Medically Complicated PT.1
A/N: I’ve been wanting to write something for the both Mauga and Hazard in the same situation for a while but I wanted to do it in parts instead to make it more longer and possibly have an excuse to write something sussy later. ;]
Summary: Hazard gets into a knife fight and makes a fool out of himself in front of the Doc.
Hazard didn’t think much of it when he stumbled into the med bay that day, blood dripping steadily down his arm. It was just another gash, another scar to add to the collection. He wasn’t expecting anything more than the usual sterile lecture and a quick patch job.
He definitely wasn’t expecting you.
The way your hair framed your face, your gentle yet professional demeanor—it was all so... different. No one had ever caught his attention like that before.
He might’ve gotten injured on purpose just to come here.
“Sit down” you ordered without looking up from your paperwork, your tone brisk and unwavering. You didn’t even glance at him, like you’d seen a hundred soldiers just like him today.
“Aye, sure” he said, trying for his usual swagger as he collapsed into the nearest chair. The motion made his arm throb, but he barely noticed. His eyes were on you, the way your hair fell into your face as you wrote, the steady rhythm of your pen scratching against the paper.
You raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment, already putting on your gloves. “Let me take a better look at that” you muttered, gently removing the sleeve of his shirt. As your hands brushed against his skin, Hazard felt his heart rate pick up—though he was sure it was more from the proximity than the pain in his arm.
You finally looked up, your gaze sharp and assessing. He felt pinned under your eyes, like you could see right through him.
“What happened?” you asked, already grabbing gloves and snapping them on.
“Knife fight” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “T’was nae big deal.”
You raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “The blood dripping on my floor says otherwise.”
He hesitated for a second, then held out his arm. Your hands, gloved and steady, gently moved his to examine the wound. His heart thudded harder than it should have at the contact, and it wasn’t from the pain.
“This is deep” you murmured, more to yourself than to him. “You’re lucky it didn’t sever anything important.”
“Ye really are… beautiful” he blurted out before he could stop himself.
The words hung in the air, and for a split second, everything stopped. The only sound in the room was the soft hum of the medical equipment. Hazard froze, realizing what he’d just said. He never got flustered, and yet here he was, looking at you like a fool.
You blinked at him, your brow furrowing slightly. “...Did you also hit your head, or is it just your arm that’s injured?”
Hazard’s face turned an immediate shade of red that rivaled the blood still dripping down his arm. He sputtered, trying to recover from the disaster of his own making. “No, no, nothin’ like that! I mean, I wasn’t—I'm not—uh, I just mean...”
You stood there, staring at him with an incredulous look, and Hazard could feel the heat creeping up his neck. Why couldn’t he just be cool for five minutes?
“I’m sorry” he said, voice cracking as he tried to recover his usual confidence. “I, uh… got carried away. Ye’re just really... uh, I mean, yer—beautiful, and I just—ah, forget it, I’m sorry”
You stared at him for a moment, blinking slowly as if processing what just happened. Then, without missing a beat, you gave him a dry smile. “Well, that’s the first time someone’s said that to me while bleeding out on my table.”
Hazard’s heart was hammering in his chest, but instead of retreating into embarrassment, he decided to roll with it. “Aye, well, what can I say? It’s the Hazard charm.” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if trying to whisper a secret. “I’m just full of surprises, Love.”
You snorted in amusement, completely catching him off guard. “Uh-huh, I can see that. Surprising that you’re still alive after all this ‘charm’ of yours.”
Hazard couldn’t help but laugh, the tension easing out of his shoulders as you finished cleaning the wound on his arm. “Fair enough. But seriously, love, I wasn’t tryin’ to make it awkward. I just... ye know, when ye see someone as incredible as you, sometimes the words just tumble out.”
You shot him a look, but this time, there was a hint of something warmer in your eyes. “Well, now that you’ve made it weird, I’ll just get you patched up so I don’t have to listen to your very smooth compliments while I’m working.”
“Smooth? Aye, I was smooth as a brick wall” he muttered, grinning despite himself.
“Hold still” you said, your voice softening slightly as you worked. You moved with precision, cleaning the wound with care, and he swore he could feel the warmth of your presence more than the sting of the antiseptic. Hazard, still embarrassed but not ready to let it go, decided to double down. “Alright, so maybe I got a bit carried away” he said, his voice a little more casual now. “But it’s the truth. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who could stitch up a wound and look that good doin’ it.”
You rolled your eyes, though the faint flush in your cheeks didn’t escape him. “Alright, alright. I’ll let you off the hook, but you’re lucky I’m such a ‘gracious’ person.”
Hazard watched you, his usual charm replaced by something quieter. He wasn’t sure what it was about you that had him so captivated—the calm way you handled him, the quiet strength in your movements, or the way your brow furrowed in concentration.
“Ye’re good at this” he found himself saying, his voice softer than usual.
You glanced up at him briefly, a faint smile playing on your lips. “I’d hope so. It’s my job.”
“Aye, but there’s more tae it than just the job” he said, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. “Ye care. I can see it.”
You paused for a moment, your expression unreadable, before going back to stitching his arm. “People get hurt enough without me making it worse” you said simply.
Something about the way you said it hit him harder than the injury had. He didn’t say anything else for a while, just watched you work in silence.
When you finally tied off the last stitch, you glanced up at him, your eyes meeting his. For a moment, the air felt heavier, like something unspoken hung between you.
“All done” you said, stepping back and stripping off your gloves. “Try not to get into any more knife fights, alright?”
Hazard chuckled, the sound softer than his usual bark of laughter. “Can’t make any promises, lass.”
You shot him a warning look, though the faint flush in your cheeks didn’t escape his notice. “Flattery isn’t going to get you anywhere, Mr. Docherty”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Ye ken my name?”
“It’s my job to know who I’m treating” you said, tying off the last stitch. “And you’ve got quite the reputation.”
“Good things, I hope” he said with a grin.
“Depends on who you ask” Hazard chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Trouble’s got a habit o’ findin’ me, lass. What can I say? I’ve got a charmin’ personality.”
You gave him a look that was equal parts exasperated and amused. “Well, your ‘charming personality’ is going to get you killed if you’re not careful. Try to keep out of trouble for a while, would you?”
“No promises” he said, his grin widening.
As you finished wrapping his arm, you couldn’t help but shake your head. “Alright, you’re good to go. But if I see you in here again anytime soon, I’m doubling my rates.”
Hazard stood, rolling his shoulder and flexing his fingers experimentally. “Aye, I’ll keep that in mind.”
But as he turned to leave, he paused in the doorway, glancing back at you. “I think I’ll be seein’ ye again soon.”
“Try not to make it a habit” you said, though something in your tone told him you weren’t entirely surprised by the idea.
And as Hazard walked away, a newfound spring in his step despite the ache in his arm, he couldn’t help but grin to himself. Maybe getting hurt wasn’t the worst thing in the world—not if it meant getting to see you again.
