A/N: Note for viewers, this isn't an actual story. It will just be a collection of short stories. Hence the word "chronicles". Hope you guys like it! Review please!

DOCTOR SKULLBOY

"I'm gonna get you, Ruby!"

"No, you're not!" Ruby laughed, darting around a tree as Skull Boy ran after her. It was a perfect day; the dark, swirling clouds hung low over them, threatening to rain, covering every inch of the unseen sky. A light wind rustled the branches of the twisted, leafless trees that were spread spaciously over the yards of the Victorian mansion. The atmosphere in Gloomsville was wonderful. The exact reason that Skull Boy and Ruby Gloom had the impulse to play a game of tags.

Skull Boy chased Ruby through a clump of trees, his hands outstretched. He was so close; he could almost touch her back. Ruby noticed this and smirked, putting on a burst of speed. She swung around a tree to make a quick turn in the other direction. Skull Boy turned just as quickly, keeping an easy pace with her. Ruby looked behind her, seeing the glee on his face.

"Give up yet?" He called to her.

"Not a -"

Ruby suddenly felt the wind knocked out of her as she hit an unsuspecting tree branch. The blow knocked her off balance and she fell, smacking her head on the ground and rolling down a hill.

Skull Boy stopped, his expression horrified, "Ruby!" He called, running down after her. Her rolling ceased when the hill did. She groaned; her head was pounding like something had just hatched inside and was trying to claw its way out. It was hard for her to breathe as well, and she felt a throb down by her ankle.
Skull Boy dropped down beside her, "Ruby, are you alright?"

"I-I don't know," she gasped, trying to regain her breath. The young skeleton tried to help her sit up. She had a sharp intake of breath when she realized the pain in her brain was too great.

Skull Boy gently felt her head, looking for bumps or cracks and sighed when he found none, "I think your head will be fine, and you'll get your wind here in a few."

"Good...good," she breathed. Skull Boy stayed by her side and waited patiently while the pain in her stomach and head subsided, gently rubbing her shoulder.

"Better?" Skull Boy asked wearily.

Ruby nodded and looked up at the darkening sky, "It looks like it's going to rain," she commented.

"We should get inside," Skull Boy agreed. The two got to their feet, but as soon as they did, Ruby gasped and fell to her knees, holding her ankle, her expression full of agony.

"Ruby!" He knelt back down with her, "What's wrong?"

Ruby swallowed back the discomfort and replied, "My ankle. I think I twisted it when I fell,"

"It's a long way back to the house. Can you walk?"

Ruby shook her head, "No, I don't think so,"

Skull Boy pursed his lips in a puzzled expression, trying to come up with a solution to get her back to the house, "Okay then . . . brace yourself,"

Her eyebrow rose in confusion, "What?"

Suddenly he slipped one arm around her back and another under her knees and lifted her into his grasp. She gasped and instinctively clung to him. He stood there, holding her, until her shock had worn off and he was sure he had a good grip, "You okay?"

The shock had indeed worn off, but it had been replaced with a much stronger feeling. Skull Boy was surprisingly very strong, given that he was all bones. She immediately realized the close proximity and the pale skin on her freckled cheeks had turned a few shades of red. Swallowing hard, she nodded, "Y-yes,"

Skull Boy nodded back and began the hike back to the house. He failed to drop her the entire time he carried her. It had begun to drizzle halfway back to the house. Skull Boy bent over her, shielding her from the rain. When they got to the front door, she unhooked one hand from his neck and opened the door for him. Instead of putting her down the minute he got inside, he also carried her safely through the house. No one was home except the two of them. They all had gone to town for the day.

Skull Boy flipped on the lights when he and Ruby entered the kitchen. Carefully, he set her down on the counter and pulled a stool over for him to sit on.

"I'm going to need you to take your stocking off so I can look at your ankle," he informed her.

"What, are you a doctor now?" She smirked, however complying with his suggestion as she slipped off her black shoe and rolled down her bright sock.

Skull Boy chuckled and took her ankle gently in his hands, "Hey, you never know; I could come from a line of great doctors," he gently poked and prodded her skinny ankle. It wasn't swollen, which was a good sign, but there was a deep gash that was still bleeding, suggesting that she had cut it on something.

"I think it'll be okay," he decided, "We'll just need to clean the cut, wrap some gauze around it, and it'll be good as new,"

Ruby nodded and pointed to a cupboard on the other side of the room next to the large window, "Misery keeps some of her first aid kits in the cupboard over there,"

Skull Boy retrieved one of the many plastic red cases and brought it over the red headed girl. He first cleaned the cut using a couple of cotton balls and some rubbing alcohol, squeezing her hand reassuringly when she flinched and tried to pull away. Then he took out a roll of white, stretchy gauze and wrapped a few layers comfortably over the skin.

"There," he announced, pulling gently at the material to check its tightness, "That should do it,"

He lifted his head to find that hers was only a few inches away, gazing into her warm amber eyes. His face flushed and he smiled nervously at her. She smiled back, her own face a few shades of bright red. She gulped and managed to say, "Th-thanks,"

"No problem,"

His hands were still holding her own. They tightened around her slim fingers, this thumbs gently stroking the inside of her palms. Ruby was frozen in place, staring at his lively, shining green eyes. She felt she could get lost in them if she looked too deeply . . . not that she would mind it.

Slowly, as if not to scare her, Skull Boy tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers. Fireworks exploded in Ruby's head and she kissed him back. Her arms went around his neck to pull him closer. He let go of her hands, wrapping one arm around her waist and tangling the other hand in her wild hair.
When they broke apart, both were red as tomatoes. He grinned at her reaction to the kiss, now knowing she felt the same way about him as he had her. His boney thumb stroked the delicate skin of her cheek.
Ruby leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his, "You really know how to make your patients feel better, don't you Doc?" she giggled.

He chuckled with her and gave her a peck on the lips, "Guess I do,"