#bedridden

Walking back to the living room, you settle on the couch once more, tucking your hands into the pockets, only to raise a brow in question. 

A small rustle, as your fingers brush over something in the pockets. 

Grasping onto one of them, you pull out a small little wrapped candy. Its wrapper the colour of golden honey, a small quirk of your lips at the sight, while you discover a few of these little Werthers tucked into the pockets of Michael’s hoodie. 

Unwrapping one as you pop it into your mouth, you let the caramel butter toffees simply melt in your mouth. 

Now you understand why Michael sometimes had a slight taste of caramel whenever you kissed him. 

It seemed he had a sweet tooth. 

A little weakness for these caramel candies. 

Laughing softly at the realisation. Amused by the idea.

You quickly stuff the wrapper into the pocket as you hear the doorknob turn, the faint hello from Michael as he walks through the doors. 

You tilt your head up as you see his shadow approach, whilst he ducks down to catch your lips with his. 

Mumbling softly against your lips, “Missed you”

You giggle softly, with a scrunch of your nose, “You were barely gone more than 10 minutes, how could you miss me?”

“Whenever you’re not with me I miss you– even now I’m missing you”

“You’re such a sap,” you tease, shifting off of the couch, his hand slipping around your waist, as he presses a kiss to the side of your head. 

“Only for you,” he furrows his brows as he notices something, “Is that my jacket?”

“And what if it is?” you lift a brow. 

Shrugging, he replies, “It looks good on you” 

Leaning your head against his shoulder as you walk over to the kitchen. Pulling away from him as you grab the plates, while he opens the take out boxes. 

“Hope you’re hungry, cause they insisted on throwing in some free spring rolls” 

“Is this ‘cause you saved their life or something?” you asked, mouth already stuffed with a spring roll. 

Slightly regretting it as it burns your tongue. 

“Something like that”

You grin at him, whilst he smiles softly at you. 

These were the nights he loved. 

Calm. 

Peaceful. 

And so full of love. 

He didn’t realise life could be so peaceful. 

Through the mayhem and madness of working in the Pitt. 

Here he found solace in your company. 

Glimpses of peace amidst his chaos.

“What do you wanna watch?”

“Whatever you want, love”

…

The little discovery you had made, had yet to leave your thoughts. 

As you continued to find the little packets of Werthers loose in the bottom of his bags or in the pockets of his hoodies and jackets. 

It was honestly surprising you hadn’t found them sooner. 

Each time you discovered one a little smile would make its way across your face. 

There were times when you noticed he’d pop one into his mouth when he thought no one was watching. 

But you noticed. 

Whenever things had gone well he would slip one into his mouth. As though it were a little reward. 

It had prompted you to start your own little stash. Picking up a few bags of Werthers and hiding them away. 

Keeping a few on hand. Just in case Michael ever needed a little pick me up. 

It started out as a simple gesture. A mindless idea really. 

Handing the little candies to him every now and again, whenever you thought it was necessary. 

Just offering it to share. 

“Hey do you want a little candy, I’ve got some extra,” you’d offer them. So sweetly, not making a fuss over them. Barely looking his way as you outstretched your hand with the little candies. 

Michael never thought much of it. Simply smiled and enjoyed them as they melted in his mouth. 

It was only after a few weeks of this did Michael clock onto your antics…

Well it was only when Dana pointed it out did he clock on. 

“Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?” she asked dryly. 

Robby had been in a mood. 

Nothing too off, but enough for Dana to notice. With an arched brow as she looked at him. 

A little disgruntled. 

Maybe it was the spilled coffee on his way to work, maybe it was the fact that chairs were already full to the brim when he walked through. Or maybe it was because psych insisted that one of the patients didn’t need admitting. 

You could spin a wheel and land on any of those things and more. All of which could explain his soured expression. 

“I’m fine”

“Sure, you’re a real bucket of sunshine today,” she quipped. 

While he rolled his eyes, glancing over the charts. 

Hand digging through his pocket, hoping to find something sweet just to quell him…

Only to come up empty. 

Lips dipping down even further. Annoyance creeping in. 

Dana catches your eye, as she nods towards Robby. 

“You don’t happen to have anything to get him out of this mood do you?”

Robby only huffs lightly from her teasing words. 

Digging a hand into your pocket you pull out a little Werther, slipping it into his hand. With a small wink. 

His brows crease as he looks at the small little candy in his hand, before looking up to see you, having already wandered off busy working. 

Shaking his head, with a small smile as he unwraps the little sweet, popping it into his mouth. 

“Seriously, a Werthers? That’s all it takes to put you in a good mood,” Dana looks at him expectantly. Amused by what had happened. 

“Don’t you have anything better to do than hassle me?” he asked. 

Dana shrugs, “Hassling you is a perk of the job-sue me for trying to find a little joy” 

Throughout the shift it feels as though you and Michael are always just passing by. Barely able to have a moment together. 

That was just the way it worked sometimes. 

Bones aching, muscles tired as you stretch. Breathing in the cool evening air. 

An arm wraps around your waist, with a soft kiss to the top of your head. “Ready to go home?”

“I could fall asleep right here and now”

“We can’t let that happen now, can we?” 

You sigh with a smile, as you lean further into his hold, feet beginning to move in the direction of his car. 

“So Werthers?” he asked, breaking the silence. 

“What about them?”

“How’d you know I liked them?” 

Glancing up at him to meet his eye, you turn to reach up and gently trace your hands across his features, soothing the furrow of his brow. 

“I’m just that good,” you softly reply. 

He hums in agreement. 

Before you continue, “And you keep a shit load of them in all your pockets” 

You feel his body shake, as he lets out a chuckle, pressing a kiss to your forehead. Featherlight and sweet. 

Peppering kisses along your face, before trailing down to meet your lips. Soft and sweet. As smooth as the little sweets themselves. 

He murmurs softly, “Thank you” 

“For what?” you question, breathlessly. 

“For sharing with me”

A wide smile stretches across your face, you respond in kind, “Thanks for sharing your life with me”

“Always” 

You wander into the night, side by side. Settling into the car, his hand intertwined with yours. You simply admire him as he drives. A feeling of contentment settles between you both. 

Life really is sweeter when it’s shared. 

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little story, based on the fact that Noah Wyle often rewards himself with a little Werther's when he does a good job with a scene (here’s a little insta clip of him saying this). So it's just a little sappy sweetness. Let me know what you thought of this little piece of fluff! ✨ Comments, Reblogs and Likes are welcomed and appreciated 💕 Feel free to find my Dr Robby x Wayne!Reader Rinse & Repeat Series Masterlist here 🩺 or my little two parter Dr Robby x Paediatrician!Reader Paging Dr Daisy 🌼 Or check out my main Masterlist here

He brushed your cheek with his thumb and you leaned into his touch before you could stop yourself. “I want to do this. You deserve it.”

“Sap.”

“Plus I have to keep you from making a run for it somehow. Knowing you, you’d probably break the other ankle.”

“I still won.”

“You broke your ankle during the three-legged race and Trevor had to carry you across the finish line. Technically he won for both of you.”

“Tomato tomato.” You grinned as you watched his brow furrow in frustration. 

“You are so lucky you’re cute. Otherwise you might actually be the death of me.”

“I wouldn’t count it out yet.” He smoothed out the blanket, accidentally brushing your ankle. Tears welled in your eyes involuntarily. You wiped them away before he could see, not wanting to make him feel bad. “Could I have some water please?”

“Of course.”

As he walked away, you readjusted, trying to regain some of your composure, but you knocked the ice off in the process. It only made the throbbing in your ankle intensify, and you took a shaky breath to stop the sob building in your chest. 

When he came back, he noticed immediately. Of course he did, you had been dating for two years after all. He noticed the way you bit your lip, how your breath was uneven and your eyes were shiny. All signs that you wanted to cry but wouldn’t let yourself. 

He set the water down on the table next to you before gently perching himself back where he was before. “Hey, it’s okay to cry, you know. You’re in a lot of pain.”

“It’s just my stupid ankle, it’s nothing.” Your voice came out tight and snippy, a shell of your usual self. 

He brushed a rogue piece of hair behind your ear. “It’s not nothing.”

Your lip trembled weakly at his comforting gaze. “I know.”

“You broke your ankle darling. Please let me take care of you.”

The pet name was said so sweetly that it broke down whatever defenses you had left, sending you careening into his arms. You burrowed yourself into the warmth of his hoodie and his arms and let yourself break down. 

After a few minutes, you mumbled into his shoulder. “I just feel useless.”

“You aren’t useless, you literally can’t walk.”

“But this happens every time!” Your hand clenched the fabric of his sleeve tightly, your knuckles turning white. “Every single time!”

He pried your fingers away from the cotton, intertwining them with his. “Whoa, hey. What happens every time?”

“You taking care of me! And me being dumb, and stupid, and a fucking burden.” 

He squeezed you as tight as he could without disturbing your ankle. “We aren’t doing that. We aren’t being mean to my girlfriend over something she can’t control. And you absolutely are not a burden. It is a privilege and an honor to take care of you.” 

“But I feel like you’re always taking care of me. It’s selfish.”

“Selfish for who?”

“For me!”

“Okay, hear me out. I’m going to throw some scenarios out, and you tell me if I was selfish or not.”

You frowned, wondering where he was going with this. “Fine.”

“Okay, so remember when I was sick a few weeks ago with the flu?”

“Yeah.” 

“You brought me soup and stayed up with me in the night when I was feverish. Selfish or not selfish?” 

“Not. You literally couldn’t feed yourself.” 

He nodded and hummed. “And what about when I forgot my lunch last week and you brought it to me at work?”

“Not selfish at all! You need to eat in order to fuel that big brain of yours and I had the day off.” 

“How about how you always make dinner because I constantly work late?”

“Well, that’s different, you just can’t cook.”

He rolled his eyes. “Humor me please.”

“Not selfish. I like cooking for you.” 

“What if I, hypothetically, had a broken ankle from a three-legged race at Amanda’s kid’s birthday party and needed help doing everyday chores?”

You rolled your eyes. “Real subtle.” 

“I never said I was good with analogies, just that I was trying to make one. Is it selfish or not?”

Sighing, you conceded. “Not… I’d want you to rest.”

“So what makes this,” he gestured to the cast on your foot, “Different from the other situations?”

“Nothing…….”

“Exactly. Nothing.” 

Tilting your head back, you let your lips brush the stubble on his chin in a small kiss. “I hate when you’re rational.”

“Well, I hate when you’re sad more.” He nuzzled your cheek, which made you let out a small giggle. “There’s that smile I love.”

“You always know how to make me feel better.”

He broke out in a cheesy grin. “It’s my favorite thing to see you happy.” 

You leaned into him again, settling yourself comfortably between his legs. “You’re up there for me, probably behind strawberries though.”

“Strawberries are good too.”

You hugged him tightly. “Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“Everything. But especially for chasing my bad thoughts away.”

You felt him kiss the top of your head gently. “I’ll fight them every day if I have to, you deserve it.”