ladieskissing | (no subject)

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"Sorry for the intrusion," Nico mutters flatly as she takes off her shoes in the doorway, knowing full well that even if there was anyone in that labyrinth of a mansion but her and Maki right now, her voice would never be able to reach them. She follows Maki inside with her hands shoved into the pockets of her cardigan, head tilting left and right as she takes in her surroundings like it's her first time seeing them. There are so many pieces of overly-elaborate decor that Nico doesn't think she's ever going to remember them all.

Oh, but she definitely remembers that giant piece of armor on the wall over there. She always gets the feeling like if she gets too close it'll topple over and trap her underneath, so she subconsciously leans towards the opposite wall every time they pass by it.

"Seriously, Maki, no matter how many times I come to your house, it's just way too big," she grumbles, only to catch herself the next moment.

"-- But of course, once Nico's become a super idol, she'll have a mansion like this in every prefecture!" She strikes her signature pose and smile. "Teehee."

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Nico's smirk is so toothy and wide, you can practically hear the victory trumpets going off in her head. But of course, just because she's won doesn't mean she has to let it off here. She's got Maki in a pretty good spot right now!

And so she slips back into cutesy-mode, this time pushing it even farther than normal, if that's possible -- eyes wide and full of youthful innocence, bottom lip sticking out, and her thin, short fingers wrapping pleadingly around Maki's sleeve.

"Maki-neetan, teach Nico all about love, okay...?"

Maki stares at Nico with abject horror and disgust. Then finally pulls her arm back and holds Nico back with one arm. "Gross! Stop that!"

"But Nico's a grade schooler, so she can't help it," she whines nasally behind Maki's arm. The obvious translation: take that back.

Maki all but growls still holding Nico back. "Alright, alright, I take it back!! Nico-chan is not a grade schooler! I'll never say it again just please stop!"

"Gehe." Nico's cackle holds no trace of childhood naivete, and she seamlessly slips back into her usual snot-nosed know-it-all demeanor. "Maybe Maki should start thinking a little more before she speaks, hmm?"

Maki turns away dismissively. "I will if you also think a little more before you speak."

Edited 2014-10-08 17:42 (UTC)

"Like I said, I don't need to hear this--"

Nico sighs and rolls her eyes. This clearly isn't going anywhere. And for once, there's other things she'd rather be doing than sit around arguing with Maki for an hour. "Are you gonna play something else or not?"

Maki sighs loudly, making sure Nico can hear her exasperation. They really were exhausting sometimes, the both of them.

She thinks better of continuing it though. When she plays again it's a classical piece she's memorized; soft, not too complex but lovely. Nothing she has to sing to.

Nico is quiet as she listens. While she has no problem butting into Maki's words mid-sentence, talking over her, and getting into too-loud back-and-forths with her, there's this sort of aura about Maki when she plays that's something like sacred. It's the only time she wouldn't even think to interfere, only patiently waiting until the piece is over.

"Hmmmm," she makes a rather ambiguous noise that could sound like appreciation. "I've never heard you play this kind of stuff before. Is that what you usually do?"

Maki rests her hands on her lap, back a little straighter, her usual body language after playing something classical. "Usually, for my lessons or recitals, or my parents' parties."

Playing music has always helped her think and calm down. It seems to have the same effect on Nico. She thinks about how their shoulders brushed together from time to time as she played.

"They'd probably give weird looks if I started playing Start Dash."

"Yeah, it probably wouldn't work in one of your stuffy rich-people concerts." Nico catches herself a moment too late -- right, saying 'rich people' makes her sounds poor in comparison -- but hopes that if she doesn't say anything about it, Maki won't, either.

"Well, I like Maki's original songs best, though."

Maki's too distracted by Nico's last statement to really bother with the first. "Thanks." She clears her throat and straightens again. "Anything you'd like to hear now?" She pauses for a moment, thinking. "How about Nico-chan sings this time?"

Edited 2014-10-08 19:26 (UTC)

"Huh, me?" Nico's surprise at the offer makes her reply pretty dumbly, and she hurries to recollect herself.

"Well, if Maki insists, I don't mind," she huffs with her same old self-assured smile. "How about, hmmm... Dancing Stars on Me?"

"Eh? Thank one..." Maki's a little surprised by the song choice. It's not one of their usual repertoire. She hasn't played it in a while either. She fiddles with the piano a bit, finding the right key and recalling the song, but finally she catches the song and starts to play, nodding along to the beat in her head.

Nico sits with her hands on her knees, feeling the tension in her body build up as the notes inch towards the start of the first verse. She just agreed to it without thinking, but actually, isn't this her first time singing in front of Maki alone? Of course she's confident in her ability to sing solo -- the little show they all arranged for her and her siblings had a practically professional performance on her part, if she can say so herself -- but this is different. Just her and Maki, alone in the large, empty music room.

Why does she feel so stupidly nervous?

When it's time for her to start singing, she opens her mouth, but can't quite will the sound to leave it even though she remembers the lyrics just fine. She misses her cue. Damn it.

"H-hold up, go again from the start!"

Maki glances at Nico from time to time as she plays through the song's introduction. It always sounds a little strange when it's just the piano (Maki usually prefers it.)

There's a strange tension she feels from Nico sitting right next to her. Maki doesn't give singing and playing a second thought, she always has to be the one to first play and sing a song for the rest of the group.

"Okay okay," Maki gives Nico a questioning look for just a moment before starting the song over. This time she hums a little, nodding her head more noticeably to the rhythm.

The first few notes begin to play again, and Nico feels no more relaxed than she did the first time. She's noticing for the first time just how close they are, so much she can feel a hint of warmth from the edge of Maki's shoulder. Seriously, how is she supposed to sing like this?!

Nico rises abruptly to her feet, announcing: "I-I'll stand! Gets air better to your lungs that way." She then takes a few steps towards the center of the room, away from Maki, and makes sure to look at the wall rather than the back of her head. "Okay, that's more like it."

Maki stops playing and rolls her eyes even though Nico can't see her. "Are you going to sing or what?"

"I'm gonna! Have some patience." She clears her throat for no particular reason and stands up a little straighter. "Okay, go!"

"Okay, okay." She's about to start when she notices. "Wait a moment." She stands and takes the large lid off the short leg, opening up the piano farther and resting it on the larger leg.

When she sits back down, without readjusting the piano seat, she plays a quick progression up the keys, pressing down harder and testing the sound. With the lid open all the way and pressing the keys stronger as she is, the sound catches through the acoustics and engulfs the entire room. Maki loves performing in this room.

"Here I go, then." Maki re-starts the song, playing strongly and using the pedal to control the reverb. Not having Nico beside her, Maki feels her arms freer and and shoulders looser. She plays like at a home performance, perfect posture and control.

Nico's eyes briefly dart back to Maki, and she frowns. She looks so impressive -- and sounds it, too, completely in her element. All right, she tells herself, fists bunched up at her sides, I'll make sure not to lose!

This time, she doesn't miss her cue, and starts singing where she's supposed to. She kicks herself internally when she hears the way her voice wavers on the first few notes, but doesn't let it hinder her, steadying and firming her sound as she goes.

Nico still remembers all the lyrics, even to the parts she didn't sing -- she always made sure to have them all down pat, just in case. She's been listening to their music a lot after graduation, too -- because she likes it, of course, and because it's theirs, but also out of some inexplicable obligation to keep it all fresh in her mind.

By the end of it, she'd say she gave a pretty solid show. She didn't fall behind Maki once, didn't let the volume of the piano drown her out. Yup, she didn't let herself lose.

Once the song is over, she turns back to Maki with a grin, hands on her hips. "Well? How was it? Don't you feel privileged to have gotten a private performance by the great Nico-nii all for yourself?"

Maki focuses on her playing, but there are moments throughout the song when the focus and intensity dies down somewhat as she tries to listen to Nico. She's surprised she remembers the song, even as a group they didn't sing it that often.

There are moments when Nico pushes her voice too hard, maybe because of her playing, though that's also her style, Maki's noticed. Bit by bit she matches her playing to Nico's singing, so the sounds don't compete but compliment each other. It's nice playing just for someone else.

Maki turns to Nico after the song finishes as Nico celebrates her own performance. She does think it's presumptuous of Nico to say something like that. But she decides to give her this one. Perhaps something to do with the 'all for yourself' part of what Nico said.

She claps softly, though it echoes more in this room. Her tone only has a slight hint of sarcasm. "Oh yes, quite a privilege."

Nico flips a twintail, pointedly ignoring any traces of insincerity in Maki's voice. "You're welcome!"

And, in a moment of considerable generosity, she adds: "Your playing wasn't bad, either."

Maki crosses her arms across her chest, leaning back on the bench. Maybe Nico's just being Nico, but it's nice to hear her compliment her. "Thank you. And your singing was really good. Sounds great in this room, right?"

Maki actually complimenting her wholeheartedly catches Nico off-guard enoigh for her heart to almost miss a beat, but she bites back any change to her expression. Whatever, she was good.

"Yeah. Must be real nice to practice somewhere like this." There might be a subtle, unintended note of jealousy to her voice.