Elara's doting irked him. He was aware that she knew this, and he almost felt bad for her. Almost. He knew the field medic was just doing her job, but the thought of being incapacitated for as long as she suspected just… It annoyed him. He didn't need this mothering. What he needed was rest.
He scowled at her probing questions and tried to tune her out, grunting when she became incessant. He really didn't care what she asked; he just wanted to be left alone. Realizing that she would be getting nowhere with her inquisition, the field medic sighed and left the Cathar to brood.
He closed his eyes as soon as she disappeared and inhaled deeply, wincing at the sharp pain that lingered in his ribs. Muted footsteps plodded down the metal passageways of the ship – didn't sound like Elara. He ignored it, settling in deeper under the thin covering and tried to relax.
He sensed a new presence in the room, as well as a familiar scent. He opened his eyes and almost wished he hadn't. The Captain stood in the doorframe, a soft smile gracing her lips. Suddenly embarrassed at his half-naked form, he quickly turned his head away.
"Hey, Jorgan," she said quietly.
"Sir," he answered curtly.
"How you feeling?"
"Fine, sir." She paused, then moved to pull a chair up to the bedside. He tensed as a long, uncomfortable silence stretched between them.
"Sergeant Dorne says you'll be down for a few weeks—"
"Too long," he growled.
"—but you'll make a full recovery," she finished lamely.
Aric conceded the point with a slight nod, his eyes trained straight ahead. "I'm anxious to get back to work, sir."
She didn't say anything, but he heard her shift a bit in her chair. He didn't mean to be rude – well, actually, he did – but he really wasn't up to talking to anyone right then, especially not to the Captain.
"Jorgan, we're both off the clock. You can drop the formalities."
He turned his head towards her. She stared at him, her eyes lighting up with amusement, but her smile soft and gentle. He couldn't help but relax a little. Sighing, he said, "You know I hate this."
She sat back. "I know. It's driving you crazy to be stuck here. You want to be out there fighting." Her voice quieted. "You hate feeling helpless." He nodded stiffly. She read him like a book, as usual. He wondered how she could do it.
She's remarkable like that, a voice in the back of his head piped. He shoved the thought down with a mental growl, not wanting to deal with it while she was right next to him. The situation was already uncomfortable enough.
He glanced at her; she continued to stare at him, though her eyes occasionally flickered to a monitor nearby. He suspected that she knew what he was thinking. She reached over suddenly, placing her hand on his arm. Squeezing gently, she said, "I need to get going – have some things I gotta take care of. Get well soon, okay?"
The Captain stood and turned to leave. "Don't rush things though, got it?" Both her eyes and her smirk were mischievous. He tried not to wince when he chuckled. "Yes, sir." She breezed out of the room, leaving Aric to battle his thoughts.
Just an uber-quick one-shot for my fellow Aric fans. I can't decide if I want to continue with these little encounters or try my hand at writing a long fic following the Trooper storyline. Opinions? Also: is Jorgan in character? And is it too rushed or just right? Thanks guys! You're the best!