alisha

You should’ve just gone home, but here you were, the last person from the day shift still catching up on your charting.

You were seated at one of the make-shift desks, staring at the computer when both Robby and Jack approached you. 

“You’re still here,” Robby said. 

“Yes,” you muttered. 

“Everyone’s gone home.” 

“Not everyone. You’re still here,” you finally looked up at them both. Jack caught your eye immediately, gaze lingering just for a second longer before you turned your attention to Robby. 

“You’re picking up my bad habits.” 

“Guess you should lead by example then,” you said with a sigh. 

Robby chuckled. 

Jack looked at you, amused, with his lips curled into a small smile. 

“I’m almost finished,” you continued. “Just want to make sure it’s accurate and detailed, that’s all.” 

“That’s never an issue,” Robby pointed out. 

“Good to know.” 

Jack crossed his arms over his chest and your eyes flickered over to him, immediately glancing down at his arms. “Your notes are always very detailed. Makes it easy for continuity of care,” he finally chimed in. 

“I’m on my last two patients,” you sighed. “I’ll try to get it done in the next hour.” 

Robby sighed and glanced over at Jack. “Right then. I’ll see you in a couple of days.” 

“Night, Dr. Robby,” you called out, turning your attention back to the computer screen. The other man turned on his heel, leaving you alone with Jack. 

You could still feel his presence, so you sat back in the chair and looked over at him. “Yes, Dr. Abbot?” 

“Nothing,” he answered. 

“You’re staring.” 

“I’m… observing.” 

“And I’m trying to get this done,” you ran a hand over your face. “Trust me, I’d rather be home right now.” 

“There’s gotta be another way to be more efficient,” he pointed out. 

You scoffed. “Efficiency is not my issue.” 

“Sure seems like it.” 

You shook your head. “I’m fine.” 

“You’re exhausted.” 

“Aren’t we all?”

He chuckled. “Suppose we are, but I’d rather not have a straggler from the day shift bleed into my nights.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“It becomes my responsibility.” 

“I’m just charting,” you said. 

“And it’s the second time this week that you’re staying later than everyone else,” he pointed out. 

“I’m fine.” 

“You’re distracted.” 

“I’m not your patient, Dr. Abbot.” 

“No,” he shook his head. “Because my patients actually listen.” 

Your lips parted in surprise. 

He leaned against the edge of the desk. 

“Finish your charts, then head home.” He said, softer this time. “You need rest.” 

You watched him walk away, sighing quietly to yourself as your eyes lingered. Your crush on the older man was the reason why this was the second time you had stayed later than everyone else and you weren’t sure how it made you feel that he noticed it too. 

Because he was right. 

You were distracted.

And it was because of him. 

“At this point, you should just join the night crew,” Ellis said, resting her elbows on the counter as she looked down at you. 

“I don’t know if I can function,” you answered. 

“Well, you’re here later than everyone else. I’d say you’ll be able to adapt.” 

“I’d be distracted.” 

“Aren’t you already?” She grinned. 

You looked up at her and narrowed your eyes. “Trinity told you.” 

“No,” she said. “I just have eyes and you… well, you don’t try to hide it.” 

You gasped. “Do you think he notices it too?”

“He’s an observant man,” Ellis answered. “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t.” 

“Great,” you sighed, finishing the last chart of your patient and standing from your seat. “And with that, I’m going home.” 

“You know,” she said. “He likes you too.” 

You furrowed a brow. “Doubt that.” 

Ellis chuckled. “In denial… both of you.” 

“He’s an attending,” you muttered. 

“Doesn’t stop you from staring at him like you want to jump him though, does it?” 

You rolled your eyes and stood from the computer. You hadn’t seen Jack since he told you to go home, but there was a small part of you that hoped you would get to see him before you left. 

“I don’t stare at him like—”

“Stare at who?” Jack appeared behind you. It seemed like he appeared out of thin air. 

Your eyes widened. You still hadn’t turned around. Ellis was smirking, glancing over your shoulder at Jack. 

“Oh, gotta go!” She said. 

“Ellis—” 

“Duty calls!” She interrupted. When Jack moved his gaze towards you, Ellis gave you a quick wink and turned on her heel, leaving you with Jack. 

“Stare at who?” Jack repeated. He felt closer now. His voice hovered near your ear. 

Slowly, you turned around to face him. “No one.” 

His eyes narrowed. “Uh huh.” 

You were tired. Exhausted, really, and standing in front of him like this, so close that you could see the different shade of color in his eyes, the freckles along his face, the stubble on his chin, wasn’t helping. 

“I finished charting,” you said, changing the subject. 

Then, he crossed his arms over his chest. Your eyes flickered to his arms, trailing his forearms up to his biceps that seem to bulge out from beneath the fabric of his shirt. 

He cleared his throat. 

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” You asked, staring up at him now. 

“I didn’t say anything.” 

“Right.” 

Jack tilted his head. When you glanced back down at his arms, he let a faint smile line his lips. It gave him the chance to look you over once too. 

“So, will I be seeing you again tomorrow night?” 

“What?” You asked. 

“When I come in for my shift, will I be seeing you again?” 

“No,” you answered too quickly. “I don’t know.” 

He let out a quiet chuckle. Took another step closer. “Hm.” 

“What? What hm?” 

“Nothing.” 

“That wasn’t nothing.” 

“You ever think about moving to nights?” Jack asked. He was closer now. 

“No,” you said. “I don’t think I’d survive.” 

“I think you’d fit right in.” 

Your lips parted in surprise. Was Jack flirting with you? “Nights aren’t for me.”

“Well,” he shrugged. “I know that nights would be more fun with you around.” 

You felt your cheeks flush. Maybe you were tired and just hallucinating that the man you had a crush on was standing so close to you and saying things that you were sure you’d think about over and over again later. 

“You think so? You wouldn’t tease me about my charting?”

Jack grinned. “Oh, no, that’s a given.” 

“I’m just… detailed.”

“Sure.” 

“I am.” 

“Uh huh,” he said, eyes glinting with amusement. 

Your eyes moved from his down to his lips, lingering for a moment before you moved your gaze to his arms. You were exhausted. You weren’t thinking straight. The fact that he was standing there flirting with you caused your brain to short circuit… or at least it felt like it. 

Because you wanted to reach out and touch his arms. Squeeze those biceps that always seemed to press against the fabric of his shirt whenever he crossed his arms over his chest. You’d want to trace the veins along his strong forearms, wondering what else would be—

“Um…” he mumbled, looking down at you. 

Your eyes widened. 

Your hands were already on his biceps. 

“Oh my god,” you said, pulling your hands from him quickly. “Shit. I—I’m so fucking sorry, Dr. Abbot.” 

You needed to slip back into some sense of professionalism. He was an attending. You didn’t work directly under him, but he was still a superior at the Pitt. Your mind had drifted to the point that your intrusive thoughts about touching him won.

Jack gently wrapped a hand around your arm and pulled you into one the empty rooms. The door shut behind him, giving you both the much needed space away from prying eyes. 

“That was…”

“Uncalled for,” you finished for him. “I’m sorry. I’m just—I’m tired.” 

“You touch Robby like that when you’re tired?” 

“No… Robby doesn’t have your arms,” you blurted out. “God, I need to go home.” 

Jack smirked. “Oh, so it’s just me?” 

“Can we just forget about it?”

“It’s going to be very difficult for me,” he teased. “You were practically… feeling me up.”

“I was not!” You shook your head. 

Jack crossed his arms over his chest again. 

Your eyes flickered to his arms. Almost like you had been conditioned to watch his muscles flex at the motion. 

“You want to do it again, don’t you?” Jack smirked. 

“No,” you answered, looking back up at him. “You’re teasing me.” 

“So what if I am?” 

“You’re enjoying this too much,” you muttered. 

“And what if… what if I said I liked having your hands on me?” Jack admitted. “Then, what?” 

“I’d say you’re lying.”

He cleared his throat. Dropped his hands back to his sides. 

You bit your lower lip as you kept your eyes on him. 

He took a step closer to you. 

You opened your mouth to say something before the door opened abruptly. Shen looked between the two of you with a furrowed brow. 

“Jack, we got incoming. Multiple injuries from an MVA.” 

“Got it,” he said. Jack stepped back and away from you. “I’ll be right there, Shen.” 

The other man nodded and gave you a knowing look before he shut the door once more. 

“I should head home and get some rest,” you said. 

Jack sighed. “Can I take you out for dinner?” 

“What?” 

“Dinner. You and me.” 

You bit back a smile. “Okay.” 

“Yeah?” 

You nodded. “Yeah, Jack.” 

He let out a relieved breath and nodded. Then, his own intrusive thoughts won because Jack leaned forward to kiss your cheek. When he pulled away, you noticed the redness in his cheeks. 

“Have a good night,” he said. 

“Good night, Jack.” You reached out and touched his arm, biting your lower lip as you squeezed his arm before he smiled down at you. 

Then, he turned around and left the room. 

You couldn’t help the large smile that lined your lips. 

Jack liked you too. 

And he asked you out on a date. 

his hand slips under the faded flannel you wear to sleep, courtesy of him of course, cupping your boob and kneading the flesh in his hand. you hum into your pillow as his thumb skims over your nipple, sleep still clinging to the corners of your eyes, limbs still in need of stretching. you can't move with the mass of him attached to you, grounding you in place, and quite frankly you don't want to. 

joel can get very touchy in the morning. not that he isn’t throughout the day, you're never without a possessive, protective hand at the small of your back when you take walks around town. but something about the just risen sun and the warm blankets has you looking extra holdable. who could blame him?

he buries his nose into the crook of your neck, his breath coming in warm puffs. the coarse greying hair of his beard scratches against your skin, you relish in the sensation. what's even more is the soft plush of his lips that press against your shoulder, gently kissing you awake. 

“mornin’ sweetheart,” he says, a low, raspy tone only reserved for you in the early hours.

you don’t say anything in response, simply reaching behind you to hold the nape of his neck, fingers slipping into his hair and scratching the scalp there. he hums, still low and riddled by sleep, pleased. the sound sends a shiver down your spine, the line of vertebrae fitted perfectly to his chest. 

he continues to idly touch you, absentminded passes of his hand over the expanse of your stomach, while your fingers stay threaded in the strands of his thick hair. it's been longer in recent months but you have no qualms, you like the way it falls into his face and gives you the opportunity to push it back–as well as the way he blushes furiously when you do so. 

you turn your head to the best of your abilities to look at him. morning light makes his eyes glitter, you try to ignore the unfiltered adoration in them, in fear of rolling over and never being able to look at him again. you’ve never been with anyone who loves as strongly as joel does, and makes it evident in everything, spoken or (mostly) unspoken. it's debilitating–in the best way. 

“beautiful boy,” you coo, scratching behind his ear. he leans into your touch.

“i’m neither a’those things,” he scoffs roughly, eyelids fluttering shut when your nails pass over that particular spot he loves.

“dont make me fight you, miller.” you tuck your face in the pillow again, snuggling back into him. his arms tighten around your middle in response. “its too early.”