3
Niko could only stare at the red haired girl in genuine surprise.
Maki, on the other hand, seemed to have frozen at her spot, not knowing what the hell possessed her to make her act the way she did.
W-Why did I…
"M-Maki-chan…?"
"I-I'm sorry!" Maki immediately let go of Niko's sleeve, her face still bright red.
The younger girl heart was beating faster than usual and she had no clue what on earth was happening to her.
Seeing Maki frozen in shock, as if she had no idea why she had stopped Niko, the raven haired girl's eyes softened before turning around and said gently, "What's wrong, Maki-chan?"
"I…" Maki looked confused for a second, struggling to say something but failed. "I…don't know…." That was the best she could come up with at the moment.
Seeing the confused and lost look on the younger girl's face, Niko's heart broke a little.
She doesn't know why she didn't want me to leave? Don't tell me…
Niko stopped herself. I can't delude myself like that. There's no way Maki-chan would... Maybe she just doesn't want to be alone…Yea…that's probably it…
"I'll keep you company then?" Niko offered.
Maki nodded, a look of relief evident on her face.
The twin tailed girl proceeded to set the utensils down on the table. Just as she was about to turn around, something caught her foot and the older girl started to fall forward.
C-Crap…
Instinctively, a pair of arms grabbed her.
Maki had caught Niko from falling.
"H-Hurry…my arms…feel weak…I can't…" Maki gritted her teeth.
Without warning, the weight of Niko falling had inadvertently pulled the red haired girl along and both were sent crashing onto the bedroom floor.
Somehow, Maki had landed on top of Niko, her knees were fitted coincidentally between the latter's thighs, chest on chest, and her hands were sandwiched between Niko's head.
"O-Ouch…" Niko groaned for the second time in the day as the back of her head throbbed.
When her eyes opened, a sea of lavender took her breath away.
The twin tailed girl's eyes widened as she stared into the captivating purple orbs, her cheeks burning.
On the other hand, Maki, too, was blushing hotly. She tried to remove herself from Niko's body but couldn't. Her whole body felt weak and she couldn't summon the energy to move. And when Niko had opened her eyes, Maki's face burned the colour of her hair as she couldn't help but be mesmerised by Niko's red orbs.
The two of them stared into each other for several seconds, their heart thumping loudly and quickly against their chest. Neither made any more attempts to move and time seemed to stop.
This is bad…Niko's breath started to hitch. My whole body feels hot. I can't concentrate…If she stays on me any longer…I…won't be able to…
Maki didn't understand the glazed look on Niko's face. All she knew that the dark look on the older girl's face was making her feel hot all over. She didn't understand what was going on and how Niko was able to evoke such strong feelings in her.
The two held their gaze for several more seconds before both of them broke away from the stare simultaneously, thoroughly embarrassed.
"I-I'm sorry, I'll…just…mov– "
Unfortunately, Maki had forgotten that her arms and legs were weak. When she tried to lift herself up from Niko, the red haired girl's limbs buckled under her weight.
Soft.
That was the first thought that resounded in Niko's mind. Something felt soft on her lips.
Somewhere in her mind registered the fact that when Maki tried to lift herself up, her limbs had given way, and that resulted in Maki's lips pressing against hers.
However, at the taste of Maki's lips, all reason and coherent thoughts flew out of her mind immediately.
Unable to restrain herself, Niko started to push her lips against Maki's.
At the back of her mind, she knew that Maki was stiffed shocked and wasn't responding at all. But Niko just couldn't control herself.
A few seconds later, Niko felt Maki returning the kiss hesitantly.
After a while, Niko finally pulled away, her body still on fire as her face remained flushed.
Maki was in the same state as Niko. The red haired girl, however, had a look of utter confusion colouring her face, as if she couldn't comprehend what just happened.
When the younger girl finally regained her breath, she slipped her finger on her lips and trembled slightly.
When what she'd done finally sunk in, the raven haired girl face paled as she cursed herself inwardly for her lack of self control.
The twin tailed girl pushed the girl on top of her slightly while she tried to sit up. Somehow, they'd managed to sit up and were now opposite of each other, on the bedroom floor.
"M-Maki-chan…" Niko broke the awkward silence.
"W-W-Wha…" Maki started to panic.
"C-Calm down. Maki-chan," the older girl tried to sooth the younger girl as she grasped the red head's hands.
Maki stiffened at the touch but didn't do anything to remove it.
"I…I'm sorry," Niko finally said, her voice sincerely apologetic. "I shouldn't have…kissed you."
Maki shook her head. "I was the one who caused it…I think…"
"It doesn't matter. Point is, even if it was an accident, I shouldn't have continued… the kiss…" Niko sighed guiltily. To make things worse, now that she'd gotten a taste of Maki's lips, she was craving for more.
"I…kissed back too…" Maki stated quietly.
"You probably got caught up in the moment…since I was kissing you," Niko countered.
"Niko-chan…I…" Maki fumbled for the right words to express what she was feeling right now but realised that she couldn't. She didn't even know what she was feeling now. In the first place, she wasn't even mad at Niko for…kissing her. She was stunned at first, when Niko started to kiss her. After a few seconds, for reasons she couldn't comprehend, she'd started to kiss the older girl back. She thought the twin tailed girl's lips tasted so sweet, as sweet as strawberries, and wanted to kiss her back.
It was even fair to say that she liked the kiss but didn't know why.
Niko could sense that the younger girl was having a hard time trying to express her feelings now but there was nothing she could do about it.
Without warning, Maki's lips smacked into Niko's lips again.
Bewildered, Niko froze for a split second before she felt the red head's lips moving and rubbing against hers.
Her mind started to reel, her head spun. Heat rose to her cheeks and entire being, as if it were being set on fire. Unconsciously, despite the soft protests at the back of her mind, Niko kissed back.
In just a few seconds, the kiss became heated as Niko grasped Maki's back tightly, pushing herself into Maki, wanting to feel more of the red head. Maki returned the embrace and rubbed her smooth hands against Niko's back in a rhythmic manner, causing the latter to let out a low moan into her mouth as their tongues started to mingle passionately.
When they finally pulled away to catch their breaths, Niko's head was still fuzzy as panted softly for air. Likewise, Maki's head was still muddled as she gasped quietly.
"I…love you…" Niko murmured in her delirious state, the warm taste of Maki's lips still lingered in her mouth.
Maki froze, her eyes grew big and her mouth gaped open.
Seeing Maki's reaction, Niko wondered what was wrong. And then–
Crap. The raven haired girl realised too late that she'd accidentally confessed to the younger girl when her mind wasn't in a controlled state.
"I'm so sorry, I–"
"So that's…what it is…" Maki interrupted quietly. "Love…"
"Huh…?"
"I love…you too…" Maki said softly, her lavender eyes stared right into Niko's shocked red orbs.
"W-Wha…"
"I finally understand now. Why I didn't want you to leave me. Why I kissed you back and initiated another kiss with you. No, whyI wanted and liked to kiss you... The answer's so simple yet…" She trailed off.
"You…like me…?" Niko thought that she'd heard wrongly.
"Yes." Maki confirmed.
"B-But…" How is this even possible? Maki-chan didn't even know what 'love' was just a minute ago and yet…
"I guess I was too dense to realise…" Maki chuckled slightly before she froze again as another thought crossed her mind. Then when…Niko-chan was feeding me…and I was pressing my forehead against her… The red head finally understood the reason behind Niko's weird reactions against her.
Blushing slightly, Maki uttered, "I…um…sorry…for causing trouble to you…just now…"
Understanding where Maki was coming from, Niko shook her head, not wanting Maki to be apologetic at all. After all, Maki wasn't the one at fault here.
"So…" Maki trailed off, not too sure what they should do now.
Niko took the cue and smiled. "Let me say this again, Maki-chan. I love you."
Maki blushed furiously for her part and muttered back adorably, "I…love you too, Niko-chan."
The older girl then allowed a full blown grin crossed her face as she placed a chaste kiss on the younger girl's reddened cheeks.
"By the way, when we kissed just now…you hadn't brushed your teeth…after you threw up right?" Niko sounded amused as she smirked.
Maki's face turned scarlet red and as her lips curled into an unpleasant pout.
"Stupid Niko-chan."
A/N: That's the end of the short story. TBH, the ending wasn't...satisfactory for me. I wanted Maki to stretch Niko to the point that Niko had to confess... But i couldn't come up with something better... Anyway, whatever happens after this...is solely up to one's imagination. (and yes i do realise that Nozomi and the others...are still not back yet...) This is a Niko x Maki/ Maki x Niko fanfic after all. -laughs-