Archive of Our Own

“Patient 107?”

Rio reads from her clipboard before lifting her gaze, scanning the waiting room. It’s a messy crowd of volunteers with slouched shoulders and impatient, tapping feet. The sterile scent of the hospital hangs in the air and the low hum of the fluorescent lights form a dull, irritating background noise. It’s no wonder everyone looks so fed up.

From the far corner, a patient turns her head.

Rio notices the movement immediately.

The woman rises from her chair with a grace that makes it impossible to look away, causing Rio’s breath to catch at the sight of her. Her wavy brown hair cascades past her shoulders in soft waves, brushing lightly against her mid-back as she moves. Her blue eyes catch the harsh light of the lobby yet somehow still sparkle despite it. Her lips are slightly parted and the faint curve at the edges suggests she knows the effect she has on the room. She strolls over to Rio with confidence.

Rio draws in a grounding breath, forcing a polite, professional smile, and pushes open the door behind her.

“This way,” she says, stepping aside, her voice coming out just a little raspy.

The woman brushes past and the faint, warm scent of her perfume follows, drifting into Rio’s senses and causing her stomach to clench tightly. She follows immediately, her pace quickening unconsciously to catch up with her.

Get it together, she tells herself, though her pulse is pounding against her ribs.

“Agatha Harkness, right?” Rio asks after clearing her throat, glancing at the chart before meeting the woman’s gaze.

The brunette nods, a small smile tugging at her lips, and Rio’s heart skips a beat at the sight.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Harkness,” Rio continues, guiding her down the quiet hallway. “I’m Dr. Vidal. I’ll be leading you through the study today.”

“Please,” the woman says smoothly, “call me Agatha.”

Rio feels her throat tighten, the simple sound of her voice making her knees weak, and she forces herself to nod.

“…Agatha,” she corrects herself, liking how the name rolls off her tongue, and motions toward the exam room door. Her stomach flips as Agatha steps in first, her arm just barely brushing against Rio’s own at the movement.

“Take a seat,” Rio adds, gesturing toward the bed in the center of the office. She slides onto the stool by her computer, pulling up the patient file, trying not to notice how Agatha’s gaze follows her every move. Spinning to face her, Rio sees Agatha perched on the edge of the bed, her posture relaxed and confident in a way that makes Rio’s breath hitch.

“I’m just going to walk you through the study, have you sign a few more consent forms, and then open it up for any questions,” Rio rattles off, the script spilling out instinctively after having done this countless times. “Sound good?”

“Perfect,” Agatha replies, a small smirk tugging at her lips that makes Rio’s stomach twist into knots. She forces herself to inhale, trying to steady the nervous flutter in her chest.

“Okay, so as you hopefully already know, this study is aimed at measuring hormone levels-specifically oxytocin- before and after masturbatory-induced orgasms, as well as looking at the amount of neural activity in specific areas during release.”

Agatha nods, her eyes locked on Rio’s, her head tilted slightly as if she’s examining her. Rio can’t help but let her fingers fidget with the edge of her scrub top, just to give them something to do. She allows her eyes to follow, not able to hold Agatha’s gaze much longer.

“We’ll begin by taking a small blood sample to get your baseline measurement,” Rio continues, trying to keep her voice calm and professional. “Then we’ll have you go into the MRI machine, where you’ll pleasure yourself to orgasm while we monitor your brain activity. Afterward, we’ll take another blood sample for comparison.”

Rio finally lifts her eyes to meet Agatha’s, and the air between them feels suddenly thick, the room slightly claustrophobic.

“And don’t worry,” she adds quickly, “there’ll be a dividing partition between you and the monitor room, so you’ll have complete privacy.”

Agatha pouts slightly, her lips curling dramatically downwards.

“What, I don’t get an audience?”

Rio’s breath catches in her throat. Her heart feels like it’s about to leap from her chest. Her mouth opens, then closes, and all she can manage to get out is a stuttered, “I- uh-”

“I’m kidding,” Agatha says teasingly in response as she smiles sweetly. Her eyes glint as if she knows exactly the effect she’s having on Rio.

Rio clears her throat and nods quickly. “Right. Of course.” She pushes her feet against the ground, sliding her stool back to the computer. “Do you have any questions for me?”

Agatha shakes her head, rocking slightly on the bed as if she’s bored. “Nope.”

Rio grabs the clipboard and pen from the counter, handing them over.

“Then I’ll just have you read through and sign these consent forms, and we can get started,” she says, offering a small, reassuring smile before turning back to her computer. She scrolls through patient files, giving Agatha space, though she can’t stop noticing how fast her heartbeat has become, how painfully aware she is of Agatha’s presence, and how every subtle movement makes her pulse spike again.

The quiet scratch of pen on paper fills the room, and Rio can hear her own breath in the silence, punctuated with the occasional click of the computer mouse. She tries to focus on the file, but her mind keeps drifting, imagining the curve of Agatha’s smile right behind her, how the glint of sunlight through the window hits her hair just right so that she’s practically glowing. 

“All done.”

Her voice makes Rio jump, and she spins back around to take the clipboard. Their fingers brush ever so slightly during the transfer, sending a shiver up her spine. She scans the papers quickly, checking for signatures and initials in the correct spots, then nods in satisfaction.

“The nurse will be in shortly to take your blood sample,” Rio tells her, standing and moving toward the door. “Then I’ll see you again when it’s time for the MRI.”

She slips out before Agatha can respond, shutting the door behind her. She allows herself to release a shaky exhale as she leans back against the wood, just grateful that she’s finally able to breathe again.

The whole time she’s supposed to be reviewing old labs, Rio can’t stop thinking about Agatha.

This is completely inappropriate, she reminds herself, she’s a patient.

But she’s so fucking intoxicating.

She tries to force herself to focus on the charts, the collections of important data, but her mind refuses to obey. Instead, it drifts back, over and over, imagining the curve of Agatha’s nose, the way her wavy brown hair falls perfectly down her back, the confidence in the way she moves. Every minor detail sticks in her mind.

This is one of those times where a photographic memory does not come in handy.

Rio’s pen hovers above a stack of papers. She makes a note and then immediately scribbles it out, not even sure what she was trying to say. She closes her eyes for a brief second, takes a grounding breath, and is about to try again until the soft tap of shoes on linoleum tile echoes from the hall, and she freezes.

The nurse enters the room, smiling politely. “Blood draw’s done, and the fMRI is ready for Patient 107.”

Rio practically jumps from her chair. She grabs the clipboard with trembling fingers and has to refrain from sprinting down the hallway. When she reaches the exam room, she knocks quickly, the sound harsh in the quiet space.

“Come in,” Agatha calls, her voice smooth and teasing.

Rio presses down the handle and steps inside, her heart hammering. The door clicks shut behind her as she tries to regain the composure she immediately lost.

“All set?” she asks, meeting Agatha’s eyes briefly before tearing her gaze away, stomach flipping violently.

“Yes, ma’am,” Agatha replies, her lips forming a flashy smile. Rio swallows hard, feeling the sudden tightness in her chest, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

“Great. You can follow me,” Rio manages to get out, opening the door to let Agatha pass. They walk side by side down the quiet hallway, Rio hyperaware of their close proximity. She guides Agatha silently toward the fMRI suite, stealing the occasional glance without having the courage to meet her eyes for too long.

She gestures toward the changing room once they reach the suite. “There’s a gown waiting for you in there. You can go ahead and change and come out when you’re ready.” She tells Agatha, her instructions coming out surprisingly smooth. “And don’t forget to remove any piercings, the metal will interfere with the machine.”

Agatha blinks at her, staring with a slightly blank expression.

“…what?” Rio asks, raising an eyebrow, unsure of what the silence could mean.

“All piercings?” Agatha clarifies, her voice a low whisper.

“Yes, all piercings,” Rio confirms, nodding slowly, hesitating slightly as she looks at Agatha with undeniable intrigue.

Agatha mutters something under her breath, her face angled toward the ground.

“What was that?” Rio presses gently, her curiosity bleeding through despite her best efforts.

Agatha looks up, her voice coming out clear now. “I just got my clit pierced. And it hurt like a motherfucker, so I’m really not looking for that to close up any time soon.”

Rio’s breath hitches, an effort to maintain professional composure while holding back her outright disbelief. “You-” She stammers, cheeks hot. “Okay… I can probably find you a plastic retainer to replace it with.” Her hands feel suddenly clammy, and she wonders just how red her face has gone. “Just… give me a minute, I’ll be right back.” She steps toward the door with a little too much urgency. “Go ahead and change while I’m gone,” she calls over her shoulder, heart hammering so loudly she wouldn’t be surprised if Agatha could hear it.

She moves down the hall into the control room, letting the door click softly behind her. She leans casually around the doorframe. “Hey Alice,” she says, trying to sound perfectly calm. The dark-haired assistant turns with a bright smile.

“What’s up?” Alice asks.

“Can you find me a retainer for a clit piercing?” Rio says, trying to keep her tone casual, though the corner of her mouth twitches as the request leaves her mouth.

Alice throws her hand to her mouth, stifling the laugh that escapes. “Holy shit.”

“Right?” Rio says, laughing softly. “I mean, props to her- I don’t think I could handle that.”

“Me neither,” Alice says, smirking, “but that’s fucking badass.”

“Very,” Rio agrees, shaking her head slightly, though her thoughts drift for a brief second back to Agatha, and the heat in her chest rises again.

“I’ll see what I can find,” Alice says, moving past Rio, slipping out of the room on her mission.

Rio stands there for a moment before returning to the fMRI room, where Agatha has already changed into the hospital-issued gown.

“This is not flattering,” Agatha says flatly, pulling at the gown with a faint scowl, her eyes flicking up at Rio. The fabric hangs off her frame awkwardly, a stark difference to the tight shirt and bootcut jeans she came in here with. Rio feels her pulse quicken under Agatha’s watchful gaze despite her best efforts to stay calm.

“You look great,” Rio replies, throwing her head back with a quick laugh to cover the little hitch in her voice. She isn’t lying. Agatha could probably wear a garbage bag and still be the most gorgeous woman in the world.

“My assistant has gone to find you the retainer piercing now,” Rio says, trying to keep her tone professional.

Agatha tilts her head mischievously, a small glint of amusement in her eyes. “Luckily for you, my nipple piercings are fully healed.”

Rio shakes her head, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. “Of course you have nipple piercings.” She responds flatly. Her chest rises a little faster as her mind stays locked on the thought of them. She has to force herself out of the trance.

Agatha just flashes one of those intoxicating smiles- the kind that makes Rio’s spine crawl and leaves her stomach twisting in on itself.

The door opens again, and Alice slips in, carrying a small, sealed bag. “Here you go, it’s sterile,” she says, passing it to Rio before stepping out again. The faint click of the door closing behind her echoes in the now quiet room. Rio hands the retainer to Agatha, who ducks back into the changing room without a word.

Rio busies herself by organizing the supply shelf, trying to keep her hands moving and her mind focused on something other than her patient. Moments later, Agatha emerges, every bit as composed as before while Rio is twice as frazzled.

“All set?” Rio asks, clearing her suddenly dry throat, trying to mask how much her heartrate has picked up.

Agatha nods once in response. Rio gestures toward a table off to the side of the room, guiding Agatha’s attention. Atop it sits a black briefcase, and she undoes the buckle, lifting the lid to reveal a neatly arranged assortment of dildos, vibrators, and other sterilized sex toys.

“You can help yourself to any of these if you want them,” Rio says, keeping her tone professional, though light enough to feel casual and comfortable for her patient. Agatha glances at the collection, her expression seemingly bored and indifferent, before she shrugs.

“Won’t need ‘em,” she says casually, lifting her hand and wiggling her fingers towards Rio in a slow, deliberate motion. “My fingers work miracles, y’know.”

Rio’s breath catches, and she forces herself to look away- to the floor, to the wall, to anything but Agatha’s watchful eyes. Her skin feels hot, tingling all over as she becomes painfully aware of how close Agatha is standing. She clears her throat, trying to mask the heat rising in her cheeks.

“Okay, great,” Rio says at last, letting her voice settle into something somewhat steady. “Well, if you’re all set, we can get you into the machine.”

Agatha follows her over and climbs onto the MRI table with ease. Rio’s knees go weak as she watches. “Go ahead and lie back with your head here,” Rio instructs, tapping the head coil lightly. Agatha positions herself exactly as Rio directs, movements smooth and almost teasingly slow.

Rio leans in, adjusting the small foam cushions on either side of Agatha’s head, making sure they’re snug but not uncomfortable. She lowers the top of the coil over her skull, the soft click echoing in the quiet room, and for a second, the subtle scent of Agatha’s perfume fills Rio’s senses from the close proximity. She forces herself to pull away.

Rio grabs a blanket from the side, draping it over Agatha’s torso and lower half, smoothing the scratchy fabric across her body. “Comfy?” Rio asks, checking the fit and adjusting so it sits evenly.

“Very,” Agatha says, voice dripping with sarcasm. “This is how I always masturbate.”

Rio laughs softly, shaking her head as she double-checks the machine, her pulse beating much too loudly in her ears.

“Okay, I’m gonna be in this room here to monitor the scans,” she explains, moving toward the control room door. “Don’t worry, all we’ll see over the privacy screen is your head. We can hear you over the speaker, so just shout if you need anything.”

“You sure you don’t wanna stay, hon?” Agatha calls, her tone teasing. Rio can’t see her whole face behind the coil, but she knows a smirk is plastered there. She bites her lip, clearing her throat before answering.

“For safety reasons, I have to be out of the scanning room while it’s on,” she says softly, trying to sound calm despite her cheeks flaring with heat.

“Oh, but you would otherwise?” Agatha teases again, voice low and playful. Rio shakes her head, suppressing the laugh that threatens to escape.

“Knock yourself out, Agatha,” Rio says finally, stepping towards the door.

“I actually did do that once,” Agatha calls suddenly, her voice carrying across the room. “I don’t recommend though, didn’t get to ride out the orgasm fully. I much prefer staying conscious, thank you.”

Rio’s mouth falls open in utter disbelief. Her mind races, but she forces herself to swallow down the pressing, inappropriate questions, keeping her professional composure intact and pushing through the door instead.

Once inside the control room, she slides into the chair at the console, her fingers hovering over the buttons as she presses down on the speaker.

“Okay, Agatha, we’re starting the scan now. You can go ahead and begin.”

The low hum of the machine starts as it whirs to life. Not even a few minutes later, soft moans crackle through the speaker. Rio freezes mid-motion, eyes snapping up from the monitor. She can’t see anything but Agatha’s head above the privacy screen, but it’s enough- enough to make her stomach twist, warm heat pooling low in her abdomen. Her pulse picks up, thumping behind her ribs and she has to fight to keep her hands steady on the console.

Agatha’s mouth is slightly parted, her jaw slack as her neck stretches back against the constraints of the coil. Each quiet groan slides through the speakers and sticks in Rio’s mind, frazzling her thoughts completely.

She knows she can hear her, right?

Of course she does. She’s probably doing it on purpose.

Rio swallows hard, forcing herself to focus on the screen. The regions of Agatha’s brain light up in vibrant colors, the spike in activity recording in real time, and Rio can’t stop herself from leaning in closer, eyes scanning the patterns with deep intrigue. She bites her lip as she imagines the hormones being released in Agatha’s body right now, sending warm throughout her own. The professional part of her brain screams to stay detached, but Rio can’t clear her mind.

A particularly sharp moan cuts through the intercom, and Rio’s teeth dig into the inside of her cheek to keep herself from reacting audibly. Her thoughts scatter- how beautiful Agatha’s face must be right now, how her fingers must be straining, the way her head jerks under the restraint. Every subtle movement she sees, every tiny squirm under the coil, makes Rio’s awareness of her own body increase sharply.

The monitor flickers slightly as Agatha shifts again, and Rio sighs, exhaling a disappointed breath. The images blur more with the movement, the activity maps smearing into unusable data. Rio leans forward, one hand gripping the console edge for support, and presses the microphone button, trying to keep her voice calm and low.

“Hey, Agatha, I’m gonna need you to try and stay still for me,” she murmurs, voice hushed but firm, the attempted professional tone hiding the heat in her voice.

A long, breathy moan escapes in response. Rio’s breath hitches and she forces her gaze back to the screen. Agatha’s head tilts slightly, a small, teasing squirm under the coil that Rio can just barely detect. The foam cushions shift only a little, but the scanner registers it, and the images smear even further. Rio exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to clear her mind. The warmth in her cheeks continues to develop her as her stomach pools with heat.

“Agatha, please try not to move,” she says again, a little firmer this time, leaning slightly toward the microphone, eyes darting between the monitor and the subtle rise and fall of Agatha’s head. Her voice carries a hint of exasperation, but her brain is spinning. Heat is pooled low in her stomach as her pulse quickens, her thoughts completed scattered now.

The moans come again, louder and more intimate this time, and Rio’s chest tightens. She grips the edge of the console, her knuckles whitening, heart hammering way too fast at Agatha’s sounds. Each movement she sees from above the divider is enough to make Rio’s concentration shatter apart. The images on the monitor blur again, colors bleeding together, and Rio presses her lips together, trying to focus on the mess of data.

Her hand hovers over the microphone again. “Agatha… I really need you to stay still,” she whispers, almost pleading now.

Her comment is met with another loud moan, drawn out and breathy. Rio glances at the monitor, the scans still smeared and distorted. She mutters under her breath, “Okay… these are useless,” and hits pause, the machine groaning to a stop.

“I’m coming in,” she says, rising from the chair and pushing open the door. Inside, Agatha’s hand emerges from under the blanket, her fingers brushing across the scratchy fabric of the gown, leaving faint marks that make Rio’s chest tighten in ways that she can’t ethically rationalize.

“What happened?” Agatha asks, her eyes wide and innocent, but that smirk- that infuriating smirk- goes against every ounce of oblivion in her tone.

“You were moving too much. We need to redo it,” Rio replies, forcing her voice to remain calm and professional, though the heat rising in her cheeks makes it nearly impossible. Her pulse pounds in her ears as she watches Agatha attempt to tilt her head, her lips parting ever so slightly as a hint of anticipation gleams in her gaze.

Agatha bites her lip softly, the motion small but somehow still electrifying. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” Her voice is low and teasing, as if she knows exactly what she’s doing to her doctor.

Rio inhales sharply, her chest tightening as a warm shiver crawls up her spine. “It’s okay,” she answers, “I’m just going to add some more padding to the coil to limit your movement.” She moves with ease, gathering the foam wedges from the shelf as her hands shake only slightly. Each step back towards the machine feels heavier than it should. Her mind is acutely aware of Agatha’s proximity- of the warmth radiating from her body.

Leaning over Agatha, Rio adjusts the cushions along the sides of her head, pressing the foam gently so it sits snugly against her skull. Agatha shivers slightly under her hands, and the warmth of her breath brushes against Rio’s arm. Rio’s eyes flick down, catching the playful smirk lingering on her face. It’s literally impossible to look away, impossible not to feel the heat pooling low in her stomach as she moves delicate fingers around Agatha’s head.

Trying not to linger for too long, Rio reaches for the velcro forehead strap. She fastens it over the top of the coil, securing Agatha’s head further without making it uncomfortable. She moves a slow, delicate hand to brush Agatha’s hair to the side, repositioning the wavy strands so that they don’t get in the way. Leaning just slightly closer than necessary, enough to feel the warmth radiating from Agatha’s skin, she murmurs, “try and move for me.”

Agatha gives a barely perceptible shake of her head, enough to confirm the effectiveness of the adjustments. A small, satisfied smile tugs at Rio’s lips as a result of her work.

“Good,” she whispers, stepping back slowly, giving a last minute tug at the blanket to ensure Agatha’s covered, smoothing it over her torso and legs. Her pulse still races, and her chest feels a little tight from the proximity, the lingering scent of Agatha’s perfume still in her nose.

Returning to the control room, Rio leans forward over the console, letting her hands settle on the familiar buttons, trying to ground herself. Her voice is steady, but a slight shake hides beneath the professional tone as her mind continues to race with thoughts of her patient.

“Okay, Agatha… let’s try this again.”