This is a pretty old one-shot I wrote for Charamei's "One Word" challenge at the KOTOR Fan Media site. The word I chose was "light". Enjoy. ;)
Light. It stung her eyes painfully as someone suddenly entered the medbay. She shifted on the narrow couch covering her face with her hands.
"Turn off the fracking light," she groaned, her voice low and shaky.
"I apologize," Mical's voice managed to reach her newly regained consciousness through the ringing in her ears, "but it is time for your injection."
She tried to protest, but gave up before words even began to form in her head. It was no use arguing with Mical when he was in his doctor mode. In fact, at the moment she was simply too weak to stand up to anyone. Damn Dxun fever. With a resigned sigh she dropped her hands to her sides and moaned as the bright artificial light hurt her pupils again.
"How long have I been out?" she asked. She heard the sound of a plasteel cylinder being opened and then the clink of little bottles as Mical searched through the medical supplies. She covered her ears.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said closing the container and walked up to her, his tall figure mercifully blocking out the light shining on her from above. "It's already evening. You've slept for almost two hours. That is good."
"Tell this to my body," she muttered. "There isn't a single muscle in me that wouldn't be in pain."
Mical laid his smooth hand over her forehead. His cool touch felt almost blissful.
"The temperature isn't dropping," he said with worry. "I will give you a double dose this time."
She nodded in silence, submitting herself to his judgement.
"How are the others?" she asked as he walked away to get other equipment.
"They are fine," came a response. "I vaccinated everyone, so they would not get infected."
"What about you?"
He smiled with appreciation, looking at her over his shoulder. "Do not worry about me. I think we've got bigger problems at hand anyway."
"Is that so? What good would a sick doctor be to the crew?" she teased him.
"No good, apparently." He approached her, holding a weird looking pistol in one hand and a small cylindrical container in the other. "Ready?"
She sighed and rolled up her sleeve, letting him spray her arm with antiseptic.
"Do what you have to, doc."
She barely felt it when several tiny needles sank into her skin injecting the yellow liquid. Mical removed the pistol and put a kolto strip over the reddened spot.
"There you go," he smiled. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"
"It better be worth it," she grumbled anyway.
"You should rest now," he said, ignoring the remark, and began to clean up as quietly as he could.
As she closed her eyes she heard footsteps in the corridor. A second later Atton's voice rang out just outside the medbay and inside her skull.
"Can I sit with her for a while?"
Only the pain prevented her from shaking her head in disbelief. Atton asking Mical for permission? She had to be delirious indeed…
Mical apparently had no objection. When she opened her eyes again she saw Atton standing by the door, his usual cocky smile replaced by a look of genuine concern.
"Hey. How ya feeling?"
She gave him a lopsided half-smile. "How do I look?"
He tilted his head a bit and pretended to ponder on the answer.
"Kinda pale in this light," he announced at last. "But still sexy."
She gave a small snort. "That's the last word I'd use to describe myself right now."
"Pale?" he asked innocently.
"Scoundrel," she chuckled.
"Guilty as charged."
"Where'd you learn to pay compliments like that?"
"Oh, you know," he leant against the wall casually. "I've been around places."
"So I imagine," she winked. "I almost believed you."
He winked back at her, pulling up a chair to sit next to the bed. "I'll have to try harder next time, then."
She shifted her position to have a better view at him when a sudden wave of pain made her wince. Atton frowned.
"That bad, huh?"
"You don't want to know," she growled collapsing onto her back. "My each bone feels like it's been chewed up by a krayt dragon."
"Well, at least it didn't ruin your good looks."
"Cut it out, Rand."
"Alright, alright! You look really awful. Happy now?"
A hand shot out from under the blanket and hit him on the ear… or at least patted him lightly.
"Ouch! Hey, what happened to the Jedi Code?"
She rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling even more drained of energy as though the action exhausted her. "I knew one of these days you'd make me fall to the light side."
He looked at her, clearly amused. "You meant dark side, right?"
She stared at him for a moment, then chuckled helplessly realizing her mistake. "Light side, dark side, whatever. I can't think straight when you're around."
His grin became wider. "Oh, I'm flattered!"
He glanced at her hand that somehow ended up resting on his shoulder. He grasped it gently and laid it back by her side. Her weakened muscles offered no resistance.
"I bet you hate it."
She smiled sourly. "What? Being sick or being helpless?"
"Both, I guess," he shrugged. "I know how I'd feel."
Somewhere deep inside her fevered mind something cracked, but she was unable to tell what or why that was. She looked at Atton like it was the first time she acknowledged his presence.
"Funny," she said quietly. "I don't mind it all that much when you're here."
It's the fever, she thought. Nothing more. And I'm tired. She yawned.
"You should probably go to sleep," Atton said finally, avoiding her gaze. "Otherwise I'm pretty sure the wonder boy will gut me for keeping you awake."
"Yeah," she agreed sleepily. A violent shiver ran across her body as she awkwardly adjusted her blanket. "I'm cold."
Before she even noticed he had moved, he was there, leaning over her and pulling another blanket tightly around her form.
"What?" he asked noticing the look she gave him.
She managed to shrug. "Nothing. Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
He straightened up, looking undecided. "So, uh… sleep tight, I guess."
She closed her eyes. "Uh-huh. You too," she murmured, voice muffled by layers of blankets.
She heard him walk towards the door, ready to leave.
"Atton?"
The sound of footsteps ceased, but she could tell he did not turn around. "Yeah?"
"Will you stay with me?"
There was silence. And then…
"Yeah. I will."
He began to pull up the same chair once more when she remembered something.
"And Atton…"
"Yeah?"
"Turn off the bloody light."
He sighed half-heartedly. "Just don't get used to it."
"It's a deal."
He couldn't see her contented smile as he turned off the light.