she ran her fingers down from her knee to her shin, at an agonizingly slow speed, then back up double time. Hot. Maki stifled the whimper that threatened to escape her. Gosh, if she was already doing so poorly, trying not to be so affected, how was she going to last the rest of the night?

'Am I a freak for dancing around?'

Nico stepped back down, turned around, pivoted until her back was facing Maki. She flipped her hair and bent down—ass on Maki's crotch—and started grinding. Maki shut her eyes tight, hissing as she threw her head back against the chair, nails digging into the armrests as she rode the sensation. She thrust her hips forward, meeting Nico in rhythm, moaning when Nico pressed down harder, and suddenly, Maki really, really wanted to get her jeans off and just take her.

Steeling herself, Maki took hold of Nico's hips, feeling not at all remorseful when Nico let out a sharp squeal as she flipped both of them over.

"Maki!" she reprimanded as she collapsed onto the cushions. "Hey—I wasn't done. What gives? Patience is a vir—"

"I want you. Now," Maki growled, leaning forward and capturing Nico's lips, her hand dipping under her bra and catching her nipple in a V shape between her index and middle finger. Nico gasped against her touch, and Maki took the opportunity to slip her tongue in, moaning when Nico sucked on it. She hated how Nico was so good at everything, and it made her wonder just how many other people she'd toyed with like this, how much practice she'd gotten with other people. But Maki didn't care now. She had the chance to take her, to stake her claims on this moment, and she would. Nico was hers now.

"I love it when you want me," Nico breathed, and Maki could only sink in deeper, kiss her harder, her exposed nipples brushing against Nico's chest. When did she ever not want her. "I love it when you're honest."

Maki inhaled sharply, wanting to suppress painful ache in her chest after hearing irony of Nico's words. How hypocritical of her, then, not returning the honesty in kind. It was okay, though. Maki would draw it out in other ways. She settled in between Nico's legs peppering light kisses along her inner thighs, smiling smugly when Nico writhed against her, as if begging her to hurry up. Yes—this sort of honesty was okay, too.

She placed her palm flat on Nico's stomach, edging down as though she was going straight down to area between her legs, but at the last minute, she changed course and slid it down her thigh instead. Nico groaned, clutching a pillow tight in her fists. "Maki," she grumbled, warningly.

"Someone said something about patience?" Maki mocked, meeting Nico's offended glare with a cheeky smirk of her own.

"Stop being a smartass and just do it already," she complained.

Maki raised her eyebrows. "Do what?" she asked, feigning ignorance, propping her elbow on the chair and resting her chin on her hand. She had to stop herself from laughing at the scandalized expression Nico threw her. "I won't know what to do unless you tell me. Explicitly. In detail."

"Fuck me," Nico demanded.

It wasn't enough. "How?" Maki prompted, hooking her fingers on the waistband of Nico's panties. "Tell me exactly how you want it." Maki blew a puff of air against the fabric covering her labia.

Nico whimpered, her hips jerking forward. "Eat me out," she ordered. "Please."

Blood rushed to her loins. She loved making Nico beg. "Okay," Maki acquiesced, leaning down and dragging the moist tip of her tongue along Nico's still-clothed outer lips, relishing in the long moan that Nico gave her, before finally pulling down the lingerie to her ankles.

"You're drenched," Maki whispered, coating her fingers in Nico's juices as she spread out her lips, enjoying the view of her exposed, swollen vulva. "Did all that teasing really make you this wet?" She flicked her tongue, briefly, along Nico's entrance.

Nico let out a gasp. "Shut up. It's just been a while, alright?"

Maki pressed the flat of her tongue, hard, drawing it roughly up to her clit, feeling the area between her own legs throb as Nico whined. 'Been a while,' huh. She wondered how many other people had been down here, doing the same thing. It didn't matter. Maki would make Nico forget them all. She'd erase Nico's memories of other people with each lick, each stroke of her tongue, until Nico could remember only hers.

"Maki, oh my god," Nico moaned, bringing one hand to burrowing her hand in Maki's tresses and the other to tweak her own nipple. Maki looked up, feeling her knees go weak at the sight. "That feels so good—oh." Maki hummed, the pulsating between her legs growing tenfold at Nico's encouragement. Her head spun. This was driving her crazy. She needed to soothe the ache.

Hastily undoing the zipper of her jeans, Maki dipped her hands below the waistband of her underwear, finding her own slick flesh. She wrapped her lips around Nico's clit the same time she rubbed her own, moaning into her as she sucked, wanting Nico to feel the vibrations.

Nico's hips bucked. "Baby," she whimpered. "Oh my god, you're touching yourself." Her hands dug further into Maki's hair, moving to undo her side ponytail and holding it in place of the hair tie she'd just removed.

Maki cried out after hearing the pet name, a spike of pleasure traveling down her spine. She rubbed at herself more frantically, needing to get both of them off. It was one of her weaknesses, listening to Nico call out to her so desperately, affectionately, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to last very long after that. Maki pressed a quick kiss on her clit before using her free hand to replace her mouth, drawing tight circles. "N-Nico, are you close?"

"Y-Yeah, Maki. I'm so close—please," she groaned, writhing against Maki's hand. "Finger me." She sucked in a shallow breath of air when Maki pinched her clit. "I-I want to come while you're inside me."

"Okay," Maki said, and she dragged her finger along Nico's slit, making sure to coat it as much as possible with her wetness before sliding it smoothly inside her vagina, pumping slowly, savoring the high-pitched moan Nico gave her, the feeling of her inner walls clenching around her digit, the heat of her arousal soaking into her skin.

"F-Faster," Nico begged, and Maki obliged, twisting her finger and rubbing in a 'come hither' motion at the familiar, spongy tissue of Nico's g-spot, drawing out increasingly loud squeals. Maki resumed lapping at her clit. She loved it, loved how Nico could react so honestly with her body. It was a raw sort of beauty—untamed—and Maki felt honored being able to see it. Maki loved knowing that it was because of her.

"Maki—baby—I'm gonna come—I love you."

Maki's mind went blank. Nico said what.

Nico came with a scream. Her body stilled for a split second before she crashed down again, thrusting against Maki's hand, and Maki peaked soon after, feeling shocks of pleasure as the climax overtook her body. When the last vestiges of her orgasm subsided, she helped Nico come back down, drawing out her pleasure for as long as possible by pumping into her, long and hard. She felt her inner walls flutter against her finger as Nico collapsed back into the seat.

Maki withdrew her finger, bringing it to her lips and sucking off the juices before climbing onto Nico's lap. "So," she said, breathing heavily. "Care to explain what that was about, Nico?"

Nico ducked her face. "It was a mistake," she responded, panting equally as hard. "I shouldn't have—"

"But you did," Maki interrupted, placing her hands on Nico's shoulders, willing her to make eye contact. "You did say it, and I can't just pretend that it didn't happen. You knew how I felt this whole time. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because, Maki." Nico turned her head to the side. "Just drop it, please."

"I love you, too," Maki whispered, bringing her hand to Nico's cheek, brushing her thumb along the soft skin there. Nico had always had the smoothest skin, a result of her ridiculous nightly face cream regimens, but Maki couldn't deny that she liked it. "And you knew that. Why do we have to drop it?"

"Maki, no." Nico brought her hands to her shoulders, rubbing them up and down, and that was when Maki noticed goose bumps forming along her skin. Maki pressed herself closer to Nico, wanting her heat to transfer, and Nico didn't make a move to push her back.

"I'm not letting you go without answering, you know."

Nico combed her bangs back, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I'm just dumb, and I shouldn't have started this with you in the first place. It's just—I'm weak, and I couldn't help myself."

Maki blinked. "What."

"Maki, I'm an idol—a world famous one."

Maki pressed her lips together. "I know. I'm not an idiot."

"Yeah, I know. Just let me get to my point," Nico said. "Being an idol isn't really forgiving on my personal life, you know?" Maki nodded. It wasn't anything she hadn't told herself before.

"I barely have any free time to myself," Nico continued, "and I didn't want to start a real relationship with you because you deserve better."

"And what gives you the right to decide what you think I deserve?" Maki demanded. "I think I can figure that by myself just fine, thanks."

"Maki, you have a whole future ahead of you. I'm barely around. I have to travel places—constantly. I'm always moving. But you're here, stable. You don't deserve having to wait for me to come back to you."

Maki huffed. "What do you think I've been doing this whole time?"

Nico's eyes widened. "Oh."

"Exactly." Maki narrowed her eyes. What an idiot. Why did she have to fall for someone so stupid.

"So you haven't been seeing other people?" Nico asked, voice low, timid.

So even Nico wondered. Somehow, that made her kind of happy. Maki smiled as she gave her answer, "No."

"Oh." Nico smiled back.

Biting her lip, Maki mustered up the courage to return the question: "Have you?"

"No, me neither. It's always been you. Only you."

Maki wanted to yell. Scream. Run to the rooftops naked. Instead, she leaned forward, pressing her lips against Nico's, remembering the time when she was twenty, when they'd kissed for the first time, and, for once, not caring.

"Date me," Maki said after they parted to breathe. "For real."

"You're sure?" Nico asked, brushing back Maki's hair and hooking it behind her hair.

"Nico, I've been sure. For like six years now."

When Nico said okay, wrapping her arms behind her neck and pulling her in for round two, Maki realized that she still hated Valentine's Day, but this year, she could make an exception.

End Notes: Funny story—this fic was supposed to start off as a cute friend date between Nico and Maki in which they are not friends with benefits. But then my friends introduced to me the idea of lap dancing and then I just—yeah. This is what happened. See you next time!