Chapter Text
Shaun Murphy was sitting at a small table alone in the corner of the break room with his files spread out in front of him. His fellow doctors were at the larger table in the center of the room with their own files. It had been a fairly easy day at St. Bonaventure, so the doctors were trying to use the down time to catch up on their paperwork. He was grateful for his co workers who didn't get offended at Shaun choosing to sit alone, they had long learned his preferences.
His fellow residents were currently ignoring their work in favor of swapping love stories with each other. Shaun glanced over at them and felt a rush of gratitude that they hadn't tried to include him into this particular conversation. Romantic feelings were not familiar to Shaun and he was trying to sort the new ones he was having out himself first. He meet Neil Melendez's gaze for a moment before dropping his eyes back to his table, feeling his neck flush.
Neil let his eyes linger on Shaun for a few moments longer, wondering why the younger doctor was flushed. He wasn't anxious or overwhelmed, Neil could tell from his body language. He almost seemed embarrassed for some reason. Over the course of the last year, the pair had become friends and Neil could read him fairly well at this point. They had started enjoying meals together, even to the point where they seek each other out as much as their jobs allow them to eat together. Everything Neil had been told about adults on the spectrum was that they didn't have emotions like other people, but Shaun was proof that was wrong. It had taken some time, but now Neil could read him like a book.
It had surprised Neil how easy their time together had gotten. At first, they sat in semi comfortable silences as they ate. However, as time went on, Shaun was more likely to bring up topics of conversation. Neil learned all about Shaun's favorite soap operas, including plot, characters, and particular episodes that Shaun especially enjoyed. His feelings for Shaun had developed slowly, but hit Neil all at once it felt like. He had started noticing them when Shaun was going on about his favorite show and Neil noticed how he could sit there for hours to listen Shaun talk.
Neil wasn't new to having feelings for a man, he had long been open about his sexuality. However, feelings for his resident was new to him and the older man wasn't sure how to proceed. Even though he could read Shaun fairly well, he wasn't sure if he was even interested in dating, let alone dating him. Finally turning back to his paper work, he felt Audrey Lim's gleeful gaze on him as she asked in a sing song voice, "What about you Dr. Melendez? Any love interests?"
He could feel all of his residents look over at him with interest, but Neil kept his gaze on his paperwork as he muttered, "I am not a teenage girl. This isn't happening."
"We're just trying to bond as a team." Morgan told him, her voice was even, but Neil knew she was teasing him. She was never shy about pushing limits with her attendings.
Looking up at his team, Neil noted that he had all of their gazes on him, even Shaun who had remained quiet still. Rolling his eyes dramatically, Neil just shook his head before returning to his work. The residents returned to discussing Alex's failed marriage and his attempt to rekindle it as Audrey kicked Neil under the table. They had spent their night off last week drinking and talking, so she knew how Neil felt about Shaun. He hasn't talked about it since though. He felt her keep glaring at him and without looking up returned her kick.
"Are you okay Dr. Lim?" Claire asked her attending with concern when she yelped out in pain.
Neil looked up with amusement as Audrey rolled her eyes, standing up as she told the group, "Dr. Melendez is a jerk. Remember that kids."
Before any of them could question her statement, she had gathered up her stuff and swept out of the break room without another word. Neil refused to look at any of them as they all gave him questioning looks and before long they were ignoring him again. He glanced up at them and met Shaun's curious gaze again. Giving him a smile and wink, Neil gathered up his stuff to follow Audrey's lead and leave the break room.
He had reached the nurse's station when he noticed that Shaun had followed him quietly. The younger man moved like ghost at times it felt like because of how quietly he could walk. Smiling at him again, Neil put down his files and turned to face the younger man who was wringing his hands together in front of him.
"I do not think you are a jerk." Shaun blurted out in a rush before Neil could say anything, making the older man's stomach twist in happiness and nervousness.
Smiling wider, Neil looked around to see if anyone was watching them before taking a step towards him, "Thank you Shaun. You're not bad yourself."
Shaun smiled back at him, meeting his eyes for a moment before turning and walking back to the break room without another word. Neil was used to him ending the conversations in that way, so he just watched him for a moment with a smile before turning back to the desk. Audrey was there with a knowing smile again, making Neil roll his eyes in return.
"Ask him out." She told him simply before walking off without waiting for a response.
"I knew I shouldn't have went drinking with her." Neil muttered to himself as he started writing in his files, ignoring the flutter in his heart when he thought about her suggestion.
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Neil was standing in his kitchen, trying to decide what to make for lunch. It was his day off and it was dragging for him for a reason he was trying to dissect in his mind. He wished Shaun was here with him. His phone pinged from across the room, pulling Neil out of his thoughts as he crossed the room to grab it.
I am going to cook that dish you told me about today.
Smiling at the text he received from Shaun, Neil flung himself onto his couch as he typed out his reply I'm jealous. I can't decide what to eat.
Would you like to come over and help me? Came the swift reply just seconds later.
Neil was already up and looking for his coat as he typed out his reply with a smile I'm on my way.
<><><><><>
Shaun turned his phone over in his hands over and over as he stood in his kitchen that he shared with Lea. Inviting Neil over was a spur of the moment decision and he was anxious as he waited for him to get there. Lea walked out of her room with her current boyfriend Eric as Shaun started laying out the ingredients out on the counter carefully. Studying him for a moment, Lea bounded into the kitchen with excitement, asking him, "Whatcha doing Shaun?"
Looking over at his friend fondly, Shaun told her carefully, "I'm laying out ingredients for Neil and I to make for lunch today. He is on his way."
Lea exchanged a wide grin with Eric who was leaned against the kitchen island as she squealed in happiness. Shaun gave her a look of disapproval as he shrunk away from her. She pulled her hands over her mouth for a moment before telling him sincerely, "I'm sorry. I know you hate it when I do that, but it was a happy squeal. I know you really like him."
Shaun just smiled in return as he turned back to the task in front of him. He had disclosed to Lea how he felt about Neil a few weeks ago and she had been encouraging him to make a move, but Shaun moved at a slower pace than she did. She watched him happily as she asked him, "Who invited who?"
"I invited him. He said he was jealous of my lunch." Shaun informed her without turning to look at his friend who was swaying happily next to him.
"I am so excited for you Shaun. From everything you've told me, you two are going to be the cutest couple in the world!" Lea told him as she jumped a bit, earning a laugh from Eric.
Turning at that, Shaun had a look of displeasure on his face, asking her, "How do you know he likes me in that way?"
Lea opened her mouth to answer, but before she could there was a knock at the door. Grinning at Shaun who had started running his hand over his shirt, flattening out imaginary creases, she walked over to the front door and flung it open with a loud, "Welcome to our home!"
Neil walked into the apartment with a grin at Lea, he had met her enough to know she was a loud person, but she was a good friend to Shaun so it evened out in his eyes. He noticed that Lea didn't take her eyes off him as he greeted Shaun and draped his jacket over a chair at the kitchen island. Shaun returned his greeting with a smile before showing him all the ingredients laid out in the order that they were needed. The younger man was as organized at home as he was in the operating room.
"So Neil, coming over to hang out with Shaun. I really hope you guys have fun." Lea randomly inserted as she got her stuff ready to head out with her boyfriend.
Sending a smile over to Shaun, Neil just easily replied, "I have no doubt we will."
Lea smiled smugly before walking over to Shaun and loudly whispering, "And that's why I think that."
Shaun said nothing as she pulled Eric out of the apartment, shouting her goodbyes right before the door closed behind her. The pair stood there awkwardly for a moment until Neil asked Shaun with a laugh, "She's not a subtle person, is she?"
Letting out a laugh, Shaun shook his head negatively in response as Neil walked over to the stove to get started on lunch. They worked together in the kitchen as easily as they did in the OR, knowing what the other needs without much explanations. Shaun chatted easily about his day, his shows that he watched last night and his time spent with Lea. He was more relaxed in his apartment than he was in the hospital and it had Neil wondering why he hadn't asked Shaun to spend time together on their days off before.
Noticing that Shaun wasn't stirring the pot enough, Neil moved behind him to guide his hands in the correct motions. Shaun's breath picked up in speed, but he didn't flinch away when Neil touched him. Trying not to overwhelm him, Neil stepped back to put space between, but didn't fail to notice the look of disappointment on Shaun's face when he did. Neil made an effort to touch Shaun lightly as they finished up the dish, carefully taking in his reaction to the contact.
By the time the lunch was done and they were sitting at the island to eat it, Shaun was grinning widely as they chatted. As Shaun focused on eating, Neil took the opportunity to watch him closely. At the hospital, Neil tried hard not to watch Shaun constantly. He wanted the time to work out how he was feeling without it being discussed by every employee at the hospital. When Shaun set down his fork, he noticed that he was being watched and smiled shyly at Neil before looking around the apartment.
Neil was seriously considering leaning over to kiss him when Lea burst into the apartment ranting and raving about the bad customer service she got somewhere. The pair grinned at each other as they listened to her go on. After she was done with her story that had turned into five more stories, the three of them got comfortable on the couch to watch a movie with Lea on one end, Neil on the other with Shaun in the middle. Over the course of the movie, Shaun slowly shifted so his shoulder was pressed firmly against Neil's.
"I really should head home, we have to be at work early tomorrow." Neil announced as the credits started rolling. He stretched his arms before standing up, Shaun standing right after him, telling him seriously, "Yes. You need your sleep."
Neil glared at him playfully, softly pushing his shoulder, "Is that another old joke?"
Shaun just smiled, looking everywhere but Neil's face, making Neil laugh happily. As they walked to the door, Neil knew that Lea was watching intently, but tried to block out her over the top grin as he asked the younger man, "Do you want a ride tomorrow? So you don't have to wait for the early bus?"
Thinking it over for a moment, Shaun nodded happily, "I would like that. Thank you."
"Well thank you for inviting me over today. It was the best day off I've had for a while." Neil told him sincerely, his hand on the door knob.
"Ugh. You two are so cute it makes my heart hurt." Lea told them from the couch, flopping herself backwards.
Neil shook his head in amusement at her before leaning in and brushing a kiss across Shaun's cheek, murmuring, "See you tomorrow Murphy."
The last look he got of Shaun before the door closed was him holding a hand up to where Neil kissed him with a dreamy smile on his face, cementing Neil's decision to pursue this with everything he had.