AN: Updated to make pairing a little more obvious. Remember, narrator isn't always right; they are, in fact, plainly an idiot in some cases :P For full explanation, see my profile.


Symptoms: shortness of breath; light-headedness; flushing, as if feverish; dilated pupils

A young woman, perhaps twenty-two years of age, lies with her golden hair splayed around her. Her heart-shaped face is flushed, showing signs of fever. Her cerulean eyes are dilated. She pants, unable to catch her breath. A moan… although, oddly, not one of pain.

Illness?

Or, perhaps, it could be attributed to the silver-haired man lying between her legs, his face buried in her neck. (It may, perhaps, be relevant to mention another symptom – swollen lips.)

But, no, he is surely a medical nin. See, the discarded pouch with bandages inside. There are, indeed, fresh bandages adorning the patient's right arm. Here, he is merely taking her pulse (with his lips?). Aware of her feverish state and the discomfort that must cause, he has kindly helped her to remove all clothing.

It is not a typical examination, perhaps; the manner of taking the patient's pulse is wholly unfamiliar. But, then, the ways of the ninja are mysterious—that surely includes medical practices. Further, medicine advances so rapidly; the methods used one year may be entirely different the next. Take, for example, the progress of thermometers: rectal, oral, axillary (beneath the arm), tympanic (from the ear)… this medic is, in fact, using a different location all together. How well trained he must be, to be able to discern her temperature with no instrument, but only his finger! This new method apparently causes the patient some discomfort: she yelps, squeezes her eyes shut, and grabs onto the nearest thing at hand—his head, as it happens, still in the crook of her neck. Her hands bury into his hair.

He chuckles—the naivety of new patients must amuse such an experienced doctor. His lips part with her skin as they curve into a smile, his eyes opening lazily to reveal irises of two entirely different colors. The patient is clearly not contagious, for he has removed his ever-present mask (always vigilant, this doctor, to keep it on so long!)

If only we were all so lucky as to have doctors this dedicated.

He continues with a routine examination.

…well. THAT'S not routine.


So… yes. Shock. I published something.

I wrote this on my commute to campus… finally, something GOOD has come of my being a commuter! This started out shorter… and, uh, cleaner…

I actually have not written anything for several years. In high school I often wrote scenes, but they were never published because I planned them to be part of stories. The idea of drabbles was unknown to me at that time.

Since this is the first work I have shared in SO long… and, by the way, I am aware how horrendous my old works are… I would appreciate feedback. Did people figure out the pairing, btw?

Now… I must navigate in order to publish this, since I haven't been in my user area for MANY years.