42 ABY Estle City The Huascar Ring The Hospital
Today was an unusually busy day at the infirmary with patients from Selen’s populous seeming to pour in. The staff were more than capable of handling the influx. It happened to be one of the hottest days of the year and perhaps the most baffling fact was that many of the people coming in were merely dehydrated. Even with the volume of people coming in, it would be a mostly straightforward day for Dr. Avery Watson.
Clad in white suspenders, a grey button up, a white tie, and black slacks, the doctor hustled around the building, ensuring all of his assigned patients were taken care of. One such patient was Matcha. From the Siren Squadron. Avery had all but forgotten about the Mirialan. The incident on Nar Shaddaa left him with a strange gnawing in the back of his mind that he suppressed on purpose. For Eevie. As long as he kept the Sephi in the forefront of his mind, he could get through anything. Including his lingering thoughts.
Avery put on his best professional face, datapad in hand as he walked into the room where the loopy Mirialan lay. Thankfully she was awake which meant the IV was working perfectly fine and he didn’t need to perform any other treatments on her. His hazel eyes met hers and suddenly he needed to about face away from her and rush into the hallway, attempting to intercept a Zeltron peer who also seemed to be in a hurry.
“Onesmi! Can we switch patients?”
“No way, Watson. I’ve got a Zabrak and both his hearts are giving him problems. I’m not passing that up. See ya,” she said as she continued on her hurried way.
Avery pressed a fist into his lips and inhaled. He pivoted back to Matcha, his eyes strictly on his datapad. He approached her bedside, checking the stats on the monitors, looking everywhere but at her. “Matcha, it’s good to see you again and it seems your vitals are much stronger than when you first came in. The nurses told me you were out cold. Have we forgotten how important water is?” His words were more hurried than his usually even and confident pace. His shoulders visibly rose and fell before he braced himself to meet her artic gaze again. He parted his lips to speak once more, this time slower, free of the initial nerves that consumed him. “Forgive me. How are you feeling?”
While it may have been an average, run-of-the-mill day for Avery, Matcha found herself in a rather shameful situation. Somehow, she had ended up in the hospital after forgetting to drink for the day whilst out running and training. She had collapsed from heat exhaustion and was rushed here to be treated, and when she came to, she was absolutely mortified at what happened. How could she be that negligent?
Next on the docket of embarrassment was the appearance of Avery Watson, the boyfriend of her squadmate and the man who had haunted her thoughts for weeks until she was finally able to push him out of her mind and shift her focus back onto her two jobs. But now, in one of her more vulnerable moments, he appeared once again.
Just like the last time they met, Matcha was wildly underdressed. Though, instead of ill-fitting shorts, she was clad in a well-fitted black tracksuit with white strips lining the legs and sleeves with a purple tanktop underneath. When they caught each other’s gaze, Matcha did just the same as the human and looked away. They didn’t share many words during their first interaction, but sparks had certainly flown that day, and they both were suffering the consequences.
Part of the Mirialan was hurt, and part was grateful when she overheard him outside her room begging his coworker to swap patients. It meant that they wouldn’t have to talk, wouldn’t have to be tempted like they both had been that day on Nar Shaddaa. But he couldn’t switch. They were stuck with each other.
She could tell that Avery was struggling to talk to her. When she had met him his words were smooth and measured, whereas now they were almost panicked as they flew from his mouth. Matcha was grateful when he slowed down and took a breath so he could finally lock eyes with her once again. His words were lost to the Mirialan for a scant moment while she lost herself in his hazel irises. She could stare into his warm gaze for an eternity, but nervous energy pulled her from her trance and forced her to process his words.
“I’m… I’m feeling much better, thank you.” Her words were tight and clinical like she was afraid to let her emotions show. “How are you?”
For a moment there was static in the Human’s brain. The question she asked was simple and straightforward, plain even. Perhaps it was hearing her melodic voice again that briefly stunned him. Otherwise, she gave no indication she actually desired to know the answer. Just small talk or a courtesy.
“I’m quite well, thanks. Hydrated,” he joked lightly, a smile pulling at both corners of his mouth. Avery felt at ease despite the situation causing a mild panic at first. He was a doctor and was treating a patient. It was that simple.
“So tell me, how in the world did you miss drinking water today?” He posed his question with a lighthearted tone, doing his best not to get lost in the sea of her arctic eyes. He had amethyst eyes waiting for him at home anyway. “From the top, please. And no matter how embarrassing it might be, you have my word that it’s patient confidentiality.”