DBH Reed900 oneshot collection

Fight me

Summary: There's a new patient in room 209 and he is really testing Nines' patience. He is cute when he is asleep though... [AU human RK900]

***

The lights of the hospital are harsh on his eyes when Nines steps inside. He shuts the door on the cold and dark outside, the sun not yet ready to rise above the horizon for another hour or two. His parka is wet from the snow and he hangs it on a hook instead of stuffing it inside his locker like usual. He changes the watch on his wrist for the pocket watch that can hang from his chest pocket; that time he forgot to take off his watch from his wrist and he had to physically reach inside someone's gaping abdomen was a day to remember. Leather boots get changed for the sensible - easy to rinse, great footbed - shoes he wears inside the hospital and after that he is ready to start his shift.

His co-workers from the night shift are ready for him: one hands him the tablet that holds all the patient's charts, another asks him how bad the snow is outside and a third gives him a verbal update on the new patients that came in during the night.
"Heart attack in 203, resuscitated once, stable. Ruptured spleen in 207, fresh out of surgery," she lists efficiently, putting her tablet on the charger in its designated dock. "Oh, and one of the Boys in Blue is in 209. Punctured lung and various other cuts. Got stabbed by a junkie, is the word."

Nines nods, taking in her words as he scrolls quickly through the list of patients on their ward. Only three new patients is not bad for the start of the weekend, though he knows more will come in before the end of his shift.
Most of the people from his shift yesterday are still here, as are some others that have been there since earlier this week. They will move out soon, as is the case with most people that end up in this part of the hospital. And that's a good thing: you don't want to spend too much time in the Trauma ward.

The patient with the heart attack in 203 is a friendly, elderly woman with stark white hair. Her face is almost as white as her hair, but her eyes twinkle as she looks up at him. "Good morning, dear. Is the day starting already?"

"It is, ma'am." He puts the tablet on the foot of her bed and moves to take her blood pressure. "Did you sleep well?"

She lets him handle her arm into the inflatable band, answering his questions about her health with ease and clarity. Her vitals are not overly optimistic, though nobody would be tip top after being resuscitated barely eight hours before. The fact that she is lucid and in for some small talk tells him she will probably be out of his hands again soon.
"Take care, Mrs. O'Sullivan. I'll be by to check up on you around noon."

"I'll be right here, dear." She smiles sweetly at him from her bed, her hands folded on top of the blankets.

The patient is 205 is not awake when he comes in. The man wakes up from the sound of his voice, though he drifts in and out of consciousness during his check up. Nines doesn't blame him; the injuries of his car accident are severe and on top of that he has to deal with the loss of his wife.
The 40-year old man with the ruptured spleen is next. He moved to this room from recovery right before the start of Nines' shift and he's still feeling the effects of his sedatives. Nines makes a note to check up on the man in an hour; he'd like to see him more responsive.

His next patient is most certainly responsive, if anything. The man - a police officer, his co-worker told him - is squirming in his bed. He has the head of the bed up and he is struggling with the pillows behind his back.
"Need a hand, sir?" Nines greets cheerfully, keeping one eye on the chart to read up on his patient. With his injuries the man is fine sitting up, but sitting still is really all he should do.

The man mutters expletives underneath his breath, not looking up from his battle with the pillows. Nines is not surprised when he hears groans of pain and more bad words.
"Let me get that for you, Mr. Reed."