#pokemon fanfic: florence nightingale

[brainyxbat]

A scene from “Florence Nightingale”! https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14200587/1/Florence-Nightingale

At the bottom, Jubei wound up looking like Tyson without the muscles, and I love that. 😂

[brainyxbat]

Florence Nightingale

“The Florence Nightingale effect is a trope where a caregiver falls in love with their patient, even if very little communication or contact takes place outside of basic care.” - Wikipedia

Alternative title: Dreams

(Pr’y not my best, but bear with me. 😂 Turned out much longer than I anticipated.)

-

Jubei and Mankey were on a roll during training with his new partner. Not a single mistake! It felt good, considering his failure with Jessie still stuck with him to this day. Or her failure with him, more like.

Venus Wisteria may be more... intimidating, for lack of a better word, but for someone who preferred to work alone, she seemed to have a better grasp on the concept of loyalty, and hasn’t abandoned him yet. He’s lasted longer with her than with Jessie; after two failures, he hated to be switched over again. Third time’s the charm, right?

A scream of pain, along with a sickening crunch, stopped him and Mankey dead in their tracks after a high jump. Turns out, Venus landed wrongly on her right leg; very wrongly. He rushed over, Mankey close behind, as his normally tough and stoic partner laid on the ground, tears of agony threatening to fall from her squinting eyes. Her trusty, loyal Zubat was helplessly flying around her, frantic.

When he asked the eternally stupid question, “Are you okay?”, her response was merely a pained head shake, instead of a sarcastic quip she was known for. He knew then that it was bad.

He shouted for Sergeant Viper, held her closely while having her focus on him instead of the pain, and before long, the medic team were wheeling her away on a gurney.

He snapped himself out of his trance, as Viper approached him in the waiting room. It had been a few days since she was admitted in, but it felt much longer to him. The dorm had an empty void without her; and her Zubat was sad without its master. Visits weren’t allowed, so they couldn’t even see her. The doctor told him her ankle AND lower leg had broken from her botched landing, and would require operating to repair it. The thought of her having surgery, as helpful as it was, still made him shudder in discomfort. “Jubei, as you know, Ms. Wisteria is scheduled to leave the infirmary, and return to your dorm today.”

“Yes, sir. She went through her surgery well?”

“According to the doctors, she did, but will need to keep off her feet in your dorm, for at least six weeks.” All the teams each had a dorm room, with separate bedrooms (thank goodness! no awkwardness there), and one kitchen, living room, and bathroom. And a balcony! “I trust you’ll take good care of her until she’s well enough to return to training.”

“Uh, y-yes sir, I will.”

Viper let a little smirk grow, sensing he felt nervous. “Ah, she’s not that scary. Just a bit of a firecracker; you can handle it.”

“Thanks for the confidence boost, sir. I’ll make sure she’s comfortable.”

Just then, a doctor escorted the patient out of her infirmary room, with her in a wheelchair looking... like her. Broody, but more tired; and back in her purple training uniform. Jubei felt a grin of amusement grow at her thick cast; it was in her favorite color. “Black, huh?”

“Yeah,” She shrugged with a small grin, “If I’m going to be injured and bedridden, I may as well have a say in my cast color, right?”

“I suppose,” He smirked. Judging by the white-clad woman’s composure, it seemed the Goth scared her into using black for her cast. “It suits you.”

“Thanks.”

The doctor turned to Jubei after pulling her face mask down to her chin. “You’ll be her caretaker, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She gave him a paper bag containing a bottle of small, white pills. “Make sure she takes these, two a day at most, every four to six hours every day. These will last you three weeks; by then, she shouldn’t need them.”

“Thanks; will do.”

“If she still feels pain afterwards, over-the-counter ibuprofen will do the trick.”

“Got it.”

Venus smirked up at them, cheek in palm. “Guys, I’m right here, and not a child; I can just be told this stuff myself.”

The nurse snickered, then turned her attention back to him, as he stifled a grin. She was back. “Keep her out of trouble. And make sure she doesn’t cause any more damage to her ankle, or lower leg; she’s a feisty one.”

“Trust me, I know,” He chuckled, receiving an eye roll from the patient.

Once Venus signed the papers, Jubei took charge of the wheelchair, and led his petite partner back to their dorm, with Viper close behind. On the way, she was greeted with get-well wishes, to which she responded with tired gratitude; she just wanted to be in her own bed already. Her cheeks blushed red when Butch, in particular, approached her after having Jubei stop. “Hope you heal up good, Venus. See you in a few weeks.”

“Thanks; see you.”

~~~

Before long, they were back in their dorm. After reassuring Viper that he’ll take care of her, Jubei entered Venus’ bedroom with her in tow. He had a brief glance around while piling extra pillows at one side of the foot of her bed with Mankey’s help. There was a sling, but she was stubbornly wary of it, so pillows instead; he hoped she would soon come around, and realize the sling would be better. Since they first teamed up, he hadn’t been in her room much, out of respect for her privacy; and a bit of fear as well. This was the first time he had a good look, and frankly, in his opinion, it suited her well; Goth decor of many kinds was all over the room, from random trinkets and portraits to the window curtains, the walls were the same color as the rest of the dorms (painting them was prohibited), and her bed had dark floral sheets, in a nice navy blue. A dartboard was on the wall across from the bed, strangely covered by a photo of a dominantly green-haired family, sans one person trimmed out, and stabbed with darts.

“Um, Jubei?” Her voice brought him back to reality; she was suddenly leaning into him for support, standing only on her good leg, with her arms around his neck. He blushed at the close contact; she smelled clean and sterile, like the hospital room she stayed in. “You can look around after I’m in bed,” She joked.

“Sorry, sorry.” Feeling sheepish, he helped her lay down, so she was on her back, and tenderly laid her bad leg on the pillow pile. For someone as strong as her, she was pretty light. “That good?”

She shrugged, as she pulled the covers over her upper body. “As good as it gets. Thanks; the pillows help.”

“No problem. Sorry I was distracted earlier; I’ve... never really been in your room before. At least, not long enough to get a good look.”

“It’s okay. Just don’t get comfortable; I like my privacy.”

“I understand. Uh, anything you need right now? Drink, heat pad?”

“Actually, water sounds nice,” Venus admitted, “Something to wash down my first two pills with.”

“Okay; we’ll be back.” Jubei headed straight for the kitchen with Mankey close behind. An ecstatic Zubat made a beeline for its master’s shoulder when they were alone. She giggled, and snuggled its head with hers; she definitely missed it.

As he filled a glass halfway full of cold water for his partner, Mankey discretely grabbed something else from one of the pantries. Something purchased (or possibly stolen) by the big eater of the duo.

A rare, bright smile appeared on Venus’ face when she saw a chocolate, white-frosted cupcake in each of the Pig Monkey Pokemon’s hands. “Aw,” She giggled, “Thanks, guys.” As the glass was set on the nightstand, she took the cupcake closest to her, peeled the liner down, and had a large bite. She smiled at Zubat lapping up a mouthful of frosting.

“Mankey, how come you got- oh,” Jubei laughed when it handed the other one to him, “Thanks, buddy.” He sat on the chair set by the head of her bed, and started eating. After his first bite, he turned to the family photo again. Due to the green hair, albeit different hues, they reminded him of his partner. “Hey uh, forgive me for asking, but who are those people there?”

Venus noticed where his free hand gestured to, and sighed deeply through her nose. “I... I’m not comfortable talking about them just yet. But I’ll say just this: they’re my... “family”. I cut myself out of that picture.” 

Her air quotes around the particular word, and her hesitance, told him that they were not... ideal. “Oh, o-okay.”

“That’s all I’d rather say.”

“A-are you sure-”

“I don’t want to talk about it!” He flinched at her sudden, yet justified outburst, immediately regretting his words. She inhaled deeply, regaining her composure, as she blinked tears away. They may had been partners for a while now, but she didn’t want him to see her cry. The time she got hurt didn’t count to her.

“I, I’m sorry.” He stammered.

“It’s okay,” She almost whispered, “I’m just... not ready yet.”

“I understand. I won’t push you on it anymore,” He promised with a pat to her shoulder.

“Thanks.” They finished their cupcakes, and he threw out the liners for her. “Um... and thanks for taking care of me.”

He shrugged modestly, returning to his seat. “It’s what partners do.”

~~~

The next few weeks were... interesting, to say the least. It was almost like clockwork; Jubei woke up, did his morning workout, got breakfast smoothies for himself and Venus, returned to find her just waking up, help her with... using the bathroom, showering, etc. He also brought their meals in her room, so they could eat together. When she was comfortable alone, he went off to train; but after a while, his sessions started growing shorter. She was gradually becoming his main priority.

When a nightmare caused her bad leg to fall off the pillow mountain, he urgently replaced it with the sling, with her reluctantly complying; to their relief, it held more securely. Tears fell that night, her pain not just physical; he hugged her firmly, rubbed her back, and stroked her long, green hair, as she cried in his chest. Not going into details, she told him about her family’s abuse, and her fear that they would find and kill her. He assured her that that’ll never happen; to make her smile, he said with the fighting skills she’s acquiring, she could send them running in seconds. He had to admit, after hearing about the horror she went through with them, he would love to see that. Hearing about the apparent, undeserved demise of an innocent Bulbasaur she took in made him feel sick; he couldn’t process what possessed them to even think of committing the heinous act, much less going through with it.

Those things weren’t even the most interesting part, though. Shortly after she returned to the dorm to recover, Jubei started feeling weird around Venus, almost like he was... falling for her. He longed to be close to her, for more than to help her as she recovered. During their hug, he never wanted to let her go. Maybe it was because she was being less sarcastic, and more sweet? Perhaps, but she had some moments before her injury. At that same time, without thinking, he pressed a comforting kiss to the top of her head, but she didn’t react negatively. If anything, it appeared to soothe her. And she seemed to lean into his hand when he wiped her tears away.

In the gym one day, he saw Butch swinging away at a punching bag, and felt something he hardly felt for anyone, much less someone he barely knew: resentment. But why? All he knew about Butch was that he was the object of Venus’ affections.

Maybe that was his reason? But he couldn’t fall in love with her! She was his friend, and his training partner; nothing else. He didn’t stand a chance with her; she was better off with Butch.

Despite that, he had dreams plaguing his mind every night; wonderful dreams, filled with romance. One in particular had them running barefoot in a field of black and white Heddewigii Dianthus flowers, with Venus wearing a short, black celestial romper, and himself in a blue button-up that matched his eyes, and nice black pants. They sat closely together in a clearing to catch their breath, while Mankey and Zubat were under mingling a tree close by; he plucked a flower from the ground, and tenderly tucked it by the stem behind her left ear. Keeping his gentle hand on her cheek, he leaned in, feeling her own small hands lock together behind his neck, and they shared a kiss. Her purple lip gloss tasted like sweet Pamtre Berries; his favorite. He woke up, feeling a shot of disappointment, after they pulled away.

Other dreams were less specific, but the romance was still there. Kisses were exchanged, some not on the lips, and at some points, they snuggled in her bed. They watched her shows revolving around haunted locations, and he didn’t feel any fear. He was even getting invested in the spooky programs.

During one shower, he assumed she forgot that he was nearby, or maybe getting more comfortable with his near-constant presence, because he heard her singing to herself. She had such a beautiful voice.

Mankey, being a smart Pokemon, was able to detect those feelings, and in its own way, gave him good-natured ribbings. In the kitchen, he stifled a laugh when it formed a heart with its hands. “Mankey, stop it, she’s going to hear us,” He whispered.

In the real world, Venus was completely oblivious to his newfound feelings for her. And despite its lack of eyes, Zubat would practically stare daggers at him in an overprotective manner, but it went unnoticed by its master.

When she was getting suspicious at his unusual behavior, he quickly made the claim that he was whipped from training; she bought it, but he mentally cursed himself for his nervous tone. She just might catch on, and request to switch partners out of discomfort. And he didn’t want that to happen; he valued their partnership more than anything, and their friendship.

~~~

At the halfway point of her bedrest, he noticed she was getting a small case of cabin fever. He didn’t blame her; being cooped up in one place for three weeks can get to someone. Especially someone known to have a short temper. They occasionally went out on the balcony, but it didn’t feel like enough.

“You okay?” Jubei asked her one day when he noticed she was laying in bed, arms folded, and wearing pajamas, with her default bored expression.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Ju.” Venus replied quietly.

“Are you s-”

“I SAID I’M FINE!” She shouted, startling him, Mankey, and Zubat. Like after her last outburst, she settled herself with a deep breath. “S-sorry.” She laid back on her pile of pillows in a huff; almost reaching over, Jubei had to refrain from brushing her short, soft bangs from her forehead. “It’s just, I’ve been here in the dorm for, I dunno, forever, it seems.”

“You’re okay. I understand; hey, maybe we can go around the academy?” He offered, “A little fresh air will do you some good; and it seems nice out.”

She pondered the idea for a moment, then nodded. “I’d like that; thanks.”

“No problem, partner.” After she changed into a blue/black plaid skirt-crop top combo, with his assistance, and tied her hair in a high wrap ponytail, he helped her into the wheelchair. As Zubat fluttered over to perch on her shoulder, Jubei couldn’t help but stare, and let his mind wander; she sure had a nice body under her training uniform. He blinked his dark blue eyes to snap himself out of it; he had still been trying to push away his forbidden feelings for her, with little success. The urge to hold her, stroke her hair, and kiss her was still lingering. He was just glad she wore a bra with her sleepwear, or he would have a stroke.

After helping her left foot into a simple black sneaker, he began their trek around the academy, Mankey following close behind.

That day went swimmingly for the both of them. Cassidy and Wendy borrowed her for a moment in the former’s dorm to pamper her, signing/drawing on her cast, and painting her nails black. Jubei and Mankey, meanwhile, spent extra time at the gym to make up for lost time dedicated to keeping Venus company.

As he ran on a treadmill, one not destroyed by Jessie and Cassidy trying to one-up each other, he was approached by Viper. “Jubei, may I have a word with you?”

“Uh, yeah, sure, yes sir,” He kept jogging, as he spoke. “What’s going on?”

“I noticed you’ve spent more time with Ms. Wisteria lately, and less time training.” Jubei saw the tiniest smirk on the sergeant’s face. “Is she still recovering well?”

“Yes sir, she is.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“And about the extra time... sh-she just gets lonely.” They both knew that that was Tauros-crap. Venus Wisteria liked her alone time, and everyone knew it; even though she seemed to enjoy his company lately.

“I see. Will you be telling her how you feel about her before her bedrest ends?”

“Wha- AAH!” Jubei was caught off guard by his sudden question, causing a misstep; the treadmill sent him flying back, and into the wall. Everyone in the room watched in concern, but luckily, he wasn’t injured like Venus; just a little bruised. “Ow.” He stumbled back on his feet, and rubbed his sore back. He smiled when Mankey rushed over from the punching bag it was wailing on earlier. “I’m alright, buddy.” Nonetheless, it followed him when he returned to the treadmill, which was now turned off, and stayed by his side. “Sir, wh-what’re you talking about?”

Viper’s all-knowing smile grew more visible. “I’ve seen the look on your face when her name is brought up; and everyone here knows she loves her moments of solitude. When did you start feeling this way?”

No denying it now. Viper was too smart to fall for any lies. “Shortly after her bedrest started,” He replied, “I don’t even know how; it was kind of sudden.” 

He shared a surprisingly therapeutic heart-to-heart with the sergeant, opening up with his dreams about them as a couple, helping her through the times her vulnerability showed, and overall never wanting to leave her side. Even how he didn’t see himself having a chance at being her significant other. Viper assured him that his feelings are temporary, and that after she's back on her feet, everything will revert to normal.

Jubei went back to the girls to retrieve Venus, so they could grab some lunch in the cafeteria. He complimented the black nail polish she now sported, and she told him that the mani-pedi with Cassidy and Wendy was soothing... for the most part. He stifled a laugh at the last part, knowing very well from a past training exercise of endurance that, despite her toughness, and a huge majority of her fashion choices, she’s very ticklish. It embarrassed her to no end, but he thought it was adorable. She had a cute laugh.

They sat at a small table with their food, across from each other, and talked more about their day. When she had a drop of mustard on the corner of her lip from her cheeseburger, he had the urge to reach over and brush it off, but kept back. She took care of it herself, and it was strangely arousing how it was swiped off, and her small lips cleaned the condiment off her finger. 

Oh, how he wanted to kiss her.

“Uh, h-how’s your lunch?” He stammered after a bite of mac-n-cheese.

“Delicious,” She replied, “Yours?”

“It’s good too.”

“So, you said you talked to Sergeant Viper, huh? I didn’t think he was one for chit-chat.”

“Yeah, in the gym. He was asking me why I’ve been attending training less lately, and uh, I told him that it’s so you won’t be lonely.”

A small smile grew on her face. “You’ve been playing hooky to be with me more? That’s sweet. What, do you have a crush on me, or something?” She innocently joked.

Jubei’s eyes bugged out, and he nearly choked on his soda in surprise, spitting it out right back in the cup through the straw. Venus flinched back, eyebrows raised up in concern, and set her burger down on the paper wrapper, as he coughed in his elbow to recover. Other trainees stared their way, but were paid no mind to. “Did I strike a nerve there?”

“Oh, no, no, I’m fine. That just... caught me off guard.”

“I noticed,” She smirked, “Sorry.”

“It’s cool.”

The rest of their meal went more peacefully, with less surprises. Until the end, that is. “Uh, Ju, you got a little something there.” Venus brought up, gesturing to her face.

“Huh?” He felt around his mouth.

“Here, I got it.” She licked her thumb, leaned forward, and wiped the small droplet of cheese sauce off his cheek. He was glad to still be sitting, because his knees felt weak at her gentle touch. Not at all what her training demeanor usually implied. “There we go.”

He could only blink, as his cheeks turned a deep red, and his legs were completely numb. “Th-th-thanks.” Once his ability to walk returned, he escorted her out. 

They followed the shaded sidewalk outside back to the dormitory, when Venus leaning forward while facing the outside world caught his attention, and made him stop. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m admiring the lovely day.” 

Jubei leaned over to look past the awning; the dark, cloudy sky indicated that a storm could very well roll in at any second. “Uh... y-yeah.” He didn’t know why he was surprised; for as long as he'd known Venus, he knew she enjoyed darkness. Like an Addams. He always found that interesting about her.

“When we get to the dorm... can we go on the balcony to admire it from there?”

“Sure,” He nodded, “But the second a raindrop falls on you, we’re going back inside, no questions asked.”

“Deal.”

They did as she wanted, and watched the dark clouds roll by, him in one of the filigree chairs by a matching round table, and her in the wheelchair. He blushed at her smile; she looked so happy and relaxed. Going out did her good, in his opinion; her grumpiness had ceased. And he had to admit, watching the clouds roll by was kind of soothing; even if he preferred white on blue over grey on, well, lighter grey. But to each his own, right? As she sipped her fountain soda, her eyes never tore away from the gloomy sight.

Without thinking, he laid one arm over her shoulders. She looked over at his hand, more in surprise than anything else, but he was startled nonetheless. “S-sorry,” He quickly drew it back, but her small smile in his direction calmed his heart just a bit.

After a few minutes, rain started to fall, so he quickly went back inside with her before they could get soaked. By the time it let up somewhat, it was almost dinnertime, so he got their meals from the noodle bar in the area, and brought it to the dorm. “Did you miss me?” He joked, pulling his damp umbrella shut.

She smirked in his direction from watching the rain. “A little,” She replied with sincerity, “You got my favorite?”

“Sure did; udon with some shrimp in it, just how you like it!”

She smiled when he set the plate in her lap. “Thanks, Ju.” When he sat next to her, they started eating. Only a minute later, he noticed her struggle with her chopsticks, as if she had never use them in her life. His newly acquired quick reflexes came to the rescue when one shrimp attempted an escape to the floor. “Th-thanks,” She stammered when he returned it to her plate.

“Sorry, I forgot a fork for yours. Have you ever used chopsticks before?”

She shook her head, embarrassment evident in her face. “N-no. I never learned; it’s why I always went with a fork at the noodle bar.”

“Ah. Here, I’ll teach you; I’ve used them since I was a kid.” He showed her how to hold the chopsticks between her fingers, trying hard to distract himself from how close they are. He even fed her one of the shrimps, to her amusement, when letting her watch him demonstrate himself. On her own, she used them to scoop up a mouthful of noodles at a slow rate; he kept her hair back out of her food, earning a quick glance of surprised gratitude, as she succeeded in her attempt. “You did it!” Jubei cheered.

“Yay me,” She giggled after swallowing, “Thanks for the lesson; I’ll practice when I can.”

“No prob.”

That night, stormy as it was, went the same as the others; Jubei dreaming that Venus is his girlfriend, and their potential life together. This time around featured a picnic in a lovely park, Mankey and Zubat enjoying themselves, and the couple feeding each other berries. This time around, Venus was in a pair of black floral duster shorts with a high waist, a black double tie-front cropped tee, a black bejeweled flower barrette, and no shoes. And like in the rest of his dreams, no cast; she was all healed, and happy. He still had the same black pants and blue button-up, and without shoes. She was seated in his lap, with her back to his chest, feeling fully relaxed. He wrapped his arms around her, leaned his head down, and they had a kiss as sweet as in the rest of his dreams.

Lightning startled him awake, but she didn’t even stir. Storms made him wary, so she let him stay in her room for the night; he had been sleeping with his upper body leaned down, folded arms on her bed by her pillow, and head rested in comfortably, when his visions took him away. Mankey, who never slept without its master in the room, was laying on the floor, face-up, limbs out.

Thankfully for his blood pressure, she wore long, high-waisted lounge pants and a cozy cropped (because it’s Venus) sweatshirt to bed, as opposed to one of her less modest nightgowns. Had she worn one of those, he would’ve lost his ability to keep his feelings for her a secret. And his ability to breathe.

As thunder rumbled, Jubei turned to Venus, who was completely unbothered by the storm. She opened up to him about how they were always comforting to her; how she would listen to thunder, and watch lightning, instead of hearing her sisters fight, or her parents... “get busy”, as she put it. The thought of her having the misfortune of hearing that as a small child, especially more than once and in her own home, made him grimace. Didn’t people have any self control? Especially around little children?

He knew it was creepy, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, as she slept. Her breathing was quiet and even, with her small chest rising up and down rhythmically under her folded arms, and her hair was spread out on her pillows. Despite the noise and flashes of light, she was so peaceful, as if nothing was happening.

When his fatigue caught back up to him, he rested his head in his arms, and drifted off to a now dreamless slumber. He felt more comfort sleeping by her side, as opposed to doing so alone in his own room, whether it stormed or not.

~~~

Before long, one evening, it was time for Venus’ cast to be removed, as well as her stitches. In the infirmary room, he sat next to her on the bed, and offered his hand to her. “Here, squeeze it as hard as you need to.”

She gave him a smirk. “That’s okay, I don’t need-” The look he gave her was replied with an eye roll. “Oh, alright.” Her tiny hand slid into his bigger one, and their fingers folded together. “Thanks.”

The doctor from before smiled at them. “Your boyfriend’s pretty convincing, Ms. Wisteria.”

They shared a glance, both faces red. “Oh, w-we’re not-”

“We’re training partners,” Jubei said, “And friends.”

“Oh, my apologies. You two would make a cute couple, though.” He felt like his cheeks were on fire. “Okay, you both ready?”

“Yes, ma’am,” He replied, as Venus stayed silent with a small nod.

(TW BLOOD MENTION)

The procedure went smoothly. The patient cringed just a little, and her hand barely moved. If anything, Jubei was more affected; he could barely look, as the stitches were delicately removed, the little trickles of blood on her ivory skin worsening it for him. 

Venus noticed his discomfort, and in a rare moment (for her) of tenderness, she gently squeezed his hand with both of hers, and their gazes locked. He focused on her emerald eyes (or her one eye, not covered by her hair) instead of the procedure, and before long, it was all done. The deep green hue was easy to get lost into.

(Trigger end)

The doctor wrapped her lower leg with fresh, clean bandages after taping a gauze pad over the area. “Sorry, no black bandages.” Jubei snorted in amusement at Venus’ joking eye roll, and mild curse. She was so cute. “Okay Ms. Wisteria, you can go back to your training after two to four weeks of resting.”

“I have to be on bedrest some more?” Venus cringed a little, as with his help, she pulled her flared, black pant-leg back down. (⬅ printed with white mermaid scales, and paired with, surprise surprise, a crop top. Specifically a sleeveless black cheongsam with a high neck, and a heart cutout at the collar. Why she wore them despite her ticklishness, he’ll never know. She always looked beautiful in them, regardless.) Her shoes were simple black flip-flops; he brought the right one with them, so she wouldn’t have to be half-barefoot.

“I’m afraid so, dear; you could worsen your condition, and prolong the recovery process too.”

“Oh.”

“Aw, have I not been a good caretaker?” Jubei teased her when she pouted, making it disappear immediately, as he pulled her in with one arm.

“You have been, shut up,” She snickered with a small grin.

“We’ll do whatever you want, but as long as it doesn’t involve you walking, or using your legs.”

“Thanks, Ju.”

The doctor smiled, and glanced between them. “I know it’s not my place to ask, but are you sure you’re not a couple?” She joked.

“Yeah,” Jubei laughed, “We’re not together.” ‘I wish we were, though,’ He finished in his head. “Okay Venus, let’s get you back in your chair. Arms around my neck.” She held onto him, and he carefully lifted her like a bride off the table, and set her in the wheelchair. He could’ve sworn her head snuggled on his shoulder for the few seconds she was in his arms.

“Thanks.” She smiled when Zubat nuzzled her cheek.

“No prob. Let’s get you home.”

In her room, she was set up in her bed again, for what felt like the hundredth time. She could do it in her sleep by now if she wanted; and same for him. “There we go.”

“Yep,” She sighed, and crossed her arms, “Weeks of bedrest... again.”

He smiled sympathetically. “I know it’s tedious, V, but it’s for your health.”

“I know,” She mumbled defeatedly, her gaze staying straight ahead.

He sat next to her, and put his hand on her shoulder. “Well, I’m with you through this whole thing. I’m not letting you go through this by yourself.” She looked at him with a small smile. “Although... I do know you like your alone time, so if you ever want any, don’t hesitate to tell me. Okay?”

Venus nodded. “I will.”

“Cool. So, uh... you want to be alone right now?” He knew that was a dumb question, but he still felt it was necessary to ask. He smiled when she shook her head. “Okay.”

“I did agree to tell you,” She smirked.

“Yeah,” He chuckled, “I just figured I’d ask anyway.”

“Yeah,” She giggled, “I was just messing with you.”

“Ah. So, what do you want to do?”

“Um... watch TV?”

“Sure thing. I’ll get some water for us.”

“Soda for me actually, p-please.”

“‘Kay,” He nodded, and went to the kitchen to fetch their beverages. When he returned, she was leafing through the guide on the TV. “More ghost shows?”

“Nah, they’re not on right now.”

He smirked at her choice. “The Addams Family? I’ve never seen the movies before.”

“You’ve been missing out then, buddy. You’re in for a real treat.” Jubei found himself catching his breath from laughing throughout their time watching. She was right; he was missing out. And he hoped the sequel would be on soon. As they watched, neither of them noticed that their heads were only inches apart. He noticed the scent of her green apple shampoo and conditioner, but was too distracted to move. It was intoxicating, and it suited her.

When a few minutes passed after the movie ended, he felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked, and to his surprise, Venus had fallen asleep on him, the day’s events taking their toll on her. He wasn’t sure what to do; it’ll likely get awkward in the next morning, but on the other hand, he was already comfortable, and didn’t want to leave her. The realization that he needed to brush his teeth made the decision for him; he gingerly guided her away, and rested her head on the pillows, thankful that she always brushed hers earlier, and was a heavy sleeper. After freshening up, he returned to her bed, laid his upper body next to her pillows like before, and let himself fall asleep.

He hoped to stay close with Venus long after her bedrest comes to an end, if not forever. It would be sad if they went back to being merely acquaintances, after the bond they formed during her recovery. He knew about her family, somewhat (she hadn’t filled him in on the darker details about the patriarchs), and he knew what she liked and disliked. It would be silly to revert back to being... not close. Were they close now? He felt like they were nowadays.

~~~

The next few weeks went by at a reasonable pace. Jubei once dropped Venus off at the noodle bar at her request, so Butch could visit her after training kept him too busy, and exhausted. She wore her best, black dress for the lunch, hoping to make a good impression on her crush. “How’s your recovery going?” Butch asked her after they were at the bar.

“Um, i-it’s okay,” She replied, her cheeks pink from his presence alone, “I still feel a bit of pain, but nothing serious. Jubei has been there for me throughout the whole thing, which I’m grateful for.”

Butch jokingly smirked. “What happened to ‘I work alone’?” He did air quotes around the last three words he often heard from her.

She smirked back after a bite of shrimp Udon. “That kinda took a backseat on account of my injury, smarty-pants,” She retorted.

“Yeah, I know,” He chuckled, “I’m glad you’re not going through it by yourself. Sorry I’m not able to visit in your dorm.”

“It’s okay; I know training keeps you busy. How’s that been going?”

“Eh, same as always. Train, sweat, fall over, wash your ripe uniform after it’s over.”

She snickered. “Ah. Cassidy’s a good leader so far?”

“Definitely. Sergeant Viper even calls her a natural leader; she’s surely got the bossiness for it,” He laughed.

Venus snorted, and giggled. “Well, somebody’s gotta have it, y’know?”

“Yeah, I suppose. I bet you would be a great leader, V.”

She hid her blush with her takeout drink, and attempted to push it away with a joke. “’Cause I’m bossy?”

“N-no, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay, I’m joking,” She laughed, “But why do you think I would be?”

He shrugged. “I dunno. You just give off that leader vibe like Cass; like her, you’re smart, strong, and loyal.”

She smiled up at him, her cheeks now red. “Thanks. And so are you, Butch.”

“Thanks, V. And I hope I’m strong; I do all the heavy lifting!” He laughed with her.

“Flex for me.” She giggled when he did just that. “It’s like I’m having lunch with a green-haired Hercules.”

“Thanks.”

The rest of their lunch (date?) went smoothly. When Jubei went to take her back to the dorm, she was all smiles; he loved seeing her happy, though couldn’t help but wish he was the reason behind it. She had such a beautiful smile when it wasn’t full of mischief.

In her room, he set her up in bed again after she was in pajamas, and made sure she was comfortable. “So your lunch with Butch went well?”

“It did,” She nodded, then smiled dreamily, “He’s so nice to be around, and talk with.”

“Y-yeah.” He tried to push away his feelings of jealousy.

“Hopefully after I’m healed, he’ll... want to see me again.”

“Yeah, h-hopefully.”

Venus turned to him, a look of concern on her face. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, uh, y-yeah, I’m fine. Just tired from training.”

“Ah, okay.” She sipped her soda. “You oughta go to bed earlier; maybe the same time as me.”

“Yeah, maybe,” He nodded just a little, so she wouldn’t grow more suspicious.

“And take it easy in training, a bit.”

“Well, Viper wants me to uh, m-make up for lost time.”

“Ah, I see,” She nodded. He internally sighed in relief; she bought it. Although that was actually a truth, but regardless. She didn’t question it, and he was glad about that. Since it was a quiet, clear night, they went to sleep in their separate beds, Jubei dreaming about her again. 

The way her eyes lit up when he won her a giant plush Crobat on the boardwalk was a sight that made his heart skip a beat. In the evening, they rode a Ferris Wheel, where they shared a kiss at the very top.

Her mandatory resting time was coming to an inevitable close; and he secretly doubted Viper’s assurance that his feelings for her would go away that easily... if at all.

~~~

“Alright, the rope’s free!”

“Okay, lower me down!” Venus latched onto the Articuno statue around the neck once she was low enough. For almost a month now, she had been well enough to return to training, and was quite eager to do so. “You’re mine now. Alright, I’m ready! Pull!”

Jubei and Mankey began pulling them up with all the strength they could muster, managing to lift the statue off the ground. “Hold on tight!” It happened again; the rope slipped down in their hands, and the statue was dropped from a startled Venus’ hands. And like last time, it shattered on impact when it hit the ground, and the alarm started ringing.

As he watched her panic, he expected her to release herself and make a run for it on her own, just as Jessie did. But his prediction was false; the Goth scurried up the rope, untied her ankles, and rejoined him and Mankey instead! “We’re outta here!”

“Aah! Hey wait, what’re you doing?!” He exclaimed in surprise over the alarm, when he and Mankey were scooped under her arms like footballs.

“Taking you idiots with me!” She leaped down the hole, and ran for cover as fast as her legs could carry all of them, avoiding the explosion.

He yelped when the room caved in behind them. “Y-you’re not abandoning us?”

“No, we’re a team!”

The rest was a blur. ‘We’re a team!’ Her declaration echoed in his mind. Jubei barely acknowledged Viper’s lecturing about their botched test; all he could think about was how he and Mankey were still unharmed, and not left alone. Venus came back for them, just as Jessie neglected to, after his goof-up. And little did he know, she was defending him for what happened.

He’ll never forget her. And he’ll always love her.

(Look out for a bonus scene in a reblog! 😉)

-

(A/N: Hope you enjoyed! I had a cold for most of my time writing this, and it helped me get through it! And this stayed in my drafts for over a month out of fear of the reception. 😶

I’ve been playing around with the idea of Jubei being the human partner Venus lasted the longest with, accidentally discovered Florence Nightingale, and this was born. 😊)

Outfits:

Venus-

Romper: XXX

Plaid Outfit: XXX

Duster Shorts: XXX

Tied Crop Top: XXX

Flower: XXX (photo by me; it’s a Penny Blossom!)

Flare Pants: XXX

Cheongsam Crop: XXX

Dress: XXX