Chapter Text
Jack was busy in Trauma Two when Robby arrived for day shift.
Through the glass, he could see him talking intently to a cluster of residents and med students. Whatever he was explaining seemed complicated, but Jack didn't look stressed about it.
Robby continued toward the central hub, where he found Lena and Dana standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind the raised desk, heads bent together in conversation.
"Oh, somebody's ears are burning somewhere," Robby greeted, resting his forearms on the counter.
In unison, both charge nurses looked up.
"Mornin', Cap."
"Morning, Robby, honey."
"And who might we be gossiping about?" he asked. Secretly, he loved nurse gossip.
Dana shot Lena a look over the top of her glasses. The brief flicker of hesitation made Robby's stomach tighten.
Lena either didn't notice or chose to ignore it.
"Jack."
"Abbot?"
Robby's eyebrows rose. He glanced automatically toward Trauma Two. Jack was still occupied, guiding Ellis through something over a patient.
Turning back, he frowned.
"Why? What's up with Abbot?"
"He's seeing someone," Lena whispered, looking delighted by the possibility.
Robby felt his stomach drop straight through the floor.
"He's not."
The response came far too quickly.
Lena narrowed her eyes.
"You know something."
Dana's gaze flicked between them.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Robby said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Besides, we'd know, right? He would've said something."
"Would he?" Dana asked.
"Think about it," Lena continued. "He's happier. More relaxed. Hell, he even looks healthier. He deserves some happiness. I just want to know who it is."
"He does seem happier," Dana admitted thoughtfully. "But it's none of our business. If he's seeing someone, he'll tell us when he's ready."
"He's seeing someone," Lena declared with absolute confidence. "I can feel it in my bones."
All three of them glanced toward Trauma Two.
As if sensing the attention, Jack looked up.
Directly at them.
Robby immediately snapped his head away, heat flooding his face.
"We should ask him," Lena said fondly.
"No," Dana replied. "What you should do is go home. Your shift ended twenty minutes ago."
Lena huffed but clicked her pen closed and began gathering her things.
"Rounds in ten," Robby reminded them distractedly, patting the desk before heading toward the lockers.
He'd barely hung up his jacket when Dana appeared in the doorway, coffee mug in hand.
"Everything okay?" he asked, shoving his backpack into the locker.
"You tell me."
Robby paused.
Dana stepped closer.
"What's going on? You reacted weirdly when Lena mentioned Jack dating."
"What? No."
"Robby."
"He isn't dating one of the residents if that's what you're implying."
Dana blinked.
"I wasn't, but now I'm curious why that's where your brain went."
Robby groaned.
A flash of jealousy twisted unexpectedly in his chest at the thought of Jack dating.
The thing was, Jack didn't have time to date.
Not really.
For the last month, they'd practically been living in each other's pockets.
Most nights ended with one of them falling asleep at the other's apartment. Somewhere along the way, sharing couches had turned into sharing beds. Sharing beds had turned into waking up tangled together, neither of them mentioning that they were practically merging into one.
Sometimes Robby woke with Jack wrapped around him so tightly it took genuine effort to escape without waking him.
Some nights he'd crawl into Jack's bed. Hours later, Jack would stumble home exhausted and slide in beside him without hesitation. No comments about Robby letting himself in, instead Jack would hum with satisfaction, a hand sliding under the hem of Robby's T-shirt as he pulled Robby's back to his chest.
It had become normal.
Their normal.
Robby thought about Jack constantly these days. Wondered what he was doing on his day off. Waited for his texts. Looked for him first when he walked into work.
And apparently, the idea of Jack dating someone else made him feel vaguely homicidal.
Which probably wasn't a great sign, but confirmation of the overwhelming feelings he'd been trying to repress lately and not officially name.
"You listening?"
Dana's voice cut through the spiral.
"No," Robby admitted.
"Clearly."
He scrubbed a hand over his face.
"Sorry. What were you saying?"
Dana sighed.
"Wake up, Robinavitch. You're acting strange." She tilted her head. "Is there something you need to tell me?"
Robby flushed.
"About Abbot?"
Dana's eyes narrowed.
"Or maybe about you."
He stared at her.
Dana stared right back.
Slowly, Robby reached for his stethoscope and shut the locker door.
Then he glanced around the room, making absolutely certain they were alone.
Dana's expression shifted.
From curiosity.
To concern.
"Oh," she said quietly. "So there is something."
Robby exhaled. "We've been sleeping together."
Dana choked on her coffee. "Jesus Christ."
"Not sleeping together like that...like, co-sleeping. Napping and stuff..."
Even saying it aloud was mortifying, but Robby just needed to tell someone.
"What...no sex?" she asked in a dubious tone, looking a little flustered.
"No." Robby hissed, wishing she'd keep her voice down.
She raised one eyebrow at him. Catty. Clearly alluding to his past history.
"We're not having sex."
"Alright, alright." she said, raising both hands. "Just checking. So you're what... Snuggle-buddies?"
Robby groaned, explaining it was too personal.
"It just happened." He confessed, keeping his voice low. "One minute we were watching the game on the couch, the next we woke up sort of... intertwined. He hadn't been sleeping. Neither of us had. Then one night we actually got some decent sleep for once. Then it sort of snowballed. We...we sleep better next to each other."
Dana considered that for a moment then cocked her head. "I don't see what's wrong with that. Besides it's no one's business. I guess that explains why he's looking more rested recently. Except there's no girl."
Robby flushed and looked away, unsure if he should end the conversation now. He'd told someone, he'd got it off his chest. Except—
"Oh," Dana said then, "Oh, Robby."
Robby looked up.
"So, you're not having sex but...you'd like to be?"
Robby swallowed. He couldn't find the words.
"Wait."
Robby immediately wished he'd said nothing.
Her expression softened, figuring it all out in real time.
It was like Dana was looking into his soul suddenly, her eyes flickering over his face. "Okay..." She said again, full of emotion.
"It's more than that. You're in love with him."
He looked away, couldn't bear to see the watery sympathy in her eyes, her hand clutching over her heart.
Instead he let out a shaky breath.
"Yeah." He admitted. His shoulders dropped from the relief of finally admitting it aloud. "Yeah. I do. I...love him."
"Robby, you gotta tell him." Dana hissed, stepping closer, looking around to make sure the coast was still clear.
"It's not that simple. I don't know that he feels the same. I don't want to blow up the most important friendship and person in my life...and that's before the work stuff."
Dana shook her head. "No. This is too important to ignore. You'll make yourself crazy. Just tell him. I see how he looks at you, how he respects you, worries about you. I don't think you're crazy for hoping for more..."
Robby wanted to believe her, wanted to take her advice and be brave enough.
"You owe it to yourself, and to him. Tell him."
"Tell him what?" Jack said, appearing around the side of the lockers, curious look on his face.
"Nothing!" Dana said quickly. Robby's heart nearly stopped.
"I need to get back to the hub... Just... okay." Dana was panicking. She shoved her half-empty coffee mug into Robby's hand and then sped walked away, head in her hand.
"Dana....your coffee?" Robby said, letting his voice die out as she disappeared in a flash.
Jack snickered. "What the hell was that about?" He looked after the dust cloud that had been the charge nurse. "She okay?"
"Nothing. It doesn't matter." Robby said, looking down at the half empty mug that had been thrust at him.
"Alright." Jack said, "anyway, hey, good morning."
"Morning." Robby said, trying for casual and hoping his pulse would settle. "Everything okay?"
"Sure." Jack said, looking at him strangely. Like he was waiting for him to say more.
Robby blushed.
"What...uh, what was that in trauma two?"
"Pedestrian hit on the crosswalk. Headed to the OR now." Jack replied.
"Oh." Robby said. "That's bad luck."
Jack cocked his head. "Yeah. Sure is. Coming for rounds and handover?"
"Absolutely." Robby said in relief. "Just let me get rid of this." He held up Dana's mug.
---
Jack was halfway through shrugging off his scrub top and shoving it into his backpack when Robby spotted him near the lockers.
The department was finally settling after handover. Voices drifted from the nurses' station, distant and muffled. The rest of the night shift already gone.
It was unusual for this time of the morning, neither of them was being pulled in opposite directions.
"Hey."
Jack looked up immediately.
The way his face softened made something ache in Robby's chest.
"Hey yourself, back so soon. Forgot to ask me something?"
For a second neither of them moved.
It had only been three days.
Three days of opposite shifts.
Three days of missed calls and text messages sent at stupid hours.
Three days without falling asleep beside him.
Apparently that was long enough to make Robby lose his mind.
He crossed the room before he could think about it.
Jack barely had time to react before Robby wrapped his arms around him.
There was a startled laugh.
"Jesus, Robby."
But his arms came around Robby immediately.
Comfortingly tight.
Robby buried his face against his shoulder.
"Missed you."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Jack went very still.
Then he laughed softly.
"Yeah."
His hand rubbed between Robby's shoulders.
"Me too."
Neither of them let go.
After a moment Jack sighed.
"People are going to start talking."
"They already do."
"Fair."
Still neither of them moved.
Finally Jack pulled back just enough to look at him.
His expression was fond.
And a little frustrated.
"What?"
Jack stared at him for a long second.
Then shook his head.
"No. I'm done."
"Done with what?"
"Waiting."
Robby frowned, letting him go.
"For what?"
Jack looked briefly toward the ceiling.
As though asking for strength.
Then his gaze dropped back to Robby's.
"Are you ever going to kiss me?"
Everything in Robby's brain stopped.
"What?"
Jack's expression immediately shifted.
"Oh, come on."
"What?"
"You cannot possibly be surprised."
"I— Jack..."
"Robby."
Jack gestured helplessly between them.
"You sleep in my bed. Half the time I come home and you're already asleep on my pillow."
Robby's face burst into flames.
"You let yourself into my apartment."
"I have a key."
"I gave you my key."
"Oh."
"You literally crawl into my bed even when I'm not home. I sleep with your hoodie when we're apart..."
"Oh."
Jack stared.
Robby stared back.
"Oh."
"Thank you."
Silence.
Then, incredibly, Jack started laughing.
The sound broke whatever spell had settled over them.
Robby laughed too, partly because he was relieved and partly because he thought he might pass out. He wiped his forehead.
"Oh my God."
"I know."
"No, seriously."
"I know."
Jack was still smiling when his eyes dropped briefly to Robby's mouth.
Stayed there.
When they lifted again, something had changed.
The laughter faded.
The space between them suddenly felt much smaller.
Robby swallowed.
Jack's gaze lifted back to his.
Neither of them moved.
Not at first.
Then slowly... Jack's hands were sliding back around Robby, only his waist this time.
A door opened somewhere down the corridor.
Both of them jumped apart.
A pair of residents wandered past the end of the hallway arguing over lab values.
Neither even glanced their way.
The moment was broken.
Jack scrubbed a hand over his face.
"We should probably not get caught making terrible life choices in the hospital."
Robby grinned helplessly.
"Probably. Going to ignore the terrible life choices part..."
Jack huffed a laugh. "Not what I meant."
"I know. Not in front of our residents."
"Come over after your shift."
The words landed somewhere behind Robby's ribs.
Jack picked up his bag.
Then, before leaving, reached out and squeezed the back of Robby's neck.
Possessive and affectionate.
All at once.
"Seriously," Jack said, his eyes dragging up and down Robby's body. "I'm not waiting another month."
Then he walked away.
Leaving Robby standing in the locker room looking like someone had just hit him over the head with a brick.
His breathing was ragged. His entire body alive with hope and want. He let his heart override his brain.
He headed quickly after Jack.
"Dr Abbot. A moment of your time please?" He asked, hooking his fingers around Jack's arm and pulling him sideways. He opened the door to an empty viewing room and all but pushed Jack inside.
Robby closed the door quickly beside them before hauling Jack back against it.
Jack looked amused. The asshole. Clearly having better patience than him.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything." Jack smirked.
"I know." Robby said, feeling insane. "Just shut up."
Nothing in the world seemed more important than finally kissing Jack Abbot.
So he did.
Instead of feeling like he was losing control Robby found it to be the exact opposite.
The second Jack's lips pushed back against his it felt like Robby was able to let go of a weight that had been bearing down on his shoulder for months.
Jack kissed him back fiercely like it was relief for him too.
Robby pressed him into the door, one hand caging Jack there, the other holding his jaw.
By the sound that escaped Jack's throat he didn't mind one bit.
Robby pulled back, the briefest moment of overwhelming clarity— It was over for anyone else but Jack Abbot. He was ruined forever.
Then Jack caught the front of his scrub top.
For the second time this morning, Jack's patience seemed to snap.
He yanked Robby forward and kissed him hard.
Robby reaponded enthusiastically, both his lips around Jack's bottom one. He sucked there for a second, shivering as Jack's strong hands pulled him even tighter against his body.
Robby's thumb brushed the corner of Jack's mouth and Jack immediately opened for him.
Their tongues finally met and this time it was Robby who exhaled the indecent sound.
He pulled back when he was close to running out of air.
Jack chased his lips greedily.
Robby laughed, wonder bubbling in his chest.
This was his new reality.
Jack's lips swerved to Robby's neck instead, he pressed open mouthed kisses to his jugular.
"Jack." Robby said, like a prayer before he enclosed Jack's head between both his hands and he pressed a long, deep, lingering kiss to his mouth.
With every fibre of strength in his body he pulled back.
He took a moment just to look.
Big mistake.
Jack looked debauched, lips swollen and red, his pupils dilated, eyes hungry.
He looked at Robby like he'd been worth starving for.
"I'm gonna go stand over here for a minute," Robby said, catching his breath, painfully aware of Jack's hands low on his waist.
"Probably a good idea," Jack smiled, equally breathless.
For a moment they simply looked at each other.
The silence felt different now.
Not uncertain or careful like it usually was.
Just full.
Jack's mouth twitched.
"You realize I'm not going to be able to go home and sleep now?"
Robby barked out a laugh.
"That's your concern?"
"It's a legitimate concern."
"What about me?"
"What about you? You're going out there to get distracted by fifty patients. You'll be fine. Me on the other hand?"
"We've just spent ten minutes kissing in a viewing room. Finally. I'm done for."
"Nine minutes." Jack said, looking at his watch.
"Jack."
"I'm estimating."
Robby shook his head.
The fondness that hit him nearly took him out at the knees.
God.
He was so gone.
Jack seemed to read the thought straight off his face because his expression softened.
"Come over tonight." He reminded.
Not a question.
Robby felt heat spread through his chest. Jack sounded so certain about him.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Jack stepped forward and briefly touched his forehead to Robby's.
Just for a second.
The gesture somehow more intimate than anything else that had happened between them.
"I really missed you," Jack admitted quietly.
Three days.
Only three days.
But Jack sounded like it had been months.
Robby smiled, then he pressed a peck to Jack's lips.
"I know."
Jack sighed contently, leaned into Robby for a second longer then finally stepped back.
"Go. Go do your shift before Dana finds us and then we're both in trouble."
Robby nodded. Dana. Oh Dana. He'd fill Jack in on her and Lena later.
"Uhm, what about you? You need to go home." He teased, his hand already reaching for Jack's again, tangling their fingers.
"I am. I was leaving remember...then you accosted me. I'm totally leaving now..."
"No. You're staring at me."
"Occupational hazard. I guess I'm allowed to really look now."
Robby beamed.
"Yeah. You are."
Then, because if he stayed another second he wasn't sure they'd actually make it out of the room without grossly breaking HR guidelines, he begrudgingly let go of Jack's hand and headed for the door.
His hand was on the handle when Jack called after him.
"Robby."
He turned.
Jack was smiling.
The kind of smile that settled somewhere deep in his bones.
"Tonight."
Robby couldn't stop smiling back.
"Tonight."
Jack laughed softly at whatever expression was on his face.
Then Robby finally forced himself out the door.
The next ten hours would drag.
But for the first time in a long time, he knew exactly what was waiting for him at the end of them.