This was going to be a quick little one shot, but it grew and took over. I don't own Escaflowne.

An Apple A Day


"Ukawri, em fiene. Em not dat shick. Wreally," Hitomi complained, bundled up with a blanket in the front passenger seat of her best friend's car. Without taking her eyes off the road, Yukari clicked her tongue and laughed haughtily, "Ha, I'll believe that as soon as you can pronounce a single sentence correctly. I mean, seriously Hitomi, as both as your friend and your manager, I should be the first to know that you've had a constant hundred degree temperature for five days, coughing and wheezing fits, not to mention whatever other conditions you've been hiding from me."

Before Hitomi could retort, she let out a gigantic sneeze, spraying the inside of the windshield and dashboard. "Oh, Ukawri, em so sworry..."

Grimacing slightly at the sight, Yukari sighed and shrugged nonchalantly. "That's okay. Just remind me to send you a cleaning bill when you're feeling better."

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Though she nodded to everything the doctor said, his words soon began to drone on in Hitomi's ears, trickling into a low murmur until she was tapped lightly on the shoulder, "Ms. Kanzaki, we need to keep under observation for at least overnight due to your medical history. Do you understand?"

Hitomi nodded weakly, to which the doctor stood up and replied, "Good. Now, I'll leave you to get settled, and order you a sponge bath as well. I'll check up on you later."

"I never knew you were allergic to some many medicines. Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Penicillin, Benadryl..." Yukari commented, counting off her fingers as she looked at the chart. Hitomi smiled as she changed into the hospital gown. "It's a curse really. That's why I led a sheltered and disinfected childhood; my parents were so afraid I would catch the flu and be bedridden for a month. Guess they never figured I would grow up healthy and be an Olympic sprinter, huh?"

Yukari giggled and leaned against the door. "Speaking of your parents, you want me to call them and tell them where you're at? At least I can say that you can speak normally again."

"Yeah, but who knows for how long?" Hitomi dryly commented, reaching behind her for the strings of her gown. "Before you go Yukari, can you tie up the middle one? I can't reach it."

But Yukari had already gone, leaving Hitomi to fend for herself. As she tried to think of a way to do it herself without breaking her neck, Hitomi heard a knock on the door, followed by a muffled voice announcing, "Nurse. I'm here for your sponge bath. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course! Thank goodness you came; do you mind tying me up? I can't reach," Hitomi asked, facing the window as the nurse tied the gown with tight, strong knots. Hitomi sighed in relief as she turned, about to thank the nurse profusely...

...until she was face to face to a raven-haired young man. "Who-Who are you?! Why are you in my room?!"

Grinning, the man pointed to his hospital badge. "Well, I'm Van Fanel, responding to a call from a patient."

Hitomi's eyes widened as she struggled to speak. "You're a nurse?! But...but you're a...a..."

"Guy?" Van suggested, winking as her as she sat on her bed in disbelief. "I guess you didn't know. Welcome to the 21st century, where women can rise to business and men can put on the apron for once."

Not in the mood for humor, Hitomi remarked sarcastically, "Ha ha. Vwery fwunny."

"No, you're wrong. That Elmer Fudd bit you got going is much more hilarious."

"Dat's mean, I con't hwelp it dat it gwoes owff and on," Hitomi complained, ducking her head under the thin hospital sheets. The man was infuriating her greatly, and yet she couldn't help but feel slightly attracted to him. You really are sick if you like this jerk, Hitomi thought to herself with a blush until Van pulled back the covers. "C'mon, say 'Be vwery vwery quiet' just once. Please?"

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Hitomi did neither as she seethed, "No, I will not. I want you to leave now, and a FEMALE nurse to come instead."

Suddenly Van's expression hardened, causing Hitomi to cower slightly. "Listen, I'll stop treating you like I do with all my patients, which I might add, have no problem with my way of running things, but I wouldn't hold against you. However, as of the moment, we are understaffed due to a serious ten car pile up that just came in. If you want to wait for an available female nurse to give you something as trivial as a sponge bath, be my guest. But I'm just going to warn you that I'm your best bet right now. So, do you want my help or not?"

Van's cold glare burnt into her memory, Hitomi agreed meekly. Van immediately brightened, moving to retrieve the cart he had brought in with him. "Great. Now lay back and relax. I promise I won't look."

Shivering slightly at the feeling of the sponge, Hitomi closed her eyes, too embarrassed to watch. First he started around her neck, then her arms, and made her turn around to get her back, all with the gentlest of moves. Then she felt him hesitate and mumble something about needing to get her front. He slipped her hand through the back of her gown to wipe down her flat stomach, and then up the middle of her chest. His hand slipped, and their skin touched, making them both jump. Van removed his hand quickly, and now with her eyes open Hitomi could she that his cheeks were red as hers probably were. "Ah, sorry...I need to go now...I'll send a female nurse next time..."

Hitomi could just stare at her bed as he left, her cheeks burning brightly. As soon as he left though, she turned on her stomach and screamed into her pillow in frustration.

"Hitomi, what's wrong?" Yukari asked rushing to her friend's side. "I saw a weird guy leaving your room; who was he? Did he do anything to you?"

"No, no, I'm okay. He was the nurse, and he just came here to give me a sponge bath..."

"WHAT?! THAT PERVERT!" Yukari interrupted, grabbing Hitomi's hand. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he'll never do that to you, or to any other unsuspecting woman, again!"

Something in Hitomi snapped at the thought of never seeing Van anymore. "No, Yukari, don't do that! There was no else to do it because they were all busy, and he was gracious enough to come down. It wasn't that bad; he didn't actually physically touch me, except for once, and that was an accident. Please, just leave it be!"

Yukari sighed, her shoulder slumped. "If you say so Hitomi. But if you change your mind, just tell me, and I'll kick his ass so fast...Anyways, your parents should be here soon, though your mom might be a little late picking your brother up for band practice. I informed your training coach that you'll be out a couple more days, and I've pushed back your meeting with the new sponsor until next week. Now, unless you need anything, I'm going to find some actual food."

"Thanks Yukari," Hitomi called after her friend as she snuggled into her bed. She tried to sleep, but her skin still felt on fire from the encounter with Van, and whenever she closed her eyes, his own auburn ones stared right back at her. Hitomi tossed and turned, until she let out a snort. 'This is great. I like the guy."

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"This is great! I like the girl!" Van exclaimed, changing into scrubs, talking animatedly to the female doctor next to him. She was about to respond when Van held up his hands in protest. "I know, I know. My actions were uncalled for, the hospital could get sued, blah blah. I know Millerna, I know."

Millerna shook her head and chastised him. "That's just it Van, you don't know. Just because most women would injure themselves just to get your hands on them, what you did was personal violation. No matter how much you like her, she might not like you enough to prevent you from getting fired."

Batting his eyelashes and putting on a dramatic air, Van teased, "Fired? But what would you all do with little old me not around? This place wouldn't survive without me."

Hiding a smile, Millerna punched Van lightly in the arm. "Go wash your hands, you jerk."

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Well, how was that? I was going to have an one page story, but then it got too long ^^;; Also, I have no friends or family in the medical area, and I don't watch shows like ER (except for sometimes Scrubs ^^;;) so sorry if my information is a little incorrect. Please review!