The cold winter air blew all of the sudden, making Nico let out a small "eep" and holding herself more tightly. No matter how well she dressed for winter season, it seemed like coldness always made its way through the layers of clothes that the petite girl wore. Once the cold breeze passed, Nico looked up to scan her surroundings, wondering if she had arrived. Seeing couples upon couples passing by only added to her frustration. Nico reached for her pocket and took out her phone to take another look at the time; she had been waiting here for ten minutes now. Grumbling once again, she put away her phone, but when she looked back up there was someone in front of her.
"You're late!" Nico rolled her eyes and turned away from her girlfriend.
"I'm sorry Nicocchi," Nozomi put on a pout for her upset Nico, but had to step closer once she had turned away. "I couldn't pick anything that'd look good but would keep me warm."
"Let's just go!" The twin tailed girl grabbed the taller one's wrist and started to hustle off to the shopping district. "Besides, you'd look good with anything." Nico mumbled in hopes of Nozomi not hearing that, and quickly let go of her wrist to instead entwine fingers with her. Unbeknownst to her, Nozomi couldn't even control the big smile on her face.
Nico slowed down after a few minutes of power walking through crowds of people and bumping into an unfortunate soul or two.
"Hey Nicocchi." Nozomi lightly tugged on the other's hand. Nico didn't turn to see her, but did slow down a little. "Nicocchi." And another tug, the smaller girl stopped walking. "Nicocch-"
"Whaddya want?"
"Nicocchi, please look at me." Nozomi requested alongside a small squeeze of her hand. Nico really didn't want to, or that's what she told herself before turning to her girlfriend.
"What?"
Nozomi gave the other a gentle and warm smile before slightly pouting. "I'm sorry I was late Nicocchi. Could you forgive me?"
Nico grumbled before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I forgive you. Now let's get this date started already, it's passed six."
Nozomi beamed a smile and nodded before holding Nico's arm with her other hand and making Nico blush.
Nico suddenly felt herself being yanked by Nozomi when the latter stopped right in her tracks. Nico was about to vocalize her complaints to her girlfriend until she saw Nozomi being dazzled by the shop in front of them. Nico turned to see what had gripped Nozomi's attention: behind the shop's large window lied lit candles, decks of cards, some she recognized as being tarot cards while some other she hadn't even seen before. Golden jewelry, a scepter that Nico could only assume was Egyptian, and countless other knick knacks that had a mysterious air to them decorated the shop.
"Do you want to go in to this shop?"
"Nicocchi! Thank you!" Nozomi, with a brand new deck of tarot cards and a set of Spanish cards she couldn't wait to learn how to use, wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's sides and pulled her into a hug. "I love you so much!"
"Yeah yeah, I love you too." Nico had long stopped trying to wiggle out of Nozomi's embraces after years of never yielding results. "Just don't expect any more gifts from me."
"Nicocchi's the only gift I need." Nozomi grinned and kissed Nico's cheek. The shorter girl blushed but smiled mischievously.
"Then can I refund those cards?"
"Nope! They are filled with Nicocchi's feelings, so I'm going to treasure them," Nozomi moved the bag she was holding out of reach. "I'm sure they'll bring great fortunes for the both of us."
Nico couldn't stop staring at the flowing, melted chocolate that fell from level to level the fountain behind the large display window. She also noticed the countless amounts of fresh strawberries that customers ordered to be washed and then set in gift boxes. Nico knew she had to keep up good manners in public, but she couldn't stop salivating at the image of plump, juicy strawberries covered in sweet, chocolaty goodness.
No, Nico, no! The girl shook her head and tried to get the fruits out of her head. She was on a budget; she needed all of her money for dinner. She had been saving up money since June and she wasn't about to ruin it now. But those strawberries looked so good. Maybe one box wouldn't be too expensive… Nico gripped her arm as tightly as she could and forcibly turned herself around. She needed to get Nozomi and bail out of here.
Then she just noticed that Nozomi was gone. "Nozomi?" Nico called out for her girlfriend as she tried to find her in her surroundings.
"You called~?" Nico felt her chest suddenly grabbed tightly from behind, and Nozomi's breath tickled her neck.
"Where were you woman?!" Nico tried to wiggle out of the other's groping embrace.
"Merry Christmas." Nozomi whispered in Nico's ear and showed her a white box with a brown ribbon near one of the corners.
One of the gift boxes from the shop behind them.
Nico gasped and took the white box in her hands before feeling a pair of lips quickly pressing on her cheek.
"Do you want to go sit down somewhere and try them?"
"Yes. Yes I do." Nico's eyes were glued on the box in her hands. Nozomi chuckled and took one of her girlfriend's arms and dragged her to the nearby park. By the time they got to one of the park's benches, the day had passed by and the countless Christmas lights had began to turn on alongside all the street lamps. Nico sat down excitedly like a kid on Christmas day, looking at the strawberry box in her lap with too much eagerness. Nozomi smiled at the sight of this cute creature that sat next to her and took away the box from her.
"Hey-!" Nico's protests were silenced when Nozomi pressed one of her fingers against her lips. Nozomi proceeded to open the box and take one of the chocolate covered goodness and waved it.
"Open up~" Nozomi's gentle smile made it hard for Nico to refuse. Closing her eyes and opening her mouth, she waited.
"Lean closer." Nico heard her say. She could feel her cheeks start getting warmer, but knowing her girlfriend she wouldn't let her eat any treats until she leaned closer, so she did. "Closer. Cloooser." Just how close did she have to get? Nico was about to complain to Nozomi, but her lips finally made contact. Nico blushed madly when she realized that she had been tricked to lean into a kiss, but she ended up putting her hand on her girlfriend's hand and giving in once Nozomi kissed her back. The kiss lasted only for a few seconds when Nozomi leaned away from Nico with a faint tint of red in her cheeks.
"Noz-" Nico was cut off once again, this time by a chocolate covered strawberry. Nico rolled her eyes and bit into the fruit.
Nico loved the sweet side that she had. And the strawberry was also really good.
"Wow." Surprised was an understatement when Nico told Nozomi she'd be taking her to a "nice place" for dinner. Maybe a nice sushi place or a family restaurant. Not a fine dining restaurant, famous for its specialization in beef cuts. "Nicocchi, are you sure we can afford dinner here?" Nozomi loved grilled meat but she worried that Nico might be blowing this date out of proportion.
"Don't worry, I've been saving up for half a year to afford this. We can get anything we want." Nico grinned and led Nozomi inside. She approached the counter, where a woman in with a list in her hand greeted them. "We'd like a table for two, please." Nico politely asked before turning to her girlfriend and smiled.
"Of course, what's the table that you reserved?" The hostess asked as she began to take a look at her list.
"R-reservation?" Nico turned back to the counter. "What reservation?"
"The reservation that you need to be seated. Did you make one?"
"You mean I can't just come here and get seated? I can probably afford anything here!" Nico began to raise her voice unknowingly.
"Nicocchi, it's fine-"
"No it's not! I've been planning this for months! And look, most of those tables are empty!" Nico was shouting.
"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you to calm down or leave." The hostess's collected voice only fueled Nico's bad temper. Was she mocking her?!
"Just give me a table! There's one right there!" Nico pointed at one of the many empty spots in the restaurant, but when the woman shook her head, Nico was about to jump over the counter if Nozomi hadn't started to pull her away.
"C'mon Nicocchi, let's just go." Nozomi tried to calm her girlfriend by speaking as softly as she could as she dragged her out of the restaurant.
"Don't you know who I am?! I bet half of your tables are empty because you all suck!" Nozomi was glad she had managed to get Nico out of the establishment before she could finish her sentence, saving them both the embarrassment of an enraged Yazawa. Once they were a good few meters away from the restaurant, Nozomi let go of Nico. The shorter girls was panting as she tried to cool her temper, pinching the bridge of her nose and letting out a loud sigh.
"I'm… I'm sorry about that mess." Nico apologized and groaned. "It's just that I had everything planned out. It was supposed to be the perfect date and the Kobe beef was supposed to be like the cherry on top." She explained and looked at the ground. She suddenly stiffened when she felt Nozomi's arms over her shoulders and being pulled into a hug.
"Nicocchi, you already made this the best date ever." Nozomi whispered and tightened her embrace. "Thanks for tonight, I've loved it. And I love you.'
Nico rested her head on Nozomi's arm and sighed. "I love you too." The two remained in a comfortable silence that was only broken by Nozomi's grumbling stomach. "Well, with beef out of the picture, what do you want to eat?"
"Hmm…" Nozomi tilted her head as she thought. "Well, since it's Christmas, we have to have friend chicken, right?"
"Of course they're sold out! I should've made a reservation!" Nico kicked the jolly plastic statue of the colonel, and instantly regretting it as the sharp pain shot through her foot. Instead she stomped her feet to vent out some of her anger. "Santa Claus wants us to starve for Christmas!"
"Well… I could also go for a homemade dinner." Nozomi suggested before holding Nico's hand. "No restaurant can compare to Nicocchi's cooking. I could also say Merry Christmas to your family." Nico felt her cheeks getting warmer when Nozomi pulled her closer.
"I-I guess the great Nico-nii can make you one last Christmas gift." Nico tripped on her words as she spoke and rubbed her red cheek with her finger.
Nico unlocked the door to her apartment, relieved that she finally was somewhere she knew nothing could go wrong. Before opening the door, she felt Nozomi gently squeezing her hand. Nico turned to her girlfriend and leaned towards her, sharing one last and short kiss before going inside.
The first thing to greet Nico home was an odd smell in the air. Was that food? The two shared confused looks before walking further into the house. On the dining table lied a bucket full of fried chicken. Nozomi gasped in surprise and approached it like an excited child ran to the presents under the Christmas tree. Nico noticed a small note next to the bucket when she joined Nozomi. Sitting down, she took the note and read.
"Hey girls! I knew Nico never got around reserving one of these so I made sure to get an extra one just for you. Merry Christmas! –Mom "
Nozomi was about to take a piece of chicken before Nico put her hand on hers. "Didn't you say nothing compared to Nico's cooking?" Nico asked with a sly grin.
"Well, I can always have Nicocchi's homemade dinner any day when we start living together, right?"