Maki x Nico (Love Live)

I'm her cute little tsundere?!

"Nishikino Maki!"

A certain aggravated shout that school had gotten used after many months of hearing it. It was the yell of a girl she knew of too well: Nico-chan.

"Eh? Nico-chan? What is it?"

"Don't 'What is it?' me! You skipped school today!"

"I didn't skip school, I was sick in bed all day today."

"You say that but..."

Plain as day, Maki was playing a video game while nibbling on a chocolate pocky stick.

"You don't even look sick!" To say Nico was pissed off was an understatement.

"No, no, you've got it wrong!" Maki quickly replied. "I'm still sick, see!" Just then she pulled out a thermometer that had been sitting near a heater. It read 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

...

"So you died?"

"Wha! No, I'm still alive, of course! Can't you see?" Maki abruptly threw her game controller across the floor and started making weird poses. "See, can't do any of this stuff if I'm dead, right? I'm alive and well~"

"So you just skipped school."

"Ah." The red girl had just realized her mistake. Suddenly she fell on the floor and (rather dramatically) started to violently "cough". "Ooh, I feel so bad!"

"Just stop faking, Nishikino Maki." Nico was now annoyed at her actions yet relieved that she wasn't really sick. She gave a sigh, "And here I thought you had the flu or something."

"I do," responded Maki as she was still swallowing "in pain".

"Give it a rest."

Half and hour later, Nico decided to stay over for a bit due to Maki's constant begging.

Please! At least keep me company until Nozomi and the others get here, I'm so bored!

Nico gave a sigh and turned to the other girl who sat next to her, obviously enjoying playing the game she had earlier. 'She begged me to stay over and now she's completely ignoring me and going back to her game.' Nico couldn't help but feel a bit saddened. However, when she thought about it, this was the first time her and Maki were ever alone together. Maki was, of course, staying over at Nozomi's apartment but the owner was not there yet since she was busy shopping for groceries with Kotori and Umi.

Nico felt her face warm when she thought more and more about the situation. 'I-I'm alone with Nishikino Maki!...' Her thoughts became for distant as she began fantasizing...

"Hey, Nico! Earth to Nico~!" Maki's cheerful and warm voice broke her away from her fantasies.

"Uh, um, what?" struggled Nico, still trying to awaken from her daydream.

"Well... Your nose is bleeding."

"Wha!" Nico quickly ran to a mirror and sure enough, her nose was bleeding a fine crimson color. 'Ah! All this fantasizing made my nose bleed! Is Nozomi starting to influence my thoughts!'

"Here you go, Nico!" said Maki as she handed Nico a box of tissues.

"T-thanks, Nishikino Maki," replied a blushing Nico.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you." Maki's expression had gone from her usual, cheerful self to a more serious look.

This sudden change in attitude somehow made the black haired girl feel a bit mesmerized by her more mature gaze. "Y-yeah?"

"Why don't you just call me 'Maki' like everyone else? I mean, even Umi calls me that now." Chizuru, the girl who disliked Kyoko since the day she met her had, over time, became close enough to her to be able to call her by her first name. Of course, she still displayed what Maki calls "tsundere-characteristics" but she knew that she didn't hate her anymore.

"I-I-I, well..." stuttered Nico. "W-we're not really especially close, right?"

"What are you talking about? We're friends now!"

Nico was in an even deeper love with Maki Nishikino. Despite Eli constant persuasion to have Nico to confess, she never had the courage to do so. But maybe if she tried to start getting even closer to her she might get the courage to do so?

"I-I..."

"Nico-chan." She moved her face upwards to Maki's voice only to find her right in front of her face. Her face became flushed by the sudden action.

"Are you...?" Her aquamarine eyes completely mesmerized Nico with a serious and cool look in them. Nico felt as if Maki could see right through her and her true feelings. Maki's lips moved slightly when she decided it was time to tell her beloved Maki Nishikino the truth...

Nishikino Maki... I "I lo-"

"Nico-chan....," Maki started as she moved in towards her, "are you a tsundere, too?"

...

...

...

...

...

...What?

WHAT THE HELL!

*smack!*

Nico instantly gave Maki a whack on the head for her absurdity. "B-baka!"

"I-I'll take that as a 'Yes.'," wept Maki as she grasped her head in pain.

"Why would you even ask such a dumb question!" She couldn't believe the nerve she had of asking that after the atmosphere she had set up.

"Haha, just needed to confirm," Maki happily replied with a smile.

"I'm not even going to ask why now." Whatever the reason, Nico felt like any answer that Makk would give would make her want to hit her again.

"Actually, Nico-chan..." She looked up towards her and gave a gentle smile. "I think your tsundere-ness makes you cute."

Cute...

Nick was blushing heavily now. Although she was certain that she had meant it in a completely innocent way, she couldn't help but want to take it seriously. She tried to reply to her comment but no words would escape her lips, it was as if she had frozen in place after someone confessed to her suddenly or something. Well, to her it basically was. From Maki, no less.

Giving a soft giggle, Maki jumped up and gave Nico a warm embrace. "Aww! Nico-chan my cute little tsundere~!" Nick couldn't help but blush even more.

"S-shut up, Nishikino Maki."

End