Maki x Nico (Love Live)

Loop

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It has been less than twenty minutes since you received the text, but here you are parallel to the villa in record speed. This may even be your best time so far. You get a lot of practice.

The grimace you've plastered onto your face loosens up until your neutral expression returns to its place. You can see her, clad in a hoodie and sweatpants, running out and across the street already, and you don't want to make her think you're pissed or anything.

You are, though.

The soft pounding of rain against the windshield is managing to keep your thoughts from spiraling, and you're thankful for the darkness that accompanies the midnight hour. You lean over to the passenger side and manually unlock the door, letting the girl in to take a seat in the soft leather that has probably morphed to her shape by now.

You try to keep that thought from lingering.

Without a word, you start up the engine and pull away from the curb. It's going to be a long ride to the motel, let alone to return to your apartment, and you want to get it done as fast as possible. If it weren't for the risky weather, you would probably be flying down the road at hyper speed.

A few minutes go by in silence until she speaks up.

"How did the callback go?" she asks, and you immediately tense up. Your mind was so preoccupied with the current situation that you forgot about the whole ordeal to begin with.

"Fine," you reply, lacking the heart to tell her that you had missed it merely to come and pick her up. She must have forgotten what time you were meant to be at the second audition by, but you didn't blame her. Your schedule was always full of auditions and odd-jobs. This would have been your first successful callback, though, but even your dream couldn't keep you from submitting to this girl.

"Were you just as cocky and annoying as usual?" she jokes half-heartedly, and, despite having your eyes on the road, you can practically hear the smirk. If it weren't for the severity of the current situation and the fact that you had actually missed the opportunity, then you probably would have made a teasing comeback of some sort. But you hate small-talk whenever this happens.

"What did he do this time?" you ask, your neutral expression beginning to hint at a fresh scowl.

There is a pause before the reply arrives, "Nico..."

"Maki," your knuckles turn white against the wheel, "what did he fucking do?"

You slowly apply pressure on the brake until you reach a full stop at a red light. You can feel the tension and hesitation she's emitting, so you turn to face her while the chance is there. You nod, encouraging her to confide in you.

Maki tugs at the collar of her hoodie to reveal a darkening bruise around the left side of her neck, and the bitter contortion of your expression must be harsh if it's enough to make Maki hide the beaten flesh again. She closes her eyes when you scream out angrily, proper words completely incapable of conveying the fury in your heart.

As soon as the light turns green, you quickly find the nearest possible U-turn and make a beeline right for your own apartment. It's still closer than the motel at this rate, and there's no way you're going another minute without tending to that wound.

"Nico, he's getting better," she tries to explain after a few minutes, as if she has the audacity to do so.

"Really? Better? Is bodily harm what you call better?" You ask, choking out a bitter laugh, "Had me fooled, Maki."

"You're an asshole," she grumbles in agitation.

"And you're a goddamn idiot! Don't forget who texted who!" you exclaim, and you're fueled up even more by her inability to respond. You shake your head multiple times, baffled by the situation that just never seems to end, "I don't understand why you can't just leave him."