A/N: This was inspired by a cute veterinarian picture, an adorable comic I saw on tumblr, and petals-to-fish's perfect encouragement and fangirling with me. I hope you enjoy this happy fic on a day when ABSOLUTELY NO ONE DIED.
Receptionist and vet techs long since gone, James slips the last file away and flicks the lock on his office door. The handful of overnight guests have dozed off in their kennels and James tucks his phone, spare shoes, and laptop into his backpack before exiting through side door.
The streets are dim, glistening damp beneath the golden lights that line the sidewalks. Ruffling around in his pockets, James finally pulls the keyring free and slides the lock home with a click. Flicking his collar up against the late night chill, he steps out onto the pavement, already tasting the rich spicy flavor of his favorite open late takeaway shop just a few blocks down. During the lunch rush, he usually enjoys the brisk walk for its exertion and avoidance of the poor parking opportunities and traffic.
His hunger, daydreaming, and general air of tiredness make it surprising that he hears the little squeaks sounding from overhead.
He glances up into the broad branches that shade the sidewalk, fumbling around for something to light the darkness and eventually landing on his mobile.
It only takes a few moments to find the source - a little furry bundle that somehow managed to get itself caught in the intertwining branches.
The responsible, veterinarian side of him is well aware that the best course of action would be to go back inside and get some gloves because rabies and such. But the little fluff ball looks so sad and lonely and distressed and James never makes the most adult decisions when he's tired and hungry so he finds a few footholds on the tree trunk one near death experience and a scraped elbow later, he's straddling the branch in question and talking in soothing tones as he shimmy-wriggles his way toward the bat. "S'alright, little bit. I'll just get you - "
Phone-in-teeth, he gently works the leathery wings free of their entanglement and pauses - this was as far as his very vague plan went. But the bat doesn't seem eager to move by itself and it looks at least a little battered and bruised. And he is a vet.
So he offers his fingers for a preliminary sniff test, which he apparently passes because when he reaches to lift the bat from its perch, it doesn't resist. And when he holds it close to his chest and scratches between its ears with one finger, the adorable little thing starts to purr.
"We can't stay up here, Little Bit, so I'm going to tuck you in my pocket, yeah?"
It blinks at him, wide green eyes shimmering in the dim light, so he takes that as the closest he'll get to agreement and pops the button on his breast pocket open and gently slips Little Bit inside.
With more grace and agility than the upward climb, James gets them both safely to the ground and retrieves his keys for the second time, returning to the office much sooner than he'd intended. But he's a sucker for puppy dog eyes. Even on a bat, apparently.
In a few quick strides, he's back at the door and slipping inside. James tosses his backpack onto the 'patient guardian' chair and pulls down one of the exam bins from the shelf and gently sets the bat inside. "There you go, Little Bit. Now I'm definitely gonna put some gloves on for both our sakes, eh?"
That earns him what really looks like a smirk but it's a bat, so James figures he's overtired and hungry. After settling the tray on the exam table, James turns to wash his hands when there's a loud crash from behind him.
He shouts and twists around, ready for a lot of things. None of which are what he actually finds when he turns.
No, he was definitely not ready for a gorgeous red-headed woman dressed in black from head-to-toe and and swinging her feet playfully. It's confusing, but not as surprising as it should be since he's been friends with Sirius for most of his life and elaborate and odd pranks is definitely something that really should be expected.
But again, he's tired and hungry and really can't be held accountable for not predicting a weird Sirius prank. It's possible he fell from the tree and knocked his head. Or maybe he did get bitten and this is some weird rabies induced hallucination. Does that even happen?
The red head straightens out her pointed hat and crosses her ankles. "Thanks for getting me unstuck - I make it a rule not to shift in front of muggles. Luckily I was stuck long enough to see you treat that niffler with a cold so I figured I was alright."
James snorts and leans back against the sink, "I'm glad you took the statute of secrecy into account before you gave me a heart attack."
Chuckling, she kicks out her legs again, even with the tabletop and wriggles her toes. James tries really hard not to let his gaze drag over them, but she's doing that little smirk again and definitely taunting him with her shapely, stockinged legs.
And her red-painted lips - and -
"Are you a vampire?"
She rolls her eyes, "No fangs," a flash of teeth, "Besides I'm a fruit bat."
"So?"
"Animagus."
He nods, somehow finding her more attractive in the wake of that knowledge. "Are you hungry? I have - apple dog treats?"
"Nah, I should get out of your hair," she shrugs, but winces and grabs at her shoulder.
Suddenly feeling at ease again now that he can be in full on veterinarian mode, James turns and begins scrubbing at his hands. "So what's your name? I always know my patients' names."
"You're a vet."
He swipes at his hands with a paper towel. "Pets have names."
"I'm a human being."
"You're at least kind of a bat," He pauses, tugging his gloves on with a snap, "Is this some weird fear of sharing your name? I'm James. There."
She quirks a brow and resettles herself on the table while he comes to stand at her hip. "Lily."
James unpacks some antibacterial ointments and gauze before his hands start to feel very large and unmanageable. "I er- we - I need to see your shoulder."
Lily lifts her leg up onto the table so she can turn her back to James. "Unzip me?"
"I - uh - sure, right," James nods jerkily and slowly lifts his hands to the shiny gold zipper that runs from the nape of Lily's neck to the sway of her back.
He blows out a deep breath, hoping to steady his shaking hands as he grips the zip and pulls down, slowly, tooth by tooth.
With gentle fingers, he pushes the dark fabric away from Lily's pale shoulder and hesitates once her bra strap appears.
She twists and grins rakishly, "Would it be easier if I shifted back into a bat?"
James huffs and narrows his eyes, "No."
Lily winks and James flushes, but his hands finally steady and he pulls her dress and bra strap aside so he can fully view the injury. "You've got a nice bruise blooming here that really should be iced and this gash could use a few stitches."
As he prods at the injury, Lily winces and shoots him a glare, "Are you gonna do it? Or are you going to torture me - is this about the bat thing? Do I need to sign a waiver or something - do you let little bleeding puppies languish while you get paperwork done?"
James bites his lip to keep from laughing. "No, I just need to get the tools, unless you want me to just grab that rusty nail that's been rolling around in the alley and get right going."
Her green eyes narrow but James can see her lips twitching. "Just do it - " she glances at the certificates on the wall, "Potter."
"Alright - "
"Evans."
After disinfecting and numbing the area, James readies the needle, "Alright, Evans."
Lily salutes with her good hand, "Have at it."
In a handful of quick strokes, Lily's injury is mended and gently covered with a bit of gauze and tape, and her shoulder is tucked back beneath the dark jersey material. James tosses away his gloves and tucks his instruments back away.
As Lily slips back to the floor, James tidies up and shrugs his jacket on and grabs his backpack. Lily shuts the lights behind her. James ruffles his hair awkwardly, "So I uh. I haven't eaten yet."
"Are you a vampire?"
"No, I'm vegan?"
She laughs lightly, voice like a bell.
James grins, "I know a little Indian place that's open late and has plenty of options."
There's a little squeak as Lily wriggles her stockinged feet on the floor, a tiny hole letting her orangey nail peep through. "I need shoes - I forgot them."
"Forgot?"
For a moment, Lily looks like she's going to shrug, but thinks better of it and reaches for her injured shoulder, "I was busy and I needed a fly."
"Nothing like a good fly," James agrees, already rustling around in the 'I'm too lazy to care about this' closet where James stuffs some things and Sirius stuffs many things because he's simultaneously a slob and a clean freak. Which means James' flat and office are constantly on the verge of being completely overwhelmed by Sirius' junk.
Luckily, their combined hoarding tendencies mean there's a spare pair of boots James saves for impromptu rides on Sirius' motorbike. He offers the clunky shoes to Lily and she seems moderately okay with the prospect of sliding them on.
As she clomps down the stairs, James re-locks the office door behind him and joins Lily on the sidewalk. "I've got my car just there, if you're ok with - "
Lily follows the aim of his finger and meanders toward the car. "If you're a creep, I'll hex your lights out and fly away like an adorable little thief in the night."
Their shared laughter carries them into the car and the few blocks to Shahi until they're tucked in one of the handful of cozy booths slurping up spicy noodles and veggie slaw.
As Lily swipes his last baby corn, she sighs, "That was amazing - well done Mr Vet Man."
James pokes at her with his chopsticks, "That's Dr. Vet Man."
"But now I just really want some big, red, sweet, juicy strawberries."
"Well thanks, now I do too."
A brief conversation with the cashier confirms the fact that they do not sell strawberries by the bushel or have anything remotely strawberry on the menu, so they spill out onto the street in search of 24-hour shops that sell fresh produce.
Which is unsurprisingly a difficult feat.
By the time they're leaving the fourth store empty handed, Lily bumps her good shoulder into James'. "So would it sound aggressive if I said I have strawberries at mine?"
Throwing caution to the wind, James grasps Lily's hand with his and tugs her toward his car where it's parked against the curb, damp with rain from a surprise shower that sent droplets trickling down James' collar. "Uh, no. But, for the record, I wouldn't mind if you were being a bit aggressive."