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trio-of-all-time · 1 year

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ULTIMATE TRIO SHOWDOWN MATCH UPS 💥💥💥

ROUND 1A (05/02)

1. Sora, Kairi, and Riku (Kingdom Hearts) VS Carter, Sadie, and Zia (The Kane Chronicles)

2. Hunter, Willow, and Gus (The Owl House) VS Josie, Valerie, and Melody (Riverdale)

3. Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman (DC Comics) VS Mike, Stan, Bill (IT)

4. Axel, Roxas, and Xion (Kingdom Hearts) VS Kotori, Honoka, and Umi (Love Live! School Idol Festival)

5. Professor Layton, Luke, and Emmy (Professor Layton) VS Marc, Steven, and Jake (Moon Knight)

6. Draculaura, Clawdeen, and Frankie (Monster High) VS Platinum, Diamond, and Pearl (Pokemon)

7. Kazuki, Rei, and Miri (Buddy Daddies) VS Starscream, Soundwave, and Megatron (Transformers)

8. Buffy, Willow, and Xander (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) VS Adagio, Aria, and Sonata (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls)

ROUND 1B (05/05)

1. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy (Star Trek) VS Adora, Glimmer, and Bow (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

2. Yor, Loid, and Anya (Spy x Family) VS Mio, Yuuko, and Mai (Nichijou)

3. Joker, Crow, and Violet (Persona 5 Royal) VS Josuke, Okuyasu, and Koichi (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

4. Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi (Jujutsu Kaisen) VS Yu, Chie, and Yosuke (Persona 4)

5. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) VS Huey, Dewey, and Louie (DuckTales)

6. Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve (Stranger Things) VS Sugimoto, Asirpa, and Shiraishi (Golden Kamuy)

7. Ayaka, Ayato, and Thoma (Genshin Impact) VS Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice (Over The Garden Wall)

8. Daichi, Sugawara, and Asahi (Haikyuu!!) VS Eren, Mikasa, and Armin (Attack on Titan)

ROUND 1C (05/08)

1. Shadow, Rouge, and Omega (Sonic the Hedgehog) VS Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

2. Henry, Charles, and Ellie (The Henry Stickmin Collection) VS Minho, Thomas, and Newt (The Maze Runner)

3. Anne, Sasha, and Marcy (Amphibia) VS Tighnari, Cyno, and Collei (Genshin Impact)

4. Terra, Ventus, and Aqua (Kingdom Hearts) VS Yukimura, Sanada, and Yanagi (Prince of Tennis)

5. Hiyori, Yato, Yukine (Noragami) VS Izzy, Noah, and Eva (Total Drama)

6. Sam, Dean, and Castiel (Supernatural) VS M.K., Mei, and Red Son (LEGO Monkie Kid)

7. Rey, Poe, and Finn (Star Wars) VS Trailblazer, March 7th, and Dan Heng (Honkai Star Rail)

8. Xie Lian, Mu Qing, and Feng Xin (Heaven Official’s Blessing) VS Sweet, Cap'n, and K_K (Deltarune)

ROUND 1D (05/11)

1. Denji, Aki, and Power (Chainsaw Man) VS Martin, Tim, and Sasha (The Magnus Archives)

2. Narancia, Mista, and Fugo (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) VS Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

3. Shiver, Frye, and Big Man (Splatoon 3) VS Jolyne, Ermes, and Foo Fighters (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

4. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles (Sonic the Hedgehog) VS Kaz, Inej, and Jesper (Six of Crows)

5. Jessie, James, and Meowth (Pokemon) VS Amy, Cream, and Big (Sonic the Hedgehog)

6. Yukari, Ran, and Chen (Touhou Project) VS Danny, Sam, and Tucker (Danny Phantom)

7. Josuke, Yasuho, and Rai (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) VS Cecil, Kain, and Rosa (Final Fantasy IV)

8. Manny, Sid, and Diego (Ice Age) VS Rindo, Fret, and Nagi (The World Ends With You)

have fun voting! propaganda post submissions and reblogs are welcome and encouraged, and may the best group win >:)

#character poll #character bracket #character tournament #tumblr polls #tumblr bracket #pls reblog idk how to tag all these #ultimate trio poll

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luxexhomines · 3 months

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If it's alright, may I request a platonic femreader x Honoka Kousaka from Love Live School Idol Project? The dialogue would be "What do you think?"

Hi, lovely anon!! Thanks for being my first request after my return from a long hiatus~ I kind of struggled because it's been such a long time since I wrote, but when I saw this request, I thought to myself, "it's my favorite Love Live character!" Which made me think maybe a friend requested this so I wouldn't have no requests in my inbox lol because I hardly wrote any Love Live! fanfiction on this account before. Icon credit to sailorprettycure!

Anyway, since there was no specified mood (?) I tried to go with a light fluff with an everyday feel (like how the Love Live! animation is). Not much really happens in this, but I hope you can feel that you are friends with Honoka~ Here we go! (Edit: also I didn't really do much to emphasize the femreader part of it but she goes to the same school as Honoka, so I hope that's enough?)

“What do you think?”

Honoka twirled in the new costume before you, anxious to hear your appraisal. It was a simple outfit: a black leotard in low-cut, dark wash, ripped jean shorts, paired with some silver bangles and earrings. Over the leotard, she had on a white, gauzy, off the shoulder crop top with frilled edges with flowy, open sleeves. She hadn’t bothered to change her hairstyle, but somehow you felt it suited her more that way–or maybe you were just more accustomed to it.

“You look adorable,” you beamed at her. “Is that outfit for your next live?”

Honoka brightened up and nodded eagerly, her side-ponytail energetically bobbing with her head.

“Yeah! But just the prototype,” she amended. “Kotori wanted me to try it on and see what I thought about it, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to get a second opinion on it. I mean, it’s not supposed to be public information, but since it’s you, I don’t think she’d mind at all.”

She stopped rambling for a moment and carefully stared into your eyes with those big blue eyes of hers. “You really mean it, though? You like it?”

You laughed and swooped in for a hug, pressing your cheek against hers affectionately.

“Like it? I love it! Tell Kotori it’s amazing and that you should definitely keep the prototype,” you reassured her. “Though I don’t know what your next song will be like, so I don’t know how well it matches the concept of your song.”

Honoka wrapped her arms around you and lightly hugged you back before pushing you off of her.

“Hehe, I knew Kotori’s designs couldn’t go amiss! But I think if you hug me any longer, it might get wrinkly, and you know how Umi gets when…” she grimaced.

“Yeah, I know, I know,” you conceded. “Sorry, my bad–you want some ice cream? I’ll go get it while you change out of the costume.”

Honoka takes hardly a second to consider it before flashing a happy smile at you.

“Would you? You’re the best,” she said with a toothy smile. “I’ll get changed now, so hurry back!”

“Of course,” you grinned. “What are friends for, after all?”

You step out of the room and dash out the door to stop by the nearest convenience store. Luckily, 7-11 was hardly a block away.

You gently knocked on the door to the room. “Honoka?” you called out. “I’m back with strawberry ice-”

The door slammed open abruptly, taking you aback as Honoka pulled you inside and closed the door behind you just as quickly.

“Come in, I’m already done changing! You came back pretty fast, but I was faster,” she giggled.

“Since when was this a race?” you playfully crossed your arms and raised an eyebrow. “Anyway, here you are–strawberry ice cream with cornflakes!”

She snatched it out of your hands and unwrapped it in record speed before giving it a great lick with just as great relish.

“Mm!” she exclaimed as she plopped down on the floor.

You couldn’t help but let out a laugh as you joined her in sitting down.

“You know, with the way you’re acting, I’d think you only have this once every ten years or something.”

She stuck her tongue out at you.

“So what? It’s just that delicious!”

You shook your head as you started opening your own frozen treat as well, albeit slower than Honoka.

“No, no, it��s not a bad thing,” you chuckled. “I think it’s a good thing that you still enjoy it so much and appreciate how delicious it is, even after eating it so many times.”

“You think so?” A hopeful note colored Honoka’s voice.

“Duh,” you smiled. “You know, I think I become more honest when I’m with you. Even though you’re probably pretty easy to fool,” you emphasized your words with a poke to her nose, causing her to reflexively flinch and blink, “maybe it’s ‘cause you’re so honest that I end up being this way too.”

Honoka swallowed her bite of ice cream. A light, peachy blush began to spread across her cheeks.

“Well, I-” she stuttered. “Gee, thanks?”

“You’re welcome,” you smirked. “Hey, your ice cream’s melting.” You pointed at the edge of her ice cream cone, where the pink ice cream was starting to look more and more watery and wobbly.

“Oh! Thanks,” she quickly said before her mouth was, once again, full of ice cream. She glanced over at you. “You know, have you ever thought about becoming a school idol, too?”

You shrugged.

“No, not really. I think I’m happier to watch you guys and be your fan. You know I can’t sing and dance at the same time like you guys. My stamina’s terrible.”

Honoka tilted her head and pursed her lips.

“But my stamina wasn’t that good when we started Muse, either! You know how hard Eli and Umi worked us?” She shuddered. “Hanayo and I were collapsing every day after all that training,” she said with a dark look on her face.

“Well, you guys were motivated to continue despite how hard it was, right? I don’t think I’m that motivated,” you sighed. “I’m just a part of the going-home club now, you know. Not like you guys, training so hard that you become famous nationwide and save our school from being shut down-”

Honoka hit you with a toast-shaped plushie, effectively shutting you up.

“It was hard to get this far, you know,” she pouted. “Even I sometimes wanted to give up. But, well, maybe being a school idol just isn’t what you’re passionate about,” she admitted. “I’m sure you’ll find something amazing that you’re passionate about eventually,” she grinned at you. “Plus, you could join our school idol club as like…um…”

She thought for a moment. “As a manager or staff member, I guess! Instead of a performer. You know we do all the work preparing our costumes, songs, dances, coordinating venues and stuff ourselves, right? But it can be pretty tiring because we also have to train and practice every day.”

You opened your mouth and then shut it, pressing your lips together tightly. Join Honoka and the others, when you scarcely knew anything about the world of school idols, barring what they shared with you as friends? It was unrealistic, and you didn’t even have that much time left at Otonokizaka High before graduating, not to mention that you should be preparing for the nationwide exam to get into college.

“What do you think?” Honoka awaited your answer, her eyes gleaming brightly like dazzling sapphires beneath the spotlight–you knew that look. It was the look she had when she recruited each member of Muse and when she convinced Kotori and Umi to join her in the first place. It was the look she had when she had already decided to never give up.

You thought about it some more. Yes, it was unrealistic, but then again, when had Honoka ever cared about what was realistic when she started Muse to save beloved Otonokizaka from its seemingly-assured death?

“Alright, count me in.”

Honoka hugged you tightly before you could even react.

“Yay!!” she cheered. “You won’t regret it, I swear!”

“You know, I keep changing because of you,” you sighed. You contentedly smiled, more to yourself than to the Honoka currently wrapped around you. “But, I think it might be a good thing.”

Extra

“Why did you call me here?” You arched an eyebrow with due suspicion right at Honoka. “Why are we at the school courtyard over the weekend?”

“Now that you’ve decided to join us, it’s time to find out what you’re good at so we can figure out what you can do,” she grinned. “Come on, let’s go! We can’t do this during normal school days because the rest of Muse is too busy practicing, so you can just take a crash course on all the things that we do.” She grabbed your hand and started excitedly dragging you into the school. “Kotori will tell you about designing costumes, Umi will talk to you about writing lyrics, Maki will show you how she composes songs, and-”

You started to tune out the rest as Honoka continued. Just what had you gotten yourself into? Your days were about to get much busier and livelier–but when you thought of those days being spent with Honoka, you couldn’t help but think you’d be okay with that.

#honoka kousaka x reader #honoka kousaka #love live fanfiction #platonic #reader insert #x reader #love live! school idol project #ll fanfiction #honk honk!!#lux writes #oneshot #writing #fluff #requests open #requested #anonymous request #luxexhomines #*cough cough* if this actually is requested by a friend i have a guess as to who it might be lol #but there's no conclusive proof bc it's anon lol #either way i will take it as you also appreciate honoka hehehe #surprisingly i actually didn't write more honoka fanfiction in the past than other love live stuff #bc honoka doesn't really have a super iconic ship like the others do: rinpana nozoeli nicomaki kotoumi #so i wrote for those ships instead haha can you believe it #now i mostly only write stuff for my faves lol #anyway this was kind of rough #except i say that about all my writing but i mean it because this is rougher than my writing used to be i think #i couldn't think of where honoka and the reader would meet over the weekend beside the school even though i'm pretty sure not there #maybe honoka's house but like. i was too lazy to change it after i wrote it #sorry :'))#anyway reader you are now like yuu of nijigasaki i guess!! wheeee manager arc

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anime-ships-all-good · 7 months

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Sonoda Umi x Minami Kotori

Love Live! School Idol Project

#ship #kotoumi #umi sonoda #kotori minami #love live! school idol project #love live!#animal//#frog//

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lonelypond · 1 year

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New Year's By The Fire

NicoMaki, Love Live, 2.6K, 1/?

Summary: Nico is invited to the Nishikino New Year's Eve party. Snacks happen.

New Year's Eve By The Fire

Nishikino Maki wasn’t nervous. She’d been trained in the ins and outs and emergencies of hosting since she was old enough to curtsy, smile and point people toward a bathroom. And so many of the guests were familiar faces from two decades of parties, mixed with newer friends like Umi Sonoda and Kotori Minami. Tonight, Yazawa Nico would be added to that list. But Maki wasn’t nervous, her mask had just settled on her nose wrong, hair caught up in fabric knot at the back.

Nico had returned her tuxedo jacket, but Maki didn’t need it. Her Nordstrom’s shopper had messaged about the new Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama arrivals and Maki had rushed to put together an outfit, mixing the Psychedelic Flowers suit with the Painted Dots shirt, the Infinity dots tie and gray beanie, and very kicky black loafers with metallic dots all along the sides. A domino mask to finish off the outfit and Maki was ready for a heist film. The outfit had received compliments from all the early party goers, but as 9 o’clock and Nico’s promised arrival neared, Maki did a quick check. Everything still snapped. Good. Nico seemed to care a lot about fashion. Checking her hat brim roll up in the hall mirror, Maki grinned. And with perfect timing, her phone pinged.

Nico: About to make an entrance. Don’t miss it.

Maki walked up to the door as Nico entered, cropped leather bomber jacket over a pink crinoline skater dress, black tights, pink lace up combat boots, pink knitted hat with a bobble bouncing merrily.

“Maki!” Nico waved, dodging around the crowd clustered at the door. “Wow. Kotori said you were going with the Yayoi Kusama, but damn that looks so much better on you than on the screen. Spin for Nico.”

“You forgot your mask.”

Nico sighed, shaking her head, reaching in to her pocket for a sparkly pink and silver mask, “Nico wanted to make sure you recognized her.”

“Can I take your coat?” Host instincts kicking in.

“Nah, Nico still hasn’t warmed up.” Nico looked around, “You could point Nico to food or something. Do rich people eat at parties?”

“Of course.”

“Nico’s only ever seen you eat pizza and donuts and this doesn’t look like a pizza and donut crowd.”

Maki chuckled, “You’d be surprised.”

“So Nico gets appetizer sized pizzas and donut holes.”

“It would be bruschetta and struffoli, but my parents went with a fish theme.” Maki stopped, to glance down at Nico, “You do like fish? Or I could order that pizza.”

“On New Year’s Eve? Nico doesn’t want to make any enemies in the restaurant business. Caviar it is.”

Maki saw Nico shiver and with a quick hand steered her to the chef’s station, grabbing a plate and filling it with salmon skewers and salmon blini before handing it to Nico.

“Nico approves.” Idly chewing her way up the salmon skewer, Nico drifted through the party, nodding at everyone who glanced her way like she was hosting, not Maki, who just followed in her wake.

“Maki! Nico!” Umi’s voice rang across the room. She and Kotori were talking together near the main Christmas tree, still twinkling with its white and gold lighting and decorating scheme. Both had chosen black dresses, flared at the waist, Umi’s with a hint of blue at the waist and hem; Kotori’s with gold thread striping the bodice. Their masks were black and feathery.

Kotori stepped forward, her hand sliding up Maki’s forearm, “How lovely. Just enough silk.”

Umi’s hand quickly offered itself as an alternative to Maki’s arm. Kotori linked their fingers. “Your tailor did an excellent job. The shoulders are perfect.”

Maki shrugged.

Nico held out a salmon skewer. “I think your chef did better. Try this. The spicing is sublime. Nico wants the recipe.”

Maki leaned forward. She’d been pacing and talking and making sure to complete everything on the list her parents had given her. She didn’t remember what time she’d eaten that morning.

Watching as Maki swallowed eagerly, Nico decided to go back for a second run, “You need food more than Nico does. Be right back.”

“Where’s Honoka?” Maki asked.

“Navy Pier.” Umi chuckled, “Honoka believes New Year's Eve is for making new friends at the largest party you can find while you watch something drop and many things explode colorfully and everything happens at the loudest volume possible.”

Kotori tched, “She likes to wear jeans.”

“Seems like the waste of a chance to dress up.”

“Jeans aren’t bad.” Umi fidgeted with her skirt self consciously.

“Oh no, Umi-dah, on New Year’s, you’re mine.” Kotori wrapped her arm around Umi’s, “You look too delicious not to wrap up in something dashing.”

Maki started to look for Nico, wanting to avoid a blush like the one coloring Umi’s cheeks.

“Maki!” Her mother was suddenly at her side, maskless, “Introduce me to your friends. Are they music majors?”

“Mama, this is Umi Sonoda. We are both in the Film Society.”

Kotori slid forward, her hand almost touching the fabric at Mrs. Nishikino’s hip, “I’m Kotori Minami and that Tadashi Shoji lapel dress is extraordinary.”

Nico had wandered back, carrying a plate piled with dumplings and wonton packets.

“Nico.” Kotori pulled Nico in, “Wouldn’t Eli look so good in something like that, in the confrontation scene, against the city lights?”

Nico tilted her head, considering, handing off the plate to Maki, who watched awkwardly as Nico and Kotori checked out her mother.

“Below the knee instead of floor length and white.” Nico decided.

“No, an even longer train. So it sweeps.” Kotori gestured with her hand. Umi and Maki exchanged a glance, Nico hummed noncommittally, then noticed Maki wasn’t eating and tapped under the plate.

“Nico got that for you. Try the crab rangoons. Another spicing masterpiece.”

Maki’s mother chuckled, “I’m glad you approve of the catering, I’m Maki’s mother.” She extended a hand, which Nico shook.

“Yazawa Nico, theatre major and future EGOT winner. I’m working with your daughter on a indie short.” Nico glanced around, “Thank you for inviting me to this party. Your home is lovely.”

“This movie keeps bringing new friends into Maki’s circle,” Maki’s mama leaned in to her taller daughter, “I’m glad. She’s a bit of a recluse.”

“MAMA!”

“Don’t forget to kiss someone at midnight.” Maki’s mama quickly pecked a kiss to her daughter’s cheek, “I am very glad all of you could attend. If you need anything, I’m sure Maki will take care of you. See you around.”

###

Music. A quintet. Slow music to dance to, jazz, sprightly classical and in this phase of the party, nearing midnight, some interesting arrangements of songs you wouldn’t think could be done by a piano, strings, and a trumpet, but there it was, Taylor Swift’s “Snow On The Beach” capping off a half hour of unexpected pop covers. Umi was holding out her hand for Kotori to join her in the crowd of dancing guests. Nico was singing along, sotto voce, leaning against a bar, wanting a karaoke room so she could do her best performance and let out some of the energy she’d been building up, meeting people, telling them about her upcoming part in Goncharov and the time she was spending developing musical skits for this year’s Waa-Mu show. Nico wasn’t sure where Maki had gone to until she saw her stand up from behind the piano, red hair flying loose, as another woman took over the bench. Nico leaned over, grabbed a bottled sparkling water, lime twisted, and headed toward the pianist, who was on a trajectory out of the room.

“That was an amazing “Snow On The Beach.” Did you do the arrangements?” Nico fell in step next to Maki, wondering where the taller woman was headed to. “I grabbed you a water.”

“Thanks.” Maki twisted off the cap and drank down half as they exited the room, walking down a hall Nico hadn’t been in before. They passed several doors until Maki reached to open one, holding it for Nico. A small room, sectional couch in front of a fireplace, stereo and speakers on the side, with albums underneath, and a mini fridge next to that.

Maki finished the water, dropped it in a box, crouched to pick a couple of albums, stacked them on the record player, and shrugged out of her jacket, rolling up her sleeves. Then she untied her mask. Nico was still in the bomber, but at some point she'd shoved her mask and hat in her pockets. Her dress was sleeveless and the party temperature had been keeping on the chilly side, but in this smaller room, Nico was starting to feel warm.

“Sit.” Maki pointed. “Want a water, juice, might have beer in here.”

“Water’s fine.”

Maki handed Nico a sparkling water, lime twist, and stretched out on the chaise portion of one leg of the sectional.

“You talking about Taylor Swift and noir the other day made me curious so I listened to her albums. Couldn’t get “Snow On The Beach” out of my head. The start is so…ethereal, like if snowflakes were these delicate windchimes.” The stereo started to play that very part. “I skipped.”

“That’s fine.” Nico glanced at the turntable, “Are you a vinyl nerd?”

Maki shrugged, “It’s more aesthetics. I like the weight. And the full sized cover art. It’s a…” Maki considered, “a ritual, sliding the album out of the sleeve, holding it gently, placing it carefully, dropping the needle, hearing the notes lift off the grooves. Music should always be a ritual.”

“Nico gets that.”

“Unless it’s play.” Maki sat up, hands holding what were probably imaginary drumsticks, ready to join in. “That’s better than listening.”

“Nico’s been listening all night. Playing is more fun. Singing is even more fun for Nico.”

Maki, amethyst eyes serious, nodded, “I get that.” She bounced up, pulled the arm back as soon as the song was over, flipped open a panel to reveal a laptop, and started typing, “What do you want to sing. I’ll load up the karaoke track.”

That was easy, Nico thought, stay on theme. “Let’s start at the start.”

Maki glanced over her shoulder, “Meet me at midnight?”

Nico winked and the music started.

“Staring at the ceiling with you Oh, you don't ever say too much And you don't really read into My melancholia

I been under scrutiny (Yeah, oh, yeah) You handle it beautifully (Yeah, oh, yeah) All this shit is new to me (Yeah, oh, yeah)

I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me

Surreal I'm damned if I do give a damn what people say

No deal The 1950s shit they want from me

I just wanna stay in that lavender haze”

After “Lavendar Haze”, Maki had queued up “Purple Rain,” which had led to Nico jumping all over the couch while Maki played drums on a cushion to “The Glamorous Life.”

Nico pulled out two bottles of an orange-y juice thing and tossed one to Maki. She’d shed her bomber at the beginning of The Glamorous Life and was warm enough after all the dancing, but she could feel a chill cutting in the air.

“Does the fireplace work?”

“Sure. Are you getting cold?”

“Nico runs hot, but yeah.” Nico flumped on the sectional. Maki was suddenly behind her with an afghan.

“That should help while I get the fire going.”

“What time is it? Don’t you have to get back to the party?”

Maki shook her head, “My parents are used to me disappearing.”

Nico made a mental note. Introvert. Ditches parties.

“You should have a snack stash. For Nico.”

“For Nico?” Maki raised an eyebrow, “Will you be back?”

“‘ ‘s a decent stereo.”

Maki snorted, “It’s the best stereo in Chicago. I put it together myself.”

“Nerd. Nico does like the best though.”

Maki paused, “Did you want to go back to the party? Do the countdown, midnight thing…”

“Nah, it’s nice here. Nico wants a fire, not fireworks.”

“Me too.” Maki muttered, piling kindling, stacking logs, using a long lighter to spark a fire, then stepping back as the flames grew.

“No snack stash?” Nico whined hopefully. “C’mon, be a hostess with the mostess.”

Maki grinned, ‘Give me two minutes.”

Nico snuggled into the corner of the sectional, afghan pulled up around her, watching the flames lick over the logs. The door opened and as Maki stepped in, she heard the party crowd getting louder. Maki had an armful of boxes and bags: cinnamony brown sugar Poptarts and cereal, popcorn, mini cookies.

“Anything pink?”

Maki handed Nico a small container that said Old World Spumoni Gelato, “It’s got black cherries, does that count?”

“Nico can do cherries. Nico can do chocolate. But Nico needs a spoon.”

Maki handed Nico a rectangular shortbread cookie. “Use this. Tastes amazing.” Demonstrating by scraping off the top layer, Maki settled back on the sectional, happily opening a cereal box.

“Did you bring milk?”

Maki pulled two boxes out of her pants pockets.

“You’re too fashionable for an icebox, Nishikino. That’s a crime against those pants.” Nico laughed, scraping her own dose of chocolate cherry pistachio gelato with a shortbread plank.

“We missed midnight.” Maki said, her voice sad, but her eyes twinkling, The fire had begun to warm the room.

“We could fake it.”

“How?”

“Nico can count down from ten.”

“And then?” Maki’s question was hesitant, heavy in the air.

“More gelato and colorful musical segues. Nico’s not done for the night, you just fueled up her sugar tank.” Another cookie, even more gelato curled into a scoop on the end.

“Okay.”

Nico chomped, feeling the cold invigorate her, “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!” Throwing off the afghan, Nico jumped up, bouncing and twirling on the sofa, arms thrown upward, shouting, “Happy New Year!!! Happy 2023 Chicago!!!” When she was sure she had Maki’s attention, Nico brought her hand to her mouth and quickly blew a kiss in the redhead’s direction. “There, you can tell your mother you got your kiss.” Nico bowed, amazed at her own performance, and took the orange juice-y thingie to switch for water. She was going to send Maki on a hot chocolate run pretty soon. That gelato was a tasty chill on the roof of her mouth that was not going away.

Maki hung over the back of the couch, watching Nico as she crouched in front of the mini fridge. When Nico glanced over, about to ask something, Maki frowned, curling a twist of hair.

“You okay?”

“Fine. Put on an album you like.”

“Are you ready for a new year full of K-pop?”

“Sure.”

“Can I pull the laptop out?”

“Why?”

“So we can watch the latest Inkigayo episode in front of this cozy fire.”

“Okay. But there’s a screen right here.” Maki pointed to the right of the fire.

“Laptops are cozier.”

“If you say so.”

“Nico does.”

Maki crunched her cereal while Nico set up the laptop between them, leaning in, legs stretched out to the side. The fire had achieved the quiet popping level of burn and Maki stretched out opposite Nico, their shoulders and heads meeting in the middle to watch the screen propped up on pillows.

“Ready? Nico knows this is going to change everything for you.”

Maki settled into a comfortable position. Just when the silence had gotten uncomfortable and Nico was about to hit play, Maki spoke softly, staring into the fire.

“Happy New Year, Nico. Thanks for being here.”

“It's nice here.” Nico said quickly and then the K-pop chatter started.

Not how Nico’s new year’s usually started, with a room full of dancing, yelling, playing and a face warmed with sibling kisses. But tonight, here with Maki, there was something new in the air. And Nico liked it.

A/N: The Week 8 @sapphicfest prompt was "curled by the fire" and I've been missing NicoMaki cozy content so here we are. Hope you enjoy.

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