Sickly Attraction (For Ghost & Death)

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene shook his head at the doctors words, though there was a small laugh at the way he worded that sentence, it was like he was trying to avoid saying he was attractive. "I don't think so. I have maybe three years left. I don't think anyone would want even try starting a relationship with someone who will just die on them." He had heard all these stories of people marrying their sweetheart despite terminal illness, but in those cases it was always partners who had been together for years before sickness reared it's ugly head. He had never even had sex before. Of course that was because he had spent prolonged stays in the hospital since he was twelve, until it became permanent when he turned seventeen and it was frowned upon to have sex in a hospital room, not to mention how awkward it would be if a nurse or doctor walked in on that.

Rene purred softly at the feel of fingers running along his arms, the sound just becoming louder when those fingers went up to rub at his shoulders. The physical contact was nice, he didn't get a lot of that and what he did get was usually from nurses or his doctor checking him over or affectionate contact from his parents and, rarely, visiting extended family. When the fingers reached his ears he leant into the touch, eyes flickering closed. The touch was over before he had really had a proper opportunity to enjoy it.

The feline snickered softly and made a shooing gesture with his hands. "You should flee before he comes to take you away." He gave a wide, exaggerated stretch and a playful yawn. "I should probably sleep anyway. I've had the busiest day in two years." ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

James nodded and smiled at his patient before standing up to leave. In fact, that male nurse was heading this way now. "There he is," he whispered with an amused sigh,"Wish me luck in walking out instead of being carried out..." He chuckled softly before leaving, pausing only long enough to stop the door from shutting loudly because it was late and he didn't want to bother other patients. There was a bit of noise when the male nurse found him, though, and soon the two were laughing softly.

"Now get out of here," the nurse declared,"I wasn't kidding. I'll carry your small butt out of this hospital and drop you in the pavement." James sighed just loudly enough that it could be heard if you were listening before he left for the night.

The next morning, James was thinking about Rene's words. Maybe he should take it as a lesson not to wait until he couldn't find anyone because it was too late physically to fall in love. He didn't know why he was even thinking that but he blamed the lack of coffee. Besides, the male nurse was cute. He was caring too, even if he did threaten people while doing it. Everyone knew he wouldn't really carry through those threats. It was his way of keeping the mood light... Lighter anyway. As light as 'take your meds before I shove them down for you' or 'stop itching or you'll get the cone that dogs wear' can possibly be. It was much better than patients thinking of their pain or upcoming deaths anyway. He was in his early thirties. Maybe James could try a relationship with him? They would see each other often enough.

His thoughts wandered to Rene and he suddenly felt guilty. Rene was right. Who could he date in that room by himself? Had he dated before? Three years... That was rough. Rene was going to die at a younger age than James was now.

With a sigh, he inhaled a cup of coffee and went to work.

That male nurse came in with Rene's breakfast because his normal nurse wasn't working today. He set Rene's normal breakfast on the table without the box on it and straightened the gifts out so that they looked nice. He then got new water and set a cup of juice down next to it. They hadn't told him what he normally drank so he figured it was better to be safe than sorry and now there was milk, juice, and water. The water was always there but the other two weren't. Normally it was just one drink but Rene could take both or choose the one he wanted today.

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene laughed, his amusement clear in the sound. "Good luck~!" He kept his ears perked as he listened to the conversation between the two in the hall, hands clasped over his mouth to keep from laughing to loudly and making it obvious he was listening. After the nurse said he would really pick him up and drag him outside, the cat pushed himself to his knees and leant over the edge of his bed, gripping the mattress tightly so he wouldn't fall out. "Don't break him! We need him!"

He kept this position until he could no longer hear the departing footsteps, then he flopped back into the bed and pulled his blanket up over himself burrowing into his pillows with a sigh.

The next day had him waiting expectantly for his new doctor. He had enjoyed the day before quite a lot, being outside in the fresh air and sunlight and the small touches he had gotten from the young doctor. He let out a harsh breath through his nose, feeling suddenly crushed. He probably wouldn't get those touches again today. He had really pushed things the day before, but he was starved for affection that didn't come from from a person he was related to.

When the nurse from the night before came in with his breakfast, Rene immediately picked up the milk and sipped at it as he watched the man tidy up the gifts, fiddling with the tiny paper cup that held the medicine that wasn't given to him through an IV. "Did you end up dumping the poor Doc out on the pavement?" ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

The nurse looked back at Rene and grinned mischievously. "So you heard that then?" He asked,"luckily for him, it was his first day here. I didn't throw him out onto the parking lot. That doesn't mean I'm going to let him become one of those doctors who work themselves to death. We need a dead doctor like we need a fire." He shook his head and motioned toward the cup in Rene's hand in a clear sign that he wanted him to swallow those already. Honestly, was he the only sane person around? Doctors who didn't see the point in sleep, nurses who gossiped like school girls, and patients who were uncooperative with the people trying to help them. This was getting slightly ridiculous.

"Don't make me think of something fit for you," he declared finally,"Oh, and it's a holiday today... Or a birthday? I can't remember. Too many holidays and too many birthdays in this country. Anyway, we're celebrating something so there are new things on the menu for today. I was going to let you know you're celebratory breakfast options but I didn't think you'd like being woken up to 'Surprise! There's new food and we're celebrating something but I can't tell you what it is because nobody took the time to explain these holiday things to me! Yay!!' so I just got you your usual." He wasn't from this country and his accent made it very obvious. He barely knew any holidays around here and couldn't understand why birthdays were celebrated. A lot of customs were mysteries to him, actually. He tried hard, though, even if a lot of his attempts weren't appreciated. Everyone liked how he stood his ground and took care of the doctors and anyone else who couldn't or refused to take care of themselves.

He shrugged and looked to the door. "Don't give your new doctor too hard of a time. I think he likes you," he warned the teen, adding an explanation after because he was sure that news would shock Rene,"It's strange how in this country patients and doctors have this wall between them. They're both people. In my country..." He chuckled and went to the door.

"Merry happy holiday or birthday," he attempted awkwardly just before the door shut.

James came in an hour later and gently began checking for bruises or sores like he would do every morning in place of his old doctor. Instead of the usual pokes and prodding, he did it gently and ran his fingertips over his back for a moment to apologize for the unwanted medical touches. "I got to walk out like a grown adult last night," he chuckled once he was finished,"but poor Price..." Price was the nurse who had just left.

"He doesn't even realize the special menu and everything is because it's his birthday."

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene smiled sheepishly to the nurse and gestured to his ears as an explanation of how he had heard what they had said. Really he hadn't even needed to try to listen in, he probably could have heard them if they had been whispering. "To be fair, he wasn't working, he was just bringing me some books to read." At the gesture to the cup of pills, the blue-haired cat stuck his tongue out, but tipped them into his mouth to swallow them, before following them with a sip of water. "You could threaten to step on my tail, cats hate that." He was joking, but he really would hate if someone were to step or pull on his tail.

Rene was appreciative that he hadn't woken him up just to tell him there were new items on the menu for a reason he couldn't give him. "That is appreciated. Besides, they usually add something sweet to the menu and that would be completely wasted on me." Because cats couldn't taste sweetness and that was something that carried on into his genetics. He had tried some candy he had gotten trick or treating when he was little, but it had just tasted bland to him, so after that he had just gave his halloween candy to this neighbour boy he had been childishly fond of, a five-year-old's crush. They had 'dated' for a week before the boy's father had gotten angry that his son was playing at a romance with another boy and had forbidden his son from playing with the odd little cat-boy. It was sad that that was also the only thing close to a real relationship he had had.

Rene just blinked at the nurse when he said to not give Tyler a hard time because he thought he liked him, along with the rest about walls between doctors and patients and it being different in his country. Was he hinting to what he thought he was? That Tyler might have a crush on him. The thought made him smile, before turning to a frown. Even if it was true, doctors weren't allowed to date their patients in this country. Which was too bad because Tyler was cute and Rene thought he might be crushing on the doctor himself.

Rene pulled out the journal once the nurse left and began to sketch out a picture, using a pencil instead of the pen he had been given so he could erase mistakes. He was still doing this when Tyler came in and he smiled at him before he set the book down so he could move his arms out of the way as he did the usual check for bruises and sores. He appreciated the gentler touches and had to hold back the desire to purr at the feeling. Once it was over, Rene picked the journal back up and turned it around to show Tyler the bird he had sketched out, surrounded with the beginnings of roses and bearing what looked like some sort of stain on it's chest, a drawing of the story of a nightingale and a rose. "I doubt he would care much for the celebration, they don't celebrate birthdays in his country." Or at least that is what he gathered from Price's seeming disinterest in them. ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

"Not paid work anyway," he agreed,"but still working. Doctors who work themselves to death do their actual jobs and then often add too much time not sleeping and trying to do extra to make patients happy. I'm not going to step on your tail. I'm not a monster. I might flick water at you or break out the spray bottle. I hear water is a good way to train cats. I hear cats hate being sprayed in the face with water too..." He chuckled devilishly before continuing his work.

"Actually, it's spicy foods this time. I'm not complaining because I love spicy food and I'm definitely going to get some but I don't understand. What holiday uses spicy foods? I don't know of any..." He replied, looking confused and frustrated,"nobody bothers explaining anything to me. I swear that they like laughing at my fails!" He frowned suddenly and apologized. Rene didn't need to hear his problems when he had his own. Dying was definitely worse than being laughed at for saying 'Merry birthday!' Or 'Happy Christmas!'

But still. Was it random or how had they chosen which adjective to put in front of each holiday. What was wrong with saying Happy Christmas anyway? Did they not want to be happy ion Christmas?

He left after commenting about James to go care for other patients.

James smiled when he saw the picture and pulled out his journal to show him a detailed picture of a person sleeping with a skeleton. "Not really cheerful," he apologized,"but my cheerful pictures always come out bad. As for Price... He's never had his birthday celebrated. It was my idea. I can't believe nobody else did it! However... If you don't think Price would like it then maybe I shouldn't tell him. You probably know him better than me. I've only been here officially for two days." He chuckled softly and put his journal away. He had been pretty sure Price looked like he wanted to like holidays but nobody had helped him understand how to enjoy them or celebrate so he had given up. It would be nice to have a friend in this hospital so had attempted to bring him in to the birthday thing by making one for him for a change.

"You're a good artist," he added with a grin,"I like it a lot."

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene hissed playfully at the suggestion of spraying him with water. Not that it would actually bother him any more than a normal person, he actually quite liked water. Though the sudden sprits of water to the face would be annoying, especially if it became something done every time he did something disagreeable.

His ears perked up when he heard that the extra food items were spicy, he actually quite liked spicy food, it wasn't his favourite type of food, but it was up there on his list of food that was delicious. He narrowed his eyes in an almost conspiring way. "I don't think there are any holidays that specifically involve the consumption of spicy foods. Perhaps a birthday then for someone who likes a little spice in their life" He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think anyone understands holidays, properly anyway. The meaning of the holidays seems to be mostly lost to my generation." His cheeks flushed and he gestured to where a laptop sat near a parade of stuffed animals declaring a wish for him to get well soon. "I have a lot of time to research random facts. I can try to help you understand a bit more so people don't laugh or something."

Rene leaned close to Tyler so he could look at the picture more carefully. It was actually pretty nice and it's lack of cheer didn't really bother the feline male, it wasn't like he drew much in the way of cheerful things, as anyone would figure from seeing the dripping hearts he tended to draw on his clothing. "It's nice." He flopped backwards into the bed and lifted his legs up into the air to look up at them as he wiggled his toes in their socks. "I think it's just that he doesn't understand why we celebrate our births over here." He grinned widely and gestured wildly in the air, with both his arms and legs. "We should explain why birthdays and holidays are awesome so he can really enjoy things next year! It'd be totally awesome!"

"Thanks~ I like your drawing too." He let his legs fall back onto the mattress and let out a deep breath, feeling suddenly drained. He had bursts of almost hyper energy, but then he just felt like he wanted to sleep for a week. He remembered thinking he was getting better several times because he felt great and like he could run a mile, but now he knew better than to get hopeful. "You can have my drawing when it's done, if you want." ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

James frowned when he saw rapidly Rene was growing exhausted. "Okay," he agreed softly as he lowered the bed so that Rene was laying down,"you can finish it later, okay? Just get some rest. I'll have lunch brought in if you're still sleeping by then." He gently rubbed Rene's ears for a moment or two to relax him before he pulled back and left. Rene needed to sleep and he had a few phone calls to make. Last night he hadn't gone to sleep right away. Instead, he had filled two pages in his journal with people. One one was a list of everyone and on the next was a narrowed down list. He knew he'd seen results of that blood type before. If he could just find the person again he could save Rene.

He slammed into Price and nearly fell back onto the floor. He would have hit the ground hard if a Price hadn't reached out and grabbed him. "I feel like this is a scene of one of those television shows some nurses enjoy around here where the doctor sweeps the nurse off her feet and they fall in love," Price teased,"Except I'm not a female nurse and it was me to sweep you off your feet. Does this mean you love me now?" James blushed and shook his head quickly.

"Uh... No, sorry..." He stammered as he pulled away from the foreign nurse,"but thanks for catching me. I don't think the floor is a comfortable place to lounge around." Price shook his head and muttered something about James watching where he walked or suffering the consequences of being wrapped up with foam. Price wasn't upset. He was joking about the love thing to distract Janes from apologizing about not paying attention. He shook his head and went into Rene's room to take out the leftover breakfast he hadn't eaten and the trash.

James went off in the other direction to make few calls before going off to an older patient who didn't have more than a week left to live. There wasn't anything tondo for him but make him comfortable and try to lessen his fears.

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene didn't want to rest, it always felt like he was wasting what was left of his time, in fact if he could he would leave the hospital and actually do something with what little time he had left, maybe travel a bit. But he needed to stay in the hospital to keep him as healthy as possible, otherwise he wouldn't even get the three years he was estimated as having. And he was feeling quite exhausted, after his little burst of activity, so he would listen to the doctor and go to sleep. He wiggled his way under the cover and nuzzled his face into the pillows. He purred sleepily at the rubbing fingers against his ears and leant into it, even as the digits were pulled away. It didn't take him long to fall asleep, relaxed from the petting of his ears and just how tired he was.

The cat slept for awhile, until he heard footsteps entering his room, his ears twitching a little, trying to listen to the tap of shoes against the ground, soft like the person was trying to stay as quiet as possible, so he could figure out who had come in, a nurse, a doctor or just a visitor. Unable to identify the footsteps, he opened his eyes and pushed himself up with a wide smile when he saw that, while the person who had entered was a nurse, come to bring him his lunch, that his mother was standing in the doorway. ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

James sat down with an old man and rubbed his thumb over the delicate skin of the dying man. He had been told this man had a few days at least but during his check up everything had gone downhill. Charles had eventually shouted at James to stop already, which had effectively shocked him enough that he had stopped calling for a nurse and went over to his side. "I don't want to be put on a machine," Charles had explained,"and I don't want my last time in this life to FBI filled with loud noises and tense emotions of nurses. I like you. You're calm. Will you stay?" James nodded silently and that's where he was now, n the chair.

Charles had already told him his family was waiting for him in the next life so he didn't call for nurses to get relatives. Instead, he just sat and hummed softly because he knew Charles liked it. Charles smiled at him for a moment before laying down to relax. James had turned the monitors off so they wouldn't make loud noises right before Charles went right before he had settled down himself. "You're a good man," Charles rasped,"some people don't belong here but I can tell you do. People die everyday. Don't let it hurt you too much." James just stared in disbelief before finally moving over to hug the dying patient. He was dying but his last words were for his doctor? He finally pulled away when he knew the man was dead because he had paperwork to fill out. He left pale and confused. Why had Charles been so concerned about him? He had only been his doctor for a day.

He glanced over at Rene's room but was surprised to see a woman in the doorway. It was probably his mother. Rene had told him about her. Besides, he was shaken and Rene really didn't need to see him like this. Maybe Price? Where was Price anyway?

After fifteen minutes of failure to find him, he simply sat at his desk and stared at nothing. It wasn't in his office, just his desk by the nurses' ones at the entrance so people walking by could easily see his blank stare and pale skin. Fortunately, everyone thought better than to bother him while he was in this state. He silently filled out the necessary paperwork before resuming his original position. It was technically his lunch break so he had a bit before he would have to get back to work and James was extremely grateful for that. Nobody had ever died under his care before...

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene smiled weakly at his mother and beckoned her to come in, before he reached for the button that would tilt his bed up so he could sit. "Mama~!" He was still exhausted, but he was really happy to see his mother, he hadn't seen her in a few weeks because she had been out of the country on a holiday he had coaxed her into going on, just because he was sick it didn't make it right for her to stay by his side through it, she should be able to go off and enjoy herself. And besides, she could then bring him back lots of pictures to look at and tell him all about the sights and experiences she had had.

The woman sat herself on the edge of the bed, and after Rene scooted over to create more room, laid beside her son, their tails entwining in a sort of feline hug and her fingers went to scratch at his ears. It was obvious Rene had at least partially taken after his mother, they both had eyes the same shade of purple and bore the same fluffy fur, though his mother's hair was a soft pinkish-purple. "How is my little kitten?" Rene leant into her touches with a soft purr, he had missed her. "I'm as good as I can be." She smiled grimly and nodded, knowing fully well that her son was never going to get better unless they managed to find a blood donor. ♥

[puffedmellow]

James Tyler

Dr. Tyler

James looked up when he realized Price was standing in front of him and he didn't even know how long the nurse had been there. "How long?" He managed to splutter out, cheeks turning red with embarrassment. Price just shook his head and smiled before looking around. There was fifteen more minutes of lunch break so nobody had been looking for them. Price wouldn't have been either but he had found out that it was his birthday and that the spicy food was his idea.

"Not long," he replied truthfully,"you suggested the menu change, didn't you? It's my birthday. I really appreciate it, James. Nobody has ever done something for my birthday before. It was really nice of you. I'll be sure to remember yours." James grinned and shook his head. He hadn't told Price his birthday but it wasn't that far fetched that Price knew it already. The nurses knew everyone's birthdays because it was on file, of course. He was still upset about Charles but seeing that Price liked his efforts cheered him up enough to smile and hug him.

When he pulled back again he glanced toward the exit with disappointment. There was no time to go get food now. Price seemed to understand this because he handed the doctor a paper bag with the food James had gotten for lunch yesterday. "Eat," Price urged him,"and I'm sorry about your patient. Charles was a good man. Maybe this will help. In my country when one dies we think of their life and everything they wanted. The surviving family and friends will often fulfill these lifelong wishes for them to get closure for themselves. You can't save them all but you can honor the lost ones by living." James nodded, the smile gone now but he still looked grateful and at peace enough that Price started to leave.

"Price!" The words had him pausing and then smiling when he heard "Happy birthday."

[Pantsless Ghost]

Rene

♥ Rene stayed snuggled against his mother as he ate his lunch, laughing and swatting her hands away as she made playful attempts to cut his food for him and fuss over mess on his face that wasn't actually there. His mother always tried to be lighthearted around him, because she didn't want to show him just how scared she was about the prospect of losing her only child. The only time he saw any of her fear was when she got worried about him going outside and getting sick.

Once he had finished his meal, Rene stretched out his arms out before snuggling closer to his mother, leaning his head against her shoulder. "You bring pictures of your trip?" She smiled and nodded, before she reached for a bag she had set on the floor, pulling out a photo album, which she set down on their laps as she turned to the first page to begin explaining every single picture in great detail, telling her son everything from how people there acted, to the smells and sounds she had experienced. ♥