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summary : it is a teaching hospital and Jack is a really good teacher her in any kind of topic...
authorโs note : Im just so fucked up when it comes do Shawn Hatosy or Jack Abbot no matter what era of my life am I in. Also working on an Arthur Morgan one but lets not spoiler and enjoy this cute JA fluff -L
ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE
warnings :ย age gap, attending/resident relationship, workplace romance, power imbalance, older man/younger woman, slow burn, mutual pining, flirting, teasing, alcohol consumption, drinking, kissing, making out, implied sexual content, suggestive dialogue, sharing a bed, brief doctor/patient situations, medical setting, emergency room setting, mentions of injuries and medical procedures, swearing, daddy issues jokes, silver fox obsession, coworkers being nosy, secret relationship, relationship reveal, light jealousy, lots of fluff, slight explicit
7k words
masterlist
From all the places I thought I'd end up after my intern year, Pittsburgh honestly wasn't even on the list. If you had asked me two years ago where I saw myself doing residency, I would've probably said Seattle. Which was funny considering I had just spent an entire year there trying to convince myself I actually liked it. Spoiler alert. I didn't. Now, before anyone from Seattle starts throwing tomatoes at me, let me explain. The city itself was beautiful. The coffee was incredible. The food was amazing. The people were nice enough.
The ferries? Absolutely not. So unlike Derek Shepheard I didnโt stayed in Seattle. Whoever thought relying on a giant floating boat to get to work every morning was relaxing had clearly never been a sleep-deprived resident surviving on four hours of sleep and an unhealthy amount of caffeine. Missing one ferry meant waiting for another. Waiting for another meant arriving late. Arriving late meant disappointing your attending, and as a first-year resident that somehow felt worse than accidentally calling your teacher "mom" in elementary school.
Then PTMC offered me a transfer into their emergency medicine residency program, and before my brain had the chance to remind me that moving across the country was a huge decision, I'd already accepted the offer. Looking back probably the smartest impulsive decision I'd ever made. I'd been in Pittsburgh for almost a year now.
Long enough to know which coffee cart outside the hospital made the cheapest double espresso. Long enough to know that parking in Garage C was basically volunteering to walk an extra ten minutes. Long enough to know that the vending machine on the third floor stole your money every single time. Most importantly enough to realize I had absolutely no intention of ever leaving night shift.
The residents constantly complained about destroying their sleep schedules. The nurses argued that daylight was important for your mental health. The attendings joked that nobody willingly stayed on nights unless they had something psychologically wrong with them. Maybe I did. I loved it. The emergency department felt different after sunset. The waiting room somehow became both quieter and significantly weirder. Administrators disappeared. Meetings magically stopped existing. Nobody cared whether your hair looked perfect after two in the morning because everyone looked equally exhausted anyway. There was a strange sense of comfort in it.
There were no polished versions of people at three in the morning. Just tired doctors trying to help tired patients. Somehow, that suited me. It also helped that I'd found my people. Every emergency department had its own little family. Mine happened to consist of Dennis, Mel and Samira but we can not forget about Vic and sometimes I do believe that me and Trinity are friends. The emergency department never really slept. Neither did we. I liked that. I liked walking through the automatic doors every evening, hearing monitors beep in the distance before I'd even clocked in. I liked seeing familiar faces already halfway through their coffees. I liked the organized disaster that somehow managed to keep functioning every single night. It felt like home. Which was probably a little concerning.ย
There was only one tiny problem. Actually five-foot-nine problem. Salt-and-pepper hair. Brown eyes. Calm enough to lower everyone's blood pressure just by walking into a room. Dr. Jack fucking Abbot. One of our attending physicians. Forty-nine years old. Roughly twice my age and, unfortunately for my dignity... The owner of the most embarrassing crush I'd ever had after Pedro Pascal.
It wasn't supposed to happen. I am a doctor. A competent one. I'd successfully run trauma calls. Placed central lines. Intubated patients. Handled cardiac arrests without panicking Yet somehow one attractive older attending asking me how my shift was going was enough to make my brain temporarily forget basic anatomy. It was honestly humiliating.
In my defense have you ever met a silver fox? No, seriously. Give me a man with grey hair, laugh lines, a deep voice, rolled-up sleeves and enough confidence to make everyone around him feel calm instead of intimidated, and suddenly I'd forget my own postcode. It should've been studied. Samira found the whole situation endlessly entertaining.
"You know he's working tonight." I looked up from tying my scrub top.
"I assumed he worked here."
"You know exactly what I meant."
"I genuinely don't."
"You're a terrible liar."
"Exactly." I grabbed my stethoscope from my locker. "I have patients to see."
"You haven't even clocked in."
"I like being prepared."
"You like avoiding the attending lounge."
โI do not."
"You absolutely do."
"I avoid everybody."
"Except one particular attending."
"I don't know who you're talking about."
"You know, for someone who spends all day talking to patients, you're surprisingly bad at hiding your emotions."
"I hide them perfectly."
"You smiled because I said his name."
"I did no such thing."
"You absolutely did." I rolled my eyes and shoved my locker closed.
"I hate working with you."
"No." She linked her arm through mine as we walked toward the emergency department.
"You hate that I'm always right."
Unfortunately she usually was. The automatic doors slid open. The familiar smell of antiseptic and fresh coffee greeted us instantly. Monitors echoed from somewhere deeper in the department. Phones rang. A trauma pager went off. Trinityย were sleeping at the nurses' station. Someone else yelled that Room Twelve needed another blanket. My favorite kind of chaos. hadn't even made it halfway to the board when I heard the unmistakable voice behind me.
"Evening, Doctor." I turned around
Dr. Abbot stood there with a chart tucked beneath one arm, navy scrubs, reading glasses resting in one hand instead of on his faceHe looked like he'd just walked out of one of those medical dramas that somehow convinced people emergency physicians always looked well-rested. He smiled.
โDoctor Abbot! Gave up seeing without glasses?โ
โI see we are on high energies tonight. Save some for later Doctor. Glad you're on tonight."
Then he continued walking before I could think of a single intelligent thing to say. I stared after him for exactly three seconds. Maybe four.
The rest of the shift went exactly how every emergency department night shift usually went. Complete chaos. There was a drunk guy who insisted he'd been bitten by a shark. We were inย Pittsburg. Another patient came in because he'd somehow managed to superglue two fingers together trying to fix his kitchen cabinet at one in the morning. Dennis lost a bet to Samira over how many ankle sprains we'd get before midnight. The answer was five. Mel somehow found time to braid one of the pediatric patient's dolls while hanging two units of blood on another patient. Business as usual.ย
Dr. Abbot and I crossed paths more times than I could count. Sometimes in trauma rooms. Sometimes by the nurses' station. Sometimes passing each other in the hallway with charts tucked under our arms. Every interaction lasted less than a minute, yet somehow he always found a way to tease me.
"You look tired."
"I am."
"You should sleep more."
"I'll put that on my to-do list."
"Put it near the top."
The little exchanges were becoming a regular occurrence It got to the point where Dennis would simply look between us whenever Jack walked away and shake his head murmuring something that we flirt like a married couple under his nose. Around two-thirty in the morning the department finally settled down. Not quiet. An emergency department never really became quiet. No ambulances were waiting outside and the waiting room had emptied enough that people were no longer sitting on the floor. For the first time in hours I realized I was starving. I'd been halfway to the break room coffee machine when Jack appeared beside me carrying two identical black lunch boxes.
"Break?" I nodded.
"If nobody decides to have a heart attack in the next ten minutes."
"Let's not challenge fate."
We walked into the staff room together. Only one nurse was sitting in the corner scrolling through her phone before she stood up a minute later and disappeared back into the department. Dr. Abbot placed both lunch boxes on the table. I laughed quietly as I opened the fridge anyway, already knowing it was empty. Nothing. Not even a sad yogurt.
"I was going to steal a granola bar from Dennis."
"I don't think he'd survive the betrayal." Jack slid one of the lunch boxes toward me. "Here." I looked at it. Then at him.
"What?"
"I made two. I usually cook enough for leftovers." Inside was grilled chicken, rice, roasted vegetables and what looked suspiciously like homemade sauce. Definitely not hospital cafeteria food.
"I can't take your dinner."
"You'd be taking one of my dinners and I noticed you didn't bring anything."
"I was hoping nobody else would notice. You don't have to."
"I know. But I'd rather have my favourite resident eat something that isn't vending machine chips."
"...You saw that?"
"You've had chips for dinner three nights this week."
"I've been busy."
"So have I. Now eat.โ I sighed dramatically. "You're making it very difficult to say no."
"I was hoping for that." I laughed before finally giving in.
โSoโฆ Am I your favourite?โ
โJust eat your food!โ
For the next fifteen minutes neither of us talked much. We simply ate and made some comments about patients and Robby. Comfortable silence in between. It was surprisingly easy. Like we'd been sharing break room dinners for years instead of accidentally ending up on the same break for the first time. Unfortunately for me... I had a feeling this wasn't going to help me get over my very inconvenient crush. It had just made it significantly worse.
A couple of days later Pittsburgh decided to remind everyone that spring was still a myth. It had been raining since before my shift started. Not the nice kind either. It was the kind that soaked you through in five seconds and somehow managed to make your socks wet even if you were wearing waterproof shoes.
Naturally, I'd spent the entire night looking out the ambulance bay doors every chance I got, hoping it'd stop before seven in the morning. It didn't. If anything, it got worse. By the time we finally finished handover, the sky looked almost black despite the sun technically being up. Rain hammered against the windows so loudly it almost drowned out the monitors.
"So much for walking home." Dennis looked up from tying his jacket.
"You bringing an umbrella?"
"I own one. I forgot it."
"Again?"
"I prefer to think of it as consistently optimistic."
"Taxi?" I pulled my phone out and checked my banking app.
"...Probably."
"What?"
"I was saving this money for tomorrow's lunch."
"You know food is important, right?"
"So is not drowning.โ
I already started thinking if instant noodles count as a proper full meal when I heard a very attractive man from behind my back.
โYou waiting for someone?โ
โNopeโ I answer with a laugh.
"Then why are you still here?" I nodded toward the windows.
"I'm trying to convince the rain to stop."
"And?"
"It's ignoring me."
"I can take you." I blinked.
"What?"
"I'll give you a ride."
"You don't have to."
โI know."
"I don't want to inconvenience you."
"You live fifteen minutes from me." I frowned.
"...How do you know where I live?"
"You mentioned your neighborhood when we were talking about coffee.โย I looked between him and the rain still pouring outside. Then back at him.
"...Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have offered otherwise."
Five minutes later I was sitting in the passenger seat of his car watching the windshield wipers fight for their lives. It smelled faintly of coffee and cedarwood. The radio played quietly in the background while rain bounced off the roof. For a while neither of us said much. Then we found our voices. He asked how I was settling into Pittsburgh. I complained about hospital parking. He admitted he'd been working at PTMC long enough to remember when parking had actually been free. I nearly choked.
"Free?"
"I know."
"I don't believe you."
"It was a simpler time."
"You sound ancient."
"I am ancient."
"You are not. Just a bit seasoned.โ
โShould I take this as a compliment?โ
โDefinitely.โ The drive somehow felt shorter than it actually was. Before I knew it he was pulling up outside my apartment building.
"Thanks."
"My pleasure."
"I owe you."
"You don't."
"I definitely do."
"I'll survive.โย
I climbed out into the rain and waved before running toward my building. The next evening I arrived at work to find him leaning against his car in the employee parking lot.
"You waiting for someone?" He looked up from his phone.
"I am." I glanced around.
"I don't see her or him.โ
"She is late."
"Oh?"
"You." I laughed despite myself. โYou didn't bring an umbrella today either."
"...How do you know that?"
"You walked out of your building empty-handed." I looked at him.
"You were watching?"
"I happened to arrive as you were leaving."
"Mhm." He opened the passenger door.
"Come on."
โSuch a gentleman.โ
And somehow without either of us ever actually talking about it became routine. Every evening, a few minutes before my shift started, his car would pull up outside my apartment building. Every morning after handover, he'd drive me home. Sometimes we'd spend the whole drive talking about difficult patients. Sometimes we'd sit in comfortable silence while the city slowly woke up around us. It became such a normal part of my day that I stopped questioning it. Apparently everyone else did too.
Dennis noticed first. Then Trinity. Then Samira. By the end of the week, half the emergency department had realized I was no longer arriving alone. That also meant they had plenty of opinions about it.
The Fourth of July always felt a little different after working night shifts. While everyone else had spent the day enjoying the sunshine, grilling in their backyards, and pretending they weren't slowly melting in the July heat, we'd spent the entire night trying to keep an emergency department running. By the time morning came around, most of us looked like we'd survived a small war instead of another twelve-hour shift. So naturally, Robby decided the perfect solution was a barbecue. We all thought the man wanted to kill himself but look at him. So happy and sappy lately. He sent the invitation to the entire PTMC nearly three weeks in advance, threatening to personally drag anyone there who came up with an excuse. Apparently, โIโm tiredโ didn't count. Neither did "I've worked forty-eight hours this week." According to Robby, everyone deserved one day where the only thing catching fire was the grill.
When I walked out of my building, Jack was leaning against the driver's side door wearing dark jeans and a white button-up with the sleeves rolled to his forearms. Of course he was. Because apparently showing up in something normal like a faded T-shirt would've been too considerate of my emotional stability.
His eyes moved over me as I approached. Not quickly either. Slow enough that I noticed. Slow enough that he knew I noticed. I had chosen a blue summer dress that stopped a little above my knees, mostly because Pittsburgh had decided to become approximately as hot as the surface of the sun. It wasn't particularly fancy, but Jack looked at me as if I'd arrived in something made specifically to ruin his evening.
"You clean up well.โย I said before he could comment. His smile appeared immediately.
"I was going to say the same thing."
"You can still say it."
"You look beautiful.โ
"Thank you." He opened the passenger door for me.
"You're welcome."
By four o'clock that afternoon, his backyard looked like something straight out of a movie. Red, white, and blue decorations hung from the wooden fence, little paper lanterns swayed gently in the warm breeze, and strings of lights had already been wrapped around the trees even though the sun wouldn't set for hours. A massive American flag hung proudly from the porch while folding tables disappeared beneath bowls of potato salad, fresh fruit, chips, homemade desserts, and enough food to feed the entire emergency department twice over. The grill was already smoking before half the guests had arrived. Robby stood behind it wearing an apron that proudly read KISS THE COOK, treating the tongs in his hands like surgical instruments. Every few minutes he'd announce that timing was everything, as though flipping burgers required the same concentration as intubating a patient.
"Oh good. Mom and Dad are here." I stopped walking. Jack didn't. He simply rested a hand lightly against my back and guided me farther into the yard.
"You couldn't give us five minutes?" I asked.
"You arrived together," Dennis replied.
"We live near each other."
"You always arrive together."
"Carpooling is environmentally responsible."
"Don't bother. They've been rehearsing excuses for weeks."
"We have not.โย I said. Jack took the drink Robby offered him.
"She has." I looked at him.
"Excuse me?"
"You've become very passionate about the environment."
"Traitor." Jack smiled before handing me the unopened bottle of water he'd apparently picked up at the same time.
"You'll forgive me."
"That's confident."
"You always do." Dennis made a dramatic gagging noise.
"There. That. That's exactly what I'm talking about."
What?" I asked.
"The old-married-couple thing."
"We don't act married."
Everyone in the immediate area went quiet. Mel lowered her sunglasses. Samira slowly looked up from her fruit. Robby's eyebrows disappeared beneath his hairline. Frank took a sip of his drink, looking far too amused. I glanced around at all of them.
"Oh, come on."
Music drifted through the backyard from a speaker sitting on the porch steps. It wasn't too loud, just enough to fill the comfortable silence whenever conversations naturally faded. Every now and then someone would sing along to a familiar song before immediately forgetting the lyrics halfway through. For once, nobody wore scrubs. It was strange seeing everyone dressed like normal people instead of exhausted healthcare workers. Dennis had somehow managed to find the loudest Hawaiian shirt imaginable. Mel King wore a yellow sundress and oversized sunglasses that she refused to take off, insisting they made her look mysterious. The conversations flowed as easily as they always did during night shifts, except this time nobody was interrupted by pagers or trauma alerts. Stories about impossible patients quickly turned into embarrassing residency memories, which somehow became debates about terrible hospital coffee before drifting toward completely unrelated topics like favorite vacation spots or the best pizza place in Pittsburgh. Laughter seemed to echo constantly across the yard.
Others gathered around the grill offering completely unsolicited cooking advice to Robby, who ignored every single suggestion while insisting he knew exactly what he was doing.
Every few minutes somebody would disappear inside the house only to return carrying another tray of food or another pack of drinks. As the afternoon slowly slipped toward evening, the summer heat became more forgiving. The sun dipped lower, painting everything in warm shades of gold and orange. Long shadows stretched across the grass while a gentle breeze finally made sitting outside comfortable again. Children from neighboring houses laughed somewhere down the street. Dogs barked in the distance. Every so often a firework would go off hours too early, followed almost immediately by someone complaining that they were wasting the good ones before dark.
Somewhere between the smell of barbecue drifting through the air, music playing softly in the background, and the familiar faces scattered across Robby's yard, the people I'd once considered coworkers had quietly become something much more. They had become my family. And somehow, without realizing exactly when it happened, Pittsburgh had started feeling like home.
About two weeks later, Dennis decided that the entire night shift desperately needed โmandatory socialization.โ His words. Not mine. Apparently surviving together through twelve-hour shifts, cardiac arrests, trauma activations and patients who somehow managed to get lightbulbs stuck in places lightbulbs had absolutely no business being wasn't enough bonding for him. So he booked a table at a little bar downtown for everyone after work. To my surprise almost everybody came. Jack arrived about twenty minutes later, apologizing because he'd stayed behind to finish paperwork. He ended up sitting beside me. Pure coincidence. At least that's what I told myself.
โSo..." I smiled over the rim of my drink. "You do actually own clothes that aren't hospital scrubs."
"Barely."
"I was beginning to worry."
"I own exactly one respectable jacket."
"I can tell."
"Oh?"
"You wear it every Friday."
"I'll have to be more careful."
"I don't think that's possible."
"Why not?"
"You've officially become predictable."
"I've been called many things."
"But never predictable?"
"Never by someone half my age."
"There it is."
โWhat?"
"The age joke. I was wondering how long it'd take. I disagree that age has anything to do with personality." He smiled.
"I like that answer." Victoria leaned across the table.
"You two flirting again?" Trinity looked at Jack.
"She's learning from you." Jack didn't even hesitate.
"She was already trouble when she got here."
"I heard that."
"I wanted you to."
Everyone laughed before the conversation shifted somewhere else. By the time we'd finished eating, somebody suggested walking down to the river. Nobody objected. The air was cool enough that I immediately regretted not bringing a jacket. Jack noticed before I said anything.
"You cold?"
"I'll survive." He quietly slipped his jacket off and held it out.
"I couldn't."
"You can."
"You'll freeze."
"I've lived in Pittsburgh for twenty years."
"And?"
"I'm practically immune."
I laughed before finally accepting it. It was warm also it smelled faintly of cedarwood and coffee. Unfortunately smelled exactly like him. Which wasn't helping my already very embarrassing situation. We walked behind the rest of the group, talking about everything except work for the first time. Favorite movies. Terrible first apartments. The fact that neither of us could keep houseplants alive. He admitted he'd once managed to kill a cactus. I laughed so hard I had to stop walking. By the time we reached the parking lot almost everyone had already left. I stopped beside my car. He looked at it.
"You still avoid parallel parking."
"I don't avoid it."
"You drove three extra blocks yesterday."
"...You saw that?"
"I was behind you."
"I was looking for a better space."
"You passed six."
"They looked suspicious." He laughed.
"You've never learned properly."
"I have."
"You haven't." He looked around the almost empty parking lot before pointing toward a row of empty spaces along the curb. "Come here." I raised an eyebrow.
โWhat are we doing?"
"I'm fixing this."
"I don't think you can fix years of bad parking."
"We'll see." A few minutes later I was sitting behind the wheel while he stood outside my window.
"Straight." I nodded. "A little more." I moved forward. "Now stop." I did. He leaned down slightly so we were almost at eye level. "Turn all the way."
"This feels wrong."
"It always does." I followed his instructions. Slowly. Carefully. He walked around to the back of the car, motioning me another few inches before holding up his hand. "Stop." I looked around. Perfectly parked. I blinked.
"...No way." He laughed.
"Told you."
"That was luck."
"It wasn't."
"It absolutely was."
"It absolutely wasn't." I climbed out to admire it from the sidewalk.
"I've never done that before."
"You've never had anyone teach you."
We spent another twenty minutes practicing. Every attempt got a little smoother. Every mistake earned another quiet joke from him. By the last one I slipped perfectly into the space on the first try. I looked over at him with a grin I couldn't hide.
"I did it."
For a second neither of us moved. The parking lot had gone quiet. Everyone else had already driven home. The morning sun was beginning to climb over the buildings across the street, casting a warm glow over the nearly empty lot. He smiled at me.
"So..."
"So?"
"You owe me."
"For what?"
"Parking lessons." I folded my arms.
"I thought you said teaching was free." He smiled.
"It usually is."
"But?"
"I'll accept payment in coffee." I couldn't help smiling back.
โI think I can manage that."
The Fourth of July barbecue came and went. Unfortunately for my dignity. Nobody ever let the โold married coupleโ comments die. Dennis made sure of that. Every single shift after Robby's party he found a new way to bring it up. If Jack handed me a chart. If I reminded Jack he'd forgotten his coffee in the attending room. Even when we disagreed about antibiotics. It was exhausting. Mostly because they weren't entirely wrong. Jack and I had slipped into a routine neither of us had planned. He picked me up before work. Dropped me home after. We shared lunches more often than either of us admitted. Some nights we talked the entire drive. Other nights we simply listened to music while Pittsburgh slowly woke up around us.
Neither of us questioned it. Which, in hindsight. Probably should've been my first clue. A few days after the barbecue we'd just finished another particularly brutal night shift. Thirty-eight patients. Three traumas. One emergency C-section in the emergency department parking lot because apparently babies didn't care where they were supposed to be born. By the time we clocked out, I was convinced I'd forgotten my own name. Jack unlocked the car while I climbed into the passenger seat with a groan.
"I think my feet are filing a formal complaint."
"They've earned the right."
"I'm retiring."
"You've said that every Thursday."
"And yet here I am."
The engine hummed to life as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Neither of us said much. Not because it was awkward we were just simply tired. Comfortable enough to be quiet together. The silence lasted until we stopped at a red light. He glanced over at me.
"What are your plans today?"
"Sleep."
"So..."
"So?"
"I've been thinking."
"That's usually dangerous."
"So I've been told." I smiled.
"What have you been thinking about?" He tapped the steering wheel once.
"You." My heart immediately forgot how to function.
"...Me?" He nodded.
"I was wondering..." He paused. Actually paused. For the first time since I'd met him, Dr. Jack Abbot looked nervous. "I was wondering if you'd let me take you to lunch. I mean an actual date.โ I blinked. He kept his eyes on the road. The silence inside the car suddenly felt enormous. I stared at him. He glanced over briefly before looking back at the road. "If you'd rather not..."
"I'd love to." The words left my mouth before my brain had a chance to overthink them. He looked at me. A real smile spread across his face.
"You would?"
"I thought you'd never ask." He laughed quietly.
"I've apparently been taking too long."
"A little."
"I was trying to be respectful."
"Tomorrow?" I nodded.
"Tomorrow."
"One o'clock?"
"I'll be awake by then."
The following afternoon I spent far too long deciding what to wear. It was lunch. Not a date. Except it absolutely was a date. Eventually I settled on dark blue jeans, my pink kitten heels and a white blouse. Casual. He was already waiting outside the little Brunch spot we'd somehow both admitted was not that bad for Pittsburg. He looked up as I walked over and for a second simply smiled.
"You look beautiful." I felt myself smiling before I even answered.
"You've already used that line."
"It was true then."
"It's true now."
"Smooth."
"I've been practicing Darling.โ
โYeah sometimes I forgot the fact that you are old.โ
โOr maybe iโm just naturally charming."
โIโll let you believe that.โ
A first date was supposed to last an hour. Instead it lasted almost four. Neither of us noticed. Conversation came ridiculously easily. We talked about residency. About my disastrous intern year in Seattle. About why he'd chosen emergency medicine nearly three decades earlier. He told me stories about being a resident before electronic medical records existed. I laughed so loudly that people at the next table looked over. I learned he'd grown up just outside Pittsburgh. That he'd been married once, years ago and stopped wearing his ring months before my arrival. I told him about my parents specially my mom since my father wasnโt absent. About accidentally setting off the smoke alarm trying to make pancakes when I was twelve. About why I'd chosen emergency medicine instead of surgery. He remembered little details I'd mentioned weeks earlier. The cafรฉ I liked. The book I'd been reading. The fact that I hated mushrooms.
ย "I mention so many random things."
"I know."
"And you remember them?"
"I like listening to you." Jack reached for the check before I could.
"I've got it."
"You absolutely do not."
"I asked you out."
"So?"
"So I pay."
"I can pay for my own lunch."
"I know you can." He smiled. "But I'd like to."
I let him pay. Mostly because arguing with him was becoming increasingly hopeless. As we walked back toward the car, the afternoon sun warmed the sidewalks and a light breeze drifted through the trees. Neither of us seemed in any hurry to leave.
"You knowโฆโย He said quietly.
"What?"
"I'm really glad you transferred here." I looked up at him.
"So am I."
And for the first time since moving to Pittsburgh. It felt like I'd stopped wondering whether I'd made the right decision. I already knew I had.
A few weeks passed almost without either of us realizing it. The rides to and from work never stopped. Lunches turned into dinners. Coffee became our excuse whenever one of us wanted to spend another hour together. Somewhere along the way, everyone at PTMC stopped asking if we were seeing each other and simply assumed we were. Neither of us corrected them. After another successful night shift, Robby insisted everyone join him at a little bar downtown it'll be one drink, he promised. Nobody believed him. Three hours later, we were still there. Victoria and Samira were arguing over who cheated during darts. Dennis was trying to convince Robby to finally throw away the hideous Hawaiian shirt he'd worn for at least ten years. Jack and I had somehow drifted to the quieter end of the patio.
"I don't really feel like going home yet.โย I admitted. He looked at me for a moment before smiling.
"My place?" I nodded.
"I'd like that."
His house suited him perfectly. Comfortable. Organized. Bookshelves lined one wall of the living room, photographs of family and old friends sat on the mantel, and soft jazz played quietly somewhere in the background. Nothing about it felt staged. It simply felt lived in. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned a minute later carrying two glasses of water.
"I figured we'd both appreciate these tomorrow."
"I think you're right."
We spent another hour talking on the sofa. Conversation with Jack had always been easy. Tonight was no different. Eventually he glanced at the clock.
"It's almost three." I looked at it and laughed.
"No wonder I'm tired."
"You don't have to drive anywhere." I raised an eyebrow.
"Are you offering your guest room?" He smiled.
"I was actually going to offer my bed." I tried very hard not to overthink that sentence. "I'll take the couch if that makes you more comfortable.โ He added immediately. I reached over and rested my hand lightly over his.
โWe could share. I trust youโ His expression softened.
"I appreciate that." A little while later, we found ourselves lying side by side beneath the covers, still talking quietly in the darkness. There was plenty of space between us. Neither of us seemed in a hurry to close it.
"I had a really good time tonightโฆโย I whispered.
"So did I."
Silence settled comfortably around us. Then I turned my head. He was already looking at me. Neither of us spoke. I reached for his hand first. He intertwined our fingers. Slowly, giving me every opportunity to pull away. I didn't. He lifted his free hand to my cheek, his touch impossibly gentle.
"Can I kiss you?"
"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask."
He laughed softly before closing the distance between us. The kiss started slow. Unhurried. It carried weeks of lingering glances, shared coffees, long drives home, and conversations that always seemed to last longer than either of us intended. When we finally pulled apart, our foreheads rested together. The night continued with the same patience and tenderness that had defined everything between us from the beginning. The next kiss lasted longer. My fingers found the front of his shirt, gently bunching the fabric as I moved closer. His hand rested carefully against my waist, never pulling me anywhere I wasn't already choosing to go. Every touch seemed to ask permission before it happened. Every pause gave me room to change my mind.
โWant me to show you how a man treats his girl right?โ I just whimpered. โUse your words babyโ
โPlease!โ
โThatโs what is was talking aboutโ
There was no rush only quiet affection and the certainty that we were exactly where we wanted to be. By the time morning light filtered through the curtains, I woke tucked safely against his side, his arm loosely around my waist. He was still asleep. For a moment, I simply watched him. Then I couldn't help smiling. Maybe Dennis had been right all along. We really had been acting like an old married couple. We'd just needed a little time to catch up.
A few months passed before anyone finally decided to say something. Not because Jack and I were particularly good at hiding whatever was happening between us. Quite the opposite, actually. We still drove to work together almost every night. We still shared lunches whenever our breaks lined up. He still remembered my coffee order before I did, and I still straightened his crooked tie or pushed his reading glasses back up whenever they slid too far down his nose. To us, it had simply become normal. To everyone else apparently we'd become the emergency department's favorite mystery. It started during one unusually quiet night shift. Victoria had somehow convinced half the department to gather around the nurses' station while they waited for lab results and ambulance arrivals.
"I've got an idea!โ He announced far too enthusiastically.
"That's usually a bad sign..โ Trinity muttered.
"We're taking bets."
"On what?" Samira asked. Dennis looked directly at me before grinning.
"Who our favorite second-year resident is secretly dating." I nearly choked on my coffee.
"...Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"I'm not secretly dating anyone." Dennis raised an eyebrow.
"That's exactly what someone secretly dating somebody would say."
"Alright let's hear your guesses."
โShen?โ One of the nurses said immediately.
"No chance.โ Dennis replied.
"Why?"
"They'd have killed each other already." Everyone nodded.
"Fair."
"What about Robby?" Vic suggested. I looked up so quickly I almost gave myself whiplash.
"Robby?"
"He invited you over for Fourth of July."
"He invited everyone."
"Still counts." Mel wrote his name down.
"Next."
"Park." I frowned.
"Park the Shark?โ
"He smiles at you."
โHe smiles at literally every female.โ
"True."
"Still writing it down."
I tried very hard not to look toward Jack. He'd been standing a few feet away the entire time pretending to review a chart. Pretending. Because every now and then I caught him listening.
His jaw tightened a little more with every incorrect name. Dennis looked around dramatically.
"Anyone else?" Silence. Then Mel snapped her fingers.
"...I'm fairly certain I'd remember. Also I do not want to be one of his seven week something.โ
The group burst into laughter. I finally risked a glance toward Jack. Bad idea. He was still holding the same chart. Still standing in exactly the same place. But now he looked annoyed. He closed the chart. Walked toward us.
"Ooo, Dr. Abbor. You want in on the betting pool?" Jack looked at him. Then at me. Then back at Dennis.
"I think you've all got it wrong." Dennis folded his arms.
"Oh? You know who she's dating?"
"I do."
The entire nurses' station went quiet. Mel looked between the two of us. I opened my mouth to say something. Jack beat me to it. He walked straight toward me without breaking eye contact. He stopped close enough that I could smell his cologne mixed with hospital coffee.
"You know I was perfectly happy keeping this between us." I smiled.
"I know."
"But apparently they're terrible detectives."
"They really are."
"I also don't appreciate losing to Robby. Especially Park."
He reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The room had become so quiet you could probably hear the cardiac monitors from the other side of the department. Before I could respond he cupped my face. Giving me every opportunity to step away. Instead I leaned toward him. He closed the remaining distance and kissed me. When we finally pulled apart. Nobody spoke. Dennis blinked. Then looked at our group of friends.
โYou all owe me!โ Vic looked completely stunned.
"How long?" I glanced at Jack before answering.
"A few months."
"A FEW MONTHS?" Dennis practically shouted. Robby walked in from a patient room just in time to catch the last sentence.
"What did I miss?" Dennis pointed at us dramatically.
"THEY'RE TOGETHER." Robby looked at our joined hands. Then at Jack. Then at me. He smiled. โOH you knew and did NOT TOLD ME?โ
If someone had told me a year ago that transferring to Pittsburgh would completely change my life, I would've laughed in their face. Back then I thought I was simply changing hospitals. Instead I accidentally found a home. Not just the city. The people. The night shift somehow became my family.ย Dennis still found new ways to annoy everyone at least once a shift. Mel still had a optimistic comment ready before anyone else could think of one. Samira continued bringing homemade desserts she insisted were just leftovers, despite somehow baking enough for thirty people every single time. And then there was Jack. Somehow my attending had become my boyfriend. It still sounded ridiculous in my head sometimes. Not because I wasn't happy. Because I was. Ridiculously happy. It was just funny how life worked. I'd transferred because I hated ferry boats. Now I woke up next to the man who had once been nothing more than an embarrassingly attractive work crush. One particularly busy Friday night, the department was overflowing as usual. Every room was occupied. The waiting room was full. The ambulance bay hadn't been empty for more than ten minutes all evening. Business as usual.
A woman in her mid-twenties with a possible wrist fracture after falling off an electric scooter. Following closely behind her was a man who looked to be somewhere in his late forties. Salt-and-pepper hair. Jeans. Button-up shirt. Calm. Concerned. He stayed beside her the entire time while she apologized for being clumsy. Dennis walked past me and quietly leaned closer.
"...Her dad seems really worried." I glanced over.
"Hm." Mel looked up from her computer. "I thought the same thing." Samira nodded.
"He hasn't left her side."
I just chuckled because that man was from my point of view wasnโt her dad. Daddy maximum at the best. A few seconds later the woman laughed at something the older man whispered to her before casually reaching up and kissing his cheek. The entire nurses' station froze. Dennis blinked.
"...Never mind." Mel slowly turned toward him.
"...Definitely not her dad." I looked up from the chart she I holding before smiling to myself.
"I understand her." Dennis frowned.
"You understand what?" I nodded toward the couple.
"The older boyfriend. Jack is also a silver foxโ
Almost as if he'd heard his name, Jack walked out of Trauma Three carrying a chart beneath one arm. He glanced toward the nurses' station. His expression softened the moment our eyes met. Without thinking, he walked over.
"You surviving?"
"Barely."
He smiled before leaning down and pressing a quick kiss against my temple. It lasted maybe two seconds. Completely casual and normal. Then he continued reading the chart in his hand as if kissing me in the middle of the emergency department was the most ordinary thing in the world. The older man had watched the entire exchange. He looked from Jack to me then back to his girlfriend. His expression was priceless. Utter confusion. As though he'd just realized he wasn't the only man in Pittsburgh dating someone considerably younger. His girlfriend followed his gaze. She looked at Jack. Then at me. Then gently nudged her boyfriend's arm before whispering something that made him laugh. Jack finally looked up from his chart.
"What?" I was already tryingโand failingโnot to laugh. I nodded toward the couple.
"I think we just confused our patients.โ He followed my gaze. The older man gave him a small, almost sheepish nod. Jack smiled politely and nodded back. Then he looked at me.
โWhat did I miss?" I laughed so hard I had to lean against his shoulder.
"They thought he was her dad."
"Well at least we're not the only couple keeping people guessing."
Another ambulance rolled through the bay doors. Monitors began beeping. Someone called for orthopedics. The emergency department returned to its usual organized chaos. Jack squeezed my hand once before letting go and heading back toward Trauma Three. I watched him disappear around the corner, still smiling to myself. Funny. I transferred to Pittsburgh because I couldn't stand ferry boats. Turns out the best decision of my life had absolutely nothing to do with medicine. It was saying yes to the older man who offered me a ride home in the rain.
summary : one kiss has the entire internet convinced youโre promoting a rom-com, little did they knew-
authorโs note : I was watching an abbot tiktok message series and I got inspired for that part also I was listening to 'Cancelled for days on repeat and it got to my head L.
ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE
warnings : age gap (20 years), secret relationship, secret marriage, co-stars to lovers, friends to lovers, romantic comedy, fluff, kissing, physical affection, mild sexual tension, paparazzi, media scrutiny, public relationship reveal, hollywood setting, press tour, interviews, social media, internet discourse, fake dating rumours, celebrity life, light swearing, alcohol mention
4k words
masterlist
There were exactly thirty-seven people on Stage 4. Twenty-nine of them thought Shawn Hatosy and I were just exceptionally friendly. The other eight the cast, hair and makeup, our director, the script supervisor, two camera operators knew. Mostly because we had stopped trying to hide it around them months ago. Not the relationship. That part was still ours. But the flirtingโฆwell. That was apparently impossible to contain.
"YN!" I looked up from my script as Shawn walked onto set in full Dr. Jack Abbott wardrobe, coffee in one hand, his jacket slung over his shoulder. The entire makeup trailer collectively looked up.
"So..." He said, stopping directly in front of me. "Miss me?"
"You've been gone..." I checked the clock on my phone. "...eighteen minutes." He frowned.
"Felt longer."
"It didn't."
"I suffered because of you.โ
"What did I do?"
"You weren't there." A snort came from behind me. Our makeup artist, Lisa, didn't even bother pretending she hadn't heard.
"Oh my God..โ. She muttered. "It's eight in the morning." Shawn didn't take his eyes off me.
"I've missed your optimism, Lisa."
"I miss silence." I smiled into my coffee and he obviously caught it.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The smile."
"I wasn't smiling."
"You absolutely were."
"I was pitying you."
"I'll take pity."
"You'd take breadcrumbs."
"I'd take dinner." I looked up.
"Was that your way of asking me out?"
"You'd know if I was asking."
"Oh?" He stepped closer but not enough for anyone outside our little circle to notice. Just that his shoulder brushed mine.
"I wouldn't waste an opportunity like that." My heartbeat betrayed me immediately. He noticed. Of course he noticed. His grin widened just enough to be infuriating. "You blush so easily."
"I don't blush."
"You do around me."
"I absolutely do not."
"Mhm."
Without warning, he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers barely brushed my skin. It lasted maybe a second. It shouldn't have done anything after all these years. It absolutely did. Someone wolf-whistled from video village. Shawn didn't even look away from me I glanced toward the monitors. Our director was openly shaking his head. One of the camera operators gave Shawn two thumbs up. Another simply mouthed โget a roomโ at that Shawn just laughed under his breath.
"They like us."
"They tolerate us.โ
This is how usually the filming went with us. But not the last day. The last day on The Pitt always felt strangely quiet. After months of fourteen-hour days, fake blood, adrenaline-fueled trauma scenes, and enough coffee to keep the entire cast awake for over a year, the ED set was finally being dismantled. Everyone pretended not to be sentimental but no one really succeeded. Photos were taken every few minutes. Lisa had started a scrapbook. The props department was already arguing over who got to keep the fake hospital signs, while wardrobe packed away hundreds of pairs of blue scrubs that had somehow become as recognizable as the people wearing them.ย
The wrap had started exactly forty-three minutes ago, and I had already accepted the fact that I wasn't making it home before midnight. The rooftop bar looked something that far too expensive for a television cast party. Noah was somehow in the middle of teaching two camera operators a dance that absolutely nobody had asked to learn. Katherine had already kicked off her heels and the makeup department had claimed an entire sofa in the corner.
I reached for another drink from a passing waiter, taking a slow sip as Ariana Grande began playing through the speakers. I laughed quietly to myself, leaning against one of the marble pillars near the edge of the room. It gave me the perfect view of everyone else without actually having to participate. Exactly how I liked it until, of course I noticed my husband. He was on the opposite side of the room, laughing at something one of the producers had said. Black button-up sleeves rolled to his forearms. Was he always this slutty?
As if he could feel me looking, he lifted his head. Our eyes met across the room and his smile appeared almost immediately. I looked away first. Mostly because I already knew what was about to happen. He excused himself from the conversation and started walking toward me.
"You hiding?"
โI like this corner."
"I noticed." His eyes flicked to my drink.
"Second?"
"Third."
"I'm impressed." He took a sip from my glass before I could stop him.
"Hey. That's mine."
โJust like you are.โ
"You are unbelievable." The opening notes of โinto youโ echoed through the speakers.
"Dance?"
"I don't dance." He held out his hand anyway.
โOne song.โ
"I'll take it.โ
I placed my hand in his. His smile widened. There it was again. That stupid smile. The one that always made me forget I was supposed to be saying no. His hand settled around mine with an ease that had become dangerously familiar over the past few years. I let him guide me through the crowd, weaving between cast members and producers until we reached the middle of the dance floor. The lights were lower there and the music was louder. Everyone else seemed to disappear. He rested one hand against my waist, waiting. Always waiting for me to close the distance first and I always did.
The corners of his mouth lifted into that annoyingly effortless smile. I felt myself smiling back before I could stop it. His thumb traced a slow circle against my waist. My heartbeat immediately betrayed me. I pretended it hadn't. He knew better. The space between us disappeared naturally, almost absentmindedly, until our foreheads nearly brushed. Without thinking, I reached up, my fingers finding the back of his neck as he leaned the last few inches closer. The kiss was soft. Unhurried. Completely unaware of the cameras that weren't supposed to be there.
I woke up to the smell of coffee. For one blissfully peaceful minute, I stayed exactly where I was, tucked beneath the duvet with Shawn's arm lazily draped over my waist. Morning sunlight spilled through the bedroom curtains. I reached for my phone on the bedside table. Thirty-seven notifications. Weird. I unlocked it instantly. Ninety-eight. Then one hundred and twenty-three. What the hell was happening? One headline filled my entire screen.
SHAWN HATOSY CAUGHT KISSING MYSTERY CO-STAR AT WRAP PARTY.
โOh fuckโฆโ He stirred beside me.
"Hm?" I simply held my phone out. He read the headline. His eyebrows lifted.
"...Well." That was it. Just well.
"That's your reaction?" He shrugged.
"I think they got my good side." I stared him and he just smirked at me. I threw a pillow at him. He caught it effortlessly.
"I'll call our publicist." An hour later, the apartment looked more like a production office than a home. Our publicists sat across from us, scrolling through thousands of articles appearing faster than anyone could keep up.
"It'll only get bigger. Unless we give them another story. Like announcing the rom-com.โ The script have been sitting on the counter longer than a year now. It was a Best Friendโs Dad trope thing mostly for the girls with issues. The announcement wasn't supposed to happen for another month. Our publicist slowly smiled. "That could work."
By noon every entertainment outlet had the same exclusive headline.
SHAWN HATOSY AND Y/N TO STAR TOGETHER IN NEW ROMANTIC COMEDY.
The internet immediately reached the only conclusion it wanted to believe. The kiss and the chemistry. It was all marketing. Just a publicity stunt or even an early press campaign. People laughed and made memes. Called it genius or embarrassing. But not a single person considered that the kiss had nothing to do with the movie.
I knew it was bad before I opened my phone. Not because anyone had called me. Not because our publicist had texted. Because my name was trending. Worldwide. I stared at the screen for a long second before tapping on it. Big mistake. The first post had over two million likes. She's twenty years younger than him. What could they possibly have in common? The second wasn't much better. She's using him for his career. Another. He could literally be her father. I kept scrolling. Against my better judgment and against Shawn's repeated requests not to. Apparently, I was too young, too immature, too loud, too quiet, too ambitious or not ambitious enough. People I'd never met had somehow become experts on who I was.
There were side-by-side photos of Shawn on one side and me on the other. His picture was from an interview.Mine was from a red carpet where I'd worn a black backless gown.The caption read: He's aging like fine wine. She dresses like she's going to a nightclub. Nearly two hundred thousand likes. Another post. She doesn't even look like someone's girl. Another. Imagine waiting your whole life to become a respected actor only to date someone who dresses like an influencer. Another. She'll leave him for someone younger in five years. Some people criticized my clothes. Every premiere dress I'd ever worn had suddenly become evidence. Apparently showing my shoulders was now a personality trait. One fashion page posted a collage of six different outfits. The comments underneath were brutal. The irony was the same week those comments were written another actress had worn almost exactly the same dress. Her headlines called her confident. Mine called me attention-seeking.
Then came the personality critiques. People clipped fifteen-second interviews and decided they knew me. I laughed too much or that I interrupted people. I talked with my hands which made them think I wasn't โelegant enoughโ. Someone made an entire compilation titled: Proof She's Too Immature For Shawn Hatosy. It had over eight million views.
The evidence?
Me laughing because I couldn't pronounce the name of a French dessert. Me tripping over a cable during rehearsal. Me dancing with the makeup department between takes. Me making funny faces behind the camera while Noah was trying to record a serious cast video. Apparently joy was childish. Then came the comparisons. Photos of Shawn attending awards shows twenty years ago. Photos of me at twenty-seven. Comments underneath declared we looked like we belonged to different generations. That we had โnothing in commonโ. That he deserved someone โmore sophisticatedโ. That I would โnever understand himโ. It fascinated me. Thousands of strangers had decided that because I wore a low cut dress and laughed loudly that I couldn't possibly hold an intelligent conversation.
They'd never seen us at home. Never watched Shawn spend forty minutes explaining something he'd read because he knew I'd ask a hundred questions. Never seen us sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, reading different books in complete silence Never watched me fall asleep halfway through one of his documentaries. They didn't know us. I locked my phone. It buzzed again and again. I placed it face down on the kitchen counter.
"Reading comments?"
I looked up. Shawn stood in the doorway with two mugs of coffee. I didn't answer and he didn't need me to. He set one mug in front of me before gently turning my phone over so the screen faced the counter. "They don't know you." I laughed quietly.
"They seem pretty convinced they do." He walked around the island and rested his hands on either side of my chair. He kissed the top of my head then his forehead rested lightly against mine.
"I didn't marry an internet comment section. I married you."
For the first time that day the noise disappeared. Not because the internet had stopped talking. It hadnโt and probably never would. But because the only opinion that had ever really mattered was standing right in front of me, holding a cup of coffee with bed hair, telling me I was enough exactly as I was.
Four months later Shawn was sitting across from Jimmy Fallon on a late-night talk show. The host smiled knowingly.
"So... should we congratulate you on the movie, or the girlfriend?" The audience laughed. Shawn smiled to himself.
"I'm happy to work with her. She is a talented young actor and keeps me on my toes.โ
"So letโs talk about the kissโฆeveryone thinks it was planned.โ
"They're allowed to think that." Jimmy raised an eyebrow.
"So you're telling me you just happened to kiss your co-star days before announcing a romantic comedy?" Shawn shrugged. "Interesting timing." The audience laughed again. Jimmy leaned forward. โSo was it? You'd do all that just for a movie?โ
"No." He took a sip of water before adding, almost absentmindedly. "I wouldn't get married just because of a movie."
"...Married?" Shawn's smile never faltered not even for the briefest moment.
"We're married. I mean YN YLN or should I say YN Hatosyโฆ.โย A collective gasp swept through the audience before it exploded into applause. Jimmy stared at him.
"You're serious?โ
"Very."
"How long?"
"A while." The audience applauded again. Jimmy laughed, shaking his head.
"So the internet spent months arguing over whether your relationship was fake while you were already husband and wife." Shawn chuckled.
"Pretty much." He looked out at the audience, pride unmistakable in his voice. "She's my wife before she's my co-star. The movie just happens to be something we get to do together." The applause was even louder this time. Within minutes, every entertainment outlet in the world had the same breaking headline.
SHAWN HATOSY CONFIRMS HE'S MARRIED TO HIS CO-STAR DURING LIVE INTERVIEW.
Jimmy smiled at Shawn from across the studio.
"I've got to ask about something the internet will probably refuses to stop talking about." Shawn laughed.
"I have a feeling I know where this is going."
"The age gap."
"Twenty years."
"Yep."
"Did either of you hesitate?"
โI did. I'd been around long enough to know exactly what people were going to say. They did exactly what I expected. I wasn't worried about me by the way. Or even the age difference. I was worried about what she'd have to deal with because of being with me. I remember thinking she deserves someone whose biggest headline isn't 'older actor dates younger co-star' or look she married her grandpaโ.โย
"So what changed your mind?" Shawn smiled.
"She did. She looked at me one day and basically said, 'Are you done deciding what's best for me?' And she was right. I'd already made the decision for both of us without asking what she wanted. She knew exactly what people would say. She knew the age gap. Knew the attention and she chose me anyway. After that there wasn't much left to hesitate about.โ
"So the hesitation wasn't about loving her." Shawn didn't even need a second to answer.
"Never."
My interview aired two days after Shawn's. By then, the internet had barely recovered. Every headline was still about the same thing. The secret marriage even the wrap-party kiss. The months everyone had spent convincing themselves it had all been a publicity stunt. Vogue's annual Hollywood issue. A live interview with Chloe. She welcomed me with her usual effortless smile as the audience applauded.
"It's such a pleasure to have you here tonight, Ms. YN YLN." I smiled back.
"It's Mrs. YN Hatosy."
I couldn't help the little smirk that tugged at my lips. Chloe blinked twice before laughing.
"I... was not expecting that correction."
"I figured I'd save you from having to update it later." Some laughing. Chloe shook her head, still smiling.
"So Shawn wasn't joking. You're really married."
"I really am."
"And you've managed to keep it secret this whole time?" I smiled to myself.
"We're both pretty good at keeping a secret when it's worth keeping." Chloe leaned back in her chair, smiling as the audience finally settled down.
"I have to ask..." I already knew where this was going.
"Go ahead."
"Was there ever a moment where you looked at Shawn and thought, 'Yeah... I have absolutely no chance of keeping this professional'?" The audience laughed. I covered my face for a second.
"...Do you want the honest answer?"
"Always."
"Day one." The audience erupted. Chloe pointed at me.
"I knew it!"
"I walked onto set, saw him in costume, and immediately thought..." I sighed dramatically. "...that's an unfairly attractive man."
"And can we acknowledge the obvious? That man is the definition of a silver fox." The audience cheered and I laughed.
"I was trying so hard not to be the one who said it."
"I'll say it for you. He's ridiculously handsome."
"He is."
"The grey hair?" I nodded.
"The grey hair."
"The voice?"
"The voice." I looked straight into the camera. โListen to his Quinn audio guys.โ
"I think half the internet has a crush on your husband." I shrugged with a grin.
"I get it."
"You get it?"
"I married him." The audience exploded again.
The press tour had become a circus. Every city. Every premiere, every interview the same questions. Every single time. โSo... are you two actually together?โ โWhen did the relationship start?โ โWas the wrap-party kiss real?โ We answered every time with the same smiles. The same vague replies.ย
The red carpet stretched the length of the theatre, lined with photographers shouting our names from every direction. Camera flashes lit up the night. Shawn reached for my hand. Not because anyone expected him to. Because he always did. We stopped in front of the backdrop. Smiled and posed. Answered a few questions. Then one reporter laughed. looked at Shawn snd he was already looking at me. That familiar smile spread across his face. He cupped my cheeks and kissed me. The kind married people shared without thinking. The photographers completely lost their minds.
The cherry on top was Taylor Swiftโs music video for her new single, โCancelledโ. Weโve been introduced through her ex boyfriend but we stayed close and when she saw how many hate comments I got she got inspired and asked me and my husband to be the actors in her clip. Which we would never miss out. It was once in a lifetime opportunity. Im just simply fell in love with the song it was perfectly fitting because I never was the medias favourite little star girl especially since I started dating a man twice my age. The internet watched in stunned silence and the comments were unbearably funny for me. "Shawn Hatosy is the luckiest silver fox alive." I laughed when I read that last one. Shawn glanced over from the other end of the sofa.
"What?" I simply turned my phone around so he could read it. A slow grin spread across his face. He leaned over and kissed my temple. โThey are so right about this one. โ
summary : when your sister specifically ask you to not seduce his boss you happened to do just such a thing
authorโs note : okay so basically my therapist told me to heal the younger me so I came back to write some silly fan fictions for you guys -L
ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE
warnings : age gap, alcohol consumption, medical settings, illness, mild swearing, kissing, family conflict, references to difficult family relationships, workplace dynamics (sister's boss), non-explicit romantic content
5k words
masterlist
From the two of us, Trinity was definitely the responsible one. She had always been like that. She studied hard, got into med school, survived residency, and now worked in the Emergency Department, somehow keeping people alive while running on coffee and about three hours of sleep. Me?
I was a completely burned-out law student in my final year of university, surviving almost entirely on instant noodles, caffeine, and the false hope that I'd magically start enjoying criminal justice one day.ย
Besides, I had another problem.
I was embarrassingly, hopelessly, and unapologetically down bad for any silver fox who showed me the slightest bit of attention. Give me a handsome older man with a few gray hairs, some laugh lines, deep voice, and the confidence that only comes with age, and suddenly I'd forget how to form complete sentences. It was honestly becoming a public health concern. Which is kinda fun when all my professors are usually silver foxes. Married and unattractive silver foxes actually. I don't know where the obsession came from, but if genetics had anything to do with it, I could probably blame my family.ย
Apparently, loving older people ran in our blood. Because my sister, Trinity was exactly the same. The only difference was that she was in complete denial about it. Every doctor she thought was "cool" happened to be a gorgeous forty-something woman with perfect hair and a sharp jawline. She thought she was being subtle. She wasn't.
It was a perfectly ordinary Wednesday night.
Well... ordinary by my standards, which meant I was sick. Again. Looking back, maybe going skinny-dipping in the middle of January wasn't my brightest idea. In my defense, it had sounded incredibly fun at the time. You only live once, right? Now, before you judge me too harshly, let me add one tiny detail. It was a full-blown thunderstorm.
I genuinely didn't think I'd end up sick. Turns out Mother Nature likes proving me wrong. By midnight my fever was climbing higher than my usual exam points over all. I'd already tried every trick my mom and my sister tought me. For example some cold compresses, painkillers, forcing myself to drink water, but nothing seemed to work. My body had a fun little habit of reacting dramatically to high fevers. Once my temperature reached a certain point, I started fainting. Repeatedly. Which is a kinda fun and quirky detail about me. In my opinion (only).
After spending another miserable hour staring at my bedroom ceiling while feeling like I was slowly being cooked alive, I finally admitted defeat. The Pitt ED it was. At least I'd get to see my sister. I took a cab which definitely hurted my bank account. After all I live on my part-time pay checks and student loan. By the time we pulled up outside the hospital, I was already mentally calculating how many instant noodle dinners that ride had just cost me. Fantastic.
The waiting room was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night. For example a really annoying kid crying because he didn't want stitches. After checking in, I waited for what felt like forever but was probably closer to thirty minutes before a nurse finally called my name. She led me into one of the examination rooms, took my vitals, and wrapped the blood pressure cuff around my arm.
"Doctor will be with you shortly.โย She said with a polite smile before disappearing behind the curtain. I swung my legs absentmindedly from the examination bed, staring at the anatomy posters on the wall while trying not to think about how awful I felt. Hopefully whoever walked through that curtain could fix both my fever...and my terrible life choices.
"Ms. Santos?"ย I looked up.
Oh. Oh my God. I hadn't had any issues with my heart rate all evening, but judging by the way it suddenly skyrocketed, that was no longer the case. What the actual hell was a ridiculously handsome, salt-and-pepper man standing in front of me? He looked to be somewhere in his late forties or maybe early fifties. This was unfair. Hospitals shouldn't beย allowed to hire doctors this attractive.
"Uh... yes?" I finally managed, mentally congratulating myself for remembering how words worked. "That's me." He offered a warm smile as he stepped into the room, tablet in hand.
"I'm Dr. Abbott. I'll be taking care of you tonight.โ Taking care of me. Fantastic. He pulled over the little stool beside the examination bed and glanced at my chart. "So, Ms. Santos, can you tell me what's been going on?"
"Well..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I've had a really high fever since this afternoon. The problem is that whenever my temperature gets too high, I have this fun little habit of fainting."
"You faint often?"
"Only when I get sick."
โAnd you've been unable to get the fever down at home?" I nodded.
โI tried medication, cold compresses, drinking enough water... nothing's really helping." He hummed thoughtfully while making a few notes.
"All right. Do you have any idea what might have triggered this?" I pursed my lips.
"I may have made..." I paused dramatically. โSome irresponsible life choices." Before I could elaborate, a familiar voice cut through the room.
"She went skinny-dipping during a thunderstorm."
I groaned before I even turned around. The curtain had been pulled open just enough for Trinity to lean inside, still wearing her navy-blue scrubs. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me the exact look she'd perfected over twenty-six years of being my older sister. The โI told youโ so look. I muttered something really close to โBustedโ. Dr. Abbot let out a quiet chuckle. Now I was embarrassing myself in front of the hottest doctor I'd ever seen.
"I told you this would happen.โ Trinity said, shaking her head.
"And aren't you just a ray of sunshine?"
"I'm a resident in the ED. Being right is literally part of my job."
"I'm pretty sure that's not in the job description."
"It should be." Dr. Abbot triedโand failedโto hide another smile as he rolled his stool a little closer.
"I'm starting to think your sister knows you pretty well."
"Oh, I do.โ Trinity answered before I could. "She never listens."
"I listen."
"You absolutely do not."
"I selectively listen."
"You selectively ignore." I pointed at her accusingly.
"That's a very rude accusation."
"It's an observable fact." Dr. Abbot laughed softly again, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
"Wellโฆโ ย He said, slipping his stethoscope around his neck. โAs entertaining as this sibling debate is, let's make sure you haven't managed to give yourself pneumonia." I merely shrugged my shoulders.
"See?" I said to Trinity. "I'm alive."
"Barely."
"That's still alive." She rolled her eyes so hard I was surprised they didn't disappear into the back of her head.
"I'll leave you two to it.โ she sighed before pointing a finger at me.ย "Behave."
"I always behave." Neither of them looked convinced. As soon as she disappeared behind the curtain, Dr. Abbot let out an amused breath.
"Does she always supervise your life like that?"
"Twenty-four seven."
"I can believe that." He stood and reached for the supplies the nurse had left behind.
"Let's get some fluids into you first. Your temperature's pretty high." I watched as he expertly prepared the IV, his movements calm and practiced.He cleaned the inside of my arm before gently taking my wrist. "You've got good veins."
"I've never been complimented on my veins before."
"There's a first time for everything."
"Usually people compliment my eyes."ย He looked up for a brief second.
"They're nice too." Well. There went my remaining brain cells. The cannula slid in before I even realized he'd started. "Done." I blinked.
"Wait... that's it?"
"That's it."
"I didn't even get the chance to embarrass myself."
"Don't worry. I'm sure another opportunity will present itself."
"Oh, it absolutely will." He laughed quietly as he adjusted the flow of the infusion.
"There we go. This should help bring your fever down."
"Thanks, Doc."
"My pleasure."
As he turned to leave, I couldn't stop myself from watching him. The broad shoulders. The silver at his temples. The wedding ring- Wait. I narrowed my eyes. No ring. My inner voice was trying very hard to be the responsible adult. Like just look at his handsome face. It got me wonder how wouldย it look between my le-
โDonโt you dare.โ I looked at as my sister fawstly entered through the curtains.ย
โWhat?โย
โSeduce my boss. Donโt you dare seduce my bossโย
โI was not planning to seduce your boss.โ I acted confused and tried to snap put of my trace.ย
โGood.โย
She left the room as fast as she entered. When it all poured down he came back to check on me. Well I was kinda lucky that my sister wasnโt there anymore. Because I made a plan. I was not actually planning to seduce him but Trinity gave me so many ideals with her sentence that I got inspired.ย
โHow are you feeling?โย
โIm good Dr. Abbot.โย
โSkinny dipping huh? Doing that usually?โย
โCould do it more usually at your placeโ
โHoho hold your horses young ladyโย
โWhat horses?โ I smiled upon at him innocently. He gave me an all knowing look and continued to check me before probably discharging me.
โYou at uni?โ
โYes. My last yearโ
โNice. What are you studying?โ
โKeep these questions for the first date Docโ
โI can not wait until that sweetheartโ
โUntil when?โ
โUntil tomorrow 2PM at Carlโs if you are free.โ
โHappens to be Iโm at Carlโs tomorrow at 2PMโ
Maybe this whole ridiculous plan of mine was actually going to work. After Dr. Abbott discharged me, he insisted on paying for my cab home despite my many half-hearted protests. Five minutes later, I was sitting in the back of a cab that I hadn't paid a single cent for. Now that's what I call gentleman behavior. See, girls? This is what older men do. Well... The good ones, anyway. I had spent years convincing myself I wasn't the settling-down type.ย
Relationships were messy, people were disappointing, and I liked my independence a little too much. Then a silver-haired emergency physician paid for my taxi without making a big deal out of it.
The next morning, I felt infinitely better. The fever had disappeared, and aside from being a little tired, I was perfectly fine. Which was fortunate because I suddenly had something much more important to worry about. What do you wear on a date with a doctor who's old enough to remember a world without Wi-Fi? After trying on approximately half my wardrobe and throwing most of it onto my bedโฆ I finally settled on something that actually felt like me. A grey denim skirt with some black tights, my favorite black bodysuit, leather jacket and a pair of boots that made me feel significantly cooler than I actually was. I didn't want to show up looking like I was auditioning for a fashion campaign. Besides, confidence was attractive.
Or at least that's what every motivational Instagram post kept telling me.
I arrived at Carl's exactly on time. Not five minutes early. Not five minutes late. Exactly two o'clock. Showing up too early makes you look desperate. Showing up too late is just rude. I had standards. What I wasn't expecting was to find Dr. Abbott already waiting outside instead of sitting comfortably inside with a coffee. The moment he spotted me, a smile spread across his face. He walked over and opened the cafรฉ door before I could reach it.
"You showed up." I looked at him with mock offense.
"Didn't I tell you I would?"
"You did."
"So why do you sound surprised?"
"I've learned not to trust twenty-somethings."
"Ouch."
"I was hoping you'd prove me wrong."
"I'll have you know I'm exceptionally reliable."
"We'll see."
As I walked inside, he rested a gentle hand against the middle of my back to guide me toward our table. Not low enough to make it inappropriate. Not high enough to feel awkward. He pulled out my chair before taking the seat across from me. There he goes again. Being all gentlemanly. Ancient men really were built differently. Once we'd ordered our coffees, he folded his hands on the table.
"So..." He leaned back slightly. "Is this a better setting to answer my question?"
"What question?"
"What you're studying." I pretended to think about it.
"I can imagine some other places to be with you, but fur a chit-chat this isnโt that bad for starting. My major is Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.โ
"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that."
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know..." He looked me up and down with a teasing smile. "Something a little less argumentative. Maybe communication?โ I gasped dramatically.
"I haven't even argued with you yet."
"You've flirted with your emergency physician."
"...That's different."
"Is it?"
"It requires a completely different skill set." He laughed again, shaking his head.
"I have a feeling you're going to keep me on my toes."
"I certainly hope so."
"Good." He picked up his coffee, still smiling.ย "I was starting to worry dating someone your age would make me feel old." I leaned forward with the sweetest smile I could manage.
"Oh, don't worry." He raised an eyebrow. "I'll remind you constantly." The look on his face was absolutely priceless.
"So why law?" he asked.
"Because I watched Legally Blonde at thirteen" He laughed into his coffee.
"Please don't tell me that's your actual reason."
"It's about sixty percent of it." I said after taking another sip of my coffee. โBut enough about me. Besides saving idiots like me from their own terrible decisions, what do you do when you're not at the hospital?" He pretended to think about it.
"I sleep."
"That's depressing."
"I eat."
"Still depressing."
"I do laundry."
"You're really selling yourself here, Doctor." He laughed.
"My life isn't nearly as exciting as yours."
"I refuse to believe that."
"Believe it."
"So no hobbies?"
"Oh, I have one." I leaned forward immediately.
"See? I knew you weren't secretly living in the hospital."
"I volunteer as a SWAT medic." I blinked.
"I'm sorry?โ
"You heard me."
"You casually said SWAT medic like you were telling me youย play tennis on weekends."
"It is technically a weekend activity." I stared at him.
"You're an emergency physician..."
"Mm-hmm."
โโฆand your hobby is getting shot at?โ
"When you say it like that, it does sound a little ridiculous."
"A little?"
"It's possible my therapist agrees with you." I laughed.
"You have a therapist?"
"I do."
"Good. Everyone can benefit from therapy." He looked pleasantly surprised.
"Exactly." I pointed at him.
"Green flag."
"I'll take it."
"So..." I rested my chin on my hand. "What did your therapist say that ended with you joining a SWAT team?" He sighed dramatically.
"She told me I needed a hobby something outside the hospital."
โReasonable."
"Something that would help me disconnect from work. So naturally I became a tactical medic." I burst into laughter so hard that the couple at the next table looked over "I'm completely serious."
"You failed the assignment spectacularly."
"I may have misunderstood the objective."
"'Go find something relaxing.'"
"'Understood. I'll go get shot at on Saturdays.'" He chuckled. "To be fair, I rarely get shot at."
"Rarely?"
"Usually."
"Abbot."
โJack.โ
โJack.โ I repeated with a smug smile on my face. "You're proving my point."
"And what's your point?"
"That you have absolutely no sense of what a normal hobby is." He looked genuinely thoughtful.
"I suppose not."
"Normal people I donโt know. Golf?โ
โI suck at golf. Tried it and hit my friend with the stickโ
"So instead you hang out with people carrying assault rifles."
"They're actually very nice people."
"I don't doubt that."
"And they're significantly easier to deal with than some patients. Nobody argues with me when I tell them to keep pressure on a wound."
"I imagine not."
"I wasn't expecting you to laugh this much."
"I wasn't expecting my emergency physician to tell me his therapist accidentally convinced him to join a SWAT team."
"That's fair." For a second we just smiled at each other. Then I tilted my head.ย
"So..." He already looked suspicious. "Do you get one of those cool tactical vests?โ And this dynamic continued the whole duration of the afternoon.
If someone had told me a month ago that I'd willingly wake up before nine o'clock on a Saturday, I would've laughed in their face. Yet there I was. Curled up beneath a ridiculously soft duvet in Jack's apartment, blinking lazily at the morning sun peeking through the curtains. The apartment was quiet in the comforting kind of way. No television, no traffic loud enough to disturb the peace. From somewhere down the hallway came the unmistakable smell of freshly brewed coffee. The man couldn't function without caffeine. Neither could I. I reached for my phone on the bedside table. One missed call from Trinity. I sighed dramatically.ย
There was also a text.
Trinity: Are you alive?
Trinity: You disappeared after dinner. Don't tell me youย went home and slept for twelve hours.
I snorted quietly. If only she knew. I quickly typed back.
Me: Alive. Just sleeping in.
Trinity: Miracles do happen.
Trinity: Want to grab lunch later?
I hesitated. Jack had already mentioned making breakfast. Maybe we'd spend the afternoon together too. Keeping this relationship from Trinity wasn't exactly the original plan... it had just sort of happened. First because dating your sister's boss felt like information best delivered carefully. There was something oddly nice about having this little secret. I slipped my phone onto the nightstand just as soft footsteps approached. Jack appeared in the doorway carrying twoย mugs.
"Good morning." He was wearing navy sweatpants, a faded university hoodie, and reading glasses that somehowย made him even more attractive. It really wasn't fair.
"Mornin-โ I said, accepting the coffee he offered.
"How did you sleep?"
"Like someone who wasn't up and busy until three in the morning." He looked at me for a long moment before reaching over and brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. A comfortable silence settled between us.
Then my stomach growled loudly enough for both of us to hear. Jack looked down at it.
"...Was that you?" I sighed.
"Unfortunately."
"I think that's my cue to make breakfast."
โGood ideal but firstโฆ Where is my morning kiss?โ
He just smirked and gave a peck on my lips and went out on the bedroom door. I followed him into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The hardwood floor was cold beneath my socked feet, making me hurry after him. Jack was already busy pulling ingredients from the fridge, quietly humming to himself as though making breakfast was the most relaxing part of his week. I paused behind him for a moment.
"You know," ย I said, eyeing the oversized university hoodie stretched across his shoulders. โ I think that's mine now." He glanced over his shoulder with an amused smile
โI donโt remember agreeing to that.โ
โYou doesnโt get a voteโ
โHeard thatโs how young people work in a relationshipโ Before he couldโve continued I placed my hands around his waist from behind and started taking off his sweater. When he finally took it off I smirked and started wearing it instead of being topless.
"I see why people steal their boyfriend's clothes."
"They're comfortable?"
"They smell like you." His smile softened.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
โYou should." He reached out, tugging gently at one of the sleeves that hung well past my fingertips. I climbed onto the kitchen counter, swinging my legs idly while he turned back to the stove. "Soโฆโย I said, watching him crack eggs into a bowl. โWhat exactly qualifies as an English breakfast?" He looked over his shoulder.
"You've never had one?"
"I've seen pictures." I watched him move around the kitchen with surprising ease. Coffee was already brewing, bread was toasting, bacon sizzled in one pan while mushrooms browned in another. "You've done this before."
"Once or twice."
"You've been hiding your domestic skills from me."
"I had to leave some mystery."
"I thought the mystery was why someone voluntarily became a SWAT medic." He pointed a wooden spoon at me without turning around.
"We agreed not to judge my hobbies."
"I agreed no such thing."
"I distinctly remember you laughing."
โI did."
"And yet here you are."
"I'm still laughing." He shook his head with a smile.
"I've created a monster."
"You started dating one."
I caught myself smiling into my coffee. It was almost ridiculous how quickly he'd become my person. Not because of grand romantic gestures or dramatic declarations, but because of moments like this. The way he instinctively poured my coffee exactly how I liked it. The way he always made sure I ate breakfast before opening my laptop. The way he listened whenever I rambled about law school or complained about professors. Loving him, I realized, wasn't one big moment. It was a hundred tiny ones that kept sneaking up on me. The sharp ring of the doorbell shattered the peaceful morning. Jack frowned, glancing toward the hallway.
"I'm not expecting anyone."
"You've got fans already?"ย I teased.
"I sincerely hope not." He lowered the heat under the pan and wiped his hands on a kitchen towel. "I'll be right back." I watched him disappear around the corner before I heard the front door open.
โMorning, Jack." A man's voice. Confident and familiar.
"Robby?" Jack sounded genuinely surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I was in the neighborhood and figured I'd return your wrench before you started sending passive-aggressive texts."
"I've sent exactly one text."
"It had three question marks." I couldn't help smiling.
Then another voiceโRobby's again. "...Mate." A pause.ย "...Please tell me that's not a woman in your kitchen...โ
"...Morning, Robby."
"Oh my God." I heard a laugh. "You actually have a girlfriend."
"I do."
"This is unbelievable."
"I don't see why."
"Because for the last five years you've rejected every attempt we've made to set you up."
"I didn't ask to be set up."
"Does she know you're eighty?"
"I'm forty-three."
"Same thing."
"I'm closing the door."
"Jack."
"What?"
"...Can I at least say hello before you throw me out?" A long sigh.
โโฆFine." I hopped off the counter, smoothed down the oversized hoodie, and wandered into the hallway with my coffee mug still in hand.
"Hi." The man standing in the doorway looked to be around Jack's age, maybe a few years older, dressed casually with car keys dangling from one finger. He blinked at me once. Then twice.
"...Oh." His eyes flicked to Jack. Then back to me. โโฆ You're young." I laughed.
โGood morning to you too."
"I mean-โ He rubbed the back of his neck. "No offense, I just... wasn't expecting..."
"A student?"
"I was going to say someone who still gets asked for ID." Jack folded his arms, already looking entertained.
โRobby."
"What? It's a compliment." He held out a hand toward me. "I'm Robby. Emergency medicine. I've had the misfortune of working with this grumpy old man for almost twenty years." I shook his hand.
โYN. Law student in her final year here in Pittsburg and Iโve the misfortune to be 6 years old when you two started working together.โ He nodded slowly.
"So..." His gaze drifted between us. "How exactly did this happen?โ Jack answered before I could.
"She came into the ED.โ Robby looked horrified.
โNo."
"She had pneumonia." Robby stared at me.
"You picked up your girlfriend in PTMC?"
"I did not 'pick her up.โโ Jack replied calmly. "I treated my patient."
"And then?"
โThat night I asked her out for a lunch.โ Robby looked at me.
"You actually said yes?" I shrugged.
"He was charming."
"He was your doctor."
"He stopped being my doctor first." Jack nodded.
"Very important distinction." Robby pointed at him. We all let out a laugh.
"I cannot wait to tell everyone." Jack raised an eyebrow.
"You'll do no such thing." Robby sighed dramatically.
"Fine." He paused. โCan I at least tell them you're finally smiling at work?" Jack glanced at me for a brief second before answering.
"I'd rather you didn't."
"That's a yes, then." I couldn't help smiling. I was beginning to understand exactly why Jack described Robby as the only colleague who never seemed intimidated by him. Robby eventually glanced down at the wrench still clutched in his hand and sighed dramatically. "Right. I actually did come here for a reason." He handed it over to Jack.
"Try not to lose this one." Jack rolled his eyes, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him. Robby took a step toward the door before looking back at me. "It was really nice meeting you, Luca."
โYou too." He pointed a finger at Jack.
"And you..." He looked at Jack.
"What?"
"...Don't mess this one up." Jack's expression softened just enough for me to notice.
"I don't intend to." Robby gave him a long, knowing look before nodding once. Then, with one final grin, he headed down the hallway. The front door clicked shut behind him. Silence settled over the apartment once again. I looked over at Jack.
"I like him."
"He grows on people."
"I can see that." Jack locked the front door before walking back into the kitchen as though nothing unusual had happened.
"I apologize."
"For what?"
"You've now met the colleague least capable of minding his own business."
"I thought he was funny."
"He'll be unbearable on Monday."
"Because you have a girlfriend?"
"Because I'll never hear the end of it." I laughed.
"Worth it?" He didn't even hesitate.
"Absolutely."
Something warm settled in my chest at how quickly he'd answered. He disappeared back to the stove, rescuing the eggs just before they overcooked while I reclaimed my spot at the kitchen island. A few minutes later he placed a plate in front of me. Toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. I stared at it.
"It's enough food to feed a small village."
"You'll manage."
"I'll need a nap by eleven."
"You were going to need one anyway."
"...That's fair grandpa."
I looked across the table at him. The morning light catching the silver in his hair, his glasses still perched on his nose, still no shirt on as he calmly ate his breakfast like the whole morning hadn't felt like something out of a dream.
It still amazed me how quickly he'd become my safe place.
And judging by the way he looked up and smiled the moment he caught me staring, I had a feeling he knew it, too.
A few weeks later If there was one thing I'd learned about dating Jack Abbot, it was that he was a terrible influence. Not in any meaningful way. He still reminded me to eat vegetables. He still insisted on walking me home after late lectures. He still texted me every morning to make sure I'd actually made it to class. But every now and then... He'd agree to 'just one drink.' Which inevitably became more. Tonight had started with dinner at a little pub near my place. Then we'd wandered through the city, laughing far too loudly at jokes that probably weren't funny. Now we were back at my apartment. The empty wine bottle on the coffee table suggested we'd made at least one questionable decision.
โIโm kinda tired.โ
โYou act like a real grandpa sometimes.โ He gasped dramatically.
"I can't believe you'd say that to your boyfriend."
"My boyfriend is tired after we laid in bed all day and wentย out for some drinks at 9PM.โ He clutched a hand to his chest.
"I've been wounded."
"Oh, you'll survive."
"I don't know..." He leaned closer, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "...kiss me better." I rolled my eyes.
"That line was terrible. and stolen from Rihanna queen"
"And yet..." He smiled. "...it's working."
"I haven't agreed to anything."
"You've thought about it."
"I've considered filing a noise complaint."
"I'll take my chances." I laughed, closing the small distance between us until our foreheads bumped.
"You're impossible."
"So I've been told."
His hand found mine, fingers intertwining effortlessly. There was something wonderfully easy about being with him. The conversation faded into comfortable silence as he brushed a kiss against my forehead. Then another against my cheek. I smiled before turning just enough to meet him halfway. The kiss was soft, unhurried, lingering just long enough to make me forget about everything else. Some minutes later I was placed on his lap and the kiss turned into a whole makeout session on my couch with his hands everywhere. Nothing could broke this moment we shared. Exceptโฆ The sound of the front door unlocking barely registered.
โSis? You left yourโ"
Trinity froze just like Jack and I. I slowly turned my head toward the hallway. Trinity stood in the doorway, keys still in one hand, my charger dangling from the other. She blinked once. Twice. Her eyes moved from me to Jack. Then to the oversized hand of his still resting around hips. Well more likely on my ass but Iโm trying to save the situation. Then back to his face. Absolute silence. I cleared my throat.
"Hi, Trin."
โI need my therapist after thisโ She sighed and I stood up from his lap. โI asked you to do not do one thing. Which was โdo not seduce my bossโ and what did you do? Seduced my boss.โ
โAre you angry?โ
โI donโt know how I feel right now. I just saw my boss making out with my little sisterโ
โNice. Till you are confused can you hand me the charger? You know before you get angry.โ
โI give it to you because I won the betโ She smirked.
โWhat bet?โ She just smirked and shrugged her shoulders then left. I was still too tipsy and too in trance to recognise what just happened so I went back where I was.
โWhere we were?โ
We both smirked and continued where we were before we rudely got distracted.ย
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summary : when the two best friend wants to play matchmaker for their single-pringle friends.
authorโs note : this is actually my second (!?) story here hope you all like it!! this one is dedicated to my bestie! ( @vivileclerc love you). Kisses -L.
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