Chapter Text
Usually during his breaks, Xiao Xingchen went to the hospital courtyard, there was a small garden there with some trees and a bench where he could rest and eat or check the messages on his cell phone. And he was there that day when he noticed Song Lan walking towards him, which was strange, Song Lan's break would only be later.
When he arrived, Song Lan said:
"Xingchen I'm sorry to interrupt your break but Doctor Wen asked you to go to the emergency room."
"Do you know why?"
"Yes. That asshole showed up again and he clearly needs medical attention but he is refusing to let us look at his wounds if you are not there.”
Xiao Xingchen tried not to smile.
“Alright, let’s go.”
The first time he had met Xue Yang had been just over a year ago after he was involved in a motorcycle accident, that day Xue Yang was unconscious when he arrived at the hospital, also while Xiao Xingchen was assisting Doctor Wen and Song Lan who was the other nurse on duty that day to him give first aid. But when Xue Yang opened his eyes, Xiao Xingchen was the first person he saw and also the person who explained what was going on while Doctor Wen and Song Lan were treating his injuries. Oddly, Xiao Xingchen was the only one of the three to be thanked when Xue Yang left the hospital a few days later. And then Xue Yang kept showing up sporadically in the emergency room, it was usually nothing serious, just bruises from random fights, two other small falls from his motorcycle, a few colds, once he complained that his hand that had lost a finger when he was a child sometimes ached when it got cold. And every time he asked to be treated by or at least in the presence of Xiao Xingchen.
When Xiao Xingchen arrived at the emergency room Xue Yang smiled and turned to Wen Qing who was at his side with her arms crossed.
"Okay Doctor you can treat me now." Xue Yang said.
Wen Qing rolled her eyes and started examining the wound on Xue Yang's arm. And the wound was significant, his arm was full of dried blood. Usually he didn't mind when Xue Yang did this but this time he clearly should have been treated immediately.
He walked over to them.
"Hi." Xiao Xingchen said.
"Hey, did you miss me?"
He had, it had been two months since the last time Xue Yang had showed up. But he wasn't going to say that to him, it would be unprofessional, but he thought that even if he didn't say it Xue Yang already knew the answer.
“You took to long to show up. I was waiting for you.” Xue Yang said.
"You shouldn’t have waited. You should have let Doctor Wen check your injuries as soon as you arrived."
"What would be the advantage of coming here if I can't see you?"
“Having your injuries treated. You know the reason why you came here to begin.”
“Maybe it would be useful. But it wouldn't be fun without you.”
“Life doesn't always have to be fun.”
"That seems like a terrible way to live."
For a moment they just kept looking at each other, Xue Yang looked like he was about to say something else, but then Doctor Wen said:
"You are lucky, you won’t need surgery, the cut did not reach tendons or ligaments."
"Did you hear Xingchen ? Everything is fine." Xue Yang said.
"Xingchen, please clean the wound, give him stitches and then release him." Wen Qing said.
“I will Doctor Wen. Xue Yang come with me to a private room.”
They left and he could feel Song Lan looking at them disapprovingly. Song Lan had already made it very clear that he did not like Xue Yang, and didn't think that Xiao Xingchen should encourage the fixation that the man seemed to have with him. And Xiao Xingchen knew that he had a point. But when Xue Yang was there, life suddenly seemed more exciting and interesting. Even if all they were doing was talking, it was fun. And Xiao Xingchen didn't want to stop that, at least not if it wasn't necessary, it would be inappropriate to have a relationship with a patient, there were lines that he probably shouldn't cross, but flirting a little didn't seem so bad.
When they were alone he started to clean the wound, it had been deep, Doctor Wen was right in saying that Xue Yang was lucky that it wasn't something more serious.
"How did you end up like this?" he asked.
“I think it all started on the day my mom left me, or maybe the day my dad left her, or the tragic day they forgot to buy a condom and were too horny to care about stds or unplanned pregnancies.”Xue Yang said and laughed.
A part of Xiao Xingchen wanted to know more, but instead he said:
"I want to know specifically how did you ended up like this today, in your file said that the cut was an accident, but I don't see how-"
"Well, by accident what I meant is that an asshole at a bar stabbed me."
“So we need to call the police! What if-"
“No, we don't need to. I’m not a snitch and besides I also roughed up a bit the guy who did this to me, you will bring me a lot of trouble if you call the police. Please Xingchen? For me?"
"Fine."
Xiao Xingchen applied local anesthesia and started stitching Xue Yang's arm. "How do you end up in so many fights?"
"Believe it or not, not everyone is as charmed by my personality as you are."
"Who says I'm charmed?"
"Your smile."
"Maybe I just smile at everyone."
"Slut."
Xiao Xingchen laughed.
"Don't say things like that, I need concentration to make your stitches properly."
"Okay. And anyway why do you wanna know that?"
"It's just you ended up here too many times this year, did you always got hurt so often?"
“It depends on the year. But I think that from my adult life this past year I got hurt more than usual.”
"Is there a reason for that?"
"Who knows, maybe I'm doing it on purpose, what other excuse would I have to come here and see your beautiful face?"
Xiao Xingchen felt himself blushing. Xue Yang's smile became even bigger.
"That would be stupid."
"You are so mean Xingchen, calling me stupid when I’m hurt."
"I'm not calling you stupid, I'm just saying it would be a stupid thing to do"
"So mean... hypothetically I think another way of seeing you without needing to get hurt first would be if I asked you out on a date, would that be something that would interest you?"
"Well there is the ethical issue of being inappropriate to get involved with a patient."
“Oh no, ethical issues. We definitely can't be together if there are ethical issues.”
"Hilarious." Xiao Xingchen said trying very hard not to laugh.
"Anyway, you're a nurse, not a doctor, technically I'm Doctor Wen's patient, isn't that right?"
"I am treating you, you count as my patient as well."
“Okay, if you say so. Is there any way you could get over this? ”
"I think maybe if you asked me out on a date in a context where you weren't be my patient."
"What time does your shift end today?"
"At seven."
"I can wait until seven."
They were a bit quiet after that, with Xiao Xingchen concentrating on making the stitches. Also thinking that was a very flimsy loop hole on the ethical issue of dating patients. But the whole time there was a smile in the corner of his mouth.
"I'm done." Xiao Xingchen said.
"Thank you." Xue Yang said.
"You’re welc-" Xiao Xingchen started to say but was stopped by Xue Yang's lips against his.
It was a good kiss, the kind that made him start to smile against Xue Yang's mouth before it was over.
"You should have waited until seven." Xiao Xingchen said after the kiss ended, opening the door.
"I lost a lot of blood today, I'm not thinking clearly."
"Of course you aren’t."
"See you at seven."
And Xiao Xingchen watched him go. Some lines had definitely been crossed today. And somehow he didn't care at all.