ani

A͟B͟O͟U͟T :: queer ◞ she/her ◞ the pitt ◞ kieran culkin ◞

shawn hatosy ◞ editing ◞ scream franchise ◞ horror films

N͟A͟V͟I͟G͟A͟T͟I͟O͟N :: most recent ◞ m.list ◞ taglist

chapter 3 :: pitt stop

C͟O͟N͟T͟E͟N͟T͟S :: time jump, a little background/update on jack x reader’s relationship, ex!bf, flirting, embarrassment.. uhhhhhhhhh

A͟/͟N :: this is the first actual written portion of the series (which it sorta long since i wanted to update on timeline & the scenario wasn’t necessarily something to be written briefly), so be prepared for more in the future. as always, engaging helps boost my work, so please do!! enjoy ♡

You’d planned on seeing Abbot during passing shift, briefly, but you knew he’d keep in contact after you dipped out. And honestly, things between you two had been going way better than you anticipated. Of course, he was on the fence about things at first, and still playing hard to get, but progress was being made. You guys weren’t really official or moving anywhere in a rush.

Between getting to know him more in depth, the banter between you two, teaching him how to be more tech savvy, and the endearing gestures (slight or not), things were going pretty decent. Good.

You were still sort of getting back into the rhythm of day shift once going back, but honestly, who ever truly got the hang of day shift? Or any shift in the ED? You’d been working on patients for hours, going back and forth between patients, assisting doctors, consulting loved ones, inserting IVs, giving medication—all of the above.

The more critical patients were always more heartbreaking and draining to treat, but you held your head high and put on your best face—both for your sake and for your patients and their families.

You’d been assigned a new patient; the only description you’d received was that the man had gotten into a skateboarding accident and ended up with some pain and a fractured wrist.

You walked down the hall in the PTMC, making your way to the patient's room with their chart in hand, and your other hand tugging on your nametag.

And—fuck. It was Lonnie. “Juuust my luck.” was murmured under your breath before pulling yourself together and opening the curtain.

Lonnie stared at you, huffing a laugh when he laid his eyes on you. “What a coincidence.”

You nodded, but then “Where’ve you been?” He was obviously curious as to why you’d barely been speaking to him ever since going over to his place to ‘talk things out’.

“I’ve been busy. Working and stuff.” You nodded again. You were hoping he wouldn’t try to push or provoke anything within you. You just needed to keep things cordial and stay professional. And you didn’t want him to know about Abbot, because even though you didn’t want anything to do with Lonnie, knowing him—he’d blow it out of proportion.

“Hm.” Lonnie hummed.

“So, it says you’ve got some pain and a fracture, yeah?” As you looked at his chart on the computer.

“Yeah.. I was trying some tricks then it just.. crashed and burned.” He shrugged.

You hummed in reply, turning around and approaching his bedside to inspect the injury.. It definitely was a fracture. “And the pain? Where is it?”

He got to describing his pain, and all that happened at the skate park—in which you noted. You checked his vitals, breathing, etc. All clear. Now to pass on that information and get directed on what to do next.

“Right. I’ll relay that. We’ll take care of you.” You hung the stethoscope around your neck again, and headed for the curtain—not without hearing a “I know you will.” from him.

Passing by Santos at her desk and Whitaker walking past, you exchanged looks with both of them, widening your eyes with that unspoken, knowing expression painted on your face. They picked up on it, smirking back at you.

As the information was relayed, and you now knew how to proceed with your… patient? Ex-boyfriend? Whatever. You tried to push it past you, but I mean, how could you? You lost your train of thought.

You’d gone ahead and grabbed everything you needed to insert an IV and made your way back to where he was.

“Okayyy.. I’m going to stick you. I’ve gotta collect some labs and get you an IV.” You sighed out as you set the materials onto the bed.

“As in.. needles?” He questioned.

“Mmmhm.” You hummed, feeling around for a vein. “There’s the freezy spray.” You nodded your head over to the bottle on the blanket.

“But that makes it burn!” God, you wanted to roll your eyes at his complaints. He’d always been the type to complain about little things.

“Well, you have the option to endure a quick pinch.” You offered, finding an area to stick.

He huffed in defeat. “My options are limited.”

“The freezy spray.” He sunk into the dense hospital mattress.

“Right. Let’s get this over with.”

By the time you were done, he’d complained about five other things, as well as trying to pry into your business, what you’ve been up to, and if you’re seeing anyone ‘behind his back’. All to which you replied vaguely, wanting to keep things short and sweet.

“I’ll be back with your meds in a few.” You told him, before leaving the room—to which you felt his eyes boring into you and down your back as you pushed past the curtain.

-

You’d submitted Lonnie’s labs, then got back to work, all without the knowledge that Abbot had actually shown up to drop off some coffee to brighten your shift, or make you feel a little less exhausted on the clock.

You grabbed a small vial of the clear, yet effective medication, only to be stopped in your tracks outside the door with Abbot turning the corner.

“Shit,” You huffed, thankful you didn’t drop the vial. “Don’t do that.”

“Pfft,” Jack rolled his eyes lightheartedly as if you were being dramatic. “I thought you’d be on break.”

“Well, I’m about to be. I was going to give a patient his medication.” You were, in fact, supposed to be on break, but you tended to prioritize your patients over your own short, very much needed breaks.

“Ah, I see.” He hummed, gruffly. “Annnndd.. you don’t want to go on break..?” Taking a sip of your coffee he brought for you.

“You’re very curious today, yeah?” You looked up at him, unable to fight back that smile you tried to suppress.

“Well, overworking never did anyone any good.” He shrugged and followed you down the hall on the way back to your patient's room.

You turned your head over your shoulder and gave him that “really?” look. “Shouldn’t you take your own advice, Jack?”

“A guy’s got his hobbies.”

“Am I one of them?” You couldn’t help but say it. Flirting on the clock, Robby was gonna chew you out for that one later— just like he had earlier.

“Maybe pasttime.” He wasn’t serious, no way.

You rolled your eyes as you made your way back to Lonnie’s room. “As if.”

Jack went to set your coffee down at your desk and talk to his fellow day shift coworkers, not without taking another sip from it.

Lonnie could hear enough of you and Abbot talking to come to the conclusion that something was definitely going on, and you weren't just ‘figuring things out’. “You cake it up with everyone here?”

“Only the ones I like.” You replied dryly, preparing the IV with an alcohol pad. You’d been too distracted with Abbot to realize you were missing another vial. Fuck.

“Don’t do that.” He stared up at your concentrated face.

“I’m only doing my job here.” You played dumb, and just before Lonnie could reply, Abbot opened the curtain to hand you the other vial you were missing.

“Slackinggg..” Abbot murmured under his breath, jokingly.

God, this was about to get a shit ton more awkward, and so much more embarrassing for you.

“Thanks.” You swallowed. A brush of his fingers against yours might’ve just made things ten times worse for you. You could feel the brief flutter of something in your tummy.

You could already feel the tension in the room thicken, as if it already wasn’t by the way Lonnie was trying to pry into your business.

Jack didn’t pick up on it at first, but oh, you sure did.

And as for Lonnie. He only stared between the two of you. Eyes boring into both you and Abbot.

“Doc.” He addressed Abbot briefly before his eyes flickered to you inserting the first medication into his IV.

“The mighty.” Abbot nodded and smiled, but quickly picked up on your reaction to Lonnie acknowledging him.

He raised a brow slightly. He knew something was going on here.

“Alright, Lon, the next one might make you.. drowsy.” You told Lonnie, trying to focus on your job rather than the fact that you’re in the same room as your ex and your current situation.

“Mm.” hummed Lonnie.

The medicine worked. Quick. His eyes were half lidded, and he felt... at peace. And he shut up too.

You cleaned up your things quickly before practically shoving past Abbot on your way out. Oh, now he was really curious.

Now you had to deal with your ex making a big deal of things later, and Abbot was partially clueless as to what he just witnessed.