Disclaimer: Does anyone actually think that I own these characters? And
if I were making any money off of this I wouldn't have just had to sign
that huge promissory note for student financial aid. (shudder)
Darien huddled in the exam chair, looking miserable, as Claire drew another vial of blood. "I hate this chair." He sighed.
Claire smiled sympathetically. "Darien love, I'm sorry, I wouldn't do this to you if it weren't absolutely necessary."
"I know. I just really hate this chair."
"I suppose you've been conditioned to hate it over the last couple years. Every time you sit down in it you're put in pain."
"When this is all over, and this gland is out of my head, can we burn it?" Darien asked suddenly.
Claire removed the tourniquet from his arm, and put a small band-aid over the puncture mark. "We'll have a big party and roast it up in a bonfire pit." She promised.
"Are we done?" Darien asked.
"No. One more thing."
"What?" He asked miserably.
Claire held her arms out to him. "A hug. From now on everyone who takes a seat in this chair gets a hug. Maybe that will help condition you not to hate it so much."
Darien smiled broadly and wrapped his long arms around Claire's waist, burying his face against her shoulder. She slid her arms around his shoulders, holding him close and laying her cheek against his spiky hair. After several minutes she felt his tight grip start to loosen, and pulled back.
"Feeling better?" She asked.
"Yeah." He rubbed a hand over his head, looking somewhat sheepish. "My hair's messed up now though."
Bobby chose that moment to enter the room. "Ready to go partner?" He asked.
Claire chuckled. "Go on, get out of here." She made shooing gestures at Darien.
Darien hopped off the chair, sliding his jacket on. "Thanks Claire." He said sincerely, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading for the door.
"What was that all about?" She heard Bobby ask as they went through the door, their voices echoing as they walked up the hallway.
"What?"
"You kissed her."
"I was just being nice, don't be so paranoid man."
Claire smiled to herself, pleased with the effect of her new policy. Some treatments were just as good for the doctor as the patient.
Darien huddled in the exam chair, looking miserable, as Claire drew another vial of blood. "I hate this chair." He sighed.
Claire smiled sympathetically. "Darien love, I'm sorry, I wouldn't do this to you if it weren't absolutely necessary."
"I know. I just really hate this chair."
"I suppose you've been conditioned to hate it over the last couple years. Every time you sit down in it you're put in pain."
"When this is all over, and this gland is out of my head, can we burn it?" Darien asked suddenly.
Claire removed the tourniquet from his arm, and put a small band-aid over the puncture mark. "We'll have a big party and roast it up in a bonfire pit." She promised.
"Are we done?" Darien asked.
"No. One more thing."
"What?" He asked miserably.
Claire held her arms out to him. "A hug. From now on everyone who takes a seat in this chair gets a hug. Maybe that will help condition you not to hate it so much."
Darien smiled broadly and wrapped his long arms around Claire's waist, burying his face against her shoulder. She slid her arms around his shoulders, holding him close and laying her cheek against his spiky hair. After several minutes she felt his tight grip start to loosen, and pulled back.
"Feeling better?" She asked.
"Yeah." He rubbed a hand over his head, looking somewhat sheepish. "My hair's messed up now though."
Bobby chose that moment to enter the room. "Ready to go partner?" He asked.
Claire chuckled. "Go on, get out of here." She made shooing gestures at Darien.
Darien hopped off the chair, sliding his jacket on. "Thanks Claire." He said sincerely, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading for the door.
"What was that all about?" She heard Bobby ask as they went through the door, their voices echoing as they walked up the hallway.
"What?"
"You kissed her."
"I was just being nice, don't be so paranoid man."
Claire smiled to herself, pleased with the effect of her new policy. Some treatments were just as good for the doctor as the patient.