Boundary
Yazawa Nico x Nishikino Maki
A/N: One day Nico gets sick with flu (like me D;), then Nozomi decides to troll a certain red head.
DISCLAIMER: FIRST NICOMAKI CENTERED OS. BE KIND PLS. NICO MAY BE OOC BUT WE'LL SEE.
Note: This work is not proofread yet. If there are any typos/mistakes, please overlook it for now and enjoy the story. This work will be updated in due time. Thanks!
Maki stood in front of the apartment door that Nico lives in when she doesn't need to take care of her siblings. She had one arm under her chest, her elbow propped up on her palm as she played with the tips of her slightly longer hair. She stared at the door's name plate that read "Yazawa."
"What am I doing here again…?" She asked herself and turned around to walk away, after hearing the clanking of the keys in her hand near her elbow, she stopped on her tracks. "…Nico-chan. Right."
She walked back in front of the door again and relaxed her arms. "…What am I exactly going to do in here..."
"Ah, Maki-chan?" Nozomi smiled onto her phone while she walked side by side with Eri on their way to college. "You're still on vacation right?"
"…What of it?"
"Well, you see—"
"Don't tell me this is one of your card's guidance agai—"
"I haven't said anything yet." Nozomi spoke with a grin, Eri only looked at her and sighed. "So you see—"
"Hurry it up."
"Geez, Maki-chan you're so impatient." Nozomi teased over the phone and Eri signaled her to just get over it or they'll be late. "So Nico-chan got sick today and wouldn't be able to go to school."
"So what is it?"
"Can you take care of her? Ericchi and I can't because we have school. There's no one else who can take care of her." Nozomi winked at Eri who just sagged her shoulders.
"I don't have—"
"You can just ask the landlady for the keys. Tell her you're her girlfriend or something. Well then~" Then Nozomi dropped the call.
"That's so mean of you." Eri said.
"Does it matter? They haven't seen each other in a while anyway." Nozomi answered nonchalantly then wrapped her arms around Eri's arms. "Let's go~"
"Okay, okay."
Maki lifted a hand to the bridge of her nose and slightly pinched it. "I did go ahead and asked for the keys… and got it."
She tried to put the key into the hole but stopped mid-way. "I- I'll just go home—" Then she remembered that there was indeed no one else who could take care of her. "Sh- She can take care of herself…"
Concerned violet eyes looked at the door again. "P- Probably…" Without further ado she unlocked the door and went inside the dead-silent small home.
"…Nico-chan?" She silently called inside but there was no response. She removed her shoes and dusted her clothes. "Nico-chan?"
She walked into the simple bedroom compared to the usual all-pink room Nico had in their house. She slowly went closer to the crumpled sheets on the bed and only saw a bundle of black hair on one side.
Maki almost jumped in surprise when the figure on the bed suddenly towards her direction almost throwing sheets aside. She looked at Nico's face, the one she hasn't seen in about 2 weeks because the two of them had been busy until break started from Otonokizaka.
She suddenly got worried when Nico started to breathe in puffs as she seemed to be sweating and shivering at the same time. Remembering all of the first aids that she had read from books, she quickly rushed into the bathroom, having the small house memorized as if she lived there.
She took the small chair from the study table and settled it onto Nico's bedside after bringing a basin with a towel in it to the room. She carefully wrung the towel and dried Nico's sweat first before settling the towel on her forehead.
Nico grabbed Maki's hand before she could even remove it from her forehead. "Why are you here?" Red eyes opened to look into surprised violet ones. "You'll catch my fever."
"I—It's not like I'm here because—" Maki tried to retort and look away. "Because I- I'm worried or anything—" She squeezed the warm hand and averted her eyes. "A- Anyway, I- I'm staying."
"Do what you want." Nico replied to her but seemingly not letting go of Maki's hand.
"Hey. Did you drink medicine yet?" Maki asked not bothering with the hand that wouldn't let go of her. "Nico-chan."
"I haven't eaten anything yet." Red eyes closed again to relax into the comfort of the towel on her forehead. "I'll do that later."
"Then I'll cook for you instead." Maki offered, playing with her hair using her free hand. Violet eyes curiously looked at Nico's face. She anticipated those beautiful red eyes to look into hers disapprovingly.
"…Don't burn my kitchen…" Nico told her and let go of her hand. A little surprised, Maki felt a little lonely. "Maki."
"Yeah?"
Red eyes opened to look at her again. "Did Nozomi do this again?"
"Again?" Maki raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter?"
Nico audibly sighed. Maki left the room and went towards Nico's kitchen.
Completely baffled, Maki put her arm under her chest again, her elbow propped onto a palm as she played with her hair. "…Why am I here again?" She looked at the fridge and by common sense alone. She could pretty much cook some stew. "…How?"
She put a hand onto her face and sighed. "Why did I offer that? I could just order some food and have it delivered." Maki then sighed again and put her hands onto her waist. "What am I even trying to achieve by being here today?"
Her eyebrows twitched as she imagined Nozomi teasing her about wanting to just see Nicocchi but couldn't quite admit that she wanted to see her.
"Nozomi, you're such a troublesome person." She basically glared at the now closed fridge and rubbed her temples. "F- Fine. Maybe I did want to see her." She opened the fridge again and started to take out the ingredients for the beef stew she could cook. "But not like this when she can't even make her usual retorts."
She started by defrosting the beef, then she stared blankly at the rest of the utensils and ingredients. She frowned at the situation at hand. "This is so troublesome."
She took out her phone from her pocket and stared at it for a long time. She weighed her options. If she called her mother, she would definitely ask her who she's cooking for—"Can't have that." She blushes at the thought that her mother would definitely be able to guess who it is for and where she is right now.
She dialed a number and prayed that this person is free. "Hello?"
"Uh, Hanayo?" Maki played with her hair as she spoke into the phone. "I… need help."
After around an hour, Maki returned into Nico's room with a bowl of beef stew and rice on a tray. She took the time to go outside and buy some juice and medicine after discovering that her home didn't have any at all.
"Nico-chan. Can you sit up?" Maki asked, slightly irritated for some odd reason. Nico automatically pulled herself up and leaned her back onto the headboard, catching the towel from her forehead before it fell onto her lap. "Can you eat by yourself?"
"Stop asking me things, I'll ask for it when I need it." Nico answered a little irritated.
"But you didn't ask for help when you got sick."
"Just what do you—"
"If Nozomi didn't tell me I wouldn't know." Maki looked at her, her eyebrows furrowed. "Again? What do you mean again? Did this happen before already? And what, I didn't know about it?"
Surprised red eyes looked at Maki. Nico slightly flattened her slightly messy hair and scratched her cheek.
"Hey, answer me." Maki looked at her angrily.
"Stop." Nico held her hands out. "I don't want you to keep on asking me these questions."
"Ni—"
"Let me finish." Nico said and pointed at Maki who quickly closed her mouth and nodded. "I've been far too alone in life to even recognize when I should ask for help, or when I shouldn't ask for help. When I said 'again' because Nozomi likes to meddle with people."
"I completely agree." Maki nodded.
She coughed and started to it the dish that was prepared for her. "The last time this happened she called my sisters, who called my mother and it was a disaster."
"…I can imagine." Maki leaned her elbows onto her thighs and played with her hair.
"I'm thankful that you came here today even though Nozomi totally asked you to it—"
"I came here because—"
"You wanted to, I know." Nico finished for her and smiled at her wryly. "But I don't tell people because I don't want them to worry. I don't want you to worry." She kept on eating.
Maki looked away and continued to play with her hair. "If you don't tell me, I will just worry more."
"I'll remember that then tell you next time." Nico handed her the tray after finishing the contents and finally being able to drink medicine. "So you can cook me something again. It was delicious."
Maki smiled at her praise, but immediately coughed and looked away. It would be bad if she caught her smiling. "I- It's not like it was really for you—" She peeked at Nico who was resting her back onto the wall. "Th- Thank you."
"I bet you miss my regular comebacks, don't you?" Nico looked at her with a grin.
"Wha—"
"You have to smile." Nico put a hand onto her cheek. "Idols should always be smiling."
"It's not like—"
"I like it when you smile too."
"It's not like I'm smiling because of you—or anything." Maki frowned at the bed sheets then looked up to Nico with a half-pout, half-smile. "You've been entirely receptive all this time I've been here. I don't know how to interact around you."
"Just be your usual stubborn and dishonest self and all is well." Nico told her with her signature smile. "Wait till I get my energy back."
"I actually like this Nico-chan a lot."
"Hm? What? I didn't hear you."
"I- I—didn't say anything." Maki looked away, playing with her hair. "I didn't say anything!"
"Really?"
"Leave me alone."
Nico laughed at her. It was a nostalgic sound. It wasn't because they haven't seen each other lately… but more of she doesn't remember how long it has been since Nico laughed. It's been a little over 4 months since the third years have graduated and started going into College.
The school barrier has placed a dent onto how often they could see or talk to each other. It felt like things were falling apart. A hand went onto her cheek, and wiped away a stray tear.
"Why are you crying?" Nico asked sleepily and yawned.
"It's nothing." Maki answered and smiled wiping her own tears away. She grabbed Nico's hand with both of her hands. "It's nothing."
"You're so stubborn."
"I don't want to be told that by you."
"Back at you."
Maki snarled at her, but Nico only stuck her tongue out and stared at her face. Soon, Nico closed her eyes sleep over taking her consciousness as the effects of the medicine kicked in.
The stubborn Nishikino Maki leaned over to Nico's bed and tried to get some rest of her own. There were many firsts that day. The first time to see an entirely serious side to Yazawa Nico, the prankster little devil. The first time Maki had ever cooked food. The first time Maki had ever had to take care of someone.
The first time Maki was assured that things are going to be fine from now on.
(Boundary/END)
OMAKE
The following day.
"I ended up staying over." Maki spoke onto her phone. "Mom, I'll be fine. I'll go home today. Yes, she feels better." She talked a little more into the phone and put it down. She walked back into Nico's room again and watched the snarling black haired, red eyes at her. "What?"
"What did you do to me?" Nico asked her aggressively.
"Nothing. What would I do to you?" She raised an eyebrow and stared at her blankly. "What?"
"My clothes are different from yesterday!"
"Well, you were sweating so I had to change your clothes! You were stinky!"
"How dare you call the Super Idol Nico-chan 'Stinky'!? Take it back!" Nico glared at her.
"What!? I was taking care of you! You were sick in bed! You would've preferred it if I just left you 'stinking' there, Super Idol Nico-chan?" Maki retorted at her. But instead of seeing an angry face, Nico was smiling at her. "What? You're creeping me out."
"Thanks for staying the night, taking care of me."
"WHA—I- It's not like—"
"Blaaahh, Blaah blahh, I'm so tired of your tsundere stuff!"
"Speak for yourself!"
(END)
A/N: I wish I had a tsundere Maki-chan taking care of me too D;