Summary: You've been dating the night shift attending at PTMC, but what happens when you realise that there might be two of them?
Pairings: Jack Abbot x established relationship!reader, Titus Danforth x !reader, Jack Abbot x twin!Titus Danforth
Warnings: sibling rivalry (I think?), nothing heavy yet
Author's Note: I needed something to feed my Titus and Jack twins agenda... also just a little easter egg, the header above could be used as a reference image in one scene below if you squint enough. I do plan making a part 2 (maybe?). Hope you guys enjoy!
This wasn’t meant to happen.
Or well, it was… but not in the way you expected.
You’ve been dating Jack Abbot for quite a few months now, taking it slow because he was once again new to the world of relationships. None of you were expecting it… he definitely wasn’t expecting for you to return his affections, after all, there was quite a gap between the ages. But he wasn’t opposed to it, he loved it… adored it that you let him treat you like a lady that some men your age couldn’t afford to do.
Now, taking it slow meant you two were still acting like a newly established couple which would lead to you two still getting to know more about each other’s personal lives than what’s already been told.
You knew Jack had been married once… that he was in touch with his in-laws which wasn’t a problem to you. You knew things that somehow everyone in the entire emergency department knew about. But what you lacked awareness was that somewhere in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, Jack Abbot had a doppelgänger that was the very opposite of your sweet boyfriend. And you had no idea he existed until now.
As every shift was in the emergency department, you were tackling a patient who had a major heart attack and you were struggling despite Robby being there to back you up. The EKG showed significant ST elevation that if they don’t do anything the patient wasn’t surviving unless you call the cath lab instantly.
Once the team upstairs had been called and informed, you and Robby prioritised on stabilising the patient along with preparing the patient for transfer. While you worked simultaneously with Robby, the cath lab team entered the trauma bay and was led by… Jack?
And once you looked up and saw the familiar face, you turned to Robby with a confused expression like you were confirming that you weren’t the only one seeing the night shift attending wearing different coloured scrubs.
Now you were thinking why didn’t Jack ever tell you that he worked upstairs, and the man in front of you looked more hardened than your boyfriend was which just heightened your state of confusion.
“Jack? I didn’t know you worked at the cath lab.” You spoke softly, unsure whether to ask that question without sounding stupid, while meeting his hazel eyes. The immediate contact sent an unfamiliar feeling of apprehension compared to the usual one that would make your innards feel warm and cozy.
Robby, as a silent watcher, only looked at the man with a raised eyebrow, wondering if he would dare say the truth or keep a facade.
“Yes, I was just covering for someone as a favour.” He muttered, getting on board with assisting in stabilising the patient before they took him up. He sounded different, voice raspier than the one you were used to hearing. Even the way he held himself was different, more heavier than the light atmosphere Jack usually had.
That excuse made Robby scoff, but before either one could respond, Dana came in with updates regarding other patients who were being handled by the residents, and Robby being the senior attending, he had to oversee what the Pittlings were up to. Before he left the trauma bay, he looked at you with a raised eyebrow, quietly communicating with you if you’d be fine on your own. You met his eyes, nodding at the man before shooing him off and returning your attention to the patient in front of you.
After a while, the not-so-familiar familiar person spoke up and he gestured for the team to prepare for the transfer. “I think we have it from here, Doctor. Thank you.” He spoke, commanding the room like he owned it. Then he looked at you once again, a smile on his lips. “I’ll see you at the handover later.” He said with a wink before rolling the patient out the trauma bay to the elevator.
When the cath lab team took over the patient, you went to the doctors’ lounge, the earlier confrontation with ‘Jack’ made your head spin with many questions, but you shrugged it off because maybe it just lapsed his mind to tell you that he would probably be helping a friend from upstairs.
Except that entire illusion was ruined when Jack (your actual boyfriend) entered the doctors’ lounge with his backpack on one shoulder, wearing his typical black scrubs. He quickly dropped his bag on the floor before he entered your personal space to wrap his arms around your waist. You jolted at the sudden presence before realising it was just Jack and relaxed. Then the thought came in your mind again, your mouth opening before you can even think it properly.
“I didn’t know you worked at the Cath lab upstairs…” you greeted quietly as you pushed his arms off your waist before spinning to meet his gaze. His usual stoic expression contorted into confusion before he realised that his twin brother may have just interfered with his personal life.
“I don’t… What are you talking about, sweetheart?” He asked once he recovered from the initial mix-up. When you saw the genuine expression on his face, you were about to berate him with multiple follow-up questions, but it seems that the world had its ways to answer your questions.
“I think they're referring to me.” A voice announced, the husky tone sending shivers down your spine as he casually leaned against the doorframe, acting like he was the king of the place.
The room felt a lot smaller with three people inside, your heart thumping loudly as you spun around to make eye contact with the new person who had entered. The moment you saw him, a sharp wave of whiplash washed over you, your breath hitching as your gaze met what looked like the reflection of the man you loved. The same hazel eyes you woke up to, stared back at you, the same familiar features, the same crooked smile you could recognize anywhere. For one impossible moment, your mind refused to believe what it was seeing. It felt like the world had frozen around you, every sound swallowed by the deafening silence in your ears. Every instinct told you it was him. But it wasn't.
“Jack… you’re early for your shift.” The man continued, straightening himself up from the way he leaned against the locker, an ominous smirk plastered on his face before he turned to you. “As for you, Doctor, it is a pleasure to finally put a face on the sweet kitten that my dearest twin brother never stops talking about. I’m Titus, a cardiologist from upstairs.” He introduced, extending a hand out.
You stared at the hand that Titus offered you before you returned your gaze to his face. Then you looked at Jack who was awkwardly standing behind you, wishing the ground would open and eat him up.
Before Jack could even begin to clear up the tension, his brother had already begun his own explanation.
“I should explain… right, brother?” Titus said, the smirk on his lips never leaving as he took a step forward, making the oxygen in the room thicken from the anxiousness radiating off you. You could feel Jack stiffen and that was a win in Titus’ book already. “You must be wondering… we look alike, we sound alike, and we act alike… that must mean we’re twins. Well, let me burst your bubble, little lamb. Aside from being identical twins, me and Jack are two worlds apart.”
“Titus… stop it.” Jack intervened, finally getting back to his own footing and stepping between you and his twin brother.
“Why should I? You can’t even tell your partner that you have an identical twin… how good of a boyfriend can you be?” The cardiologist said, making your boyfriend falter. That made Titus’ smirk widened, he knew how to use the advantages of being Jack’s human diary when the occasion arises and he wasn’t afraid to proceed with it.
However, what he didn’t expect was that you, the innocent, sweet girl Jack keeps mentioning, had the balls to stand up to him.
“Don’t you dare speak to Jack that way.” You argued from behind Jack’s broad shoulders before stepping to the side and finding your boyfriend’s hand to hold.
Now that intrigued Titus.
Any other person would have probably cowered when he spoke, but not you. And perhaps, what started as a mere curiosity from wanting to put a face on the name slowly turned into a dark desire of interest. Jack immediately recognised that expression on Titus’ face… How could he not when despite the differences they have, they were still each other’s twin. And for 50 years of their lives intertwined, Jack knew Titus as much as his twin knew him.
“Absolutely not.” Jack spoke, glaring at Titus who just looked at you with a smug, interested expression. But that didn’t stop Titus, nothing ever did when something… or someone had piqued his interest.
He approached you with that same curious yet dark intensity, walking past his brother and stopping just on the edge of your personal space while your back was pressed against the lockers.
You swallowed softly, the anxiety in you rising through the roof that it made your body tremble… whether from fear or from excitement, you weren’t entirely sure anymore. And you knew Jack noticed it as well because a little while later, he was also crowding you with Titus now.
Close up, there was absolutely no difference with their appearance that it felt utterly eerie, but once you look at their eyes, everything similar about them instantly vanishes. While they both had hazel eyes, Jack’s were soft and transparent. On the other hand, when you look at Titus’ eyes, it was harder, more difficult to read, and pierced through you. It was as if he was reading your soul as if it was laid out in front of him unlike Jack’s who looked at you like you were the most special thing in the world.
The silence in the lounge room was loud, you could hear your heart beating in your ears while your hands sweat profusely as the twins surrounded you. Your mouth was dry as your gaze alternated between the two men, utterly feeling small with just their eyes on you.
When Titus saw the microscopic shift on your stance, he smirked, getting the reaction he wanted before he pulled away. That gave you space to breathe which was a lot of air you didn’t realise that you held.
“You must come around the family estate soon… I can’t wait to show you around the place where me and Jackie grew up.” He commented, cocking his head to the side. Then he turned to leave. But as he reached the door, he turned his head, making one final eye contact with you, throwing a wink before he disappeared past the lounge door.
Once you were left alone with Jack, you saw him relax first before you. Then he stepped into your space, gently cupping your cheek, his thumb caressing the apple of your face to ensure you were okay.
“Before you say something, I’m already going to apologise for the fact I hid my own twin from you. It just didn’t feel relevant at all… besides he’s a weirdo. Please don’t hate me.” He muttered, looking at you with those puppy eyes that you are severely hating because of how quickly it worked on you.
“Whatever, Abbot!” You retorted, scoffing before looking away because you’d instantly fold if you kept looking at him. “You have a lot of explaining and making up to do, you know? I’m extremely embarrassed that I thought you worked in the cath lab!”
He just laughed. The audacity of this man! Laughing at your own embarrassment and naivety for thinking he’d even dare work in a catheterisation lab when he’s practically an adrenaline junky.
Then he smiled. That same smile that showed his dimples and crooked teeth you adored. “Yes. And Titus is right. Maybe it’s time for you to finally come see the place where I grew up.”
That made you smile. He was still as sweet as ever; you could probably be diagnosed with diabetes. He leaned forward to kiss your forehead before finally letting you go. “I’ll see you tomorrow since it’s your day off, then we can talk about visiting my childhood home.”
You watched him silently as he put his discarded backpack in his designated locker before walking off to the main floor. Then just like a mirror to what his brother did, he stopped by the door, turning his head towards you before throwing you a playful wink.
As your eyes lingered on his retreating figure, you noticed the slight limp in his gait from the prosthetic and smiled. Because even if he did have a twin brother, you knew the man you love, and nothing would ever get in the way of that. Or maybe it would. Who knows what the future holds.
