you know how to get to me
day seventeen: crowd, 469 words
@kingdonmicrofic
The ER is packed with an entire wedding party, and he rolls his eyes at the bride and groom who refuse to be separated for treatment. He spots Mel through the crowd, her arms pressed to her chest, hands clasped, shoulders tense, and eyes glazed.
She’s taking tiny steps backwards until she bumps into the nurses’ station, and he makes his way over to her, gripping his stethoscope and focusing on that so he doesn’t call out her name or sprint to her.
“Go take a breather in the ambulance bay,” he says once he’s beside her, dipping his head to her so only she hears.
She doesn’t look at him, still staring into the distance, and says, “I’m fine.”
He almost laughs because does she really think he doesn’t know her, doesn’t know when she’s lying, when she’s trying to prove she can tough it out.
That gets her attention, and she turns to look at him, eyes dropping to where his arm is propped on the edge of the nurses’ station behind her, how his body is angled toward her, then she meets his gaze.
“You’re an attending now, Dr. Langdon, you can’t give me special treatment.”
“It’s not special treatment,” he says. “I just know what you need and how to give it to you.”
Her mouth opens, and even though he doesn’t hear it, he knows she gasps at his words, the connotation. He thinks that might be enough to spur her, but she doesn’t relent, just stares at him.
“Well, if you don’t go, I’ll have to go with you to make sure you take a break, and everyone will notice, then we’ll be down a senior resident and an attending. You don’t want that, right?”
She nods, and he knows he has her where he needs her now.
It seems like she’s going to say something, but she just swallows, then turns and heads toward the exit, nearly bumping into everyone and everything on her way.
He follows after her a few minutes later, once he gets the crowd under control, and finds her in what’s become their spot over the last year. He stands beside her, close but not touching.
She shifts, leaning against him, her hand brushing his, the touch making a buzz spread through his body.
“Thank you,” she says, letting out a calming breath. “I needed this.”
Then, a moment later, she says, “And you.”
“Yeah? Think you’ll need me tonight?”
She hums, nodding, and when he turns his head to look at her, she’s already looking at him, head tilted up, biting her lip, the sight of her driving him crazy with want.
“I needed you last night, too, but I had to take care of myself because you worked late, so I think you owe me.”
