Just a short thing I wrote to relax myself today. Hope you'll like it. This is mostly based on my country's medical system.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are people in the medical field so closed on themselves?"

Catra rubbed her chin as she deciphered her date's expression. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that it's common knowledge that doctors and paramedics mostly date each other."

"Hmm well, I guess it's because we talk so much about what we do that someone who's not at least mildly interested in our field can't hold it for more than a month without attempting to murder us."

She chuckled, to Catra's delight. She was cute, with her blond ponytail swaying in rhythm with her laughter. She didn't fail to remind Catra of another attractive blonde who'd been running the ER of their hospital for only two months, looking like she owned the place since she was born. Damn, Catra couldn't wait to be on duty tomorrow. Just to see her in action.

"Okay, so where do you see us go from here?"

Wow. First date, asking the serious questions. Catra pondered for a second before answering. "To be honest, I'm not really looking for anything serious right now."

She looked at her reaction warily. The girl was disappointed, to say the least.

"Oh. I see."

Catra felt bad. This girl looked like a good person. Another reason to be honest with her.

It was sad, what Catra had admitted to her, but it was true. None of her non-doctor girlfriends had supported her heavy schedule and hours-long speeches about surgery for more than six months. Or maybe it was just that Catra was a bad girlfriend. She didn't know.

Catra rarely had the time to go out on dates anyway. This girl wouldn't miss her for long.

"Adora. You need to call her."

"Ugh, why me?"

"Because you're the intern on duty?"

Adora gave her nurse colleague an unimpressed look. She knew he was right, but she still intended on complaining until she finally dialed the number.

"Why do you hate her so much?" The nurse pursued when Adora gave no sign of answering.

"I don't hate her… She just pisses me off."

"How do you know she's on duty anyway?" He looked rather suspicious, then a smirk tucked the corner of his lips as Adora's cheeks started to redden. "Are you sure you don't like her, Dr. Hope?"

"Okay, that's enough. Go stick needles in patients instead of-"

"Calling you out on how you like Dr. Hobeika?"

Adora huffed. She clicked on 'print' and stood up from her desk, heading towards the printer on the other side of the office, far far away from her annoying colleague. She took her office phone out of her blouse. She dialed the dreaded number that she knew by heart because somehow there had been a lot of GI surgery cases over the last few weeks.

"It's fine," she muttered through her clenched jaw. Her heart raced a bit as she put the phone to her ear, listening to dial tone ring once, twice…

"Hey, Adora."

She breathed in. Bad idea. Excellent way to make her heart flutter even more and her body temperature rise. "Hey, Catra. How did you know it would be me, stalker?"

"It's nice talking to you, too," Catra snickered. "We have a friend in common, remember? Bow told me you were on duty tonight."

"How you could be friends with such a sweetheart like Bow, I'll never understand."

"Like you don't think I'm an angel deep down."

"Pretty much the opposite actually. You're kind of an asshole," Adora spat, but regretted it as soon as she said it.

"Ouch. That stings, Princess. Bad shift tonight?"

Adora ignored how her legs wavered when she heard the nickname. She had to stop reacting that strongly to Catra. Whenever they spoke Adora acted like a complete idiot. In her defense, ever since they got involuntarily reunited at the same hospital for the new internship, Catra had decided to pick on her and blatantly flirt with her. As if to remind her of their past in med school, when they'd almost dated. They'd known each other from afar on the benches of the amphitheaters, and had mutually developed a little crush on each other. They'd even gotten support from their friends who'd desperately tried to set them up. Unfortunately, Adora had left to study abroad before she could ask Catra out, and then they got dispatched in different hospitals after graduation and… Adora guessed they'd just forgotten about each other. This kind of thing happened all the time. It was life.

"It could be worse, but don't worry about me, you're gonna help me out tonight. I've got some work for you."

"If it's another butt abscess, I swear…"

"It's an appendicitis. I got the confirmation from the radiologist."

"Oh, thank god. I'll see you in a minute then, Princess."

Adora could almost hear the wink. She quickly said bye, hung up and exhaled. Stupid crush. She had to be stronger than that. She'd promised herself she wouldn't date another doctor anymore. Not after Mara. Adora was still too much wounded by their break-up. Even if it happened over a year ago. Thinking about it for barely a second was enough to make her heart ache and her anxiety rise in her chest.

She shook her head. "Okay, focus Adora," she told herself as she checked the pile of new cases. She internally groaned when she realized it had doubled in barely ten minutes. The night was going to be long.

"Are you sure the boy's abdomen is flexible?"

Ugh.

"Yes, Dr. Weber. I examined him. Like I always do. But feel free to come to the ER and check it yourself."

Catra knew that that wouldn't happen. As if her chief was going to move her butt from her office.

"Don't give me that attitude, Catra. It isn't appropriate, and my concerns are on point when it's about you."

What the hell?! What the hell did Catra ever do to that jerk of a surgeon except do her work?!

"But I guess you are the intern after all, so I will take your word. You're supposed to know what you're doing."

Then why was she questioning Catra just a second ago?! Ugh, Sharon Weber- or Shadow Weaver, as all the interns called her- was the worst. She was competent, but very demanding, and at every new semester she chose an intern she didn't like and mistreated them. And of course this time it had to be Catra. Damn it. Thank god, that internship was excellent otherwise, or Catra would have left.

"Give him the instructions to come by tomorrow, and don't forget to tell him not to eat breakfast. Then come back to the office and change your prescriptions from the patient in room 203. The nurse called me, you forgot the units of the anticoagulants."

And Shadow Weaver couldn't change it herself, of course. Ugh.

"I'll be back in five, Dr. Weber."

Catra hung up without waiting for an answer. She stepped back into the room where the patient awaited. She gave him the paper with the surgery ward's info, told him exactly how to come, what to do, and finally gave him a prescription of painkillers. She answered a few of his questions, then left the room as she told him to wait for the authorization of the ER doctors to leave. Efficient work, fast work. Catra loved that. She loved her job, even when it didn't include operating on people.

She navigated between the patients, paramedics and machines until she reached the main office of the ER. She scanned the people working at the computers, writing prescriptions or talking over the phone... No blond ponytail…

Where was she?

"If you're looking for Adora, she's with a patient. She'll be right back, though, if you feel like waiting." Catra turned around and raised a brow when she saw the smirk on the nurse's face. Interesting.

"I'll wait. I need to tell her about our patient anyway."

Just as she was about to sit on a chair, Adora burst into the room, arguing with a man who was complaining about the delay. Apparently waiting for one hour was too long for his taste, and Adora was struggling to keep her composure as it was clear that to her the man was participating in delaying everybody right now.

Finally she managed to calm things down. She collapsed on a desk chair and blew some air. Catra took advantage of this moment to sneak up to her from behind. "You should take it easy, Princess. It's only 9 PM."

"Catra!" Adora jerked on her chair. Catra laughed out loud, delighted by Adora's annoyment. She couldn't help it. Adora was too fun to mess with. "Why are you such a pain in the ass?" Adora asked as she crossed her arms beneath her chest. Catra mimicked her, swaying her hips until she sat on the chair next to Adora's.

"I have to live up to a surgeon's reputation."

"I said pain in the ass, not an arrogant prick, although maybe you're right. You live up twice to a surgeon's reputation."

"Well, thank you for sugarcoating me, Princess," Catra cackled. Adora lips twirled upwards, making Catra grin even more. At least she lightened her mood.

"Why do you still call me that? It's been ages!"

"A med school nickname sticks for life. Didn't you read the manuals when you came in, Princess She-Roars?"

"Oh god, stop it. I was young and stupid." Adora put her tomato-red face in her hands. College wasn't such a long time ago, yet Catra could agree it felt like an eternity had passed since the last time Adora had won one of the traditional beer contests, ending her performance with a literal yowl that earned her her nickname.

"As we all were," Catra concluded. "Okay, enough rewinding the past."

"Yeah, let's talk about my patient. Are you sending him home?"

"Yup. Gave him all the info he needs to come by tomorrow morning for his operation," Catra said, picking at her nails at the same time. It wasn't like she was trying to look impressive in front of Adora. Maybe a little.

"And if things turn bad at home tonight?" Adora looked at her expectantly, as if she was testing her. Catra raised her eyebrows, trying to convey how almost offended she was.

"I told him to come back to the ER of course. Don't Shadow Weaver me, please. I'm already on duty with her tonight."

"I wouldn't dare doubt your work, Dr. Hobeika," Adora snickered and winked. Okay, that was her getting back at Catra for teasing her. Catra rolled her eyes and smiled. She opened her mouth to retort that this outrage was at least worth a drink when her phone rang.

"Just a sec, it's…ugh, it's her."

Catra looked up at Adora, who nodded in understanding. Catra had to leave before Shadow Weaver decided to punish her by fixing all the operation reports of the week by herself.

"It's okay, you should go," Adora said. Catra stared in her blue eyes. She thought she saw a little disappointment. Or maybe that was what she hoped she saw.

It didn't matter anyway. Actually, Catra was glad Shadow Weaver interrupted before she could ask Adora out. That wasn't a great idea. Adora had made it clear when they met again that she was focusing on her career now. And so was Catra. Catra couldn't date. She was busy. Becoming a surgeon had been her life-long goal. She was determined to become the best one of the whole country, and for this well…she couldn't engage in serious relationships. Not now anyway. She had flings on the side, but it never really ended well.

"Yeah, I should um… I should go."

It was better that way. Adora was that funny cute ER doctor Catra could tease and low-key flirt with, and maybe who knew, become friends with eventually. But nothing more.

The line had been mutually and tacitly drawn from both sides. Efficient work, no collateral damage. And if Catra was aware that dreaming of Adora was not a good starting point to her own rule, she blatantly ignored it.

Tell me what you thought! I might continue it, as a way to destress in the future. I've thought of what the other characters would do. You can guess if you want ;)