The lights were too bright. Duo's head was throbbing. There was blood everywhere, leaking from the gash just above his left eyebrow. The bandana was soaked, but at least it felt like it had finally begun to subside. The head wound was a distraction from the throbbing of his bruised hip. It was a relief when a short-haired nurse called his name.
"Maxwell. Duo, Maxwell." She ushered them back, tucking a strand of imaginary hair behind her ear, already tucked away with a bobby pin. It was impossible to focus, but Dorothy held onto his arm stabilizing him.
"Duo, I swear to God if you pass out again, I will kill you." Her fingernails dug into his arm. He couldn't help but laugh a little at her serious tone. Dorothy had always been the sister he never wanted but probably needed. She finally relinquished his arm, leaving small crescents in the red skin, when he planted himself on the exam table.
"Hello, I'm Nurse Noin. Let's take a look at that nasty cut." Her gloved hands moved the bandana from his hand and replaced it with a gauze pad. "It's not too deep. Probably just need a few stitches. The doctor will probably want to do a CT to see if you have a concussion. Now tell me about this limp you're sporting." Duo could feel her press harder on the pad knowing the sudden loss of pressure probably increased the bleeding.
"It's nothing. I fell on my hip. It's probably just bruised." Dismissively he waved a hand and winced as he tried to move it.
"He's a dancer. So yes, it is imperative that his hip is looked at." Dorothy scowled seriously at Duo, unimpressed with his pathetic attempt at charming his way back home hastily. "He's also diabetic, who didn't eat while he taught all day, which is why we're in this mess." If his hip wasn't sore, she would have punched him in the side. They'd been dancing together as long as Duo had been dancing. She had gotten him the teaching gig at the studio to help supplement his freelance income.
The nurse smirked, and she squeezed his shoulder. She moved across the room to pull out a glucose monitor from the drawer. There was a slight wince as he held out his hand to her and she pricked his index finger.
"It's a little low. I'll see if we can find you something. Otherwise, your vitals look good I'm going to grab the doctor." She disappeared quickly with a smirk as the door clicked behind her.
Lucrenzia "Lucy" Noin moved down the hall looking for a familiar messy blonde bun and wrinkled gray scrubs. She leaned on the counter the man was notating a chart before handing it over to the intern beside him.
"Lucy."
"Zechs."
He looked back at her with a pale raised eyebrow at her all too familiar devious expression.
"What?" Mirroring her stance his tall frame leaned onto the counter.
"I have a beautiful dancer in exam room six with a head wound and a sore hip that might need in-depth examination."
Zechs didn't even bother hiding his exhaustion with her; he rolled his eyes fervently. "Ugh, Lucy. Are you seriously letting that poor guy bleed everywhere so I could go in there and stitch him up and molest him?" A playful smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Yes. You're always so cranky. I thought it would make your day. I mean and you're an orthopedic surgeon, I think he's in good hands." She thrust his chart in the surgeon's hands forcefully, patting his hands to seal the deal. Reluctantly he took the chart and flipped through it casually as he made his way down the hall. "Oh, Zechs he's diabetic. Catch." She tossed him a roll of lifesavers, and he immediately remembered why he wasn't in pediatrics.
"Hello...Mr. Maxwell. I'm Dr. Merquise." It took him a minute to look up from the chart, but his smile was pleasant. "It sounds like you took a pretty serious spill."
Duo was still holding the gauze to his head cringing at the wet spot where the blood had started seeping through the cotton.
"Let's get your head taken care of and then I'll send to get some images taken so we can get a better look at that hip." Tentatively, he removed the gauze. Duo winced at the sudden touch to his wound, no matter how gingerly the man was prodding it. It looked angry, and it was tired of being assaulted.
Lucy followed behind him with a tray of instruments and surgical thread. Her and Duo's gaze met and she gave him a knowing smile. "Did the candy help?" It was a gentle nudge. She knew Zechs' bedside manner left something to be desired.
"Candy?" Duo looked confused and winced again when Zechs pressed into the wound so he could remove a glove to reach into his pocket.
"Here, take this so we can get your blood sugar up. Did you already inject your insulin?" It was embarrassing enough to have Dorothy hovering over him, but now he had a nurse who seemed to be flirting with him and a less than gentle doctor prodding him and nagging him.
"Thanks. Yes, I did remember to do that." It was all Duo could muster to say, especially when this guy was about to come at him with a needle. The sight alone made his stomach turn.
"You don't need me to lecture you about eating and taking your insulin do you?" He paused his ministrations with the wound to meet Duo's eyes for the first time and smiled. It was brief but - was it flirting?
"No, I think the humiliation is enough of a lecture. I passed out in front of my entire dance class and then slipped on my sweat and apparently busted my head and cracked a mirror." The doctor tried not to laugh, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
"This is going to hurt a little."
That was no lie. There was a pinch of a needle against Duo's skin and even if he didn't hate needles, he would rather they weren't that close to his face. The only consolation was the spicy alluring smell wafting from the doctor with every movement he made. It was embarrassing that the slightest hint of attention had made his heartbeat race a little with every touch. He was so close on the stool that his knees brushed against his good one every time he pivoted to grab something off the tray. The cherry Lifesaver was a good distraction from the pain when he started to place the stitches through the wound. The fact that he could see the hooked needle come back into focus between the needle drivers. The shot had numbed the skin but, the gentle tug still made him queasy.
"All done. I'm going to send you down to imaging, and then I'll be back."
Lucy followed him out the door carting the used equipment behind her.
""Really?" Her tone was petulant with him. A tone he was usually the beneficiary of begrudgingly. Zechs was busy signing off to have the CT and X-rays done on their little dancer, trying not to pay attention to her.
"What?" He could hardly disguise the irritation behind his eyes as he looked up at her. "Will you let me know when the images are back and I'll take a look?"
"This is why the other nurses hate you. I am a decent person and can look beyond your egotism, but they don't know you as I do." She scoffed at him and turned around before he had the opportunity to contradict her statement.
Duo had been fidgeting on the exam table for an hour before the blonde doctor returned.
"Okay, Mr. Maxwell. It looks like you have a slight concussion which is probably why the lights are irritating you." He turned half the lights off for him kindly. "I don't see anything on your x-rays for that right hip, but I'd like to do a physical exam and see your mobility range. Don't worry I work with a lot of dancers, so you're in good hands." There was a pleasant smile behind his eyes. It was more professional now that they weren't standing so close, but Duo swallowed hard anyway. "Here stand up for me. Don't go overboard but put as much weight as you can before it hurts." Zechs gave him his hand as he wheeled over on the stool. It was a relief when his hands were bare and not confined in latex and Duo could feel the smooth palm against his own. Just to demonstrate that he was fine he stood abruptly trying not to wince when his full weight came crashing down on the abused joint. The death grip on the doctor's hand was enough of a giveaway.
"Shit." Duo pushed down into his other foot to shift his weight unequally.
"I think you've just got some fluid build up in the joint. I'm going to ask you to stay off of this. Just take something for the inflammation. Hot and cold therapy. You know the drill."
Zechs was looking at him with both hands holding onto his hip. It was a little too close for his comfort, but he wasn't going to move away from it.
"Lay down for me. I'd like to test your mobility." Dorothy gave him a raised eyebrow, but Duo dutifully laid down on the table feeling more emboldened by the subsiding pain. Zechs moved up from the stool to stand at his feet. He pushed gently on his knee until he bent it to his chest. There was some tightness, but it was a relief that the pain was temporarily relieved.
"I don't usually do this on the first date." Duo smirked watching the doctor's face heat and turn pink. He looked up to see Dorothy sniggered and he was pleased with his handiwork. The smug grin was quickly erased from his face when Dr. Merquise rotated his hip outward, and he scrunched his face with twisted agony.
"I think it's just 'jammed' a little. Stay off of it for a week and then come see me again. I would rather you don't hurt yourself more and have you in my operating room." The blush subsided, and he was all business. It was evident he didn't fully trust Duo to take care of himself and looked toward Dorothy to make sure he made a return appointment. Duo leaned up on his forearms realizing his thigh was still loosely held by the doctor.
"Roger that doc." The other cringed at him as Duo gave him a mocking salute. Dr. Merquise patted his leg informally and excused himself.
After all the waiting Duo was discharged with a few stitches and a prescription to sit on his ass and take some ibuprofen. It was not going to be easy.
Zechs, on the other hand, had Lucy to placate. She was on his case to start dating again or at least getting laid after he'd moved out of his boyfriend - correction ex-boyfriend's - home. They were a power couple. Treize was a cardiac surgeon, the head of the department in fact. When Zechs started getting attention for his surgical skills as a resident, he made the man's selective radar. It wasn't a secret that he was always looking for a younger man to keep on his arm for appearances and Zechs was happy to be that arm candy. Five years of supposed bliss later, Zechs caught his partner fucking an intern in their bed. The wounds were still fresh. It wasn't easy seeing him every day at the hospital. It was easy enough to avoid him, but Treize made sure to always page him directly when he needed an orthopedic consult even though he was one of three orthopedic surgeons on rotation. Lucy encouraged him to throw himself into his research, so he had. In the meantime, he'd been on a few dates. He had seen a few distinguished older men that all checked the same boxes as Treize, but nothing clicked. It was easier to work with hip replacements than dating, so that's what he'd been doing.
The young dancer who had come in a week ago was the last thing on his mind, and it didn't register with him when the name Maxwell came up on his schedule for a consult. It was sad that it didn't click with him until he was looking at the x-rays he'd ordered to remember that he'd asked the man to come and give him a repeat performance. With a deep breath, he opened the door. Duo looked innocuous enough. His crossed legs were a good sign for the hip. If he could focus only on being a professional doctor, he would be in the clear.
"Mr. Maxwell. I'm glad you're back, and I see it looks like you're a little less tender. Stitches look good they're healing nicely. You'll probably see them dissolve over the next week. You'll probably even be able to pull out the stragglers, but I didn't tell you that." He was nervous and he was talking too much, but Duo was smiling despite his doctor's nervous fumbling as he looked over his head.
"Good because I'm done sitting on my ass." With a chuckle, Zechs moved closer to him on the stool.
"Stand up for me." Duo was compliant, and he stood easily pressing weight into the injured hip. "Looks good." He was carefully feeling around the joint maybe lingering a little too long, but he kept his touch professional. "Lift this leg for me straight up, keep it neutral. Point and flex for me." Duo smirked as he watched him studiously move his leg up and cheekily he just kept going past parallel until Dr. Merquise caught on to his little taunt.
"You do work with dancers, don't you? Speaking my language." He didn't need the support, but he let his fingers squeeze into the shoulder of his scrubs. They were soft and worn, and he kept his touch hesitant the way he'd been touched earlier. "You waiting for me to put my leg behind my head?" With a nervous laugh, he reached out to Duos leg and pushed down gingerly when he had extended just past parallel.
"It looks like your mobility is good. How does it feel? I assume you've been keeping limber and not just sitting on your ass as I prescribed." Two could play that game he leaned back on the small desk that had various drawers of medical equipment and supplies, moving away from Duo's touch. He crossed his ankle over his knee, as a challenge.
"Well, it feels fine. Bruise is almost gone." Slipping down his joggers just below his hip the once black and purple mark had faded to a yellow-green. "Do you want to buy me a drink to celebrate?" It was bold, which was kind of Duo's mojo, but his heart still pounded as the man's expression was stoic and unreadable.
The obvious choice was to decline, but Zechs was stuck staring at the sliver of healing flesh still exposed just above the waist of his pants where the hem of his shirt remained pushed up. There was a nervous pause when he finally let his eyes drift back to the young dancer. He was at least ten years younger than him, but somehow he didn't decline. "I get off at 8. There's a bar up the street - Tipping Tina's."
"Can't wait to see you out of your scrubs." Duo bit his full freckled bottom lip hard enough to leave it wet and flushed. It really had been too long since Zechs had been with a man, he told himself as the gesture made him want to rip the man's clothes off and ravish that mouth right on the exam table.
It was a wise decision not to tell Lucy about his semi-date. The nervousness he felt he blamed on being forced to have dinner with his obnoxious family, which he fully intended bailing on, but she didn't need to know that. It was later than eight when he finally got the opportunity to leave. The knee replacement he had run long and Treize insisted on his consultation before he left. Just another tick against the man, for cockblocking him one more time.
The walk to the bar was refreshing since he was power walking the whole way there. Zipping up his leather jacket he took notice that his hair was a mess from being in a scrub cap. It was hard enough to be a man with long hair but trying to keep it from looking effeminate on top of it was another struggle. He was awarded a few looks letting it down and shaking it upside down before quickly gathering it into a messy ponytail. It wasn't the best but, it was the best he could do in the bar's mirrored window.
Duo was sitting at the bar chatting up the young, more age appropriate, usual Thursday night bartender while he nursed a beer.
"Zechs! Can I get you the usual?" Ducking his head bashfully he slid into the stool next to Duo and tried to play it off coolly. He leaned into the bar waiting for Duo to realize who the bartender was talking to. Before his eyes fully comprehended, Duo was about to tell him that he was waiting on someone, but their eyes met. Subtly, he leaned into the arm on the back of his tool.
"Yeah. Tequila and a Pacifico. Put it on this guy's tab." It was subtle, but he let the tips of fingers linger on Duo's bare arm, almost as if it were by accident.
"If you put it on my tab, you'll be washing dishes." Smugly, Duo smirked turning in his stool, so they were facing one another.
"What makes you think I have enough money to buy you a drink?" Returning the expression, Zechs took the tequila shot in one swallow before pushing the glass back across the bar. The bartender was hiding his own grin as he took the glass amused by the situation.
"First, I looked you up online; then I saw you were a surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon on top of that. Second, I looked up how much money orthopedic surgeons make, especially ones with award-winning research under their belt."
Zechs took a swig of the beer before deciding his next move. "I could be highly overrated or underappreciated." With that, Duo chuckled leaving a lull in the conversation.
"Do you want to tell me what a surgeon is doing in the ER stitching up minor head wounds?" It was an obvious ploy for a compliment, Duo was aware, but he would bait him for a little reward regardless.
"Just doing my duty. If you did your research, you'd know my research deals pretty heavily with injured dancers and athletes."
That smug smirk, Duo decided would have to go. He leaned in tentatively towards the other man leaning on the bar. Their noses grazed softly; his movements were shyer and more hesitant than Duo typically was, but the blonde intimidated him. His calm cockiness and smooth demeanor left him feeling off kilter. Zechs gave him no relief and kept himself grounded waiting for the dancer to make all of the moves. When their lips met, he let Duo kiss him chastely at first, but when he took his bottom lip into his mouth, he fought to keep his eyes open as a challenge. When Duo pulled back, he cocked an eyebrow at him as if he were waiting for an explanation.
"What kind of studio do you teach at?" As if nothing had happened Zechs continued, taking another sip of beer.
"A little bit of everything. I teach hip-hop, contemporary and ballet. The company I dance with is kind of contemporary meets ballet." Duo threaded his fingers together symbolically. "I'll pretty much do any job that pays though. I have been many an extra in many a shitty music video."
Zechs watched him laugh. It was boisterous and infectious, and he smiled watching him as his own silence made the dancer nervous realizing Zechs was observing. "Where does your company perform?"
"Jubilee Performing Arts Center downtown." Duo looked him over squinting a little "Are you actually interested or are you just trying to get in my pants?" It was Duo's turn to wear the smug smirk, but Zechs didn't seem as interested in wiping it off his lips.
"I don't fuck on the first date." Zechs lightly chewed on his bottom lip remembering it in Duo's mouth moments before. "Do you want to get something to eat or just sloppy drunk?"
"Touche." Swallowing the rest of his beer, Duo took Zechs' hand. "It's my turn. I know a good place that's close. Hope you like Moroccan." Zechs indeed did like Moroccan.
They walked down the street together. Neither in a particular hurry to let the other's hand go. It felt comfortable. Duo was easy to relax around. Even the casual inconspicuous gestures were intimate and warm and familiar. Duo squeezed the larger hand in his and swung their arms together mindlessly enjoying the soft palm running against his.
When they arrived two blocks up the street, Zechs held the door for him, partially out of chivalry and partially to get a better look at Duo's body in his tight jeans. What was he thinking? Duo was way too young for him, and he was entertaining the idea of taking him home after dinner. Maybe it had been too long since he'd gotten laid. The last guy he'd taken home after a tragic speed dating experience had gotten drunk and cried rather than fucked.
The restaurant was dark, and the atmosphere was exotic. Duo didn't let his hand go until they were sat at a table in the back, it was endearing. There was a small tea candle in a yellow carnival glass holder. It gave a romantic glow to Duo's face as he looked at him over the menu.
"I"m a vegetarian." Thoughtlessly Zechs mentioned as he looked over the menu, but the confession had Duo folding the laminated menu to have a full view of his face.
"Really? How long?" Setting the menu down the younger man had intrigue on his expression.
"Ten years." Cradling his chin in his open palm, he set his arm on top of the menu.
"Seven for me." That indeed piqued Zechs' interest, but the waitress broke his focus and the cadence of their conversation. "Do you want a bottle of wine?" Before the poor woman could even get a word out, Duo was looking at him crassly.
"So you are trying to get me drunk?" Playfully he set his chin on top of the back of his hand waggling his fingers and twirling a piece of curled chestnut hair around his index finger.
"I can uhm come back if you're not ready." She looked between the both of them nervously as if she had stumbled head first into an argument.
"No, no. Can you recommend a red?" It was time for him to take control, but Duo sat back in his chair waiting for the situation to play out.
"Uhm, the house cabernet is nice." Softly she suggested as if he were going to yell at her.
"House cabernet it is. Thank you, ma'am." To save the poor shy waitress, her dignity Duo waited for her to walk away.
"What if I don't like red?" It was petulant, but he rubbed his booted foot against the surgeon's leg as if he didn't know what his motives were.
"Oh, did you want wine too. I was going to drink it by myself." It was the first joke he'd cracked, and Duo graciously laughed. Under the table, Duo was less than gracious. He had his foot trailing up the inside of Zechs' jeans until he graced up to his thigh. With a sharp grab just above the knee, Duo retreated with a less than manly whine.
"Ohhh that's horrible. Is that some kind of orthopedic trick?" Duo was on the verge of pouting as he rubbed the offended knee wishing the touch to his thigh had been more sensual. This was not the kind of sensation he wanted to conjure up when he was alone in his bed.
"That's a cousin trick. I do it to my little cousin all the time." It was not above Duo, no matter how elitist the surgeon was, that he was mocking him like a petulant child.
"Well, you've asked me about a dozen personal questions. Why did you become a surgeon?" It was more a loaded question than Duo intended.
"Well…"The pause alone was enough of a loaded statement. "My Dad's a politician, and he expected a lot out of me. He wanted me to be a surgeon, but I chose orthopedics because my sister is a dancer and she injured herself pretty seriously when I was in med school, and it ruined her career as a ballerina. I wanted to make a difference in people's lives. I mean if my hand were crushed my career would be over like that." He snapped his fingers for dramatic effect, but Duo seemed surprised by the genuine answer. In fact, Zechs himself was a little taken back by his own ease. "It makes the endless hours long surgeries worth it because I could be saving someone's gift." It was his turn to run his fingers along the straggler hairs that didn't want to remain in the ponytail. "I just realized how narcissistic that sounded. I just meant it gives me purpose and it hits close to home. I'm not curing cancer or anything." With a roll of his eyes, he pleaded for Duo to say something silently to keep him from blathering on.
"I get it. I'm a dancer. That's my job, and I don't know who I would be if I couldn't do it anymore."
The awkward silence was a little consuming, and they were relieved when the wine arrived. The dinner that had started as a segue into a night messing up the sheets had gotten a little too intimate.
"Why don't you order since you've been here." Duo had to admit he was loving that smile and the game they were playing, so he ordered. This doctor knew how to charm, and he was lapping it up. Duo ordered a few dishes for them to share, playing up the romantic aspect of sharing, hands brushing as they used the khobz in lieu of silverware.
"I'm glad you like spicy food." Zechs smirked at him as if there was some innuendo hiding there. "I refused to call a guy back after he told me he was a "meat and potatoes" guy." The wine was starting to make him loosen up, and he laughed taking another sip and topping off both of their glasses.
"Well, well so we are a snob." Duo took another ginger sip of the wine holding the flatbread in his other hand, taking a generous amount of harissa hummus.
Before he could even begin to think of how to respond, Zechs chuckled, because there was no denying the truth - he was a bit of a snob. "Yeah, yeah." Dismissively he waved his hands in defeat. "I guess I am a little bit of a snob, but I don't understand people that don't like to try new things."
"Well do you cook at least? Because I don't date men that can't cook." With a cheeky smile, Duo put the bite into his mouth, licking the remaining dip from his thumb.
"I do cook. If you're looking for a home cooked meal, I'd humor you." Even to Zechs it sounded pretentious, but he took a heavy sip from his wine instead of worrying about it. He used to cook for Treize all the time, and now that he was alone the magic was gone from the act. He'd tried to cook for a few dates, but that was always a loaded offer. If you invite someone over for dinner, they automatically assume you're going to put out.
"I'd like that."
Zechs walked him home. It was the chivalrous thing to do since he lived so close. It was a lovely older building, and they stopped on the steps. Zechs didn't want to be presumptuous and follow him in - that would be pretentious.
"Do you want to come up for some coffee?" Duo spun his keys around his index finger and tucked a strand of wavy hair behind his ear.
"Why don't you ask me again the next time we go out." With Zechs standing on the step below they were on the same height level, which he used to his advantage. Cupping the back of Duo's neck he pulled him forward coaxingly until their lips brushed. He was more enthusiastic for this kiss but, he held back not wanting to give away how much he did want to follow him up the stairs into his apartment. Duo tilted his head searching for more, wanting inside the other's mouth. His fingers ran across hints of stubble on the doctor's jaw. It was then that Zechs pulled back leaving the dancer sighing heavily at the sudden lack of heat. "Good night Duo." He placed another careful kiss to his jaw before squeezing his hand and started walking back down the concrete steps.
"Hey, Zechs." Duo had to clear his throat to not sound so mousey but his voice still came out hesitant. Still feeling the heat and wetness on his lips.
"Hmm?" He turned back around from the bottom of the steps with his hands fisted in the pockets of his leather jacket.
"Do I have to make an appointment first?"
"You'll have to call the receptionist."
They returned each other's smiles playfully, and he watched Duo walk into his building.