#lab assistant!reader

A second sharp twist hit both of them at once.

Robby winced.

“Did you get elbowed earlier or something?”

Robby frowned. “No?”

Another squeezing pain rolled through.

Jack looked down at himself suspiciously. “What the hell is happening?” Robby rubbed his stomach.

“Maybe something we ate?” Jack thought about the takeout from the night before.

“We all ate the same thing.”

They both went quiet for a moment. Then Robby slowly came to the realisation ,

“Bunny.”

Jack blinked, “Ah.” Then another cramp hit. “Something has to be wrong.”

Jack put down his tablet and pushed himself upright.

“Yeah, no, that is not normal.”

They exchanged a look, then headed for the elevator.

~

Down in the hovel, all lab gremlins were hidden away in, you were labeling samples, making a mental list of phlebotomists you would have words with-  when someone knocked on the door.

You glanced up. Through the window, you could see Robby and Jack standing there looking… concerned.

You walked over and opened it.

“Hey–”

Both of them spoke at once. “Are you okay?” 

You blinked. “…yeah?” 

Another cramp rolled through, and two doctors stared at her.

“It’s just cramps.”

Another push went through all three of them, and Robby grabbed the doorframe.

“You live like this?” You snorted.

“Once a month, since I was like– twelve .”

Jack looked like he needed to sit down.

“This is barbaric.”

You laughed. “You two are ridiculous.”

Robby shook his head. “No, this is unacceptable. It feels like someone is stabbing me.”

“Yep.”

“And you’re just… working?” Jack asked.

You gestured around the lab. “What do you want me to do, call out sick every month?”

Robby looked tempted to say yes.

Another cramp hit, and both men groaned.

“Oh my god, you’re such babies.”

Jack glared at her. “You try having your organs revolt.”

“I am!”

Robby pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you need anything?”

After thinking for a second, you respond, “I wouldn't say no to chocolate and a redbull.”

“There's no way an energy drink will help you”

“No, but it makes me feel alive,” you shrugged.

Jack straightened immediately, “Done.” Robby nodded. “I’ll grab a heating pad from upstairs.”

She laughed. “You two don’t have to–”

Too late.

They were already turning toward the elevator.

Jack mutters under his breath. “Unbelievable.”

Your going to the er to draw labs on someone and Jack ends up being a complete asshole to you.

You stand your ground, are just as mean back get your labs and leave.

Overtime jack sees you more and more, eventually he goes to the lab to try to find you and he does.

He apologizes for how he acted and asks to buy you a coffee from the hospital cafe. You being a exhausted broke nursing student graciously accepts.

You go to the cafe and Jack makes sure you get something to eat as well, you sit and talk while you eat.

Jack learns that you are a nursing student, living in a very small apartment with far too many roommates but it's the best you can afford, you tell him about your cat that is your whole world, and how you moved away from all your family for a schooling opportunity in Pittsburgh.

After your break is over jack walks you back to the lab. He almost asks for your number but doesn't, he regrets that.

His next shift he goes back to the lab but your not working that day. It takes 3 days of him doing that before you work again.

His next shift he goes back to the lab, and your there. He doesn't waste a second and immediately asks for your number, he's not missing his opportunity again.

You hesitate and jack fears he overstepped, he apologizes but you explain that he didn't overstep you are just surprised that he would want your number.

You give him your number, and he asks what time you are going to lunch, you tell him and he says he will see you then.

Jack sees you before then, when the elevator doors open and you gets off with your phlebotomy cart. He asks what your doing down here. You explain that there is a patient that the nurses cannot get labs from so you are there to help.

You go into the patient's room and he is restrained and asleep. The nurse said he is sedated due to being combative and that the restraints can come off if needed but have to go back when your done.

You check the patients anti cubital on both sides and can't find a good vein. You remove the wrist restraint and mitt and are checking for a vein when the patient wakes up.

He grabs your arm hard, you try to pull away but can't his grip is too tight he is trying to pull you towards him while you are struggling to get away.

After a struggle that only lasted about a minute but felt much longer you are able to reach the panic button. Jack had been watching and waiting for you so he is the first to see and is in there immediately.

Robby was right behind him and immediately had the patient restrained and sedated so Jack can tend to you.

You insist your okay but jack points out how you are shaking. Jack walks you out the ambulance bay for some fresh air. He asks if it's okay if he touches you and you say yes.

He rubs your back and arms, it's a very gentle grounding touch. After about 10 minutes you decide you're ready to go back inside. Jack insists he walks you back to the lab and makes sure you file an incident report.

He tells you to wait for him after your shift, you do. He picks you up from the lab and takes you to breakfast, you insist on splitting the bill, he pays.

After that he takes you home and walks you to your door, he tells you not to hesitate to message him if you have any problems. You agree that you will say goodbye and go inside.

That morning you go to sleep thinking of Jack Abbot and what the future could look like.

“Yep.”

“Come on back.”

The intake room smelled like antiseptic and something specifically hospital.

You perched on the edge of the exam table while a nurse typed something into the computer.

“So, my name is Mateo, and I’ll need to ask some questions before we get started,” the nurse said without looking up. “What brings you in tonight?”

“My shoulder is dislocated.”

The nurse looked up, eyebrows furrowing.

“And how did that happen?”

You paused for half a second before replying

“My friends and I were playing a game…Dungeons and Dragons.”

There was another pause.

“…okay.”

“We got excited,” You continued quickly. “Someone rolled really well, people started yelling, my chair tipped weird, and I caught myself with my arm. Which was… a mistake.”

“That’s… new.”

“Yeah,”  “I didn’t actually want to bother coming in, usually I can pop it back in myself.”

The nurse stopped typing.

“You can what?”

“Pop it back in,” she repeated. “Shoulders are kind of a repeat offender situation for me.”

He palpated the area and finished up taking note of your vitals before stepping away.

“Alright, I’ll just need you to hang tight for a second while I get someone to take a look at that.”

A few minutes later, the door opened, and a doctor who vaguely resembled a kicked puppy stepped inside. He had this slightly overwhelmed look of someone who hadn’t slept through a full night for a few years.

“Hi,” he said, offering a quick smile. “I’m Dennis Whitaker, one of the med students.”

“Hi.”

He glanced at her arm position and winced sympathetically.

“Yeah, that definitely looks uncomfortable.”

“Just a bit.”

He washed his hands and stepped closer. “Mind if I take a look?”

“Go for it.”

He moved carefully, gently testing the range of motion- or lack thereof- before pausing.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “Yeah. That’s dislocated.”

“Shocking,” You deadpanned.

Whitaker huffed a quiet laugh.

“Normally we can reduce these pretty easily, but I might want another set of hands just to be safe.”

“Sure.” You say, shrugging with your good shoulder.

Whitaker stepped out into the hallway, and a minute later the door opened again.

An older man walked in with the type of authority of someone who had done this a thousand times.

“Evening, I’m Dr. Robinavitch, but Dr. Robby is just fine.”  He said with a friendly smile, and his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“Hi.”

Whitaker came to stand by your damaged arm and presented to his attending

“Anterior shoulder dislocation, non-traumatic fall, no signs of fracture from what I can tell.”

“Alright. Let’s see what we’re working with.” Robby stepped forward.

And the moment his hand touched your arm and shared sensation ran through you both…burning.

A sudden, sharp heat flared across your chest like someone had pressed a brand over her heart.

Robby jerked back at the same time, eyes going wide.

Because on his chest, beneath the midnight colored hospital scrubs, the name that had sat there his entire life had just ignited.

For half a second the room was silent.

Whitaker looked between them.

“…um?”

Robby opened his mouth to say something-

Suddenly, the door was pulled open.

A second doctor burst inside. He was slightly taller and had a head of beautiful silver curls.

“Robby-”

He stopped dead when he saw them, before being allowed to ask anything Dr. Robinavotch grabbed his wrist and put it on your good shoulder. Allowing you to feel that overwhelming scald all over again.

The man in the doorway stared like the ground had just disappeared beneath him.

“…Ah,” he said softly.

Robby ran a hand over his face.

“Well.” Whitaker looked like he was considering melting into a puddle. “Um,” he said, backing toward the door. “I’m gonna… give you guys a minute.” And then he escaped.

You blinked at the two doctors. “…so,” she said slowly. “This is happening.”

The one who had burst in-, Dr. Jack Abbot, apparently-  crossed his arms over his chest.

“I felt the mark flare and figured….but I didn’t actually expect…” He gestured vaguely at her.

“Yeah,” You said. “Same.”

Robby cleared his throat, trying to recover some semblance of professionalism.

“Well.” He pointed gently at her shoulder. “Before we get too existential about this, we should probably fix that.”

“Good call.”

Robby moved to position her arm while Jack stepped in on the other side.

“Okay,” Robby said. “On three.”

“One–”

The joint slid back into place.

You exhaled slowly. “There we go.”

Jack blinked. “…did you just relax into that?”

“A little.”

Robby frowned slightly.

“How are you feeling?”

Reader rolled her shoulder experimentally. “Honestly? Mostly annoyed.”

“Annoyed?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Usually I can get it back in myself.” Both doctors stared at her. “…usually?” Jack asked.

“Joint issues.”

Robby raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t the first time.”

“Not even close.” You responded flexing your fingers once, satisfied that everything was relatively normal.

“But,” she added, glancing between them, “I guess it worked out…If I fixed it, I wouldn’t have met you two.” They were both quiet for a moment.

Then Robby huffed a soft laugh. “Well,” he said. “Aren’t you lucky to be paired with two doctors?”

~

The observation period should have been quick. Normally, for something like a simple shoulder reduction, it was. Tonight it wasn’t.

You lost count of how many times someone poked their head through the curtain. The young nurse from before came by twice to check her vitals.

Whitaker dropped by again and hovered awkwardly once before clearly deciding whatever soulmate chaos had just happened was above his pay grade. Another resident asked if she was dizzy. And Robby checked in at least three times.

Not that you minded.

The last time the curtain slid open again, he stepped inside with a clipboard tucked under his arm. “Well,” he said, glancing at the chart. “Everything looks good.”

“Meaning?”

“You’re cleared to go.” He handed her the discharge papers. “No heavy lifting, take it easy for a couple days, sling if it starts bothering you again.”

She skimmed the page quickly.

Then Robby cleared his throat. “So… I also wanted to ask something.”

That made you look back up.

He shifted his weight slightly, suddenly looking a little less like the confident attending physician and more like a man trying to navigate a very strange life event.

“If you wanted,” he said carefully, “you could come with me for a bit and we could talk. Or we could exchange numbers and find some time that works for the three of us to sit down and figure this out.”

Not really prepared for this after spending hours in the ER you say

“I could come with you for a little while,But I have work in the morning.”

“That’s fair.”

You hopped down carefully from the bed.

“Funny enough,” she added while slipping her arm into the sling, “I actually work at a different hospital.”

“Oh?”

“Presbyterian.”

Robby blinked. Then he laughed softly, rolling his eyes. “Really? Presby?”

You shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know much about the medicine,” she admitted. “But I know they treat their lab techs well enough and that was all I was looking for at the time.” You paused. “But it’s not like my heart is committed to the place.”

Robby nodded slowly. “Good to know.” He gestured toward the hallway. “How about I drive you home?”

Outside, the night air felt cooler than the hospital.

You followed Robby toward the parking area before pausing when he headed toward a truck.

“I normally ride my bike in since Jack and I have different schedules,” He glanced at her sling.

“But I don’t think now’s the best time to have you holding on with that shoulder.”

You laughed softly. “Fair.”

He held out a hand helping you climb into the passenger seat.

The truck rumbled to life once he settled and they pulled out onto the street after entering your address into the GPS. For a few minutes they just drove.

Finally Robby glanced over at her.

“So,” he said. “How old are you?”

You looked towards him, examining the laughlines that made his face whole, the grey in his beard.

“Does it really matter?”

He considered that for a second.

“No,” he admitted. “Not really.” Then he sighed.

“I’m just sorry you got saddled with two old guys.”

You scoffed and reached over to pinch the arm he had resting on the center console. “Well,” she said lightly, “it’s a good thing old guys are my type.”

Robby blinked. Instead of responding, he simply rested his hand gently on her knee. It didn’t feel strange. If anything, it felt oddly natural- like the kind of casual contact that would have been uncomfortable with anyone else but somehow wasn’t with him.

After a moment, he spoke again. “So what actually happened tonight?”

“My shoulder?”

“Yeah.”

You leaned back in the seat. “My friends and I were playing Dungeons & Dragons.”

Robby frowned slightly. “…I don’t think I know what that is.”

“It’s a tabletop game,” she explained. “Storytelling, dice, fantasy stuff.”

He nodded slowly. “And the shoulder?”

“We get a little intense about it,” she admitted. “Someone rolled really well, people started yelling, my chair tipped, I tried to catch myself…” She lifted her sling slightly. “And here we are.”

Robby huffed a quiet laugh. “That might be the first time I’ve heard of a board game injury.”

“Oh, it’s definitely not the first.”

Eventually, the truck slowed in front of her apartment building.

You climbed out, and Robby followed.

You could see it immediately on his face. The building wasn’t great. Peeling paint off old brick. Flickering hallway lights. The kind of place people moved into when rent was cheap and options were limited.

To his credit, he didn’t say anything. “Do you want me to walk you up?” he asked instead.

You smiled a little.

“Sure.”

Her apartment, in contrast, was warm and comforting despite its small size. Books are stacked in piles by overflowing shelves. A worn couch with crochet blankets thrown over the back. Dice, markers, journals, and pencils were scattered across a coffee table next to a half-finished puzzle.

Robby glanced around briefly.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Water’s fine.” You grabbed a glass from the kitchen and handed it to him.

He leaned against the counter, thinking for a moment.

“Actually,” he said, “Jack and I already had a day off scheduled together in two days.”

“Oh?”

“We were planning to get some work done on the house.” He took a sip of water. “If you’d like, you could come by. Spend the day with us. Get to know each other a little better.”

Aching joints, the stiffness in your muscles the overall soreness in your body. All of it was something you were used to pretty much since puberty, and since you lived a pretty full life, most people didn't think much of it- not even your soulmates.

Let's be honest, there were red flags. Obviously, they met you when your shoulder was out of place, but they're ER physicians; if anyone is taught to think horses instead of zebras, it's them.

They knew you weren't 100%, and frankly, it's not like you were going out of your way to tell them all the problems you've had. 

You'd learnt a long time ago how much of a burden it is on the people around you to be the sick one, and no matter how wrong your therapist told you that was, you pushed everything down until you flared.

Ever since you and your mates moved in together, you'd mostly been on the day shift schedule, allowing you to leave the same relative time as Robby (barring the odd night shift here or there).

The two of you made a habit of leaving work together, sometimes stopping for dinner or just going straight home. But when Robby went to pick you up from the lower floor of the Pitt and was greeted by a stranger telling him you had taken a half day, he was immediately on edge.

Robby would never admit it outloud but if he went over the speed limit to get home, that was between him and the traffic camera down the street.

The house was quiet when he got there. His chest tightened.

“Bunny?” he called as he stepped inside, keys barely making it into the bowl by the door.

He kicked off his shoes and moved further in, more quickly now.

“Bunny?”

Robby’s jaw tightened as he moved down the hallway to the bedroom. He knocked once, already pushing it open before waiting for an answer.

“Bun…” he whispered.

The room was dim.

Curtains drawn. Lights off except for a warm-toned lamp in the very corner of the room.  And there curled up on top of the covers, only half under them, like you hadn’t even had energy to settle in properly. One arm was tucked awkwardly against your chest, the other was draped loosely across the mattress with a brace. A heating pad sat half-shifted under your lower back, no longer centered where it should’ve been; one hip and knee were propped up by pillows, and an icepack along the back of your neck near the very top where skull met spine. 

Your breathing was shallow and tight.

He was at your side in seconds.

“Hey, Bunny.” His tone was low and comforting.

He brought his hand up to your unbraced arm to take note of your pulse. Tachy.

“Hey,” he repeated, quieter now. “What’s going on, sweet thing?”

Your head turned, and eyes cracked open slowly, unfocused for a second before finding him.

“…hey.” Her voice was rough.

Robby swallowed. “You took a half day,” he said gently. “Nobody told me.”

You gave a weak shrug that barely indicated movement, closing your eyes again. “Sorry, I should have messaged.”

“It's okay- just talk to me, alright,” he said, crouching slightly so he was more level with her.

“It’s just a flare,” she muttered. “I’m fine.”

Robby stilled and took a breath, trying really hard not to be lead attending Robby, but supportive soulmate Robby in this moment. 

“I think I’m missing some context here.” 

You didn’t answer right away. Instead, shifting slightly, regretting it as a sharp wince crossed your features.

“Okay,” he said softly but firmly. “No. We’re not doing the ‘I’m fine’ thing right now. You and Abbot are gonna send me to an early grave with this shit.”

You huffed weakly. “I am–”

“You’re not,” he cut in, still gentle but leaving no room for argument. “You’re obviously in pain.”

That got you to look at him again. “I… I don’t want you to look at me like– like it's all in my head.” 

There was something so much more vulnerable than what he normally gets to see of you now, “…it’s normal,” she said, quieter. “This…For me.”

Robby glanced at the heating pad, adjusting it properly under her back before pulling the blanket up over her more securely. “Where does it hurt?” he asked.

“Fuckin…everywhere,” you admitted finally. “But my hip mostly.” 

“Okay.” He brushed a hand lightly through her hair, something soft and grounding. “What do you need from me?” 

“Just stay with me, please.”

And he did. 

~

After you dozed off, he called Jack and gave him a rundown. He also eventually got up to shower and make dinner– actually convincing you to eat something was difficult, but it wasn’t until the next day, when you were feeling slightly better, and the boys were between shifts that you gave them the rundown.

“I’m a mess,” You say. Holding up a hand to stop Jack’s incoming retort. “I mean medically.”

You took a deep breath, patting the large plastic bin you brought out. “I’ve had so many diagnoses, over the years, and no specialist I’ve had can ever agree on one thing…In middle school, my pediatrician said it was growing pains– that it would all go away with time, until it didn’t. Then, as a teenager, a rheumatologist said JHS, my geneticist said HSD, and my physical therapists thought hEDS… and I’ve just been managing for so long. I don’t even care what the name is anymore.”

You don’t even realize you’ve been holding your breath until you finish talking.

Robby looks… still. Like he’s trying very hard to choose his next words carefully.

“…how long?” Jack asks, finally, voice quieter than you’ve ever heard it. You shrug, picking at the edge of the plastic bin.

“Honestly, I was, like, seven? Eight? That’s when things started getting bad.”

Jack exhales sharply through his nose, leaning back. “And no one,” he says slowly, “has been able to give you a straight answer since then?”

You shake your head.

“They all have opinions,” you say with a small, humorless smile. “Just not the same one.”

Robby finally moves, sitting down beside you instead of across from you.

“Bunny,” he says gently. You already don’t like the tone. It’s too careful. Way too doctor-y.

“I’m fine,” you start automatically–, Jack makes a noise. Not a full groan. Not quite a laugh.

“Absolutely not,” he says, pointing at you. “We are retiring that phrase. Immediately.” Robby reaches over, taking your hand, thumb brushing lightly over your knuckles.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” 

“It’s a lot,” you admit. “And it’s not like there’s a fix or a cure. I didn’t want to be…” You trail off but make eye contact with them both. Robby’s grip on your hand tightens slightly.

“You don’t get to decide that for us,” he says quietly. “You’re not a burden,” he continues. “You’re our partner.”

Jack nods immediately. “Yeah, it's not like you see Robby grabbing my leg off and smacking me with it when I get to be too much, and you always offer to rub his back on the couch. We’re in this together,” he gestures to you and the bin. You take the hint and slide it over to them, allowing them to look through it all.

Physical copies. Of everything, doctors' notes, intakes, PT notes, disks from MRI’s and ultrasounds, everything you’ve ever had access to, more than what's in MyChart.

“I’ve just… always handled it myself,” you say.

“We can tell,” Jack mutters. And you roll your eyes at him, “Not in a bad way,” he adds. “Just… you shouldn’t have had to. I wish you didn't have to.”

Underneath all the paperwork, the bin was still full–Robby was slowly taking things out: one at a time. Braces. KT tape rolls. Pain creams. Heating patches.Reusable icepacks/rings. A TENS unit. Medications. A folded-up resistance band. Printouts of exercises 

“…Wow,” he murmurs. “You’ve been managing all of this on your own?”

You shrug. “Mostly.”

Then Jack closes the bin gently. “Okay,” he says, sitting back. “So here’s what we’re not gonna do. We’re not gonna let you keep doing this alone,” he continues.

Robby nods. “And we’re not going to pretend this is normal just because it’s been your normal.”

You open your mouth. Then close it and try again.

“I don’t even know what you’d do,” you admit. 

“We start by understanding it,” he says. “Properly.” Jack points between the two of them. “You’ve got two trauma docs sitting right here. We can at the very least coordinate care better than whatever you’ve been dealing with so far.”

“And advocate,” Robby adds. “Make sure you’re actually being heard.”

Some of the tension you didn’t even realize you were holding easing just a little. 

“Thank you.”

There was a pause.

Then, in unison–

“No.” You feel two sets of broad arms tightening around you.

Twisting slightly to look between them.

“It’s just for a few hours.”

Jack cracked one eye open.

“It’s still technically our day off. 24-hour cycle…wasn’t planning on an early wake-up call” he said pushing the hair over your face back.

“I’m sorry.”

Robby buried his face in her shoulder.

“We were supposed to sleep in.”

“I know,” you whispered.

Another pause.

“I can’t procrastinate this, unfortunately. I’m covering a lab for a postdoc today its cell culture stuff, which ideally should be done sooner rather than later.”

“Mmm,” Robby hummed, not fully awake.

“The lead is out of town for a conference and doesn’t trust anyone else to touch her cell line.”

That got Jack’s attention; he lifted his head slightly. “You’re babysitting…cells.”

You shot him a look. “I am passaging cells. Myelomas.”

Jack blinked. “Like… rotating house plants to the light?”

You stared at him. “I don’t even want to know how you got there.” Then you pushed his voluminous chest down and climbed over him to get ready. 

~

Forty-five minutes later, they were in the car. Jack had insisted on coming, then Robby had insisted on driving.

And as their newly bonded oh so accommodating Bunny had quickly realized you were not going to win this argument.

It made sense in retrospect. They were a bonded pair who spent much longer waiting for you than you had them. Of course, they weren’t ready to be apart so soon after bonding. 

“You don’t even know what I’m doing,” you pointed out from the back seat. 

“Exactly,” Jack said from the front. “Which is why we’re coming.”

“It would probably be good for us, med students come in with all sorts of research experience… back in our day, applying to med school was all about a good work ethic, grades, and rec. letters- and that’s pretty much it… Javadi alone has had more internships than I can remember.”

“You mean in the Stone Age?”

Jack made eye contact with you through the mirror. “Bunny, you would not believe how hard it was to diagnose infection before fire was around.”

 Michael just kept his eyes on the road and scoffed at your antics, “This feels like sacraligous, y’know, going past the pitt.”

“Let me show you what it's like on the dark side.”

~

The research building was quieter than the hospital. Cleaner, in a different way, far less chaotic, more in control…at least compared to the ER.

You badged them in, signing into the temporary access log before turning to them.

“Okay,” you said, holding up a box of nitrile gloves for them to take. “Ground rules.”

Jack immediately looked amused. “Oh, this should be good.”

“You do not touch anything unless I tell you to. You don’t lean on surfaces. And if I say stop moving, you freeze.”

They nodded seriously.

“Understood.”

The whoosh of filtered air came through the safety hoods, the boys, and you now thoroughly washed, hair tied back, and gloved up as you approach your work station. 

They stood back and washed as you coated the inner bench and your gloves with ethanol, wiping down anything pertinent. Grabbing supplies out of fridges, putting something frozen in a water bath.

Robby leaned slightly toward Jack. “She’s different here.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah.”

You opened the incubator and gestured for them to take a look, carefully inspecting the labeled edge you showed them, small flasks that you were holding at an angle. 

“These are mammalian cells. They grow in here at thirty degrees Celsius, with controlled CO₂ levels.”

“Basically,” you continued. “Since cells that rapidly divide are being supplemented with nutrients or food, in layman's terms, are grown up in plastic, they have nowhere to go, not like our bodies that have an excretory system. When they get too crowded, you split them.”

Robby stepped closer, careful not to cross any invisible lines. “And you… what? Feed them, too?”

“Exactly.”  You take the flask over to a microscope and, after a few adjustments, beckon them to look inside. “You see how they’re all spread out like they're reaching for each other? That's confluence, I’d say this one is at about eighty percent of the cells adhered to the bottom of the flask.”

The boys came over and took turns looking. They seemed to appreciate your explanation as you took the cells away from the microscope and back to your station.

“Before I start anything else, I need to label the new flask we’ll be putting some of the cells in by date, passage number, cell type, and my initials.”

Jack frowned. You haven’t even done much yet, and the steps were multiplying quickly.

You sit in the chair in front of the hood, allowing the boys to get the best view of you working...And if there was ample opportunity to peer down your shirt from this position, who's to blame them?

There was a beaker labeled "waste" to your right, some large pipettes, and an automatic filler to your left.

“Depending on the lab, there are different regulations for this part. Some people pipette out the old media, but I tend to just dump it- I find it doesn't make much of a difference with most cell lines since the ones you're focusing on are stuck to the plastic anyway.” 

As you were speaking, you gingerly removed the cap to make sure it was never facing upwards and poured the orange-looking contents into the beaker. You then put your flask down, standing on its edge this time, while you picked up your pipettor and fixed in your desired volume pipette.

“Since we’re only doing a 1 to 5 dilution, I won't need the larger sizes. What I’m doing now is just washing with saline to remove any extra protein or contaminant that might have been introduced.”

Jack tilted his head. “Saline washes are the one thing we might have in common with this.” And he shared a look with Robby as you maintained your focus, filling, swishing, and emptying saline from the container.  

“Next, I add trypsin, which is a cutting agent. It's what makes the cells come off the bottom and float around in liquid. Can you hand me the tube in the water bath, please?”

Robby walks up to the bath and removes its cover. The frozen cylinder you originally placed in was now melted the liquid in the tube a pale pink color. 

You repeat the process you showed them before, pipetting trypsin in, and instead of dumping it out, you place the flask back in the incubator. “That needs to sit for a few minutes. How are you two enjoying your first lab experience since college?” 

Jack leaned closer.“…this is kind of cool. I can see why you take to it”

“It's definitely enlightening.”

You laughed at them and went back to the incubator now that some time had passed. “This is the fun part. I call it child abuse.”

 The two of them looked at you like you were moderately insane as you firmly smacked the side of the flask and placed it back under the microscope for them to look.

“Wow… thats-”

“A whole different world… like a rushing waterfall.”

You smiled, taking the flask back away. “That's exactly how it's supposed to look; the cells aren't stuck anymore, you hit them to get that cascade, it confirms you’ve done everything correctly up until this point. 

“There's more?” Robby asked.

“Yes, but not much, now a lot like before. I’m going to add another pink liquid into the flask- except this time it's cell culture media, it has all the nutrients for cells to stay happy, and it neutralizes the trypsin so it won't cut anymore.” 

They watch you perform the same steps with ease, and look patiently as you open the newly labeled flask you set up before.

“This is the dilution part, I’ll add 4 milliliters of media, and then 1 milliliter of the old solution, because even though those cells were cut and a lot were disposed of, there are still hundreds, if not thousands, floating in there. And once that's done, the day is ours, at least until Jack has to go in for the night.” 

Everything clean. Everything exact. Once done you peeled off your gloves, tossing them out and going to wash your hands.

Jack let out a low whistle. “Okay.”

Robby nodded.

“I get why your friend doesn’t trust anyone else with that.”

You smiled faintly. 

“What?”

Robby stepped closer, resting a hand lightly on her hip. “You’re kind of incredible, you know that?”

You rolled your eyes, but didn’t pull away.

“You say that now,” you said. 

“Don’t worry Bun’ we’ll be saying that forever.” Whispered Jack.  “And all I want to do right now is get back home and in bed between my two dolls, okay?”  He nuzzled into your neck as he made eye contact with Robby.

Robby pats his mate on the shoulder as he passes by, forwarding him into the family room while it's empty.

“Well?” Jack said immediately.

“I drove her home.”

Jack pushed off the counter. “And?”

“And we talked.”

Jack dragged a hand through his hair. “You’re killing me here.”

Robby grabbed a small bottle from a cabinet and cracked the top open.

“She works at Presbyterian.”

Jack blinked. “…seriously?”

“Lab tech.”

Jack leaned back against the counter again, processing that. “What’s she like?”

Robby thought about that for a moment.

“Funny, Smart,” Robby added. “Seems independent.”

“And?”

Robby smirked slightly. “She pinched me for calling us old.”

Jack snorted. “Did she?”

“Apparently, old guys are her type.”

Jack laughed outright at that. “Well, that’s convenient.”

They stood there quietly for a moment, letting reality settle in.

Finally, Jack spoke again. “So she didn’t run away screaming.”

“No.”

“Didn’t ask for space.”

“Nope.”

Jack nodded slowly. “That’s a good start.”

Robby leaned back against the opposite counter. “We invited her over.”

Jack’s head snapped up. “You did?”

“In two days. When we’re redoing the cabinets.”

“Jesus Christ, Robby, Anything else I should know?” Jack huffs, bringing his hands up to rest on his head.

“She dislocated her shoulder during a Dungeons and Dragons game.”

Jack stared at him.

“In her words, she got excited, and she fell out of a chair.”

Jack stole Robby’s water from him, bringing it up to his own mouth for a sip before replying.

“Our soulmate is a nerd.”

Robby yanked the bottle back from him. “Apparently.”

“Two days.”

“Two days.”

And for the first time since the marks had burned to life ER, the whole thing didn’t feel overwhelming anymore; it felt like a missing part of their souls had finally come home.

~

The kitchen currently looked like a hardware store had exploded in it.

Boxes sat open across the floor- tile spacers, hinges, a new set of cabinet doors, pantry shelving, and about six different types of screws that are apparently not interchangeable according to Jack.

He sat on the floor with his good leg stretched out and the other bent, prosthetic leaning against the wall beside him. He preferred working like this, knowing he was already in a living space that suited his body, and continuing to make it better.

Over the years, the two had built this, so he didn’t need the prosthetic all the time. Everything was on one level. Wide hallways. Slight slopes instead of steps at the entrances. The shower had a built-in bench and stainless grab bars that looked modern instead of clinical. It had taken time to get it right, but now it was home– their home.

Robby cut open another box with a utility knife. “You think we’re overthinking this?”

Jack snorted. “We are absolutely overthinking this.”

Robby pulled out a set of handles. “I mean, she’s a bit younger than us.”

Jack glanced at him. “That’s not exactly a crime.”

“No, but we’re–”

“Hockey fans who work over eighty-hour weeks?”

Robby pointed at him. “Exactly.”

Jack laughed under his breath.

Robby leaned against the kitchen island.

“What if we don’t have anything in common?”

“We both work in medicine…technically, plus she said she likes us old guys.”

Robby huffed a laugh. “That still feels suspicious.”

Jack smirked. “You just don’t like that she agrees that we’re old.”

Robby pointed the utility knife at him. “We are old compared to her.”

Jack shrugged. “Maybe she’s an old soul.”

“Maybe.”

Robby opened another box. “Still feels weird.”

Jack tossed a bag of screws into a new pile.

“You remember when we thought we’d never meet them, that it would just be the two of us and we’d be leaving someone is this world to grieve people they haven’t met?”

Robby paused. “…yeah.”

Jack leaned back on his hands. “I’ll take weird.”

By late afternoon, the kitchen looked slightly less chaotic and definitely cleaner.

Hardware installed, sink replaced, and at least half the supplies were finally put away.

Robby was piling up the broken-down empty boxes when headlights flashed through the front window.

Jack looked up. “That's her?”

Robby checked his phone. “Yeah.”

Jack grabbed his prosthetic and slipped it on, standing with practiced ease.

“Alright.” He looked around.

“Try to look normal.”

Robby glanced at the half-finished kitchen. “Define normal.”

A knock on the door came a minute later, and they threw it open almost instantly.

Yeah…they weren’t nervous at all,

You stepped inside, looking around curiously. “Wow, this place is beautiful.”

Your arm wasn’t in the sling.

Instead, bright strips of KT tape crossed her shoulder.

“How’s the arm?”

You shrugged slightly. “It’s okay. I prefer it taped, less restrictive.”

Jack tilted his head, “The point is it’s supposed to be restrictive.”

“I hate the sling,” you admitted.

“Understandable.” Though he shared a look with Robby.

You glanced toward the kitchen. “So Dr. Robby said you guys are renovating?”

“Just Robby Sweetheart, or Mike, he likes to call me Mikey when I’m in trouble."

“Are you in trouble a lot?”

“I guess you’ll just have to find out.”

You smiled and sat at one of the open barstools and took in the surroundings, looking at all the boxes.

“You know,” you said thoughtfully, “if we’re talking about renovations, maybe you should add the bedroom to your list. I can foresee space being an issue.”

Jack nearly choked laughing, and stepped behind your stool to wrap his arms around your waist– resting his head on yours. “Oh, where have you been all our lives?”

Robby rubbed a hand over his face, not trying to hide his smile as his ears went red. “Alright,” he said, smiling. Fair enough.”

~

Dinner ended up being simple but delicious, spread across the living room coffee table because the kitchen itself was still a bit of its own beast.

But it felt comfortable like they’d already been doing this for years.

“So,” Jack said between bites, “how’s work going?”

You sighed. “I actually drafted a two-week notice.”

Robby raised an eyebrow. “Already?”

“I haven’t sent it,” you clarified quickly. “I won’t until I have something concrete.”

You glanced at him.

“But if it’s within your power to pull strings…plus the soulmate proximity laws.”

Robby nodded slowly. “I can definitely talk to someone.”

“That’s all I’d ask.”

Jack leaned forward. “What made you want to leave Presby?”

You snorted. “Other than y'all?”

Robby groaned.

“Its a good place, but I have no ties there. The med students are pretentious; they have no clue how long assays take and bug me constantly. Admin is okay, but my vacation days are shit. PTO is kinda crap, and I’m already out of sick days.”

Jack nodded knowingly. “Makes sense to look for a change.”

“Yeah, I swear it's every day someone calls like ‘Can you rush this? Or they try to guilt-trip me about someones life being on the line…as if I don't know that, but sometimes they think I’m magic or something…I don’t really know.”

Robby laughed quietly. “Let me guess. They think it’s like microwaving something.”

“Exactly!”

You sat back. “And unless the hospital wants to buy ten machines that do the same thing simultaneously, there’s a queue.”

Jack shook his head. “Funding.”

“Funding,” you echoed.

Robby sighed.

“We feel that on the other end, too.”

You looked at him, “I can only imagine.”

Jack gestured with his fork. “We hate calling labs to push results.”

“But sometimes we’re stuck waiting on information we need to treat someone,” Robby added. “And don’t even get us started on the nursing shortage,” Jack said.

Nodding sympathetically. “Yeah. I’ve seen that too.”

For a moment, the three of them just sat there sharing the quiet frustration of hospital employees everywhere.

Jack leaned back in his chair, studying you for a second.

“You know,” he said, “it’s kind of nice having someone else around who understands why we come home grumpy half the time.”

You smiled widely. “Trust me. I’ve spent plenty of nights yelling at machinery as if they’ve personally betrayed me.”

Robby laughed softly. “Good. You’ll fit right in.”

Jack stood first, gathering the empty takeout containers. “Speaking of fitting in,” he said casually, “we should probably give her a tour.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Is this the part where you show off all your projects?”

Robby got himself off the couch.

“Something like that.”

They started down the hallway, Robby pointing out small things as they went– the slightly wider doorframes, the slopes, handrails that looked decorative but were entirely functional

“The house was already one story,” he explained, “but we really wanted to make it into our family home.”

“It’s really nice,” you said honestly.

Jack shrugged a little. “Just makes life easier…I don’t know how much the bond let through before you met us, but…”

“Your leg is fucked up?”

“Missing actually,” he huffed a laugh, raising the leg of his sweats a bit.

“I suspected, when I was younger, I had no clue why my leg would randomly go numb for a while– my neurologist never found anything and suggested it might be one of my soulmates.”

They stopped at the last door in the hall, and Jack pushed it open.

The bedroom was simple but warm– the lighting was soft, almost all wood furniture, and a large queen-sized bed centered against the far wall.

You turned and sat on the foot of their bed and stared at both your mates.

“Yeah,” Both men looked at you. “This bed is definitely going to be a problem.”

Robby frowned slightly. “…a problem?”

“There are three of us. And as much as I like cuddling, I foresee someone falling out onto the floor,”

For a moment, neither man spoke. Then Jack looked at Robby. Robby looked at Jack. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“A few days into knowing each other and you’re already redesigning the bedroom.”

You shrugged. “Look, if I’m going to be part of this situation,” she said lightly, gesturing between them, “we might as well plan ahead.” You fell back until your shoulder rested against the mattress. Spreading your arms– your fingertips nearly graced the edge of each side.

Robby came to stand in front of you, looming figure as he bent down over you. His lips graced over yours until you felt the edge of the mattress give way to another weight. Jack. Before you could turn and look, Robby’s hand came up to hold your chin.

“How about we show you how well we all fit in this bed? Then we can get some detailed feedback.”

“Sounds perfect,” You whisper back as his lips press down into yours. You open up, allowing his tongue to skate against yours- he ran it along the roof of your mouth before pulling away.

He leaned back up and brought Jack to his lips; their meeting lasted half as long before he pushed him down to kiss you too.

“Spider-Man kiss. I like it.” You giggled up to the upside-down face over your own. “Hopefully, you’ll like a lot more than the kissing.”

Robbys hands ran down your body, gently running his finger tips over the seam of your jeans- “As long as you’re okay with that.” He says.

“So okay with that, you say back.”

He fingers the button of your pants open as Jack leans back down to keep kissing you, and your hands move into his hair, massaging the back of his neck. You lift your hips up to help Robby. Once he slips his hand into your panties, you grab his wrist to stop him from going further.

You pull away from Jack, confusing them both.

“I fuck. I-uh, didn’t exactly plan on doing this. I forgot to shave.”

“Oh, honey, what kinda men do you think we are. I promise it's a non-issue.” Jack brings his hand down to squeeze one of your breasts– you loosen your grip on Robby’s hand. “C’mon, baby, now let Robby into that pretty pussy. It’s been so long since he’s had his face in one. Let 'em in, please.”

“Fuck, yes, okay. Please.”

That's all the permission he needs to pull your panties all the way down and spread you wide.

“Fuckin beautiful baby, work of goddamn art.”

He runs his tongue down your slit before sucking your clit into his lips. You buck up and moan back into Jack's mouth. The hand around your breast runs comfortingly down your stomach before coming down to rest on the back of Robby’s skull.

“C’mon baby, put some effort into it, rub her clit f’ me.”

Robby’s calloused thumb stretches from where his palm has you stretched, meeting your spot, circling it hard. Jack guided his face, shoving it further into your pussy. You can feel Robbys tounge curling, so close to where you need him most. Your hips grind up into him, chasing the feeling.

“Look at you, so fuckin desperate humping our boy’s face like a little bunny.”

You and Robby both groan in response, “Yeah, you like that, you want to be our sweet little bunny.” He talks down at you all while still controlling your other mate's movements. You reach your hand up to his own cock, squeezing it in his sweats– you have no clue when he took his prosthetic off, and you don't really fucking care.

You can feel yourself getting closer; you try to pull back to warn them both, but Jack seems to know exactly what's happening. Maybe before you even do, he pulls his hand back and forces Robby’s face up to slap your clit, and you feel the damn burst.

Both men groan around you. “So, so fuckin pretty baby, can’t believe you're all ours.”

“Turn over, bunny, come on, get on Jackie for me,” Robby growls out, his voice so much different from before. Following his orders, you crawl up, letting Jack pull onto him, Robby’s hands rub your ask cheeks– testing out some smacks. Grinning at your reaction.

Your men pull what remains of their clothes off.

“Me first, then Robby bunny. Gotta seal the bond all the way– keep you ours.” You hum into Jack’s kiss as he catches your lips– “Pussy’s winking at me, sweetheart, needs to be filled, huh. Let Jack in, c’mon.”

“Yes, yes, Puh-lease. Wanna be good, wanna be so good.”

Jack brings his cock up to your opening. “There we go, let me in…let me in, bunny.” The stretch is perfect, like he really is made for you, hitting exactly where you needed him.

Robby comes in front of you, unlike Jack’s, you actually get to see his, and it is gorgeous; girthy and curved– cut and swollen with need, a pretty purple hue at the tip. You drop your mouth open wide, planting little butterfly kisses along his length before licking up and swallowing him down.

“Fuck– just like that, Bunny. So good.”

Jack's hand starts bouncing you up and down his length until you see stars. He thrusts up to meet all your bounces, making you hum over Robby’s cock. He groans loud throwing his head back.

Jack leans up on his elbows, meeting you at Robby’s length. He licks up the parts your throat doesn't swallow, and his tongue brushes against your lips whenever your head bobs down. “Fuh-uck, Jackie, Bunny so good. Fuckin loves, my mates– gonna fucking cum, can’t-”

“It’s okay, Robby, let go. She’ll swallow you down. Won’tcha Bunny?”

You hum in agreement, and Robby can’t hold back any longer; you can feel him twitch, and then spurts come down your throat. You pull off his length and stretch your tongue out in front of you to show him you swallowed it all.

His hands grab both your cheeks, pulling your lips into his, all while you still grind against Jack, rubbing at your hair, pulling what's stuck to your brow away from your face. He brings his free hand down to your clit and rubs along with Jack's thrusts until your eyes are rolling back in your head.

“So good, baby, good little Bunny– cumming so hard for us. Just a little longer, let Jackie finish, then you can relax.” The way Robby talks to you, if your mind wasn’t already melting out your ears, it would be now.

It's not long until Jack is filling you up, making you feel fuller than before, the bond between you and your boys finally sealed. A constant burning in your heart solidifies into something older than all of you could imagine.

You settle against Jack's chest, your hand holding Robby against you both– your bodies stuffed against each other before Robby lets out a sigh;

“Yeah, we definitely need a bigger bed.”

You all share a laugh, heartbeats synced together.

Someone at the front desk saying “we’ll take him back right now.”

And then,

Waiting. Cold, sterile, too bright in a room thats trying to hard to be comforting and falling far too short.

By the time the vet comes back out, you already know.

There’s something about the way people look at you when there’s nothing left to fix.

“I’m so sorry…”

Falling back onto the chairs behind you, not even caring for the wailing that comes out of your lungs.

The rest of the words don’t come through all the way. A gentle hand on your back.

“Unknown condition. Sudden. Nothing they could’ve done….Necropsy if you want.”

You can’t. He’s been put through enough, you cant justify mangling his soul- keeping him from rest any longer.

Robby’s phone rings halfway through his nap. Not a good day to sleep in the on-call room.

He sits up to answer it, already expecting something routine.

“Hey what’s–”

There’s no response at first. Just some uneven breathing.

“…Bunny?” his voice drops immediately.

“I–” she starts, and it breaks. “Robby, I–e”

His stomach drops. “What happened?”

There’s a hitch…and then-

“He’s gone.”

For a second, Robby doesn’t understand. And then it clicks.

And everything in his chest tightens.

“I’m at the vet,” you say, words mumbling out over each other. “He had a heart attack. Underlying something… they didn’t catch it, I didn’t catch it, I should’ve– My baby”

“Hey,” Robby cuts in gently but firmly. “No. None of that.”

Your breathing stutters. “10 minutes. They tried to resuscitate for 10 minutes. You- you need to say good bye. Jack needs to say goodbye.”

“I’m coming,” he says… “We’re coming.” 

He hangs up.

~

Jack knows something’s wrong the second Robby walks out of the on call room.

“What happened?”

Robby grabs his shoulder pulling him away from the rooms chaos.

“Bunny’s dog.” That’s all it takes. “We gotta go.”

Jack’s expression shifts instantly. “…Shit. I’ll leave Ellis and Shen in charge.”  he exhales sharply, already reaching for his keys. “Let’s go.”

~

You’re sitting in the corner of a private waiting room when they get there.

They’ve brought him back out for you,  you’ve curled herself around him–  hands tracing his face like you’re trying to memorize every freckle.

Robby slows when he sees you.

Jack doesn’t.

He crosses the room in a few long steps and crouches in front of her.

“Hey, Bun.”

And the second she sees them, whatever thin thread she was holding onto snaps. “I didn’t even–” your voice cracks. “He was fine last night, Jack, he was fine—”

Jack doesn’t say anything. Just sits next to her, and rests a hand on hers…on the body.

“You- you have ti say goodbye…” you whisper gently doing your best to position your boy into Jack’s lap. He takes him willingly, as his own eyes well with tears.

The body is cold, the head flops onto Jacks shoulder. Proof he’s really gone,

“He just looks like he’s sleeping.”

“I know,” he murmurs. “I know.”

Robby sits beside her on the other side, one hand settling gently on her back, steady and warm.

“I should’ve noticed something,” you choke. “I work in a hospital, I have a bio degree, I shoulda–”

“No,” Robby says immediately. You shake your head, tears falling harder now.

“I should’ve caught it, I should’ve done something, my son!”

“This is not your fault,” he says, firm but soft. “Not even a little.” Your face crumples again.

“I know,” Jack says. “And it’s not fair. And it sucks. And we get to be upset about it.” Robby’s hand moves up her back in slow, grounding circles. “But you don’t get to blame yourself for something no one could’ve seen coming.”

You just lean into them and cry.

~

The house feels different when they get back. Quieter. Not in the peaceful way. In the empty way.

Bunny hesitates just inside the door, like she’s expecting the familiar sound of paws against the floor.

Nothing comes.

Her shoulders shake again.

Jack gently nudges the door closed behind them. They don’t make you move far.

Just to the couch.

Robby grabs a blanket..his blanket. Jack disappears while Robby lays with you.

Jack can be hear around the house, pilling things up. He’s taking away the reminders. 

You let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t know what to do now.” Robby leans his head lightly against yours. “You don’t have to do anything right now.” His voice is thick with emotion “We can just… be sad for a bit.”

Jack comes and pulls the blanket a little higher over their shoulders.

None of them says it out loud.

Tony hired lab assistants.

Not of his own volition, of course, he was bullied into it... But he does have to admit, it's been nice. Never having to worry about a dirty workspace, everything is organized and cataloged, even labeled alphabetically.

His main lab assistant, put in extra hours, worked simultaneously during lunch breaks. A perfect employee...except for one thing.

You never spoke to him.

It's not like he hadn't made attempts, first, he started with polite Good mornings and good nights.

He'd even started prompting conversation topics, about how the weekend went, or anything interesting happened.

Still nothing.

He's got to admit... He's a bit fed up.

So one day, the rest of the techs are out on lunch, but here you are, still scribbling away- finishing paperwork that likely isn't all your own.

"Do you hate me? Be honest."

"What?! No, why would I hate you?"

"I don't know, it's just a feeling I get."

"I wouldn't be working here if I hated you, Mr. Stark."

"Please, Tony is fine."

"Okay, Tony. I swear on my job, I do not hate you."

He laughs shaking his head at that "I don't know how much it counts to swear on your job when I'm the one signing your checks."

"I get direct deposit."

"You know what I mean"

The pair continue to work on in silence as the clock ticks, about another 15 minutes go by before Tony asks again-

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure of what?"

"Are you absolutely sure you don't hate me?"

"Tony, I am 100% positive I do not hate you. If I did, you would know."

Tony steps closer to your lab table, a mere inch or two away from you. Picking up one of the items sprawled on the tabletop and played with it between his fingers.

"So if you did hate me you'd tell me?"

"Tony... If you keep asking if I hate you, it's gonna make me hate you."

"Aha! You do hate me."

"Oh for fucks sake,"

You turn to face him completely, closer than before pulling him in by the collar of his shirt, his face gets closer to yours, and you plant a small and light kiss on the corner of his mouth. Still close together, and foreheads touching. "Believe me now?"

His staple smirk makes it across his face, he moves to stand behind you, arms wrapping around your waist and resting his head on your shoulder.

"You don't hate me."

"I don't hate you."