Summary: The real reason why Maki becomes a doctor.
Nico/Maki

You've healed me

Ever since Maki was a little kid, she knew she wanted to be a doctor, just like her parents.

She liked being able to heal people and make them feel better, like when her mother came back home with aching shoulders after a long turn at the hospital and she'd give her a tight hug and leave a big kiss on her cheek.

- "Heal, heal, little frog's bottom. If you don't heal today, you'll heal tomorrow" – Maki would recite the magical spell to push the pain away from her mama's shoulders.

- Thank you sweetie, I feel much better now – her mama would tell her in exchange, and that way, she'd know her healing, indeed, was successful and healed her mama.

But as time passed, she learned in the hard way that it was just a mere act and some "magic words" and a kiss wouldn't be enough to heal something more serious, maybe not even something petty.

One day, she was running around the house when she tripped and fell, scraping her knee and unfortunately landing her foot in a bad way.

The pain that shoot through her tiny body was unbearable. It hurt so badly that she quickly started to bawl her mama's name disconsolately as a sea of tears started to come down her precious face.

And as soon as she glanced down and saw the little trickle of blood coming out the wound of her knee and her mama rushed to her to take her little foot gently to examine the damage, her crying intensified even more and no magic spell nor any kiss or comfort words were able to take the pain away, and soon, everything went completely dark.

When she woke up, she found herself lying on a bed in a bright white room with a machine sound beeping next to her. It was scary and she didn't like it in the slightest, neither the numb pain of her foot covered by a white cast.

- M-Mama? – she cried out for her mama scarily.

Her mother rushed back from the bathroom to her side, taking her little hand in hers, caressing it with her thumb to give her some reassurance.

- Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?

The gentle tone of her mama's voice was enough for her to not feel so scared anymore.

- I-It hurts – she said weakly, trying to reach the strange thing on her leg, only to be stopped by her mama's hand.

- Sorry sweetie, but I promise you the pain will go away soon and you'll heal again, until then, this thing has to stay, so be careful, okay?

Maki's teary eyes looked at her mama confusedly, not understanding her.

- You can't heal me with your magic spells and kisses? – she asked her innocently, gaining a soft smile and a kiss on her forehead from her mama.

- I'm sorry sweetie, but those things not always can heal a wound.

Maki pouted and looked sadly at the cast on her leg, little tears running down her face. It was in that moment when she decided she didn't want to be a doctor anymore.

As years passed, and she heard her classmates' dreams for their far future, she found herself wondering what she wanted to be in the future as she didn't know what she wanted to become anymore.

She definitely didn't want to be a pianist, neither an idol, and definitely, not a doctor, but that changed when something happened to a certain petite and grumpy brunette.

They were all practicing the newest dance routine, when Nico slipped and fell onto the rooftop's ground, twisting her ankle.

She heard her yelping out of pain and quickly rushed to her side, noticing the first tears peeking out Nico's crimson eyes.

- Are you okay? – she asked her frantically, concerned.

Nico shook her head, biting her lip to stop more tears to keep coming down her face and the pain she felt, trying to put a brave façade but it was pointless, everybody could see the pain through the expressions on her face.

Soon, Nozomi and Eli were also by her side, taking her sneaker off carefully, then her sock to see the damage, already seeing a nasty shadow forming on her ankle.

Eli took Nico's ankle in her hand carefully to feel if it was broken or if she just twisted it at the start, while all Maki could do was stay there impotent, not knowing what to do except taking Nico's hand in hers and let her squeeze it tightly to help her endure the pain in any way.

- I think you've just twisted it – Eli said, and soon enough, Maki was already calling her mama asking her to send them their personal chauffeur and demanding Nico having the best care at their hospital.

As her own mama was examining Nico's ankle, all Maki could think about was on the feeling of impotence she felt and how much she wanted to be a doctor to be able to heal Nico and take care of her in the best way possible.

That day, she made the promise to become a doctor so she could always heal Nico and be sure she would be okay.

Several years have passed from that, and now Maki is a well-known doctor, saving people's lives and operating in hard surgeries every day, before going back home with her wife after a long turn at the hospital.

Maki opens the front door of their house quietly, leaving her bag and coat thrown around the entrance to head directly to their bedroom, finding her beloved sleeping while taking her side of the bed.

She chuckles and sneaks behind her silently, spooning her while breathing her sweet and soothing scent, enjoying her warmth.

Somehow, this petite and grumpy girl showed her a path to follow and ironically ended healing her and not the other way around.

Maki smiles at that thought and holds Nico tighter in her arms, placing a soft kiss on her neck. Nico grumbles and turns around groggily.

- Sweetie? What time it is? – Nico says, voice dragged with sleep and Maki can't help but feel a bit guilty for having woke her up, yet was endeared by her cuteness.

- Too late, keep sleeping darling – she whispers gently, kissing Nico's forehead.

Nico grips her shirt and snuggles more into her body, burying her head into Maki's chest.

- Nico-chan? – Maki whispers again tentatively, biting her lip lightly not knowing if Nico already fell back asleep.

- Hmm?

- Happy birthday – she says with a soft smile on her face and kisses her wife's forehead tenderly again.

- Shut up tomato, too soon – Nico grumbles with a happy smile playing on her lips as she snuggles more into Maki's chest, sensing it resounding with her laugh. Maki wraps her tighter in her arms, smiling happily too before falling asleep.