Palpate: (v.) Examine by touching.
Characters: Danny, Sam
Genre: Romance
Rating: T
Pairing: D/S
Summary: It was a routine they knew off by heart. He would get injured and she would patch him up.
He visibly flinched as her warm hands appraised the large gash on his shoulder blade.
His reaction wasn't from the pain, more from the fact that he felt naked under her eyes, as the pads of her fingertips caressed his skin. He sucked in a shaky breath as she prodded a little harder. Her hands left his back, fearful she had hurt him.
"Sorry. Painful?" She barely whispered, voice low and soothing.
He swallowed, shaking his head to the side, trying to calm his breathing as her hands reattached themselves to his back.
Sam sighed, inspecting the wound once again. Pale hands trying their best not to hurt him further. But by the way his hands were clenched in his lap, she was probably doing more harm than good.
She was sitting on her bed, legs crossed, as Danny sat in front of her, leaning forwards, shirt discarded on the floor beside him.
Sliding a practised hand up towards his shoulder, she gave it a comforting squeeze.
"I'll be right back with the supplies."
She untwisted her legs and slowly crawled off the bed, sock feet padding the wooden floor as she walked towards the bathroom connected to her bedroom. Glancing back at Danny, she gave him a sorrowful look of pity. His eyes were closed, a slight flush on his cheeks, hands still clenched and it looked as if he was having trouble controlling his breathing.
Quickly, she dug the first-aid kit out from under sink.
Danny took another shaky breath as he felt her hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before she left to the bathroom. He could feel his whole body tense at her light touch, his body betraying him.
When he heard her saunter away, he watched her go for a moment before leaning his head back onto her bed, closing his eyes while trying to control his actions. He unclenched his hands, placing them palm down on the floor, trying to get rid of the heat radiating off him. Activating his ice powers, he focused it on his cheeks and the place her hands had occupied, trying to get rid of the searing touch he had felt.
He was jolted out of his trance a moment later, when her hand had made it to his forehead. Her palm spread out, the tips of her fingers touching his hairline.
Danny snapped his eyes open, and was greeting to the frowning form of Sam.
She shook her head.
"Danny, are you sure you're okay? You seem kind of flushed and it feels like you have a fever."
He instantly tensed up again, mouth opening to mutter that he was fine, but he worried no words would come out and settled for nodding his head instead. Her hand still warm against his skin.
She slowly pulled it away and resumed her spot behind him, fingers once again reaching for his shoulder as she placed the gauze and medical tape on the bed next to her.
Danny exhaled slowly as the air seemed to get thick, as Sam returned to her earlier post.
He leaned his head forward, hair falling, covering his face as his cheeks started to get red once again.
Sam started on his shoulder, making sure there was no dirt or dust inside the cut, before opening the gauze package and placing it on his shoulder. Ripping a piece of tape off the almost empty roll, she taped the gauze up, making sure it wasn't too loos or tight.
After finishing, she splayed her hands on both sides of the bandage, inspecting her work.
Satisfied, Sam suddenly reached both arms around his neck, bringing them together in the front and drooped her head onto his back.
"You really need to stop getting injured."
Danny took a deep breath as her hair rustled against his back, her whispered words sending shivers down his spine as her breath tickled his skin. But he smiled nonetheless, bring a hand slowly up towards the ones she had knotted around his neck.
No way was he ever going to stop getting hurt. He would always be there to protect the town from invading ghosts, getting hurt in the process, mainly due to his klutziness. It was a routine. A routine they knew off by heart. He would get hurt and she would patch him up.
Danny never really did like change, besides turning into a half ghost. Other than that he liked to follow a similar routine. He couldn't stop getting injured.
He would miss her warm, delicate hands on his skin too much.
A/N: Okay, major fluffage. So much that it's making me use the word fluffage. Review please :)