Archive of Our Own ^beta

Fire soothed her back, the keys cooled her fingers, and the wonderful reverberation of their gift filled her heart.

This was a Christmas Eve unlike any before.

A playful take of Gloria flowed from her hands, improvisation accenting the familiar frames as she played for two of the most precious people in Maki’s life.

Well… they and the hundreds of thousands of people who would be tuning in to the School Idol Festival’s holiday livestream feed in an hour. The last number was classy old Jingle Bells, next would be a surprise storm of passion via Chorus of the Bells she planned on knocking her parents silly with.

She bet of them all, the Festival’s staff would pick that one. That or this run of Gloria. She was really getting into it. The smile she used to have to endlessly practice to fake came so naturally now. She even gave in to the desire to sing along as the final chorus approached. With Mama and Papa sitting a ways behind the camera, it was way easier to make it all genuine.

All of it was more genuine than she’d ever expected.

Being famous, that is.

“Alright! It looks like we’ve received the files. Thank you for your hard work and pass along our thanks to the family?”

“Of course! Thank you for your hard work, Makki-san,” Maki replied, having had to take an oven mitt off to avoid fumbling her phone into the cookie dough.

For a second time tonight.

A quick tap to end the call, a turn to her left to give notice, “Mama, selfie!” and a quick dual kissy-face in the kitchen over the cooling cookies snapshot that she’d send to everyone later was secured.

Maki nuzzled into her mother’s side, reaching across to claim more dough to portion out, “Makki-san says thanks.”

“Well, you’ll have to tell her thank you from us when you talk to her next, then,” Saachi Nishikino assured warmly before nuzzling back and asking, “Do we have you to ourselves for the rest of the night, then?”

“The girls will probably start bombing my phone any minute now, but they can wait,” Maki assured, “They all know this is our special time.”

Every single one of them should have known that they couldn’t sweep in, thrill the hearts of an entire community and industry, and nope on out after one winning season.

Sure, they’d never compete as µ's again. A third of them had graduated, one was studying out of the country, and studying for university was way too intense to even consider keeping up the old training schedule.

But… they were champions. They, along with ARise, were an ever present name in the organization. MCing, short spots like these, interviews, commercials… even the occasional performance like last season’s finals.

Even Papa was fully on board now.

“I’m still not sure about using our winter home as a stage… You’re sure we didn’t show up in the shot?” Tenro Nishikino hedged contrarily.

“I even moved the family photos so they’d be off camera,” Maki assured, hot chocolate in hand, “... and they’re already back in place.”

“It’s a good thing, too,” Saachi teased, “If everyone knew how handsome your father is, they’d want him on camera too!”

The squeak-groan Maki heard in response pulled shrill giggling laughter straight from her stomach. Her father shrank even more as her mother joined in.

Maki_Maki_Maa: That batch we’re working on? You’re all getting some.

She was the first to post in the Line group this evening. Sure, she could have waited for anyone else to chime in, but none of the girls were on her level when it came to the holiday spirit. Someone had to get the cheer rolling.

Bread_is_Best: Maki!!!! (OoO) Those look amazing!

Not who Maki expected to pop in first, Honoka wasn’t known for prompt phone replies. Definitely a happy surprise, though.

Maki_Maki_Maa: Happy Christmas, Honoka. <3 Are you sure cookies are okay? I bet you’ve had plenty of sweets already.

Bread_is_Best: Berry Christmas! Never enough!

Sonoda_Umi: Merry Christmas, Maki-chan. I’ll ensure Honoka enjoys in moderation.

Maki_Maki_Maa: Umi! <3 Merry Christmas. Are you two together right now?

Cardinal_Rule: We’re in a voice channel together. Those look yummy!

Nyaa_Life: Maki Cookies!

WashiWashi_Max: Hey guys! This is Eli. My phone’s dead, but Merry Christmas!

Maki_Maki_Maa: Merry Christmas everyone <3 I’m really looking forward to seeing what you all submitted.

Cardinal_Rule: So cheery~ What have you done with my distinguished Maki-chan?

Nyaa_Life: Kayo-chin would definitely answer, but she’s already asleep. [Open Img]

Bread_is_Best: I’d pinch those cheeks if I were there!

Bread_is_Best: Yukiho says hi.

Maki sighed contentedly, her head was resting in the crook of Papa’s arm. The Baileys in his cocoa was doing a wonderful job of winding him down.

At her other side, Mama asked in a subdued voice of her own, “You look happy. Is that Nico?”

“Nn-nn,” Maki answered, smiling warmly as the chatroom filled with more and more banter, “Pretty much everyone else, though. She’s probably on her way home right now after recording her part of the stream.”

“Are you going to stay up to say goodnight?”

“I hoped to,” Maki nodded, looking away from the stream of messages to accept a sip of her mother’s cocoa, “Thank you. Both of you. I know this is all a lot.”

“I haven’t seen you this happy since you started winning your way through that competition years ago,” Papa rumbled, hugging the two closer, “I don’t think I could be more proud, or more impressed. I know I wouldn’t be able to juggle as much at your age.”

Oh.

Oh, that was more than she was ready for.

It didn’t happen often, but she could still stall out, blushing too hard to speak when the good feelings hit too hard.

The sky was clear. The air frigid.

With the lights down inside, she could barely make out her own breath in the air. The stars though...

The stars…

They were brilliant.

Maki had drained half of her cocoa before Nico’s call came in. It had long grown cool enough to stop steaming the air, but you can bet your whole stocking that every marshmallow had already been taken care of.

She savored the wash of warmth just seeing the name on the screen. Long enough for the third buzz before accepting the call. She settled back onto the stairs to the front porch and greeted, “Tch, what do you want? Shouldn’t you be in bed already?”

Haughty and huffy, “Funny coming from you . Isn’t Santa going to be disappointed if he shows up and you aren’t snoring?”

“I don’t snore. You snore.”

An affronted gasp. Maki smiled deeper. “How would you know that!?”

“I don’t sleep when I stay over,” Maki answered, lacing her voice with an obsessive tone, “I just sit at your bedside and watch.”

High pitched giggles. A long sniff and a wry, “When did my cute little Maki-chan get so twisted? The kids say hi. Mama too.”

“Merry Christmas to all of them, too. I’m bringing cookies when I come over next.”

“Homemade cookies for Nico?”

“Nope. None for you,” Maki grinned, tracing the stars idly, “Unless you’re saying you’ve been a better girl than I’ve heard.

“HI MAKI!!!” Cocoa yelled into the phone amidst the clear sounds of laughter and struggle.

“MERRY CRIBBASS!” Cotaro added before Cocoa followed up with, “Your video was really pretty!”

“Hey! You watched it without me!? I haven’t seen it yet!” Nico complained, her voice further from the phone than the others.

“You were hosting the stream,” Maki reminded.

“They played your bit while I was doing a costume change!” Nico whined.

“Look in our share drive later. I copied all four recordings there,” Maki assured.

“Nice!” Nico cheered, “Back-stage content!”

“Have to do something for my biggest fan,” Maki teased, “By the way, I’m telling them tomorrow.”

“Whoa. Hold up, just a sec guys,” Nico’s voice returned, the phone distortion strangely clear. A door opened and closed in the background. Maki took the time to finish her cocoa, feeling far more at peace than she would have expected broaching a topic this serious.

Hushed. Cautious. “Are you sure?”

“I want to spend Christmas with both of our families next year. Together,” Maki shrugged, “A year should be long enough for everyone to acclimate to the idea, right?”

“You just want to spend it with Nico~”

“I want to be with my family,” Maki answered gently, “... and I want to spend it with you.”

Incredulous. Awkward, “You… You’re a pretty spoiled kid, aren’t you?”

“I seem to get my way more often than not,” Maki answered breezily, “Don’t get cocky. I’m looking forward to seeing all the girls on Christmas.”

A snort. Not sure if it was a laugh or a scoff. “But you only want to wake up with one.”

Warm and honest, “More than anything.”

What followed was the most emotional, comfortable, and confirming silence Maki had ever experienced. Over a minute of watching stars twinkle and listening to Nico breathe.

“Merry Christmas, Nico-chan. Sweet dreams.”

“You too, Maki-chan. Merry Christmas.”

“Talk to you in the morning?”

“Obviously. I want to see your face when you open what I sent with your Mom.”

As usual, Nico tapped out after claiming the last word.

Maki let her have it.

It was time to get to bed.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Author’s Notes:

Lil’ one shot. Hope you all have as good a holiday as you can.

Life kept getting more and more dramatic on this end. I’m now unemployed, but somehow still alright. For now anyway. We’re going to give the art studio, Manifested Dreams, a real go as our primary gig, meaning a lot more time to dedicate to the comic and my poor neglected fics.

I’ve got about this many words deep into the next Berserker chapter and 4k into a second chapter of the gym AU started. I’m looking forward to catching up on all the reading I’ve missed (Looking at you, Lonelypond. I am WAY too far behind) and getting to have fun working on art again.

I still like the idea of turning Chocolates into a doujin.

Also, have you guys been watching Nijigasaki? Their season has been amazing.