Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live
"Let me guess, you messed up your confession again didn't you?" Nico asked as she entered the classroom and took a seat at her desk in front of Nozomi and to the side of Eli.
Eli simply nodded her head which had been buried in her arms since Nico entered the room. There was a gloomy atmosphere surrounding Eli, one that Nico and Nozomi had become all too familiar with recently.
"So how many times has she screwed up so far?" Nico wondered turning to Nozomi.
Eli groaned her disapproval, but her two friends simply ignored her.
Nozomi hummed and began counting on her fingers. First the right hand, then the left, and back to her right once more.
"Do we count that time Honoka walked in on us talking about Elicchi's feelings?" Nozomi asked, stopping her counting with her fingers still held out.
"You better count that, it's the closest she's ever gotten to anything resembling a real confession." Nico answered, Eli buried her face further into her arms.
"That makes it fourteen failed confession counting this morning's," Nozomi finished counting with a smirk.
Eli picked her head up and rolled her eyes. "Why do you two always do this to me every time this happens?"
"Because Elicchi," Nozomi began, smiling. "If we keep doing this you might get the courage to actually confess to Honoka."
"And how is making fun of me going to help anything?"
"It will help you build up your courage to finally confess by facing other hardships."
Eli just sat and stared, blank look never leaving her face. The answer was one of Nozomi's special kind of "helpful" answers. Say something that sounds really profound, or something that could resemble good advice, but really it's just a not so thinly veiled attempt to tease.
Eli shifted her attention to Nico, silently asking the same question she had asked Nozomi. The girl simply shrugged her shoulders.
"I just think it's funny."
Well at least Nico was honest.
"I don't get why you can't just tell her and get it over with," Nico said, crossing her arms. "It's Honoka we're talking about here. She isn't going to get it unless you spell it out for her, and even then she might not get it."
"What do you think I've been trying to do?"
"Elicchi, We've all seen you try and confess to Honoka," Nozomi answered with a knowing look. "And it normally isn't very pretty."
"Just stop being so scared and confess already," Nico advised. "I'm pretty sure that she'd say yes if you asked her."
Eli just sank back into her seat, sighing for the umpteenth time since Nico's arrival. Everything her two friends were saying was right. Her attempts at getting Honoka to notice her feelings weren't the best. She tried being subtle with it, things like being a little more physical than usual, a hug here and there along with some casual contact. But even she realized that affection like that only seemed normal to Honoka.
Eli also tried spending time alone together with Honoka together without anyone else from Muse. They were never really anything more then the two of them getting food while she tried to work up the courage to tell Honoka her feelings, almost always resulting in Eli becoming a babbling mess. She knew these attempts were just a little bit better than pathetic
"Why can't you two just help me?" Eli pleaded, looking between her two friends.
"Why would I help you," Nico scoffed. "I actually think this whole situation is pretty funny."
Eli glared at her shorter friend before getting an idea.
"Because I helped you get together with Nozomi," Eli said with a smirk. "And if I remember right, you didn't want me telling me anyone about it."
Nozomi perked up at Eli's admission, and Nico simply glared at her.
"You better not…" Nico was cut off by Nozomi who was leaning forward with rapt attention.
"But I want to hear about it Nicocchi," Nozomi cut in with a large smile, Nico looked away and huffed. "What did Nicocchi do before she confessed to me."
Eli gave a triumphant smile at Nico, who simply kept glaring, muttering something about getting payback.
"You should have seen it Nozomi. Every day she was coming to me asking about you. Stuff like what your favorite food was, or your favorite places to go outside of school, or my personal favorite, if you and I were dating."
Nozomi smiled and leaned over the top of her desk, bringing Nico into a tight hug.
"That's so cute Nicocchi," Nozomi said, pulling Nico tighter and tighter. "You're so cute when you get embarrassed. And you went through all that trouble just for me"
"Would you let go of me!" Nico shouted, untangling herself from Nozomi's embrace. "And I told you to keep that stuff secret for a reason."
"But Nozomi really seems to like it," Eli pointed at Nozomi, who was still caught up in her thoughts with a blissful smile. "And I figure if you two don't help me, I've got plenty more secrets like that on both of you."
Nozomi's smile was quickly replaced with a concerned frown.
"Elicchi, you promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that."
Eli ignored the comment and started anyway, it wasn't often that she got to be the one making Nozomi embarrassed.
"You know Nico, Nozomi was just as bad as you with her feelings. She'd come to me every single day wondering what she should do about her feelings and…"
"Alright that's enough," Nozomi cut in, her cheeks a rare faint hue of red. "We will help you with your Honoka problem."
"Hey that's not fair," Nico cried out. "I want to know more about what Nozomi did."
"Alright then, how do you two plan on helping me?" Eli asked, completely ignoring Nico's whining.
The couple leaned closer together and shared a few hushed words before breaking away and turning toward Eli, both with large smiles.
Eli felt uncomfortable under her friends' gazes. She never did like it when she saw that playful look in Nozomi's eyes, or that mischievous glint in Nico's.
"Don't you worry about that, Nicocchi and I already have an idea," Nozomi answered with that same playful look that only made Eli more uneasy.
"Trust us Eli, we know a great way to help you finally confess."
Eli noticed that the look Nico was giving her was the same one that the short girl got whenever she was around Rin and Honoka, and those incidents never ended well. It wasn't a very reassuring sign, but at this point she would take whatever she could get.
"If you guys think it's a good idea," Nico and Nozomi both nodded, and Eli just gave up on arguing. "Then what's your plan?"
"We'll tell you after class Elicchi."
"Why can't you just tell me now?" Eli crossed her arms in front of her. "Wouldn't it help me prepare if I know what you two are planning."
"Don't worry about the details, you have nothing to worry about," Nico answered with an unusually large smile. "Just listen to us after class and follow our lead, okay?"
Nico's smile or tone didn't help instill any confidence in Eli, but she was really desperate at this point. On one hand she really wanted to tell Honoka how she felt, on the other, she just really wanted to get Nico and Nozomi to stop prying into her love life.
"Alright, I'll trust that you two know what you're doing," saying this pained Eli.
Nico and Nozomi both started to say something, but were cutoff as their teacher came into the classroom, signaling the beginning of the school day.
When the day finally ended and the teacher dismissed class, Eli knew that she didn't learn anything from the day's lessons. Her notebook was proof of that. Not a single note taken of either math, science, or history. But there was a whole page covered in small drawings of Honoka and little hearts with their initials written in the middle of them. Eli wasn't sure when she had turned into a love struck idiot, but now the transformation was officially complete.
"You really have it bad for Honoka don't you," Nico teased, looking over Eli's shoulder at her notebook.
Eli panicked and closed her notebook, quickly shoving it into her bag.
"H-How much of that did you see," Eli stuttered as her face flushed red, not meeting Nico's eyes.
"I saw all of it, and you know I really think the hearts were a nice touch. Really helps bring out the whole creepy obsession thing you've got going on." Nico teased, Eli only continued to grow a darker shade of red.
"Now now Nicocchi, Elicchi is just a young woman who's fallen in love, you should know very well what that's like," Nozomi interjected, trying to play peacemaker.
"I-It was just a joke you know," Nico stammered as Nozomi put her arms over her shoulders and brought her into a loose embrace.
Eli had a large smirk as she looked at Nico and tried to suppress her laughs. Nico was always so obedient around her girlfriend.
"I know what you're thinking, and don't even think about saying it."
"I don't know what you mean Nico," Eli replied, still holding back her laughs.
"Now it's time to start our wonderful plan to get Elicchi and Honoka together once and for all," Nozomi interrupted, arms still wrapped around Nico.
"You still haven't told me what the plan is yet."
"You don't need to worry about that Elicchi," Nozomi responded while the three finished gathering their things to leave. "Just follow us."
Eli resigned herself to her fate and followed behind the couple as they began making their way down the hallway. She had begun mentally preparing herself for what was to come.
"This is it. I'm going to take whatever opportunity that Nico and Nozomi give me and finally tell Honoka how I feel."
Eli was broken out of her cheesy internal pep talk by running into the back of Nozomi.
"We're here Elicchi."
Eli knew the door that they were in front of very well.
"So your plan was to meet Honoka in the student council room?"
"That's not all, just wait and see," Nozomi answered, sliding the door to the room open.
"Oh thank god, more people!" Honoka shouted in relief as soon as the trio enter the room, quickly getting up to greet them.
"Honoka we just started a few minutes ago, don't think this gives you an excuse to slack off" Umi admonished, Kotori sat and giggled, everything was business as usual for the second years.
"Calm down Umi, I'm just making sure that we treat our guests well."
Umi grumbled to herself, she wasn't sure whether she should chastise Honoka for being too lazy, or be a good host and properly great her friends. Her decision was made for her when Kotori put a hand on her shoulder.
"You wouldn't want to be rude Umi," Kotori said with a smile. "Besides, it looks like Honoka's already forgotten about the work."
Honoka had already gotten up and made her way around the table she had been sitting at, paperwork already clearly forgotten.
"So what brings you three here?" Honoka asked, leaning back onto the table.
"Well Eli here had something she wanted to talk to you about," Nico answered, lightly pushing Eli forward.
"And Nicocchi and I had some thing we needed to talk to you two about," Nozomi pointed to Kotori and Umi.
"Well what did you need?" Umi asked, looking up from her paperwork.
"It's a little private," Nozomi smirked. "So if you'd please come with us we, have some important things to talk about." She finished with a wink to Kotori, who now understood the plan
Eli brought a hand up to her face and groaned in annoyance. Her friends wonderful plan was to just get her alone in the room with Honoka, that was it. No bigger planning or any help with her confidence, just Eli one on one with her crush, as if it had worked the past sixteen times she'd tried it.
"So this was your great plan?" Eli muttered to her fellow third years, but was promptly ignored.
"Well we're kinda busy today, so can this wait?" Umi asked.
Everyone but Honoka rolled their eyes, of course Umi wouldn't understand what was going on
"I think we should listen to them, it might be important," Kotori responded with her best pleading look, one that she knew Umi would be helpless to.
"F-Fine, but make sure you're quick. We still have a lot of work to do that you won't be getting out of," Umi stammered out, pointing at Honoka.
"Oh it won't take long at all. Elicchi just has something important she needs to discuss with Honoka."
Umi reluctantly got up and followed the rest of the group out of the room, leaving Eli and Honoka alone.
"What did you need to tell us?" Umi asked, outwardly irritated as the group stood outside the student council room door.
"We didn't have anything to tell you," Nozomi answered, Umi's annoyance rising. "We just needed to give Elicchi some time alone with Honoka."
"Was it so important that you had to interrupt our work. I had finally gotten Honoka to start filling out some forms."
"It's alright Umi, we can just fill them out later," Kotori said, doing her best to calm down Umi.
"I know, but what's so important that you had to interrupt us?" Umi asked again, but this time, without the previous annoyance.
"Nico and I decided to help Elicchi finally confess her feelings to Honoka, and we thought this would be the best way."
"And you thought trapping them in the student council room would be the best way to do it?" Umi questioned.
"Maybe not the best way for Eli, but it'll be the most entertaining for us." Nico replied. She was kneeling on the ground in front of the door that she had left slightly open to give herself a good view..
"You two are horrible." Nico and Nozomi silently braced themselves for Umi's inevitable scolding. But it never came as Umi's glare was replaced with a relieved smile. "But if it will get Honoka to stop asking Kotori and I about what to do with her feelings for Eli, then I'm fine with it."
"I told you Honoka liked her," Nico gloated at Nozomi.
"Well then that just makes things easier, all Elicchi has to do is tell Honoka how she feels and things should work out fine," Nozomi responded when a thought struck. "Why hasn't Honoka confessed, she doesn't seem like the type to hold things back."
"She thinks that Eli is in love with you," Kotori answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Why does everyone in Muse think that me and Elicchi love each other?" Nozomi's question was met with silence and emotionless stares. "You even thought that I loved her before we started dating."
Nico looked over to Umi and Kotori who all shared a silent agreement to simply ignore Nozomi's question.
"It looks like Eli's about to try and confess," Nico said, signaling the rest of the come over and watch.
Nozomi didn't like that her question was being ignored, but decided to drop it for now. Maybe she could discuss it later with Eli over some parfaits, and a night out together. She just couldn't see how people could misinterpret their relationship.
Everyone had taken their position at the small opening. Nico on the bottom, Nozomi looking over top of her, than Kotori, and finally Umi.
"Why do I have to be on the bottom?"
Nico's innocent question was met with stifled giggles from Nozomi and Kotori, which were quickly silenced with a shush.
"They might hear us if you guys don't be quiet," Umi whispered, all of her attention on the scene before her.
This was the moment that Eli had been preparing for. She was going to gather whatever courage she could find and tell Honoka how she felt right now. Her friends had given her this great opportunity and she didn't want to let them down.
That's what Eli wanted to think, but internally she was panicking. She'd always tried to be the calm and respectable big sister type figure for the rest of Muse, but when it came to Honoka, she was just a love struck fool. Anytime she looked at Honoka's cute face and pretty blue eyes, she just all her nerve and became a blushing and stuttering mess. And this moment was no exception.
"So what did you want to talk about Eli?" Honoka asked with a tilt of her head and wide eyes, her cheery smile never dropping.
Eli turned red and quickly looked away. How was she supposed to find the nerve to confess if Honoka kept making such cute faces? It was just unfair.
"W-Well you see Honoka," Eli turned her head in Honoka's general direction, eyes still looking everywhere but her crush. "I-I've got something really important I need to tell you."
"Is it a secret?"
"Kind of."
Eli's palms were sweaty as she rubbed her hands together, trying anything in order to regain her composure.
"We've been good friends for a while now Honoka," Eli decided she would try and lead herself to the confession. It wasn't the best was to confess, especially to someone as straightforward as Honoka, but doing it this way she might be able to muster the courage.
Honoka quickly nodded her head in response. "Yep, and I really love spending time with you Eli, I think we're great friends."
Eli couldn't help the big goofy smile that took over her face. Hearing her name and love in the same sentence from the girl she was crushing on made her feel all kinds of things, but none of them would make this confession come any easier.
"I-I like spending time with you too Honoka," Eli's right hand gripped at her skirt. "And I want to spend even more time with you."
Eli internally cheered herself on, it was the furthest she'd ever gotten and now she'd have to see this through.
Honoka didn't respond and kept looking at Eli with expectant eyes.
"I want to spend more time with you because..." Eli knew this was finally the time to do it, she'd gather whatever nerve she could and tell her. "I like you Honoka."
Eli congratulated herself, she'd finally been able to tell Honoka how she felt. It didn't matter how Honoka responded, it just felt great knowing that her feelings were finally out in the open.
"Well duh Eli, I like you too." Eli was about to cry out in happiness. "I mean we're good friends, right?"
Eli wondered if things would ever work out easily for her. After finally confessing to the girl she had a borderline obsession with, all the frustration came back in force. Of all the ways for this to go, Eli did not want her confession ruined because of some cliched misunderstanding.
"I don't mean like a friend Honoka!" Eli shouted "I love you Honoka! Not as a friend or anything like that, but as a lover." In her frustration Eli found all of her feelings just started spilling out. "I want to hold your hand, go on dates with you, hug you, kiss you, touch you, and..." Eli stopped herself, she was very close to shouting something very embarrassing in a very quiet school building.
As she finished and started to realize all that she'd said, Eli looked down at the ground. She was far to embarrassed to meet Honoka's gaze.
"Do you mean it?"
Eli looked up to Honoka, it looked like the girl was on the verge of exploding.
"I-I meant every word of it."
Eli nearly toppled over as Honoka charged toward her, engulfing her in a deep embrace.
"Eli loves me! Eli loves me!" Honoka shouted, resting her head on her new loves shoulder.
"So does that mean you feel the same," Eli tentatively asked, the reaction seemed like a yes, she just wanted to hear Honoka say it.
"Yes."
The same goofy smirk that Eli had before came back in full force as she returned Honoka's embrace, sighing contently as she let the warmth wash over her. After all this time she had finally been able to confess, and Honoka even felt the same way toward her.
Before Eli could get completely comfortable, the door to the room opened and the four who had been watching from outside the door entered the room.
"That's a really gross smile Eli," Nico teased, following in behind Nozomi.
Eli wanted to scream in annoyance as she watched the four come into the room. She wondered if she'd ever catch a break.
"Were you four watching this whole time?" Eli already knew the answer to her question, but felt she needed to ask anyway.
"Yep," Nico's answer came quickly and without shame.
"Sorry," Kotori apologized, but gave Honoka a large smile that was quickly returned.
"I-I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," Umi frantically tried to apologize after committing such a shameless act.
"We're sorry, but we just wanted to make sure everything worked out well," Nozomi apologized, not a hint of remorse in her voice. "But that was such a bold confession, I'm really surprised Elicchi."
"I think everyone in the school knows that you love Honoka now," Nico playfully jabbed.
"Well I thought it was nice," Honoka stated, tightening her hold on her new partner.
Eli once again smiled that same blissful smile. Even with everyone trying so hard to ruin the moment, none of it mattered because she was with Honoka now.
"Well I don't think we are going to be getting anymore work done today, and I have things I need to get done at home," Umi stated as she gathered her things and started heading fore the door.
"Wait Umi," Kotori called out. "Why don't we go somewhere and get some food or something."
"I don't think they'd want to do that right now Kotori," Umi motioned toward the new couple, still embracing in the middle of the room.
"I meant just the two of us," Kotori gave Umi one of her best pleading faces.
"I have schoolwork that I need to get done today, and I don't really need any distractions."
"I'll come over and we can help each other, I won't be a distraction at all."
"If you insist, then lets go."
Umi quickly made her way out the room with Kotori following closely behind.
"How long has that been going on?" Nozomi asked, directing her gaze toward Honoka.
"You mean with Kotori and Umi?" Honoka picked her head up off Eli's shoulder, and broke away from the embrace, Eli almost whimpering as Honoka stepped away.
Nico and Nozomi both nodded in response.
"Kotori's been trying to get Umi to notice her feelings since middle school, but Umi doesn't seem to really get it. I actually feel bad for Kotori sometimes."
"Well Nicocchi, it looks like we have a new couple to help find love."
"You're not going to do the same thing to them that you did to me are you?" Eli asked, fearing for Kotori's mental health.
"Well it worked didn't it?" Nico argued back.
Eli didn't give an answer and instead looked at her new girlfriend, than back to Nico and Nozomi, shrugging her shoulders. As much as she didn't want to admit it, it worked.
"Exactly. Now I don't really want to be around these two anymore then I have to, so can we go Nozomi?" Nico asked, but already started making her way out the door.
"Is Nicocchi jealous after watching those two be all lovey-dovey," Nozomi teased, following behind Nico and putting her arms around Nico's shoulder in a loose embrace.
"N-No, of course not," Nico feigned anger, but never made an attempt to move away from Nozomi's affection.
"Whatever you say my super idol."
Nico made another grunt of disapproval as the two left the room, leaving the new couple alone.
"So what do you wanna do now Honoka?" Eli asked as the two of them prepared themselves to leave.
"Go out somewhere with you of course," Honoka answered with a smile, taking Eli's hand in her own as the two left the room.
"How about we go get some food first?"
"You already know me so well Eli."
A/N: This was nothing more then stress relief for me and I debated whether I should even put it up, but I figured someone might get some enjoyment our of it so here it is, even with a really rushed ending. This also made me think a series of dumb HonoEli oneshots could be fun to do at some point.
Also worth noting that I'm finally caught up on Sunshine and you can probably expect a fic or two about Chika when the series finishes.