Certified Yapper

——

You had stumbled upon him at one of the many Pittsburgh parks. It was night. It was cold, but you needed to clear your head.

You had a big assignment due the next day and your therapist said that cooping up in your home is does no favors on your stress levels.— “You need air. so occasionally, touch some grass.” Paraphrased, but the core essence is there.

That’s when you saw him. Jack Abbott.

You never really questioned it, and you simply chalked it up to simple forgetfulness. Your friends never really made a big deal out of it, so neither did you. They thought it’s was just a quirk of yours: you were forgetful. A quirk that your employers or coworkers didn’t find as amusing, but it was what it was.

But when Jack, a licensed physician, witnessed it for the first time, it was safe to say that he was relatively concerned.

Which was fair when the first time Jack witnessed your lapse of memory it was on one of your worst episodes, one where your brain drew a blank on the concept of payment.

Today was a rare occurrence, because it was a day where both your and Jack’s off days lined up. You didn’t plan for anything grand just a simple day out in the park. You headed out in the reasonably chilly afternoon Pittsburgh air, and on the way to the park you passed by a café.

You two weren’t planning to dine in by any means. Frankly, both of you were avoidant of any crowds. Dealing with people day today was plenty for you two, so it was supposed to be a quick in and out: Make an order. Pay for it. Grab order and head out; it was supposed to be as simple as that. — if only it stayed that simple.

The problem came along when you got to the cashier. Fortunately, you didn’t just grab your drinks and headed out to the front door, but you did go as far as getting your wallet out, then simply forgot what the next steps were or why you were holding your wallet to begin with.

You’re just standing there unmovingly looking down at your wallet as if you’re trying to solve a puzzle. He noticed people behind you slowly getting irked and proceeded to Take matters into his own hands.

He offered for to pay for the both of you.

Jack pulled his own card out, paying for both of your drinks. When he turned back to you with both your orders in hand he was met with an Intense look of puzzlement. He raised a brow, amused, “What? No one paid for your drink before?”

“Uhm,” You stared at the man before dragging your eyes to your drink. You turned the cup in your hand examining it, your mind seemed elsewhere. When you connected you eyes back to Jack, you saw him staring at you confused. You offered up a simple thanks for the drink before gesturing that you two need to head out on your way.

Something was off, Jack knew that, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

You both walked out of the café and carry on with your plan for the day. As you two made your way to the park, Jack couldn’t quite let go of the idea that something felt off. He kept glancing at you trying to get a clue as to what had occurred.

You haven’t brought it up, so a part of him thinks he’s just chalking it up to paranoia. Something about taking the man out of the ER but not being able to take the ER out of the man type of behavior. But when he looked at you from the corner of his eyes he saw this dazed look behind your eyes as if your mind was elsewhere.

He cleared his throat to get your attention, “You okay there, handsome?”

“Huh?” You dragged your eyes from the road ahead towards the man beside you. You are alert to him talking to you but he could still see that a part of you was elsewhere, “What was that?”

“Was just wondering if you were alright. You’re awfully silent.”

“Oh nothing, just in my head,” you turned your head to face the road ahead of you.

“Hmm, want to share?”

You rugged, “Not really. There’s not really much to share.”

“It will give us something to talk about,” he offered.

You looked at the cup in your hand, tapping the top of it with your index finger. Jack could see the gears turning as you looked over the cup in your hand, but he doesn’t quite know what the gears were turning for, “I’ll get back to you on that one.”

You were never dismissive of conversations, at least never to this degree. You two took pride in the fact that if one of you was having a rough day and did not want to be a part of a conversation that it would outright be mentioned rather than having an odd song and dance of being moody and having the other walking on eggshells around the moody individual. Right now though, you’re being dismissive and dodging conversation, and what makes it worse from Jack’s perspective is the fact that he doesn’t even know if you are aware of it.

You being dazed aside, you did seem relatively fine though.

Jack took a deep breath. Maybe he is blowing this out of proportion. This is one of the few off days that the both of you have. Maybe you’re still trying to brush off some of that work stress, similar to how he is trying to turn off the ER mentality when out with you.— it’s really can’t be helped.

So he releases a breath and tries to let it go.

“Payment,” you whispered to yourself in the midst of bringing your drink up to your lips. “Oh my God, I forgot payment.” You dropped your drink down to your side using your free hand to pinch the bridge of your nose.

There were something in the way you said that. There was a hint of embarrassment but also of something else too. All that Jack knew was that you were seemingly beating yourself over it and he couldn’t have that, “Hey, It’s fine. It’s not like I’m blowing the bank paying for our drinks. If it’s not much of an issue.”

You snapped your head to the side, eyes narrowed. You did not expect him to witness your private moment. “No, I meant— I forgot— ” You bite your lip—There it is again, the gears turning, but this time without that dazed look. Before he could read more into it, you turned your gaze to the path ahead, “Never mind. Thanks for the drink.”

He tilts his head to the side, studying you. He takes you in for a beat before questioning, “You have been acting odd ever since the café. What’s wrong?”

“Don’t worry about it, it not a big deal.”

“So there was something?”

“Hmm,” you hummed in response. He supposes that you did so in acknowledgement of his question, but it came off more dismissive then either of you liked or expected. You brought the drink up to your mouth again to buy yourself more time and Jack knew it.

Jack called out your name.

Your name sounded wrong bathed in that much concern.

The sincerity of which expelled the air out of your lungs. It felt like a gut punch. — A far too strong an emotion and experience to be dealing with on an early morning walk to the park.

You looked at the periphery of your vision at the man besides you. If his calling on your name derived you of air, the look he gave you would have had you collapse on the sidewalk with how weak they brought your knees had you not averted your gaze in an instance. — how could a man convey that much sorrow and concern in his eyes alone? And it was directed in your direction too. You were also the cause of it, you pointed out to yourself.

Swallowing the anxiety and embarrassment that was growing, you decided to not to make a big deal out of it, “I just forgot about payment.”

“I know… I paid for our drinks…” Jack responded confused. He feels there’s more to this, cause why would you bring it up? But what?

Though he wasn’t pushing for any answers, the spotlight that was his gaze had you crumble at its perceived pressure, “I didn’t mean like that, I meant— well, I— God, most people would’ve dropped this by now,” the last statement was mostly to yourself.

You rested your hand on your temple, trying get rid of the frustration that was brewing in you: frustration that was mostly directed at yourself and the situation than any toward Abbot. Not like he knows what he has gotten himself into. —So much for open communication, you passively thought.

Conveniently, you had placed your hand in just a way to avoid any eye contact from Jack. Any more of that and you might’ve blurted out everything without a thought.

You internally groaned.

You were feeling a number of emotions right now. On top of the frustration, you also felt embarrassment and anxiety.

Embarrassment for when you eventually have to fess up. And anxiety at this particular situation where you are trying to provide the best impression of yourself but also having to admit that you forgot the most basic of things of: people pay for things they buy, and how that occurred.— The thought laid out to you like that made you cringe.

As you try to squash your brewing anxiety and frustration, you decided to bite the bullet. You dropped your hand: “my brain forgot how transactions worked, or more that they existed.”

“What?”

You felt your face heat up in embarrassment, and felt your heart affix in your throat.

“Transactions” you made a gesture of handing something over, “that. I— My brain forgot that that is a thing. Uhm, it happens sometimes. Not specifically to transactions. Letting you pay for me was a fluke and is not gonna happen again. Like that. Not happen like that,” you added quickly. “Uhm, it’s just that… my brain just….crosses wires? Forgets to send a signal? God, I never had to explain this before. I just.. I just forget things sometimes.”

“Does this happen often?”

“I don’t keep track,” Your voice came out as small as it could be, embarrassed about this whole ordeal. You cleared your throat trying to gather any sense of dignity “I sometimes don’t even know when it happens. It just… happens. Though the few times that I am aware of them occurring are enough for me to know that it is relatively normal for me. if that makes sense.”

“Have you gotten it checked out?”

You rolled your eyes, “I don’t need you to be my physician right now.”

“What if it’s something concerning?”

“It’s been going on for ages, Jack.”

“And has it been getting worse?”

“Ironically, I don’t remember.” At this point you were getting snappy.

“I’m just concerned.”

You stopped dead in your tracks and pivoted on a heel to stand in front of the physician. “Jack,” You snapped at him. You shut your eyes biting your lower lip. You didn’t expect that to come out as harsh as it did, so you tried it again. “Jack,” this time it came out gentler, “I appreciate the concern. But it just happens occasionally. It’s fine. it’s normal. Just the other day I forgot to dry off after a shower with a towel in hand.” You told him humorously.

He didn’t see it as funny as you did.

You have never been defensive over this topic. to be fair you were never under this much scrutiny either. But Being placed under a magnifying glass didn’t make you feel right either. Especially with someone that could possibly point out a thing that you deemed normal and say “hey that’s actually fucked up.” —. Definitely more eloquently than that but the thought still stands.

And there it was again.

Your name being sounded out in a way the way that was too unnatural. a sound too foreign into your ears. Concerned, sorrowful and… Fearful…?

You swallow hard at the realization.

"Jack, truly it just happens. It has never been a big deal and it’s not a big deal. It’s just a thing that occurs."

"Okay..."

"Alright." You both left it out there. You knew Jack wouldn’t have dropped the issue so easily but he didn’t want to push you on it either so you went about your day.

Your day at the park went relatively uneventful but still relaxing and everything you want out of it.

You hoped for the rest of the day too match in that experience. And it did for a bit. But you should’ve known that it wouldn’t last that long.

You found Jack at the front of your apartment having had just went to his next door to his own apartment cleaned up before dropping by for a quick quick visit. At least, you hoped was a quick visit, but by how he stood there you already knew what was coming.

You allowed him in because what else were you going to do?

You both sat in your living room and eventually after some moments of tense silence and he asked his questions: What’s to do with your memory? Has it been an issue? What’s the severity of it?

You imagined that this is what it would be like if you dropped by the ER when he was on shift. —Jack wouldn’t admit it, but in actuality he was only shows this level of deep concern only for you.

The conversation was tense, but ultimately was rather productive.

You narrow down what could be the issue and told Jack that when you are ready and able you will get yourself checked out and figure out in detail what you were dealing with. He was thankful and you were thankful back for his concern seeing as no one had deemed this little “quirk“ of yours as anything but that just a quirk .

Jack huffed out at that.

That was Jack’s first encounter with your general memory lapses. And since then Jack has witnessed a few other instances of it and had learned how to manoeuvre around them which you never knew how much you needed and how much you are thankful for it now that you have it.

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SCENE TWO:

Author's Note: Technically, this is the first scene I have ever written with this idea, but I expanded upon it, and it made the scene you have just read. I wrote the previous scene because I believed I needed an origin story to explain how jack discovery Y/n's memory issue. and also expand on how severe the memory thing is. Anyway, here is the scene.

Breakfast should be an easy ordeal especially when you’re not cooking. Get a bowl of cereal. Get milk. And there, that’s your breakfast. And if you’re feeling fancy, chop up some fruits and maybe get yourself some orange juice on the side.

So one has to understand the frustration you feel when you end up staring at a bowl of cereal with milk already poured in like it’s some equation for space travel.

You and Jack were both in the kitchen. Jack has already made his breakfast (bacon, eggs, and coffee) and he would’ve made you some had you not insisted on something quick and easy so you can make it out of the door fast. — Plus you said something about morning meals being “too heavy” and that they “make you puke;” Something he’ll look into later.

You two were in the middle of discussing what you were gonna do for the day when you had stopped in your tracks, staring at the bowl of cereal in front of you. Feeling as if you’re forgetting something. Well, less forgetting, and more feel like there is a mental wall between you and the knowledge of what you’re meant to do. You know something is blocking your way, you just don’t know how to get past it.

Jack paused soon after. He recognized what was happening. This isn’t the first time he had witnessed this occurring. So he grew accustomed to it.

Frankly, the first time he witnessed this happened was way worse compared to what he was witnessing right now. — Granted he is a bit biased because he didn’t know what was going on, but forgetting something about your bowl of cereal probably isn’t on par with forgetting the general concept of payment.

But that is a story for a different time.

Jack sat at the kitchen island across from where you were standing. He watched you as you stare down your bowl. He hasn’t quite figured out what your brain drew a blank on, but he also knew that attempting to walk you through it or directly question or tell you what is that you’ve forgotten tends to do more harm than good.

“Hey handsome, what you doing there?”

“Poured some cereal,” You responded in a way more akin to reminding yourself what you did in hopes that it will jog the next steps.

“Yeah?” He drank his coffee keeping his eyes on you, “just for fun?”

“No, obviously,” You rolled your eyes at him. He sees your hand moving at your side, opening and closing as if grasping at something. Your brain was working ahead of your memory. You knew the next steps, but not what it is.

Watching your hand move at your side, it clicks to Jack what it is that your brain blanked on, but you weren’t in a hurry. You didn’t need to race out of the door in any moment so he allowed you to slowly get to it with the very least a little assistance from him.

You leaned on your elbows over your bowel squinting at it, brows furrowed, and lightly glared at the bowl. Your hand was still grasping at air, your wrist rolling on the side of the bowl, mimicking a motion that you can’t exactly place at the moment.

Jack cleared his throat.

Staring back at his coffee, he pours in some more sugar into his drink, clinking the spoon on the mug after mixing the sugar in.

You stared at his actions your brain buzzing as if telling you that there is something in Jack's actions that is of importance. your facial features blank but your eyes were studying him.

Youre widened as it clicks.

“Spoon!” You smiled to yourself at your small triumph as you headed into the kitchen to get yourself to actually eat you food.

Jack smiled as he drank his coffee.

"So any plans for today?"

And the day continues as any other.

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Post Fanfictions Author's Note:

Just to reiterated, sorry for any odd writings, flow/pacing, typos and the such. I didn't proofread this like my other fics, but I hope it is enjoyable still!! There is one more scene (more like full story, but still) in the works for this, and i would have added it onto this post, but it is so long that it can stand its own ground. + it is more personal and hits home. So I wanna at the very least complete it than leave it half-assed. This is the world count prior to me editing it and finishing the whole story:

All I am saying is that I won't be surprised if this hits 6k words. If you want to this same concept for some other character, or want me to maybe expand on it, just respectfully send a request; It might take a bit, but i will get there.

What is it?

Hucklerobby for Healthcare is a week long community effort from the fans of the romantic pairing of Dr. Robby and Dr. Whitaker from HBO Max’s “The Pitt” lovingly called “Hucklerobby”, coming together to raise funds towards healthcare needs of the LGBTQ+ community through OutCare Health and Outright International.

When does it start?

Hucklerobby for Healthcare will start April 6th (12am EST) through April 13th (12am EST)

The donation link itself will remain open for donations until May 1st!

Where does it happen?

Online! Hucklerobby for Healthcare is a multi-platform campaign event with the goal of having participants on X (Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, Tumblr.. and more!

We want everyone to participate so we can raise as much awareness and funds as we can to give back to the LGBTQ+ Community!

Who can participate?

We’re calling on fans, supporters, artists, writers and anyone else (18 and older) who wants to help raise funds to go towards the healthcare needs of the LGBTQ+ Community!

Let’s talk about Donations and meet our organizations!

OutCare Health:

OutCare Health is a non-profit focused on healthcare equity for the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on advancing the healthcare support for the Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex communities. They also have established a directory for the entire LGBTQ+ Community that can help members of that community gain access to essential and sometimes life saving healthcare resources, called “The Outlist” You can learn more about the organization at http://Outcarehealth.org

Outright International:

Outright International is an organization that was founded in 1990 and has continued to be a pioneer in the fight for equality for the LGBTQ+ community on a global scale! Through their network of international partners, they remain steadfast in their commitment to provide advocacy, support, and essential research for the community. They even have a longstanding and permanent presence at the United Nations! Learn more about their organization at http://outrightinternational.org

Donations!

Donation Goals: For the healthcare needs of the LGBTQ+ Community we want to encourage donation if you are able. We have a goal of $300 to begin with but the sky is the limit! We want to raise as much as we can!

Donating: Donate what you can, if you can. Times are tough and we understand that. The minimum donation amount is $5 (or your countries equivalent) plus any fees associated with your local countries online regulations for donation.

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Donate at: http://pledge.to/hucklrobbyforhealthcare

ARTISTS/WRITERS/EDITORS WE NEED YOU!

The biggest way you can help the campaign is to lend your talent to the cause!

Create (if you are able) something for the event.

An art piece, a doodle, a one-shot fic, a poem, an analysis.. ANYTHING!

The only requirement is that it’s hucklerobby themed, that YOU made it (NO AI), and that you include the hashtag #HucklerobbyForHealthcare and the donation link (http://pledge.to/hucklerobbyforhealthcare) in the post to help us raise funds!

We do understand that it’s spur of the moment and you may have other commitments or commissions you must honor. We respect that. So an alternative way you can help involving your craft is to showcase your favorite Hucklerobby art/fic/edit that you created in a new post! Just include the hashtag and donation link!

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We want to hear what Hucklerobby means to you and what being part of this community has brought to your life. Have you made new friends? Found commmunity? We want to know about it!

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Just use the hashtag and donation link so we can share it and your voice can be heard. Every voice matters.

Thats it! The event is CURRENTLY live! We've raised over $2400 in the first 48hrs and we hope to keep that number growing! We look forward to your participation and if you have any questions feel free to message me on here!