Healer, Reaper

2: the order

The second time Midorikawa met Hiroto, it was at a coffee shop. He was late for work, which he knew was not going to make Fuyuka happy, so he thought he would buy the nurse something as an apology as he was grabbing his own coffee. The thing was, Midorikawa prefers the largest, blackest cup of coffee ever, since it was the only thing that could help him stay awake throughout the day, but he has seen Fuyuka with coffee and they just don't get along at all.

"Sir, would you like anything else?" The impatient voice of the barista brought him back to reality. Stuttering, the greenette scanned the menu again, considering asking for their best-seller — but he'd already done that no less than 3 times now. Hot chocolate? Some kind of smoothie? Or just a simple cup of tea?

"Yes. One chai latte and one mint tea please, both medium sized. Thanks." A shockingly familiar voice rose right beside Midorikawa, and he turned to see teal green eyes smiling back. The barista took the money, raising her eyebrows:

"You're paying for him too?"

"Yes, we're together." The redhead nodded, and before Midorikawa could protest, snaked an arm around the greenette's and pulled him out of his place in the queue towards a table.

"Hey... hey! What are you doing?" Midorikawa finally found his voice. The other man — whom he realized had never told him his name — sat down leisurely:

"Consider it payment for saving my life the other day."

"It's... what?" The doctor pulled a chair as well, expecting the redhead to laugh, but his teal green eyes remained serious. "Jeez, you didn't have to do this. I would have helped you regardless. It was... it was no big deal."

"Yeah... well, it's a favor for the people you were holding up, then." Now the other man laughed. "Besides, you would have gotten something drastic for Fuyuka-san, I'm sure."

"You... know her?"

The redhead shrugged:

"Well, who knows? I might do. But I'm not here to talk about her."

"Then what are you here for?" Midorikawa questioned. He could see those teal green eyes darting around, before their owner stood:

"Go get the drinks. I'll be outside."

Midorikawa froze a little at the sudden command, but he did as the other said. He exited the shop, and surely enough the redhead was stood there waiting, squinting in the sunlight.

"Here's yours." The doctor handed the mint tea over, and the other man accepted it with a smile. "You know, I thought you'd disappear again."

"And what, waste my money? No thanks." They began to stroll down the street towards Inazuma General Hospital, and strangely enough Midorikawa didn't feel like rushing to be there on time right now. "I'm not as ungrateful as you might think."

"You sure are a mysterious one..." Midorikawa mumbled. "What do you want with me anyway? Did your wound reopen or something?"

"Heh, you make it sound like you're my personal doctor. An idea that I wouldn't object to." The redhead smirked as he said the latter part, unintentionally causing the greenette to blush. "But you are, again, not far off. Anyhow, have you heard of any cases of overdose recently? At your hospital?"

"Overdose?" Midorikawa repeated. "I can't really think of any off the top of my head, but if you really want to know, you could ask..."

"The reception people won't tell me. It seems they're not fond of mysterious people either. Also, I figured asking someone who's more hands-on would be more beneficial." The redhead mused, before turning to face Midorikawa, his green eyes solemn. "Is there any way you could find out?"

"Well, yes..." The doctor hesitated, but already he was cut off:

"Fantastic! It's settled then. Do make this one of the top things in your to-do list, Mido-kun. It's very important. My number's in your coat pocket. Bye for now!"

With that, the redhead strode away. Midorikawa had considered calling out after said man, but the sudden nickname sure surprised him, and the doctor found himself gaping as he entered the hospital gates. Trying to balance both the drinks and his bag in one hand, he shoved the other into his coat pocket. Surely enough, his fingers closed around a piece of paper, and the greenette pulled it out, heart irrationally thumping away in his chest.

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you're so easily distracted, doctor. might get you killed.

just saying.

090-XXX-XXXX

business inquiries only.

H x

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For the rest of his 12-hour shift, Fuyuka pestered a red-faced Midorikawa with countless questions about whether he was sick or was having an allergy. The doctor didn't give her an answer, of course, as he could barely understand the reaction himself — a mystery it was, the mind of that redhead. Then again, this was far from the end...