I wrote this back in November and posted it on Ao3 and just never uploaded it here, so I figured 'why not'? I think I made a few edits on that version and not this, so if there's a mistake here, it's probably already been fixed, just not on this version.

Notes (also copied from Ao3): So I saw this prompt a while back and literally couldn't say no (the original link is gone, so this is on my blog): holly-batali. tumblr post/ 123106724672 /officialcadbane-ohsebs-ohsebs-ohsebs-my (just remove the spaces)

Disclaimer 1: I own literally nothing
Disclaimer 2: I KNOW literally nothing (about pneumonia treatment). This is not an accurate representation of what it's like to be hospitalized for pneumonia (or anything else, probably). Please don't get sick so you can date a hot nurse. Just don't do it.

This was written in a few hours for NaNoWriMo, it's not beta'd, so I apologize for any mistakes. If there are any issues with the formatting or grammar or what have you, please feel free to tell me I promise I won't be offended or anything! Right! Well, I hope you enjoy!

I'll Fight You
By Holly-Batali

(songs to listen to: "Something Good Can Work"—Two Door Cinema Club, "Forbidden Friendship"—John Powell)

When Daichi had walked into room 126, he had been prepared for a lot of things: a grumpy patient, possible projectile vomiting (it wasn't uncommon), crying, and being generally miserable. What he was not prepared for was the man lying in the bed. The extremely attractive man with unruly gray hair and the prettiest face Daichi had ever seen on an adult man.

He wasn't sure if he was thrilled or horrified. On the one hand, his patient was gorgeous. On the other hand, his patient was gorgeous. Making a move on an invalidated man in a hospital bed would be an all-new low for Daichi, and he wasn't sure he wanted to go that low.

Stay calm, he told himself sternly. Business first. He pasted on a reassuring smile (or what he hoped was reassuring; his friend and coworker Asahi had been known to start crying when Daichi smiled) and moved over to start measuring and writing down blood pressure, blood ox, heart rate, familiar focus points for him.

Speaking of heart rate… Daichi hummed and frowned. He glanced at his chart for a name to put to the face. Sugawara Koushi. Sugawara… FOCUS. Sugawara-san's heart rate was slightly elevated; he turned to face the man in the bed (and wasn't that a punch to the get, seeing those brown eyes looking back at him. "Sugawara-san. Your heart rate seems a little elevated, are you experiencing any discomfort? Can I get you anything?" Some water? More blankets? My number?

Sugawara-san's heartbeat jumped a little bit more, and he seemed to be struggling to say something. Daichi started to step towards him, concerned—

"Fight me!"

…Wait. What?

"'Fight me', Asahi. This man looks straight out of heaven and the first words he says to me are 'fight me'." Daichi plopped down on the couch in the break room with a groan, nursing a cup of coffee. "So much for that."

"That does seem pretty harsh," Asahi agreed with a sympathetic wince. Daichi glared at him and grumbled. Asahi was texting his boyfriend, and had no right (in Daichi's eyes) to sympathize with him when he already had someone. "Look," Asahi said with a sigh, putting his phone away and actually making eye contact (unbelievably rare, on any occasion). "Maybe you just got off to a bad start. He's in here for pneumonia, I doubt he's feeling his best. Maybe he just took it out on you, which is awful, but it was probably just a one-time thing, and he probably feels really bad about it."

"…That's the most I think I've ever heard you say."

"Daichiiii."

Okay. New day, new game. Let's go. Daichi took a deep breath and walked into the hospital, greeting the receptionist cheerfully and moving to the elevator. I'm going to be calm, I'm going to be professional, and I'm not going to get upset. At all. About anything. The elevator doors opened and Daichi exited quickly, making his way to the break room to drop off his things and clock in.

He made his rounds as usual, assisting patients, nurses, and doctors in daily tasks. Despite his pep talk to himself, his dread only grew as he approached room 126. He could hear another voice in the room most likely a visitor. Good, he thought with relief. Whoever it is can distract Sugawara-san, maybe help make this as painless as possible. The voices grew louder as he approached the room, and he could make out the words as he neared the door.

"Well, you've managed with me just fine!"

There was a rude snort. "I said attractive people, Tooru." And there was Sugawara-san's voice, sounded much brighter and more open than it had yesterday.

Daichi allowed himself a moment of pity ("I wish he would be that happy to talk to me") and then he knocked on the door. "Am I interrupting anything?"

The visitor was smiling brightly, his neatly styled hair bouncing a bit as he tilted his head. "Not at all! We were just chatting! I'm Oikawa Tooru, Suga-chan's best friend!"

"Ah, uh, it's nice to meet you Oikawa-san. I'm Sawamura Daichi, Sugawara-san's nurse. I just came to make sure he's comfortable." Please let this be painless, please don't add insult to injury, please let me just get on with my rounds.

Sugawara-san was making a pained face, and Daichi immediately came over to check his temperature and heart rate. "Are you feeling alright? You don't look well."

"I-I'm fine," came the strangled-sounding reply. His voice sounds off. Trouble swallowing maybe? Should I get him some water?

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" Daichi asked, concerned. "Ice chips? More pillows? Blankets? Anything at all?"

"Uuuh, uh," Sugawara-san's face was turning even paler than it already was (a feat in and of itself) "I um, I just…"

Yes? Daichi thought, leaning forward a bit, daring to feel maybe a little bit hopeful. You just what?!

Sugawara-san inhaled sharply and bit out, "Fight me!"

Nevermind.

"I give up. I am giving the hell up, Asahi." Daichi stormed into the breakroom and flopped down on the couch, narrowly avoiding Asahi's legs.

Asahi was giving Daichi that look, like a terrified small animal gives a predator. It was, sadly, not uncommon to see this dynamic between the two of them. "More drama with 126?" he asked hesitantly, not quite sure if he wanted to know.

"He did it again, Asahi. Again!"

"Wait, he told you to fight him again?"

"YES."

"…Daichi what did you do to that poor man?!"

"Nothing! Asahi, whose side are you on?" Daichi snarled half-heartedly, punching Asahi's arm. "I've been unbelievably kind and professional. He's the one being childish and rude!"

"You just punched me, and you're calling him childish?" Asahi whined, rubbing the spot on his arm that Daichi had just hit and scooting towards the other end of the couch. "It's because you're so mean!"

"I am not!" Daichi couldn't remember feeling so offended. "I haven't said a single unkind word to Sugawara-san! I've been kind, I've been accommodating, I've done everything I can to make him comfortable and this is what I get!"

"Huh," Asahi said, relaxing a bit.

"…What do you mean 'huh', what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're really bothered by this whole thing."

"Of course I am! He's insulting me!"

Asahi shrugged. "We're in the medical field, we deal with a lot of verbal abuse. That's nothing new, Daichi."

Daichi grumbled a bit. "I just… he looks like he's such a sweet guy, and he sounded like he was having a great time before I knocked, and I just feel like… I dunno, like he hates me or something, and I don't know why." He decided not to delve into his frustrations at having wanted to ask Sugawara-san out, because that would only end in tears and pity. Lots of pity.

"Well, it's not like you've given him any reason to hate you," Asahi reasoned, toying with his phone absentmindedly, tossing it back and forth between his large palms. "You said it yourself, you've been really kind to him. If he's acting this unreasonably, it's probably because he has a good reason or there's a misunderstanding, right?"

As much as Daichi hated to admit it (even to himself in the safety of his own thoughts), Asahi had a good point. "Well then why is telling me to fight him, for God's sake? What kind of grown man says that to a stranger?"

Asahi shrugged. "I'm dating Nishinoya, I'm immune to people shouting ridiculous things at me," he offered as an excuse (a good one, honestly).

"Then you should give me advice," Daichi said gruffly, embarrassed at having to ask at all. "Imagine yourself in my shoes? If Noya were to yell 'fight me' at you, what would you do?"

"Tell him 'I'm sure you'd win' and move to the next topic," Asahi answered, without any hesitation whatsoever.

"…That works?" Daichi asked incredulously.

Asahi nodded sagely. "Every single time."

"…My God."

Asahi shrugs. "He has a very short attention span. If you move the conversation to something he likes or if you give him food, you're off the hook. Unless it was something really serious, in which case it's best to just let him yell about it and get it out of his system, and then give him food."

"It sounds like food is your boyfriend's fix-all."

Asahi laughed, and then sighed heavily. "Yeah, it's… it's kind of terrifying to be honest. I've seen him out-eat his entire volleyball team."

"…Okay, now you're just messing with me."

"Three entire pizzas, twenty pancakes, sixteen mozzarella sticks, an entire package of double-stuff oreos, four Big Macs, and two Monster energy drinks, plus the leftovers that the other players left," Asahi rattled off dryly. "In 76 minutes."

"…MY GOD," Daichi repeated, horrified. "I don't think your boyfriend is human, Asahi."

"I… honestly, I wonder sometimes. I really do."

"Well, my problems don't seem so bad anymore!" Daichi said, feeling almost cheerful. "You must be going bankrupt just trying to feed him. I feel much better now!" He hopped to his feet and clapped Asahi on the shoulder. "Good talk, Asahi," and then walked out of the break room, a spring in his step.

"You're welcome?" Asahi mumbled as the door swung shut. "…I feel kind of depressed now."

'Feeling better' didn't last long, unfortunately. By the next day when Daichi neared room 126, that bounce in his step was long gone. He told himself that Asahi was probably right, Sugawara-san probably didn't hate him… probably.

Just go in there, do your thing, and get out. He won't be here that much longer, I can last a few days of cool politeness towards a stranger. The nicest-looking stranger Daichi had ever seen, with the softest-looking hair, and the prettiest eyes, and the—

Stop that right the hell now, Sawamura, he snapped at himself. That won't get you anywhere but sad and drunk, so stop that right now.

He stopped outside of Sugawara-san's door, hand hesitating above the door handle. He'd had plenty of rude patients before; it was just part of the job, and he handled the situation professionally, which was also part of his job. This wasn't anything, not really. But it felt more personal; was it the indirect rejection? Was it because he had so badly wanted to connect with this man? Was it because he thought they would get along so well? Was it because he had seen firsthand how bright he was; or maybe it was because that brightness was unreachable only to him.

Whatever it was, he wrestled it from his mind— he was a medical professional, this was his job, and he would distance himself. While his determination was still strong, Daichi grasped the door handle, turned it, and stepped inside.

Sugawara-san was literally buried in blankets; so much so that it had taken Daichi a minute to pick him out of the pile. He blinked up at Daichi from his nest (he really couldn't think of any better way to describe it).

"Are you sure you're not over-heating under all of that?" Daichi asked, then mentally kicked himself. There you go, and here it comes, he's going to open that stupidly beautiful mouth and tell you—

"Still cold."

…that he's still cold?! That doesn't seem physically possible.

"Um," he bumbled, trying to regain his mental balance. "Can I get you anything?" PLEASE don't say 'fight me', I'm BEGGING you.

Instead of going stiff and pale, Sugawara-san puffed out his cheeks and narrowed his eyes. "Hm… ice chips. I ran out."

"That I can do!" Daichi said, ecstatic. He grabbed the empty Styrofoam cup on the bedside table and quickly walked out the door. "I'll be right back!"

Daichi practically sprinted to the break room, feeling happier than he had in weeks. He burst through the door, badly scaring Asahi and... Nishinoya?

"Noya, this is the employee break room," he chastised half-heartedly as he very nearly threw himself at the ice machine, throwing away the old cup and grabbing a new one, filling it up. "You shouldn't be in here."

"I'm here for moral support!" Noya declared proudly, unfazed.

"Moral support? For what?"

"I don't know!" Noya said. "I figured I'd try to give an excuse, but actually I just wanted to snuggle with Asahi-san before his shift started."

"Noya!" Asahi whined, blushing.

"Get a room, you two," Daichi said, rolling his eyes as he turned to go back out the door.

"Or what?" Noya laughed good-humoredly.

"Fight me!" Daichi laughed over his shoulder as he ran out.

He had to slow down to avoid crashing into Sugawara-san's door, but he was much quicker to open it than he had been just a few minutes ago. "I got you the good kind," he said, a little hesitantly. "The ice machine in the break room has better ice chips, in my opinion." He allowed himself to smile a little bit, hoping that maybe this could be salvaged.

That hope was immediately dashed as Sugawara-san sniffled, eyes watering. Oh my GOD I made him cry, I hate myself.

"Thank youuuu." What? WHAT?

Panicking at the sight of tears, Daichi desperately tried to fix whatever he'd done wrong. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong? Can I get you anything?" Please don't cry, please don't cry, please don't cry.

"Nooooo," the other man said miserably. "I just feel really bad, okay? I've been really rude to you and you're being really nice to me and now I feel worse."

Dear lord Asahi was RIGHT?! "Oh, um, that's alright." Be cool, be cool, STOP CLICKING YOUR PEN, BE COOL. "I mean, you've probably been in a lot of discomfort, and that can make people really irritable—"

"That's not it!" Sugawara-san had broken off into a coughing fit, and Daichi rushed to get him the ice chips, which he took immediately. "I just, you walked into the room, and I wasn't really prepared, and I panicked, okay? Go ahead and laugh."

I'm so confused right now. "Panicked? I'm a nurse, nurses come into hospital rooms all the time, it's kind of what we do."

"Uuuugh," he groaned, burying his face in the pillows behind him, of which there were many. "Seriously? You're going to make me say it?"

"Um, I don't really understand what—"

"You're really really hot and I wasn't prepared to deal with a nurse who looks like he could probably bench-press two of me, okay? You have lumberjack thighs and you look good in scrubs, which should be impossible!"

In that moment, Daichi was certain that he could be declared legally dead, as his brain had completely ceased functioning. Moments later, it went into overdrive, and he wasn't sure if he was hearing a choir of angels, chirping crickets, or his own internal screaming.

Struggling to form words (oh no he's looking at me, say something, SAY SOMETHING) he settled on "Oh. Um, that's uh, wow, that's unexpected."

Nailed it.

"…Sorry." Sugawara-san muttered, looking embarrassed.

"No! That's um, that's okay," more than okay! "I just wasn't really… expecting that. To be totally honest with you, I thought you kind of hated me and I wasn't sure what I did wrong." And it was soul-crushing and I really didn't handle it as well as I thought I would, please don't ever hate me.

"Oh my Gooood, I'm so sorry!" Suga whined. "I don't hate you at all, I swear! I just don't know how to talk to hot people, okay? I panic and forget everything. I needed to say something, and 'fight me' was the first thing that came out of my mouth, and then I couldn't take it back, and then I was absolutely mortified and—" he broke off in a coughing fit, weakly whacking his chest. Daichi handed over the ice chips again, trying not to look too amused (and probably failing).

"How about you just… stop talking." Before you hurt yourself.

"…Are you laughing at me?"

"…Nooo."

"Are you lying to me?"

"…Nooo?"

"Aha! You hesitated!"

"No I didn't!"

"Oh yes you did! Don't think you're getting out of this one, Sawamura-san!"

"Daichi."

"That's what I—what?"

Here goes nothing. "Just Daichi is fine." More than fine, honestly.

"Daichi," Sugawara-san muttered, and Daichi's brain short-circuited. Well, I'd better head downstairs to the lab, because I think my heart just gave out. "I like it. In that case, call me Suga!"

And call me dead, because that smile will be the actual death of me.

Suga started coughing, and Daichi grabbed the ice chips again. "Why don't you get some rest?" He suggested, leaning Suga back onto the pillows when he got an affirmative nod. "While I'm plenty happy to have a friendly conversation with you, I don't think your lungs appreciate it right now."

Suga puffed his cheeks out again (a completely unfair move, as no adult should look cute with that face). "Fight me, Daichi."

For the first time since Suga had come to the hospital, those two words made Daichi laugh. After hesitating for a moment (just do it!), he patted Suga's arm consolingly. "I'm sure you'd win."

"Damn straight I would," Suga was saying, blinking his eyes closed and snuggling into his pillow mountain. "I'm… super tough and scary. You wouldn't stand a chance."

"I don't doubt it," Daichi whispered fondly, tucking in Suga's blankets (why were there so many?) and backing out of the room quietly, shutting the door behind him. As soon as it clicked closed he leaned his forehead against it, sighing heavily. "I'm so screwed," he muttered to himself.

Asahi had chosen the medical field because it was something he loved. He had chosen Karasuno General Hospital because he loved the atmosphere and the people. He had chosen his shift because he wanted to work with his long-time friend.

As he stood in the doorway to the breakroom and watching Daichi laying upside-down on the couch with a pile of papers on his face, muttering under his breath, he wondered if all of his decisions had been a mistake.

"…Do I even want to know?" he asked, sighing and closing the door behind him, throwing away his empty coffee cup as he moved towards the couch (still a good distance away though, he could never be too safe when it came to Daichi and his 'moods')

"I'm dying."

"…" Asahi had to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes. He liked to think that he was a patient person, a sympathetic person, but Daichi was so dramatic sometimes that he really didn't have the kind of patience necessary to deal with his heartbreak (which was the most likely culprit of the situation; Daichi had been on an emotional roller coaster with the guy in 126, and it was honestly ridiculous, in Asahi's opinion).

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's 126?"

"He's leaving."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? I mean, it would be pretty awful if he didn't."

Daichi growled at Asahi. "Asahi, you have a boyfriend. You have someone who loves you for… whatever reason Noya has."

"Hey!"

"I am a lonely bachelor whose one chance at happiness is walking out of those automatic doors this afternoon. Let me wallow in my misery."

"…this has probably already occurred to you, you know since it's common sense and all, but you could ask for his contact information. You know, since it's almost like he's still living in this city and you could see him again. But I'm sure you've already factored that into your plans." He gave in to the urge to roll his eyes; he wasn't a sarcastic person by nature (usually the opposite), but he felt comfortable being blunt with Daichi; the other man was being especially childish, so honestly, he felt rather justified.

He walked over to the fridge and put his lunch on the shelf, mentally going through his plans for the day. He stopped a moment later, looking over at Daichi, who was still lying upside down, but he looked surprised.

"…You did think of that, right?" he asked hesitantly. "I mean, it sounds like he'd probably like to have your number. You did remember that that's a thing, right?"

Daichi looked at him with wide eyes. "I didn't think of that."

"…Are you even real, Daichi?"

"Shut up and give me your pen!" he didn't wait for Asahi to comply, and instead rolled off the couch (narrowly missing the coffee table) and manhandle the pen right out of the other man's scrub pocket, making him shriek with alarm.

I'm an idiot. I'm an actual idiot. He yanked the cap off the pen and tossed it on the table, leaning over to put Suga's discharge papers on the table, opening up to the 'instructions' page… and then he stopped.

"…Hey, Asahi," he said slowly. "If you were to give your number to a patient, what would you say?"

"Really? I don't know, just write your name and number!"

"You're not helping."

"I already helped you!"

"Shut up, I'm thinking." Ignoring Asahi's mumbling of 'unbelievable', he focused on the task at hand. What's something that's going to get my message across without being creepy? How can I do this without seeming super unprofessional? What should I say? He tapped the pen against the paper restlessly. Something memorable. Something that's going to make him smile. Something— oh.

With a bright smile, he very carefully copied down his number, and underneath, in clear concise letters, he penned out: fight me? –Daichi

"It's only been like three hours. Either he hasn't noticed or he's ignoring it!"

Daichi groaned. "Noya, you're not helping."

"I'm just being honest!"

"Noya, Daichi's a little… delicate, at the moment, maybe you should be a little less honest for today." Asahi gently pulled Noya towards the coffee machine and away from the couch, where Daichi was sprawled out on his back pitifully. Noya huffed, but followed anyway, going over to the sink and refilling his water bottle.

"I'm just saying, there's no use in worrying about it! What's done is done."

Asahi sighed. "I envy you sometimes, Noya."

Noya laughed loudly. "I'd envy me too! I'm pretty great!"

"I hate you both," Daichi whined. "Let me mope in peace, for the love of God."

"Nope! I refuse to let my friends wallow in misery!"

"Why are we friends again?"

"Because I'm the greatest person you have ever and will ever know!"

"Listen, Daichi," Asahi interjected gently. "It sounds like he really likes you; and he did just get released from the hospital. He's probably taking a nap! He might not have even read the discharge papers yet! Just give him some time before you give up, okay?"

"…Fine."

Asahi nodded in satisfaction. "Good." He turned back to the coffee maker, finished making a fresh pot and pouring a cup for himself and one for Daichi; God only knew that Noya didn't need any more caffeine. "Here," he said, handing a mug to his friend, who took it gratefully if silently.

They brought up several other topics, avoiding talking about Suga for the time being. Daichi was beginning to finally cheer up when his phone rang; in surprise, he nearly dropped his mug but managed to get it on the table before he pulled his phone out of his pocket, frowning at the unknown number before getting hit with a wave of hope. It might be!

He answered it quickly. "Hello? This is Daichi."

"Ah, hey Daichi," A voice came through nervously and Daichi smiled in relief. "It's Suga. I um, I read my instructions!"

Daichi laughed happily. "Well? Any problems with them?"

"Hm, not really. That last one though, it seems pretty important! I figured I should schedule an appointment or something, you know? Just to be safe."

"I think that's a great idea. Um, how about this Sunday? Is that a good time for you?"

"Ooh, Sunday, huh? I didn't think the doctor's saw walk-in patients on Sundays."

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could meet somewhere else. You know, since it's so urgent and all, I'd hate to make you wait until the work week." Please let this sound cool and not as stupid as I think it does.

Suga laughed warmly. "I appreciate the concern! In that case, how does two o'clock sound? Say, at the diner on 5th, down the street from the hospital? …Would that be alright?"

More than alright. "Yeah," Daichi said, a little dazed. "Yeah, that sounds great."

"Yeah, yeah it does."

"I'll see you then!"

"Good! Great! Awesome, um… I'll see you then, Daichi."

"Yeah. Bye, Suga."

"Bye, Daichi!"

Daichi let the phone fall to the couch and then flopped over onto the cushion, smiling like an idiot.

"See?" Noya was laughing loudly. "I told you it would all work out."

Daichi laughed. "Oh fight me."