Stitches

Summary: Rick tries to downplay an injury and Drew is not amused.

Warnings/Disclaimers: No warnings. I don't own any rights to Night Shift. This is only for fun. Story is PG13 for adult over tones and possibly some language. There's no violence, nothing serious. Just a short and sweet little story.

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"Cut it out! That hurts!" Rick snapped as he tried to jerk his arm away from his husband who was poking and prodding at the laceration to his right arm. Drew ignored him as he carefully stretched out the cut, trying to determine its depth. Rick hissed and again tried to pull away but the Army medic turned doctor was too good and too experienced to be shaken off.

"Hold still and stop being difficult," he said tonelessly, tightening his grip while being as gentle as he could. The wound he was examining was rather nasty, and Drew was highly unamused by this whole situation. Maybe even more so than Rick. He had been sound asleep when the other had returned home from work and tried to sneak around the apartment. He had been rummaging through Drew's medical bag in the bedroom closet when he had lost his balance and fallen over. The resulting crash had startled Drew awake and snapped him to full attention. He had, disgruntled, come over to see what was going on and check on his one legged husband only to find him trying to hide the bandage on his arm.

"Why are you poking it? It's a little cut. Can't you just slap a bandaid on it and be done?" Rick huffed. They were seated together, just outside of the bedroom closet where Drew had found him. Drew had all but pinned him there when he figured out what Rick was trying to do.

Drew glared at him, not sure if he wanted to hit him or just go back to bed. The wound was almost two inches long, located on his inner forearm, had been bleeding for several hours, and was deep. It was not a 'little' cut. "No. No I can't. And you can't either," Drew said, voice toneless. He then reached over to his med bag and pulled out some supplies.

Rick groaned when he realized what his husband was doing, recognizing what the items were. "Stitches? Really? For a cut?"

"A doctor you are not," Drew mumbled as he opened a bottle of antiseptic.

Rick was about to respond when he was rudely interrupted by a burning sensation. He hissed at the sudden pain as his husband finished applying the antiseptic, setting it aside. "It was just fine when I had it wrapped at work," he grumbled. Drew ignored him.

"Do you want me to numb it before I start?" The doctor asked, patting the wound with gauze to insure it was dry.

"I don't need stitches for a stupid cut," Rick snapped, once again trying to yank him arm away. Drew held firmly however, almost painfully so. He glared at the other, his patience running thin.

"Richard," he said, making the other shrink back a little. He was only Richard when he was in trouble. "The stupid cut is two inches long. It's on the underside of your forearm, close to your wrist. It's almost a half inch deep. You're lucky it missed the artery and tendons. You are getting stitches. I can do them here or I can drag you to the hospital. And if I drag you to the hospital, I will call your captain."

Rick scowled and humphed, turning his head away but he resigned himself to his fate. He did not doubt for a second that Drew would do exactly as he threatened and one step more. If he took Rick to the hospital, he would let one of the interns stick him and Rick did not want to deal with that. "Fine," He snapped and he heard the other sigh.

"Do you want me to numb it?" Drew asked him again, but less annoyed this time.

"How many stitches?" Rick asked, weighing his options. He, the big strong Army Ranger, hates needles, almost to the point of a phobia. However, stitches sucked and the cut was already painful. The added poking was not gonna help.

"A lot," Drew answered, shrugging. Rick groaned, flopping his head back. Drew smirked, "don't be so dramatic."

"Just get it over with," Rick grumbled and stared up at the ceiling. A second later he felt a sharp prick and then a burn. "Christ!" He hissed, flinching and squeezing his eyes shut.

"Big baby," Drew mumbled, clearly amused.

"Yeah? See how tough you are with a needle shoved into your cut," Rick snapped.

"I let a guy with no medical training staple my head closed without any numbing," Drew shot back, voice even. He was trying very hard not to sound smug and failing.

"Shut up," Rick grumbled and fell into a sullen silence as his husband went to work. As annoying as the situation was, there was a benefit to Drew fussing over him. He was quick, precise, and gentle, though it still hurt.

"When did you have your head stapled?" Rick asked, trying to distract himself.

"Training accident, before you got back. I thought I told you?" Drew answered, a bit distracted. Understandably, he had more important things to do at the moment.

"Was that the cow crash?" Rick asked, almost laughing.

"Yeah. That was the cow crash. Almost done, by the way," Drew said.

"Awesome, cause it's starting to hurt."

"How did you do this anyway?" Drew asked.

Rick blushed and tried to hide, "do you really need to know?"

"Richard…" Drew warned.

"Alright… jeez… I was testing out the new ropes on the climbing wall when my leg seal failed, making it fall out of place, and I fell. I think I caught a nail on my way down…"

"A nail?" Drew asked, looking up from his work with an all too serious frown, "when was your last tetanus shot?"

"When my leg was amputated," Rick sighed, "don't even try to stick me again."

"Nah… you should be fine," Drew said, returning to work.

Rick glanced down at his arm and instantly regretted it as he watched Drew poke the hook shaped needle through his skin. He blanched and quickly looked away, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please tell me you're almost done," he said, and he hated that he couldn't keep the whine out of his voice.

Drew paused to do a quick assessment of Rick, slightly amused by the juxtaposition. Rick was the bravest man he knew, and the fact he was reduced to a whiny child by stitches was kinda adorable. "Yeah. You doing okay?" He asked, because even though it was adorable he still didn't want to stress the other out anymore than he needed to.

"I'm fine… Ugh… I used to be able to sit through this no problem," Rick grumbled.

"Eh… you're doing fine," Drew reassured him.

"How many stitches?"

"I don't know. I haven't been counting," Drew answered as he sat up, "but I'm finished."

"Finally. You took forever," Rick sighed as he examined the stiches.

Drew snorted. "Thanks Drew for making sure the scar won't be obvious. Thanks Drew for making sure my dumb ass doesn't get a massive infection. Thanks Drew for waking up before your alarm to take care of me…"

Rick glared at him, "you're cute."

"You're welcome. Now hold still and let me bandage it."

"Huh… what do you know? Full service shop," Rick teased watching Drew pull out some cling wrap.

"Only the best for you," Drew replies with a smirk and a wink making the other laugh.

"Gee… don't I feel special," Rick chuckled.

"Just wait until you get my bill."

"What? No family discount?"

"There was one, until you acted like a brat," Drew teased.

Rick stuck his tongue out, then said, "gonna be expensive huh?"

"Nah… it's only gonna cost you an arm. You already had a down payment of a leg…" Drew replied, biting his lip.

Rick attempted to glare daggers at his husband who was completely unimpressed as he cleaned up the supplies he used. "You're gonna die," he threatened.

Drew laughed, "I think I could take you." He started to push himself up off the floor when Rick reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled. Since Drew was off balance, the other had the advantage and managed to pull him back down. He landed in an ungrateful heap, head resting on Rick's thigh.

"Hey!" Drew cried, disgruntled and glaring up at his laughing husband.

"Can you take me now?" Rick teased, looking down at him, all smiles.

"As a matter of fact, yes," came the snippy reply as Drew tried to get up.

Rick stopped him, gently holding him down, "uh-uh, I got you in the perfect spot," he said with a wink as he ran his thumb along Drew's jaw line.

"I said my bill smart ass, not yours," Drew shot back, smirking.

"But I'm injured!" Rick playfully protested now running his fingers through Drew's hair.

"Not your mouth…" Drew replied cheekily with raised eyebrows.

"Oh! My mouth huh?" Rick was trying to sound outraged and failing miserably. He was laughing too hard. "Oh you're cute…."

"I know," Drew replied, sounding all to smug. "And I'm a good doctor. I can make you blush and fix ya up all in one afternoon."

Rick laughed again, "cute, a doctor, and confident... I think I'll keep you."

Drew smiled up at him, "that's good. But do you think you can keep me somewhere other than the floor?"

"I guess," Rick sighed dramatically, allowing Drew to climb to his feet. His husband then turned back to him, extending his hand to assist the other up. Rick took it, appreciating the help. Sometimes it sucked standing up on one foot. "Ugh… I feel like I'm getting old," he complained using Drew to regain his balance.

Drew laughed softly, handing the other his crutch. "You're not old yet… but I very much intend to make sure you reach old age mostly intact. Despite yourself if I have to…"

"Hey! Are you calling me reckless Mr. MMA fighter?" Rick shot back.

"Yeah. I am, Mr. "it's just a cut" and I'm gonna hobble around on one leg until I fall…" Drew laughed as Rick stuck his tongue out at him again. "Very attractive...you're such a child…." Rick just smiled and batted his eyelashes at him. "Why'd you take your leg off before going through my Med kit anyway?"

"Because I forgot how heavy your stupid bag was and the damn thing is annoying sometimes," Rick sighed as he moved over to the bed.

"Your leg's hurting?" Drew asked, putting his bag away.

Rick rolled his eyes amused and annoyed. Only Drew would hear the words "damn thing is annoying," and think "it must be hurting." But dammit all, if he wasn't usually right. "Not my leg, my stump…" Rick said, easing himself on to the bed. "I fell today because the stupid thing twisted. And it just really sucks when that happens."

"Need me to look at it too?" Drew asked as he came over to the bed.

"Oh no. You've done enough doctoring. I can't afford you," Rick quipped as he studied the other man. Drew was only wearing sweatpants, that were a size too big. They were hanging low on his waist, and damn if that wasn't tempting… "Do you work tonight?"

"Nope. Not even on call," Drew answered and Rick could tell that he was aware he was being examined. Especially when he exaggerated the stretch that showed of his very well toned torso.

Rick smiled, mischievously meeting the other's eyes. "That's good… wanna discuss payment plans?"

Drew laughed and gently pushed Rick down before climbing on top of him. "I think we can work something out," he replied before kissing him.

-end-