It Must Be Him

I’m in and out of consciousness for what feels like days.  I feel light and peaceful one moment then heavy and suffocating the next.  My muscles ache just as badly as my head does and any true lucidity makes the throbbing in my temples so much worse.  I’m woken every two hours as instructed by Dr. Chris, which apparently I have nicknamed her during one of my hazy moments.  I have also been hearing Barney’s name a lot.  Sometimes shouted and sometime in frustration while my own name and “Stop touching that!” are uttered more than once.

I feel myself coming out of sleep once again but I feel good, or at least I don’t feel the pain I was growing accustomed to.  My head is as clear as is my stomach as it rumbles constantly.  I stretch my arms slowly, testing to see if they cramp up or if my joints seize and lock as they had been doing. 

Opening my eyes slowly, I can see sunlight laying a line across the bed just above my knees. I sit up slightly and run my fingers through the light, causing particles in the air to sparkle and dance.  I smile to myself and do a proper full body stretch all the way down to my toes.  I feel a slight tug on my arm and remember the IV still attached to the catheter.  I look up at the hanging bag to see its about empty.

I take a mental assessment of my body, checking for pain or discomfort and find nothing.  It’s like I have been reborn and only in need of nourishment and a shower to be back to my normal self.  I slide myself to the edge of the mattress and move my legs over the edge.  With my feet planted on the ground, I test myself by putting a little weight on my feet.  Everything seem steady so I stand fully upright and give myself a minute to adjust.

There is a little lightheadedness and the tale tale throb of a possible headache but nothing else to tell me I shouldn’t get out of bed yet.  Satisfied that I’m fully recovered and ready to run a marathon, I take a step forward and promptly collapse, gracefully folding and landing on my side.  The IV stand gives up and crashes to the floor but not before catching on the side of the nightstand and knocking a few glasses and a clock to the floor with a loud crash.

I cringe and roll over onto my back and wait for the cavalry of characters to bust into the room and start scolding me for not waiting for someone to come help me.  I turn to look at the doors as the handles begging to turn but only one lone figure enters the room.  Naka stands there with his hands on his hips and a condescending smile on his face. 

“What?” I croak out realizing that the first thing I should have attempted was drinking some water although now, its all over the floor pooling around the broken glass.

“Oh nothing.  I’m glad you are awake enough to actually do something for yourself.”  Naka says as he makes his way over to me and gently scoops me up off the ground with a grunt. 

I latch onto his body and get my feet under me enough to be guided to the nearest chair that Naka just dumps me into.  I scowl and look at Naka. “Thanks.  Can we get this IV out of my arm please?  I would have made it to the bathroom if it didn’t get snagged on the table there.”  I start fiddling with the needle in my arm.

“Hey!  Hold on a second!  Let’s get Dr. Chris in here before you start making medical decisions on your own.”  Naka slaps at my hands while he hits a few buttons on his phone.  “Hello, Dr. Chris.  Your favorite patient is awake and trying to ruin all your hard work.  Yes. Okay.  Thank you.” 

“Well?  Can I take this thing out of my arm or do I have to take it with me to pee?”  My annoyance clearly evident in my tone.

“Take it with you.  Dr. Chris has to examine you before she will remove it.” Naka holds out his hand to help me stand.  He picks up the IV stand and rolls it next to me.  I grasp the rod and begin shuffling towards the ensuite while dragging the IV stand with me. 

I absolutely refuse to let Naka help me pee, not that there is a lot of it to expel.  Thank the gods that I was only dressed in a hospital gown.  Navigating pants or boxers would have been a game changer at this point.  I shuffle to the vanity, dragging my IV stand with me, I look at the stand and try to think of a name for it since I have the feeling we may become close partners if I don't pass my next examination.

With my hands properly sanitized and a double check that my ass isn't hanging out of the back of my gown, I open the shoji and step back into the main room only to freeze when I see more than just Dr. Chris waiting by my bedside.  I recognize Naka, Troy, Sosaki, and Tachi.  Dr. Chris is next to the bed, going through her bag on a rolling table that is surrounded by two other men in lab coats.

I stop and begin to step back into the ensuite.  Naka sees my backwards movement and squints at me like a parent mind-screaming at a kid for thinking of doing something wrong.  I stop my movement and sigh as Naka approaches.  "Are all of these people necessary, Naka?"  I say to him quietly.

"Yes.  Dr. Chris needs to check your physical condition and the other doctors need to assess your mental state."  Naka says as he places a hand on my back, ushering me forward. 

"I'm fine, Naka.  It was a panic attack due to that damn proposal you submitted." I say through clenched teeth while I grasp his bicep and dig my nails in.

Naka begins to sink to his knees.  "Itai! Itai!  That hurts!  I can explain everything!  Stop Sobata, please!"  I suddenly sense several eyes on me as I raise my head and look in the direction of the crowd that has gathered at my bedside across the room.  I release Naka's arm and straighten my posture, smoothing out the front of my gown like some aristocrat caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

Naka regains his composure and gently guides me back to the bed.  I sit down and swing my legs back onto the bed and cover them with the sheets, again smoothing them out.  Naka rolls his eyes and looks at Dr. Chris.  "He's fine, physically.  He about broke my arm!  Can you look at it, please?"  He bats his eyes at Dr. Chris who pats him on the shoulder to placate his desire to be the center of attention.  What a princess.

Tachi steps in and takes Naka by the hand and leads him away from my bed.  I watch the two interact, trying to spot anything that seems forced or faked in their behavior towards each other.  Tachi is staring at Naka's face, smiling like some lovesick fool.  Naka is gently touching Tachi's arms and shoulders while he leans in and leaves a light kiss on his cheek which causes Tachi to close his eyes and lean into Naka's touch.

"Sobata, are you feeling faint?  You're flushed."  Dr. Chris says as she lays a hand over my forehead.  Naka and Tachi turn in tandem to look at me.  They both smile and nod slightly before turning away and leaving the room.

I smile myself, letting my head drop as I inhale deeply.  I exhale with a sigh and look up at Dr. Chris.  "No, I'm fine.  Maybe just a little embarrassed.  Lets start the examination, and you two." I look at the other two men in lab coats and give them a seductive smile and wink.  "Ask me anything you need to.  I'm interested in my mental health as well.  And maybe, your phone numbers."  I wink again and settle back against the pillows, keeping an eye on their reaction.

Both men smile as they open notebooks and take seats on ether side of the bed from me.  I smirk as I think to myself, 'This could be quite fun and get me past this horny phase I'm in." But as I finish my thought, and look at the two good looking men seated on the bed, I realize if don't feel aroused at all.  I try to imagine the scenario with both of these guys in my bed, naked, giving me all of their attention while I direct them what to do to pleasure me.

Nothing happens.  Even when the older man starts to ask questions with a silky accent, which I assume is Australian, I get nothing.  I look at Dr. Chris, who seems to understand my internal dilemma as she shrugs, leaning down to whisper in my ear, "I have some drugs that might help." with a smirk on her lips.

I lean away violently and put a hand up towards her.  She laughs out loud and continues her examination while the other men continue to ask me questions that I am now answering with a board tone.  They close their notebooks eventually, and nod to each other.  They stand and talk to Dr. Chris by the doors and leave.  She comes back to my bedside and removes the IV and catheter from my arm.  I thank her as she smiles and packs up her tools and leaves the room, taking Silver with her.  Yes, simple name for a simple tool.

I sit in the bed, basking in the quiet, content to just spend some time by myself, reflecting on all that has happened in just a few days.  As I am debating on weather I want to get up and put on some actual clothes or just go to the onsen, there is a gentle knocking on the door.  I think to fake being asleep but decide I have been sleeping enough.  Maybe it's lunch being delivered.

"It's open." I answer and sit up a little straighter, smoothing out the damn sheets again.  I really need to get out of this bed.

The doors open slowly, revealing Barney standing beyond, with his hands in his pants pockets, casual look upon his face.  Smiling gently, he strides into the room, turning to close the doors quietly but not locking them.  He turns, his gaze meeting mine that has an eyebrow raised, teasing smile on my lips.  "I'm afraid, Barney, I'm recovering and don't have the strength to entertain you right now."

My comments don't have any affect on the man as he continues to stride confidently towards my bed coming to stop when he reaches the side, staring down at me like some king lording over his subject.  Removing his hands from his pockets, he kneels next to the bed.  "You don't have to do anything, Sobata.  Just lay there and let me take are of things."  His smile is genuine, no teasing smirk, no lustful intention in his eyes.

I speak quietly, leaning towards him. "And just what things do I need taken care of?" I say, batting my eyes for that damsel effect.