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Vi can feel her heart beating rapidly, made quicker by the woman who is resting her ear to the thin, cold metal of the stethoscope against her shirt. Caitlyn leans back, taking the stethoscope with her. “Your heart rate is elevated, do you normally run fast?”
The soft accent that Vi had immediately noticed when they first introduced themselves, and the words said, make her cheeks heat, but she answers honestly. “No, but I’m not used to such pretty nurses. Usually the person doing the draw is… well, they don’t look like you.”
She risks a glance up at sees Caitlyn looking at her with an amused grin. “Well I’m glad to hear it’s nothing serious.” She turns back to the side and prepares the needle. “Do you give blood often?”
Vi takes the offered small talk. “Yeah. My sister’s life was saved when she was three by someone’s donation, so I try to give as much as possible. Kind of my way of thanking that random person.”
“That’s really kind of you.” Caitlyn holds up the needle and Vi looks away squeamishly. “Don’t tell me after all that donating you’re afraid of needles.”
“Yeah, that’s the only problem. I do it for Powder, but I really hate it.” She huffs out a weak laugh. She’s passed out before, many times in fact, but she’s determined not to in front of this gorgeous woman.
Caitlyn laughs too. “You didn’t really strike me as the type to have Trypanophobia, especially with the tattoos and piercings.”
“It’s more of a combination of seeing the needle and knowing my blood’s about to be coming out of me and-“ Vi stops herself before she gags. “The piercings and stuff didn’t bother me because there’s not really much blood involved with that, and tattoos are less needles and more tiny needle guns.”
“Well, you’ll have to be brave for me, Vi. Think you can do that?” Caitlyn leans over Vi to wrap her arm with the tourniquet tightly over her elbow, propping the arm inner-elbow up.
Vi looks up at her from the reclined chair. “Yeah, I think I can. Only for you, though.”
Caitlyn finally blushes, turning her head away to hide it from Vi, but she sees it anyway. Score, she thinks, before Caitlyn turns around with the needle and she has to look away.
“Hey, look at me.” Caitlyn waits until she does, gray eyes locking onto blue. “Just keep your eyes on me, okay? Going to be a sharp pinch…”
Vi keeps her gaze locked on Caitlyn’s face, taking in the strong nose bridge, the high cheekbones. She feels slender fingers on hers, nitrile plasticky against her skin, feels the needle enter her arm, but refuses to look at it. Caitlyn’s fingers are cold through the gloves.
“You’re doing so well for me.” Vi draws in a shuddering breath at the words.
“We just have to leave it for about eight minutes and you’ll be good to go.” Vi, still completely focused on staring at Caitlyn’s face, notices a gap in her front teeth when she speaks.
Vi nods, processing the words. “Great. So, what should we do in the meantime?” She tries to make it sound suggestive, flirtatious, but she’s focusing so hard on not looking down at her arm and ignoring the feeling of something in her that it ends up sounding weird and kind of desperate.
Caitlyn, however, seems to think it did sound suggestive, since she turns away from Vi and busies herself cleaning tools, once again hiding a blush on her cheeks that climbs up to her ears. Apparently she opts for small talk. “What do you do? Like, as your job.”
Vi closes her eyes before she answers. “Boxing instructor. Not the highest pay, but it’s fun. I usually work with kids, but I have a few classes for adults too.”
“Where is it? I’ve been looking at getting into boxing a bit, actually. Maybe I’ll take one of your classes.”
Images flash quickly through Vi’s imagination; Caitlyn, in boxing gear, her slender fingers wrapped. Caitlyn hitting the bag over and over, until her knuckles are red. Caitlyn sparring with her, trying to pin her down.
Vi’s eyes fly open to find Caitlyn looking at her. Just a question, Vi, answer her. Somehow the address has completely disappeared from her memory. “Um, it’s uh… it’s called The Last Drop.”
“That sounds like a bar.” Caitlyn laughs, thankfully not seeming to think anything of Vi’s stammering.
“Like of sweat? You know, like you sweated so much you’re on your last drop of it.”
“I guess that makes sense. What should I know about boxing, then, Coach?" Caitlyn sits down in the other chair to listen.
Vi launches into her spiel that she always gives before every beginner’s first session. Before she knows it, Caitlyn is standing up and preparing to remove the needle. Vi stops talking abruptly, closing her eyes again.
“Hey, it’s okay. Vi, look at me.” She keeps her eyes tightly shut. There are several beats of silence before Caitlyn speaks again. “That’s not going to help, darling. Look at me.”
Darling. Vi looks. Caitlyn is closer than she was expecting, standing over her, hip touching the chair Vi lies in. She places a gentle hand on Vi’s arm. “It’s okay. You’re almost done.”
“This is the worst part.” Vi’s voice is almost a whisper. Every time she’s passed out, it was when they took the needle out.
“I’m right here. The worst that could happen is you faint, and you’ll just have a nice nap. I’m not going to leave you.” Her fingers press into Vi’s skin, gloves crinkling.
“Okay, just do it. Please.”
Caitlyn nods, gets the cotton and bandage, and says, “Look at me.” Vi’s eyes, which had been glued to the needle, snap up to Caitlyn’s. She feels the needle pull from her skin, millimeter after millimeter, and she can’t help but look down at the blood beading from the tiny hole, the tip of the needle hovering.
Black encroaches on her vision and all she can manage is a, “Damn,” before she’s not conscious of anything at all.
——
Her eyes open, a woman’s face hovering over her. The woman is silhouetted in bright white light, blue hair pulled back in a tight bun. Caitlyn, her name is Caitlyn. Vi is giving blood. She fainted, fainted, in front of the gorgeous phlebotomist.
Caitlyn steps back when it becomes clear Vi is conscious again. “Well, darling, you weren’t kidding about that phobia.”
Vi, barely aware of her surroundings, swears she almost passes out again when Caitlyn calls her darling. “Of course not, Doctor. Why would I lie to such a beautiful woman?” Her words slur slightly.
Caitlyn laughs, doing things that Vi can’t see on the counter behind her. Vi sits still, feeling her wits slowly return. She looks down to see her elbow neatly bandaged, the cotton a lump under the wrapped fabric.
Caitlyn steps back around to Vi’s side. “How are you feeling? You were out for a few minutes.”
Vi winces playfully. “I didn’t drool, did I?”
That gorgeous laugh again. “No, you didn’t drool. In fact, you were the model knocked-out patient. Not a snore to be heard.”
“Glad to hear it. I feel fine now.” Vi sits up suddenly and feels dizzy, tilting to the side, her vision getting fuzzy again.
“Woah, there.” Caitlyn’s hands wrap around Vi’s upper arms, manhandling her back onto the chair so she’s fully resting against the headrest. Her thumb brushes back and forth across Vi’s bicep as she whispers, “Easy, easy.”
Vi stills at the touch, realizing that Caitlyn’s taken off the gloves at some point. Realizing that their faces are inches apart, Caitlyn keeping her from standing up just to pass out again like an idiot.
Blue eyes, focused on her own, dart quickly down and immediately back up. Vi’s breath catches. The hands on her arms soften, but don’t let go. It’s Vi’s turn to glance down at Caitlyn’s lips, staring for a split second longer than she should.
Caitlyn leans back, shaking her head, at the same time Vi exhales sharply. “I’m fine, you can let go. I won’t try to get up again.” Caitlyn slowly removes her hands from Vi’s arms, looking like she expects her to make a break for it at any moment.
“You need to sit for a minute. Here.” Caitlyn hands her a small cup of water. “Drink. You need the fluids.”
Vi does without complaint, though it’s a bit lukewarm. “Really, I feel good now. I just sat up too fast.” She slowly sits up. “See? Not dizzy.”
She swings her legs over the side of the chair. Caitlyn stands ready to catch her as she slowly stands up. “Are you always this stubborn?” There’s a hint of amused fondness in the accented voice.
“Usually more,” Vi admits, smirking. They stand, staring at each other. Vi doesn’t want to leave, break the bubble of this odd experience. She doesn’t want this beautiful woman to pass out of her life for good.
They both start to speak at the same time. “Go ahead,” Vi says.
“I was wondering if I could get your number? For… boxing purposes?” Caitlyn’s voice seems nervous for the first time. “You know, in case I did want to take some lessons.”
Vi keeps the soaring sensation inside of her hidden from her expression, nodding in what she hopes is a nonchalant manner. “Yeah, sure.” Caitlyn hands over her phone and watches as Vi types in the number, texting herself, ‘sup’.
Then, handing the phone back, Vi grabs her own from her pocket and opens the message, creating a new contact. She types in, Caitlyn, followed by a cupcake emoji.
“What’s that for?” Caitlyn is watching over Vi’s shoulder.
“Because you’re so sweet. Like a cupcake.” Vi glances at her to see a cute blush on her cheeks.
“Oh,” is all she can manage as Vi grins at her.
“Well, it’s been a pleasure. Text me.” Vi turns, smiling, and pushes open the door.
“I will. Good bye.”
“Bye, Cupcake.”
“My name is Caitlyn,” she tosses back over her shoulder, stepping out into the bright sunlight with a matching smile on her face.