Maki Nishikino needed a break. Well, she rarely needed to step away from the piano, especially when Chopin was her focus, but her stomach had started growling so she'd grabbed her coat and stepped outside Otonokizaka Conservatory, quick steps taking her to one of her favorite tea shops. She recognized the brunette and ash heads bowed together in the front window. Umi Sonoda and Kotori Minami had opted to take a late lunch as well. Umi glanced up and waved, an invitation Maki was very willing to accept.

Maki grabbed a sandwich and a black coffee and took the third seat, between her two friends.

"Good afternoon, Maki." Umi smiled at Kotori, "We were just talking about you."

Maki took a small bite of her roast beef, cheddar, and tomato sandwich, "Have another arrangement you want me to take a look at?"

"No. We have a friend who just had their piano player quit."

"I'm not interested in a group project. I'm getting ready for Switzerland."

"They really just need someone for a performance on New Year's Eve. It took Nico…"

"Nico?" Maki's eyes narrowed, "The pin-up girl." Kotori giggled but Maki ignored her, not yet through casting shade, ""Doesn't she have most of the guys in school begging to play for her?"

Umi and Kotori exchanged a LOOK. And then Kotori spoke, "Nico was hoping to find another girl. She and Eli…"

Umi picked up the conversation, conviction firming her tone, "They want to ensure that everyone is aware that we, as women, can excel at music as well. It took her six months to land this gig headlining on New Year's Eve."

Maki, shaking her head as she chewed, could still see in her head the picture from the Life Magazine spread on student life at Otonokizaka, Nico almost leaping forward, dark hair falling down to the straps on her shimmering, even in a black and white photo, dress, leg in a high twist in front, eyes closed, grin that was half clench, half joyous sprite, necklace bouncing up from where the neckline of her dress swooped too low for true modesty. The piano prodigy was surprised by the respect in Umi's voice.

"She's the hardest worker we know." Kotori whispered, as if it was a secret to be protected.

"Well, I think it's admirable to forward the cause of female musicians, but I don't have the time to be part of someone's vanity project…" Kotori squeaked a protest and Umi took her hand as Maki frowned. "And I'll be in Maine between Christmas and New Year's. My parents have already left." This was usually Maki's favorite time of the year. She loved the crisp of the cold in the air, the hint of snow as she inhaled, the pine, red, and silver decorations everywhere. But she'd been having trouble getting in the mood. The weather had been mild, decorations had been rare, the application deadline loomed. Her family had always taken a Christmas break, rare time from their busy lives to be together, and this year Maki had been looking forward to the boost of familial warmth to beat back the melancholy shadowing her. While Santa's example might otherwise incline Maki to err on the side of kindness and agree to Umi's favor...Maki frowned, remembering the pin-up shot again, and the not so whispered reactions in the corridors of the conservatory.

Umi nodded, although her disappointment was obvious, "I understand. I'll tell Nico my friend can't help her."

Kotori sighed, eyes fluttering closed, "Too bad, all three of them would have looked so dreamy onstage together."

Umi hissed as if hit, "We don't think about our friends like that, Kotori."

Kotori rolled her eyes at Maki, who felt herself flushing, as she choked down her still hot coffee to avoid speaking.

Umi pushed her chair back, "It was good to see you, Maki, but Kotori and I have to get back to rehearsing our piece for the Twelve Days of Christmas program."

"We'll see you later, Maki." Kotori brushed a hand over Maki's shoulder.

###

One more stop before she could get back to Chopin. Professor Melton had her office hours now and Maki still needed her recommendation for the application to the Lis Competition. Her travel plans for Lucerne had been set a month ago.

Maki knocked on Professor Melton's door and entered as soon as she heard "Come in."

"Good afternoon, Professor." Maki bowed, but her advisor's back was turned.

"Hello, Maki. How can I help you?"

"Have you sent the letter to the Lis Competition Committee. The deadline is the first of the year."

Melton had been reshelving books and turned to look at Maki, her reading glasses slipping down her nose and her gray hair sneaking out of its snood, "I remember having a conversation, last month I believe, where I suggested playing with other musicians would do you more good than another competition. Have you done that yet?"

Maki suddenly felt wobbly, "You were serious?"

"Incredibly." Melton dusted off a book, her blue eyes stern, "You have so much potential if you reach outside your isolated bubble."

"It's not a bubble. It's hard work and focus and knowing what I want." Maki cringed internally as her voice cracked.

"How can you know what you want if you haven't looked up from the music holder on your piano in years, Maki?" Melton's voice, while even, held a pitying note.

Maki ranged the room, barely avoiding knocking furniture aside. "I travel. I read. I listen to records. I know what's out there. And I know what I want to excel at."

Melton sat, leaning forward, elbows propped on her desk, chin on her hands, "Sit down, Maki."

Maki stopped, hands behind her back, where she was trying not to twist them in fury, "I'll get another professor to…"

"No. Everyone will send you back to your advisor." Melton's smile was impish.

Maki kicked at the visitor's chair as Melton waited.

"And if I can find people to play with by the end of the year?" Maki finally gritted out.

"Can you?"

"Umi Sonoda just told me about a group that needs a pianist for New Year's Eve."

"You mean Yazawa's little troupe?" Melton thumped both palms on her desk, "I will certainly look forward to that."

###

Maki was nervous as she approached Yazawa's rehearsal room. Umi had refrained from inquiring why she needed to know the location and Maki, as always, was grateful for Umi's discretion. Maki was steeling herself to step into the room and ask Yazawa a favor. Maki was too used to being the one controlling the pace, the tempo, the choices. To have to present herself as a candidate to someone who wasn't even a professor required swallowing enough pride to choke on. And it was a distinctly unpleasant taste, especially as the picture of a foolish frothy pin-up girl kept clamoring into her mental vision. She had never understood how such a serious musical institution could have let itself be represented by such a silly little girl. But now, here Maki was, about to ask that person for help. Would she even understand how much talent and potential Maki represented? Maki wondered what Umi had told Yazawa.

Maki opened the door into a much more serious atmosphere than she had imagined. Yazawa was in black capris, a pink cardigan buttoned over a men's black striped oxford, leaning back on a divan, one leg crossed over the other, sable hair done up in a messy bun. The reclining singer was squinting at the notes she was pencilling on a page of music. Leaning next to the room's window was a tall pony tailed blonde in a pretty gray and blue floral dress, replacing the reed in her tenor sax.

"Hello?" Maki sounded much more tentative than she would have liked and the pin-up girl twisted her head to meet Maki's glance, eyebrows lowered over eyes that turned out to be the rich red of a velvet ribbon when not reduced to two dimensions in black and white.

"Can we help you?" Yazawa wondered, looking bored. The blonde paid no attention to anything but her sax. A second reed was attempted.

Maki tried to fight the cough but it skittered out anyway as Yazawa stared languidly, barely curious.

"I'm Umi's friend."

Yazawa and the blonde exchanged a look, and Yazawa sat up, placing the music to the side, shoving the pencil in her bun, and standing to extend a hand to Maki, "I'm Nico Yazawa. Nishikino, right?"

Maki nodded and shook Nico's hand. Forceful grip, warm palm.

Nico flicked a thumb in the blonde's direction. "That's Eli Ayase. We're both juniors. You're a new kid, right?"

"New to the Conservatory. I've been playing the piano since I was three."

Nico shrugged at the detail, stepping to the piano and noticing the empty music holder, "Eli, where did we put the piano arrangements?"

Eli shook her head, licking yet another reed.

"You'll learn Eli can't be interrupted until she gets just the right reed," Yazawa chuckled and Maki could hear the fondness in her voice.

"I can arrange my own…"Maki started.

Yazawa waved that thought off and reached into a battered briefcase, light colored leather cracked and stained, "This was my dad's," she said when she noticed Maki staring just a little too long. "Here." She handed over a stack of music filled with what Maki recognized as Umi's careful scoring. Holiday standards and carols, a few classics from the American songbook.

Maki scanned them quickly, then sneered as she tried to hand them back to Yazawa, "This is just rhythm."

"Yeah," Yazawa almost frowned, "We don't have a drummer. We need someone to keep the tempo. How are you at improvising? Eli and I solo a lot. We can probably work in a few short ones for you."

"But I'm good." Maki winced as that came out as a bleat.

Ayase blarted a long note on her sax, then laid it tenderly on the windowsill as she switched her attention to her partner, who was standing in front of the taller redhead, hands on her hips.

"So if you're good, you can handle rhythm." Yazawa insisted.

"But…" The holly berry eyes were remarkably deep and frighteningly suspicious and Maki once again found herself blurting out her thoughts before sense or self preservation could interfere, "But that's boring."

Yazawa's expression lacked sympathy, "Your job is to make Nico look good."

"Why?" Nico raised an eyebrow and Maki stumbled, as she tried to explain "What I mean, it's just, I mean you don't need me for this, that's like having a frame that's worth more than the painting."

Maki could see Yazawa fuming, as the smaller woman stepped into a confrontational pose, "Umi said YOU needed this for a class."

Had Maki told Umi about Professor Melton's rambling? Probably. Umi had obviously taken it more seriously than the pianist herself had.

"Well?" Nico was close enough that Maki could smell the lightest trace of fruity perfume.

"Yes, I do." Melton was not caving. And Maki only had two weeks until the deadline.

"So it's a temporary gig?"

"Obviously." Maki scoffed and Yazawa's mood got darker.

Yazawa bowed with a flourish and pointed at the piano, "So shut up and play, sweetheart."

Maki could feel herself puffing up, about to stride forward and knock Yazawa's attitude to the side when a hand fell on her shoulder. Ayase grinned, "Nico's always a charmer. Welcome to the band."

###

Honoka Kosaka stared across her drum kit at Rin Hoshizora, both with arms raised and drumsticks cocked. The other three musicians in the room debated intervening as the tension rose, the two gingers narrowing their eyes, jockeying for initiative. Then Honoka threw her head back with a shout and Rin fell forward, giggling.

"We need a tie breaker." Honoka whirled on her seat, "Umi help us!"

The dark haired clarinetist stepped back, hands up, "This is something you have to settle for yourselves."

"But a band with two drummers would be so COOOOOOL. Right, Kayo-chin?"

The fair haired bass player smiled at her best friend's energy.

"We need a tie breaker," Honoka sighed, collapsing over her own knees.

"Yeah." Rin agreed.

There was a knock on the classroom door. Maki stuck her head in, "Umi?"

"Can I assist you?" Umi was glad to be called away from the debate.

"Ooohhh, a tie breaker!" Honoka rushed to the door, pulling the flustered redhead in.

"What do you want?" Maki stood in the center of the room, arms crossed over her chest.

"Should me or Rin be the drummer?" Honoka demanded, drumstick a pointer.

Maki scowled, "Why not just add in other percussion."

Rin's green eyes brightened, "Like cymbals. And maracas?"

"Yes." Maki felt like she'd gone from back alley musical thugs to romper room play.

"Can you write arrangements for us like that?" Honoka pleaded. Maki looked to Umi, who shrugged.

"Suddenly I'm a rhythm specialist." Maki plucked music from a stand, sparing all of thirty seconds for a quick read. "This is too basic. Umi, how can you let them play this? I thought you had standards."

"Everyone can keep up." Honoka beat out a quick riff, while Rin searched the room for anything that might make a fun noise if she hit it with sticks, finally coming up with a wooden doorstop. Sounded a bit clunky, but then Rin found the metal of the music stand had a nice ting.

"It's a foundation for innovative solos." Umi, in the middle of assembling her clarinet, reached into her case for cork grease.

"I don't want to hear about solos. Yazawa is all about solos." Here, among her friends, Maki could vent.

"Oh, she's got such a pretty voice. And when she winks at you..." Kotori crossed her legs, shivering.

"Your entire musical life is solos, Maki." Umi, clarinet assembled, turned to look askance at Kotori.

"And after New Year's Eve, I will go back to that happily." Easy enough. What could happen in two weeks?

"Are you really going to Lucerne? It's so far away. We'll miss you." Hanayo spoke softly, letting her double bass lean against her shoulder.

"Well, there's nothing for me here. Professor Melton refuses to assign me anything that isn't a joke."

Umi had to disagree. "But when you had to transpose bird songs heard in Central Park for the piano it was a good challenge for the ear."

"Waste of time. I expected challenges that would improve my playing. Professor Melton seems to be having fun with me."

"Music is so much fun, Maki. You're missing out." Rin had settled on a gentle roll, barely shaking the music stand, "Play with us next weekend."

"I could, this music would be so easy to sight read." Maki scoffed, near sarcasm, but Honoka rose to her feet, excited.

"Wow. We'll be the best. Come to rehearsal tomorrow." Honoka insisted.

"I have to help Yazawa." Maki demurred.

"But Umi said you have to play with other people. We're other people." Honoka never dropped an argument she hadn't worn the other person out to win yet.

Maki considered, eyes as red as the stripe of a candy cane doubtful in her memory, offering her a seat, Yazawa's initial bounce up when she realized Maki was there to play, the seriousness of the room she'd walked into, contrasted with the negligent atmosphere of this space, Rin and Honoka fencing over the snare.

"I said I'd help."

Umi nodded approval.

###

Nico was lying on the couch in her shared apartment, Eli and Nozomi Tojo staring at her from the door of their bedroom. It was past midnight and Nico had just returned from her nightly cocktail waitress shift.

"She already hates me." Nico whined mournfully as she stared through the ceiling, mind full of bouncing red hair and soft purple eyes that could barely make eye contact through what Nico assumed was a fog of disdain. "Why's she even at school anyway? Her tailor and perfume scream expensive lessons. Plus, she's been a prodigy since like 5. Don't those people just skip straight to Vienna or something, not bothering to scrape their shoes on you and me as they fly first class over us."

"She seemed nice, Nico." Eli said, leaning into Nozomi.

"Were you in the same room?" Nico glared at Eli.

"She's obviously never played jazz. Or been in any kind of ensemble."

"But I'm good." Nico mocked, doing her best drawling impression of Maki's voice, Nozomi chuckling.

"Speaking of good, Tsubasa said she'd stop by tomorrow." Nozomi played with Eli's hair, "Sometime in the afternoon."

Nico made smooching noises, "Nico could be happy in first class."

"Don't you want to finish your degree?" Eli sounded disappointed.

"No. Nico wants to get a job. I'm tired of waitressing to pay tuition."

"What about headlining your own band? Our band."

"I can't even get your girlfriend there to pick up her trumpet for me. And the kid genius is a temp." Nico rubbed the bridge of her nose, the other hand pillowing her head, "As good as we are Ayase, we need a…" Nico snorted, "A third wheel. Besides, I'm just letting Tsubasa talk to me. I'm not too thrilled with that option. But first class." Nico yawned. "Nico wouldn't mind touring Europe first class."

###

The second session had started off almost as badly as the first. Yazawa was in jeans and a sweatshirt over another men's shirt, tennis sneakers on her feet, Ayase was in jeans and a polka dot blouse and Maki walked in in wearing a plum colored dress with a belt that pinched the waist, where the ombre skirt began billowing out. Her mother had found it in Paris. Yazawa took one look and rolled her eyes. Ayase whistled. Maki blushed, sitting primly at the piano.

"Well, the kid's dressed for company so we'd better get started. She must have a date. Wouldn't want her to be late." Yazawa thumped the side of the piano.

"My name is Maki."

"Okay, Maki. Let's start with something easy. You know Jingle Bells, right?"

"To sing."

"Well, it's an easy arrangement, just make sure you pay attention when Eli and I solo."

"Why?"

"Because you'll have to switch from this…" Yazawa leaned over Maki, pencil tapping two bars of music that repeated themselves…"back to this." And her pencil showed the harmony Maki would be required to slide back into. Maki could feel Yazawa's warmth against her shoulder, and once again, a light fruity smell that seemed more summer warmth than winter chill.

"Miss Yazawa?" Maki leaned away from Nico.

"If I'm going to call you Maki, call me Nico."

"Nico?"

"Yes."

"How many bars of this repetitive pattern will I be required to play?"

Nico shrugged, twisted her head to look at Eli, "Could be a couple minutes, Eli and I tend to throw ourselves into the room, read the audience, have some fun."

"You don't have a specific…" Maki paused, not sure what the word she was looking for was.

"Nah, we just riff, sometimes I scat…"

Maki adjusted the music, to give herself a moment to think. Yazawa…Nico, was speeding through unfamiliar words and concepts, Maki was feeling like the room had started to spin. Doubt and suspicion again as Nico met her glance. But Maki couldn't bluff her way through this. "I don't understand."

"You…" Nico continued to stare, but the mood quickly changed from a confrontation to something almost pitying.

"Shove over, kid." Nico sat next to Maki, pushing the pianist down the bench with solid hip contact. "Hey, Eli, Jingle a little for me. I'm going to show Maki here how we do it in non stiff-ville."

"Sure." Eli put her sax to her lips and began a bluesier version of Jingle Bells than Maki had ever heard before while Nico followed the score. Then they got to the...riff part and the tune just jumped as Eli's fingers flew over valves, the sound broadening, flirting, speeding, diving...Maki sat open mouthed as Nico's hands managed to set a base pace that Eli's sax roamed all over. Then Nico's hands slid together to the middle of the keyboard as the sax slowed down and the low, slow, bluesy mood took over, until Eli leapt up and once again horses were charging through the woods, giving their harnesses a joyous shake.

Eli lowed the sax, grinning, and Nico turned to Maki, "That's how it's done."

"You play?" Maki felt herself becoming more curious about the enigma slacking next to her, elbow on the piano, smirk and mirth spicing cinnamon candy colored eyes.

"Only enough to sing to. Figured it out myself. Kind of a necessity," Nico stretched out one hand fingers splayed under Maki's nose, "Nico's got looks and pipes, not years of piano lessons."

Maki had no civil response.

###

Maki threw herself backwards, ending this latest attempt at "My Favorite Things" with a mad crashing of chords. "Why can't you just signal when you're about to finish a solo."

Nico began at her most nasally and Maki had already learned to cringe at the sarcasm that would follow, "I'm sorry, we'll just turn to the audience and say, 'scuze me for minute and then," Nico raised her hands to her mouth, "Hey, Maaaaki, we're going to stop…" Two stomps, "now."

Maki's tempered flamed at the same level as her cheeks. She kicked the bench back and stood, but then Eli interrupted, looking at the clock, "Hey, Nico, isn't Tsubasa coming at 3."

"Hell." Nico glanced at the clock, down at her clothes. "I need a minute. Run interference for me, Eli."

The atmosphere in the room hit buzzer at the end of a radio quiz show levels of tension and as Eli hurried to the door, Maki tried to ask, but Eli zipped right by her. Nico had moved to a dry cleaning bag hanging off the blackboard, opened her belt, stepped out of her trousers, took off her sweatshirt, leaving Maki agape at black stockings hooked to black, thigh length underwear and a lacy, matching bra that was quickly covered by a black dress with dense red polka dots and a black bow at the shoulder. Maki didn't know where to look as Nico turned.

"Sorry." Nico shrugged as she settled the dress over her hips, "Just us girls, right?"

Maki gulped and nodded, hoping her eyes weren't as wide with panic as she feared and trying not to stare openly at Nico's legs or see if she could catch a flash of pale, gold tinged porcelain above the stocking. Which stopped being an issue when Nico squatted down to squint into the open compact she'd placed on the piano, grabbing a tube of lipstick from somewhere to expertly draw a blazing Cupid's bow on her lips. She pursed them, then looked up at Maki, "Got a tissue."

Maki nodded, reaching into her purse, handing Nico her handkerchief.

Nico blotted her lipstick, spotted Maki's initials in the corner, muttered "figures," stood up, handed it back to Maki, "Better than an autograph. Thanks. Hope I didn't ruin it." Then she raised two fingers and whistled, the shrillness startling Maki.

Eli opened the door and smoothly eased a shorter woman inside. The new entrant was wearing a pine green suit jacket and fitted skirt, fair hair under a weird fallen turban-snood cross. Her light green eyes took in the room and she smiled when she saw Nico.

"Nico. Good to see you!"

Nico rushed over, with a slight, shy giggle that sounded nothing at all like the Nico that had been railing at Maki for the last two days, "Tsubasa. Your suit is the prime article. Nico needs your tailor's name."

Maki sat at the piano, ignored, considering if anyone would notice if she just launched into the WIlliam Tell Overture or something else as bombastic as Nico.

Tsubasa curtsied, "The suit sells the seriousness." Tsubasa pulled a chair from the wall, crossed her legs, Maki noticing how much the skirt slid up, "Plus, it never hurts to flash some extra persuasion."

Nico hummed agreement, Eli had gone back to her window to fiddle with her sax, Maki catching her just as she pulled a grimy cloth out of the mouthpiece. Pleasantness all around, Maki thought, this whole situation was just one picture perfect moment after another. And her fingers found a disconsolate chord.

"That's Maki over there. Coco quit and Maki's doing me a big favor." Nico actually sounded sincere and Maki looked up surprised from the keyboard, ears perking up, to be met with a genuine smile and a friendly sparkle in the candy eyes.

"I can't stay long. Another meeting. But I'd love to hear you sing, Nico."

"Got something you want Nico to handle?"

"Yes," Tsubasa took a couple of pages out of her briefcase.

"It's Delovely?" Nico said as she read through quickly, "That's a little tricky."

"Anything else will work…"

"No, no…Nico's just been focusing on Christmas tunes, but Cole Porter, that's where Nico's heart is…"

"Cole Porter's probably more of a head thing." Maki stated, tapping on a key.

Nico glared. "Let Tsubasa have the piano, Maki." Nico tilted her head at Tsubasa, "if that's all right."

"Su…"

"I'll do it," Maki announced, leaning to the side to grab the music from Nico's hand, "It's easy enough." Maki felt her smile quirk at the corner as the attention in the room switched to her. "Improvise all you want, Nico."

Nico leaned over the piano, but Maki stayed calm, offering nothing to worry the suspicious singer's searching eyes. With a frown at Maki, Nico twirled to face where Tsubasa had shifted her chair again, "All right, kid, Just keep up."

As they entered the chorus, and Nico had her hand on Tsubasa's shoulder, Eli joined in, expertly matching Maki's pace.

So please be sweet, my chickadee
And when I kiss you, just say to me
"It's delightful, it's delicious
It's delectable, it's delirious
It's dilemma, it's delimit, it's deluxe
It's de-lovely

Tsubasa leaned back, watching Nico with intense interest from what Maki could tell from glances snatched over the music. It was the next verse that got Maki in trouble as Nico continued...

I feel a sudden urge to sing
The kind of ditty that invokes the spring
So control your desire to curse
While I crucify the verse

Maki couldn't help it, she laughed. Which took Nico off her stride, caused Eli to blow out a longer note than necessary, and when Tsubasa shifted forward, suddenly curious about more than the singer behind her, Nico glared daggers across the room at Maki.

Maki got through the rest of the song without incident. Nico finished with a curtsy, even taking a moment to bow to her accompanists. Tsubasa stood, "That was more entertaining than promised. I'm definitely interested, Nico."

Nico bounced on the balls of her feet, swishing her skirt, "Thank you, Tsubasa. Come see our New Year's show. Nico will put you on the list."

Shrewd eyes looked Nico over, then moved onto Eli and what could be seen of Maki over the piano, "Tempting. But let's discuss details over lunch before then."

Nico didn't squeak, but she did sound more out of breath than the song would have caused, "That sounds….great, Tsubasa. We're rehearsing most afternoons until the end of the month, but I'll fit you in…"

"Most afternoons?" Maki's confusion caused her to tangle herself in the bench as she hastily got to her feet, "I'm leaving for Maine tomorrow. It's Christmas. My parents…"

"No." Nico crossed her arms over her chest, "You're working on the middle part of the set list tomorrow. You haven't even tried half the songs." Nico tapped her foot, aggrieved and impatient, but then Eli decided to intervene.

"Nico…" It was a gentle note, a chide.

Nico huffed at Eli, "All right, if tomorrow goes well, we can take Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, but then we're in here all day, every day while classes are out."

"I'll call you tonight, Nico." Tsubasa said as she opened the door.

Nico nodded. Maki was still absorbing Nico's proposed schedule.

Eli nudged Nico, "Come on, Nico. Let's go get a coffee. Nozomi's waiting for me and we should introduce her to Maki, if I'm going to be that busy."

"You're going to be that busy. We all are." Nico exhaled, "That went pretty well though. Just let me get out of this thing." Nico reached down to take off her dress.

"NO." Maki blurted, lowering her head, suddenly seeing visions of Nico in stockings and underwear.

"Oh, sorry." Nico shrugged, "The kid's too modest for public dressing rooms. Why don't you take her along with you, Eli. Nico will catch up."

"Come on, Maki." Eli tossed Maki's overcoat and Maki's head caught it because she reached to grab her purse off the piano.

"And that's who I've got to work with…." Nico groaned, "two of the Three Stooges."

Eli bowed grandly and stuck her tongue out, Maki struggled to put on her overcoat as Eli pulled her out the door.

###

This was a much...grubbier tea shop than her usual, Maki thought, more used, more worn, located in an alley she never would have thought to turn down if Eli hadn't headed there first. Next to it was a tiny bookstore, books overflowing shelves, trying to fill aisles, and escape the clutter through the door from what Maki could see through the window. Maki comforted herself with the thought that the cityscape was finally beginning to seem Christmas-y. Now there was a bite of cold in the air and in this neighborhood at least, Christmas tunes had begun to spill from opened doors into the streets. Garland had been hung, street lamps decorated, and now, tonight, gold accents catching any light, they seemed festive. Maki could almost feel a holiday mood lurking, one she could very nearly catch. The bell that jingled as they stepped into what was probably meant to be cozy, homey space jingled like it belonged on a holiday harness. A friendly, buxom woman waved from a table in the back, purple black hair falling over her gray sweater, a black skirt falling to her boot tops.

"Eli-chi! You're here. I missed you."

Eli hustled to the table, reaching down to hug the woman, pausing for a brief kiss. Maki tried not to gape, certainly, she knew women who were couples, but in public, Umi had never done more than open a door or carry Kotori's flute case.

"Sit down, Maki. Meet Nozomi." Eli leaned back in her seat, as Nozomi opened the spigot of the polished samovar dominating the table to pour the saxophonist a cup of tea. "Maki, this is Nozomi Tojo; Nozomi, this is Maki."

With a sly smile, Nozomi took in far too many details about Maki's appearance, forcing the redhead to concentrate on how much sugar (too much) Eli was ladling into her tea.

"Nice to meet you, Maki. Nico forgot to tell me how easy on the eyes you are." Nozomi pointed to the samovar, "Would you like some tea? It's very strong, but that's good on a day like today."

"That's true." Eli said as she poured cream into her now milky pale tea.

"I prefer coffee." Maki declined politely.

"Oh, they make an excellent Turkish coffee here." Nozomi half rose from her seat, "Sergey?"

"Da?" A gruff voice responded, unseen behind a counter.

"Our guest would like a coffee."

There was a grunt.

"He'll probably bring out a few buns as well."

"Good, Nico's hungry." Cold air shook Maki out of a fuzz and Nico slid into the seat next to her, wrapped in an oversized navy peacoat, hair under a matching watch cap, "Did Eli tell you Tsubasa liked Nico's song?"

"No, she just introduced me to Maki. I was enjoying the view."

"She's a kid, Nozomi, leave her…"

"I am not." Maki was tired of being incidental to whatever conversation Nico was having.

Nico turned, pulling off her watch cap, her hair staticky and standing up here and there, "Not what?"

"A kid. I'm eighteen."

"And world weary, I suppose. Had your heart broken by a cad?" Nico shoved her cap in her pocket.

"How do you know I didn't break…" Maki stumbled over the end of that sentence as Nico pulled off a scarf and started unbuttoning her woolen shield against winter.

"My, this is an interesting way to start a conversation." Nozomi interrupted.

"She's better on the keyboard. Slightly."

"I meant you, Nico."

Ignoring Nozomi, Nico rubbed her forehead, looking tired, "You don't have to put on fancy, grown up airs, Maki. We don't care. Just play the piano." Nico grabbed Eli's cup and swigged, handing back the empty, "That's better. Make me another."

"You're impossible, Nico." Eli still sounded only amused, which Maki couldn't understand. Nico was pressing against every nerve she had. Maybe Eli had become numb from too many doses.

"You should let me talk to Tsubasa about you. We could do "the tour" together, show Tsubasa's rabble what real jazz is like."

Eli put her arm around Nozomi, "No thanks, Nico. Nozomi and I want to finish our degrees and find a place to teach together."

"We wouldn't want to scare away your admirers, Nico-chi. You've been so lonely since you've moved in with us."

Nico skated a glance in Maki's direction, but when the redhead continued to sit poker faced, just decided to ignore her, "Nico meets people." Then there was a mutter, "Don't worry about Nico. Nico is ça va."

"Ça va. ?" Maki asked.

"Means okay in French, right. Ça va?"

"I guess." Maki smiled at the mustachioed gentleman in the stained apron who gently placed a dainty chipped tea cup in front of her, along with a plate of buns in the direct center of the table, "If someone asks how you are 'oui ça va" is a good answer."

"Just wait a minute." Nico had her hand up and was chewing on her lip, the lipstick had been washed off, Maki thought, to better suit the return to sweatshirt style, "Savoir-faire, that's what Nico meant, Nico is savoir-faire." Nozomi snickered and in retaliation Nico swiped the bun Nozomi was reaching for,"Charming, right?" Nico, sugar dusted around her mouth, had a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Bien sûr." Maki shrugged, wishing she had a cigarette to blow a very thin and disdainful Parisian stream of smoke in Nico's direction as punctuation.

Nico nodded, chewing, reassured of her ascendance. Maki just stared, imaging Nico 'savoir faire-ing' her way through Paris, tearing croissants from tables, inhaling coffee and misreading reactions. Maki slid her cup away from Nico, who noticed the gesture, "Don't worry, kid, Nico deserves to be treated. I cook for them all the time."

"Maki."

Nozomi and Eli remained quiet, watching the interplay happening across the table.

"What?"

"It's Maki. Please use my proper name." Maki sipped the coffee, strong enough to help her deal with this dizzying conversation, "Why did you have Eli drag me here? To help you practice your French?"

"Non. Nico parlezs enough French to flirt through Europe on her own, thank you." Nico pulled her chair closer to the table, "No, we need to get more comfortable with each other, it'll help the music if we know a little more about each other."

"Nico-chi is a genius." Nozomi intoned. "The last piano player certainly thought so.'

"Yeah, yeah," With a snarl, Nico shook off the sarcasm, leaning toward Maki, who found herself edging away from the singer's intensity.

"I'm as comfortable as I want to be." Maki stated flatly. "And I have a dinner reservation to get to."

"Ooohhh, I bet it's a fancy date, that's a very pretty dress." Nozomi let a finger brush the fabric of the skirt, guessing at the quality from the fineness of the material.

"Thank you, Nozomi. Nice to make your acquaintance. I am certain we will run into each other again at the Conservatory." Politeness done, Maki glared openly at Nico, "Can I go now? I have met Nozomi, which is what I agreed to."

"Really?" Nico looked from Maki to Eli, who shrugged, "Fine. Don't be late tomorrow. We have a lot of work to do."

Suddenly caught by the urge to dent Nico's confidence, but lacking boldness, Maki muttered "C'est vrai" as she stood.

"Say...huh?" Nico was at a loss.

"What time tomorrow?" Maki looked to Eli as Nico debated whether she'd been insulted or not.

"10 a.m."

Maki squared her shoulders and decided to amuse herself, speaking to Nico with a small wave, "Adieu."

Nozomi raised an eyebrow, "Surely you mean à demain !?"

Maki shrugged, buttoned her coat and strolled toward the door, enjoying the franticness of Nico blustering at Nozomi for translations.

###

A/N: Ah, it's Christmas time again. I'm still in jazz mood so I'm going for a sharp, snappy pattering, 50's romantic comedy meets music meets Christmas vibe for this year's first seasonal. Apologies if any of my French is completely inaccurate, my fluency is closer to the Nico end of the scale than the Maki. This is also, in part, a remedy to my frustration about the dearth of female musicians in jazz music, at least the concerts I can get to, so it's time to infuse a little Idol power into the genre. I am always so impressed by people who can play; once upon a middle school, I tried the baritone (it was the only thing I could get a sound out of), in college, I had fun with the harmonica, and currently, I'm on Team Percussion with Rin and Honoka (why yes, there are bongo drums in my office).

Hope December is treating you well. Drop a hello or favorite holiday treat in the comments, please and thank you. I enjoy all the lights when I'm out driving at night.