Work Text:
Jake hears Javy before he sees him, around the corner of the hospital hallway.
“Yes, I’m sure he’s holding up just fine. I haven’t seen him yet.” A pause, a couple footsteps as Javy paces. “It’s just his appendix, he should be just fine. I think it’s taking a bit longer than usual because it burst.” Another pause. Jake takes a deep breath and walks around the corner into the surgery waiting area. Javy sees him instantly, reaching out for him. “He’s here now. Yeah, I’ll make him call you later. You too, bye Mrs. Seresin.”
“You called my mom?” Jake asks incredulously, before realizing that Javy is holding his phone. “You picked up when she called, didn’t you?”
“You know your mom loves me,” Javy says, wrapping his arms around Jake. Jake huffs but lets Javy hug him. “How are you doing?”
“That’s such a stupid question to ask someone in a hospital waiting room.”
“Pretty good, huh?” Javy says, letting go of Jake when he starts shifting. Jake sits down in the seat he’d been sitting in for over an hour and tilts his head back against the wall. “I’m sorry, man, I’ll be quiet.”
“No, no,” Jake says, patting the chair next to him. Javy sits, letting Jake lean against him. He wraps his arm around Jake’s shoulders and squeezes. “I’m sorry, I’m just… frazzled.”
“He’s going to be okay,” Javy says softly. Jake nods.
“I know that, logically. I’m still terrified.”
“That’s fair,” Javy says, laughing when Jake pinches him. “I would be too if the love of my life had to be rushed into surgery because an organ in their body burst.”
Jake quiets for a moment and Javy looks down at him. His bottom lip is between his teeth and his eyes are a little misty. Javy squeezes him tighter.
“He’s going to be okay,” Jake says, laughing. “God, I’m such a baby.”
“Don’t say that about my best friend,” Javy says, shaking Jake gently. “But seriously. It’s fine. I’m not here to judge you, I’m here to keep you from breaking down the surgery doors.”
“I would never,” Jake mumbles, unconvincing. Javy just laughs.
---
The nurse comes half an hour later to tell Jake that Bob’s out of surgery and going through post-op. Jake’s entire body relaxes at that and he leans heavily into Javy as she pats his arm and tells him it’ll be another half hour before Jake can go up to Bob’s room.
Javy stays in the waiting room as Jake disappears and comes back with a bouquet of flowers. Jake holds them close to his chest and Javy doesn’t tease him.
“Bob will like the pink ones,” Javy says and Jake nods.
“That's why I bought them.”
When the next nurse comes in, introducing herself as Dana, Javy stays behind. Jake hugs him close before running after Dana, who’s already halfway out the door.
“He’s still feeling the anesthesia, so he might be kind of out of it,” Dana explains as they enter the elevator. “Surgery went well - he didn’t have any sepsis and the doctor was able to patch up the worst of it. He’ll be on bed rest for a week, and he might have to stay overnight, but otherwise he’s happy as can be. Keeps asking for a hangman? I figured you might know what that means.”
“Oh,” Jake laughs, pulling the flowers closer to his face. “That’s my, uh, my callsign.”
The nurse nods and smiles knowingly. “Well then, someone is going to be very happy to see you.”
She leads him to a closed door and knocks softly. Jake hears Bob before he sees him because of course Bob has to greet the nurses.
“Hello,” he slurs, smiling towards the door. His eyes squint for a moment, reaching for his bedside table. Jake feels his heart in his throat as Bob slips the glasses over his eyes and still squints. “Is that my Hangman?”
“I believe so, honey,” Dana says, checking the IV’s and Bob’s vitals. She nods and looks at Jake. “He’s all yours until visiting hours end.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he says and she smiles as she leaves, shutting the door behind her. Jake looks back to the bed and finds Bob smiling up at him.
“Hi, baby,” Jake says, setting the flowers down on the bedside table and pulling a stool over to sit. Bob smiles at him, wide and open, and reaches for Jake’s hand.
“Hangman,” Bob sighs, lips turning down in a frown. “That doesn’t feel right. You are Hangman, yeah?”
Jake laughs, his eyes a little wet. “Yeah, I am Hangman. But you usually call me Jake, or ‘babe’ or ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’ or ‘Lieutenant’ when I’m pissing you off.”
“You do piss me off,” Bob says, leaning back but keeping the hold on Jake’s hand. Jake laughs.
“I thought I was doing better,” he says jokingly, squeezing Bob’s hand. Bob looks at him and frowns. He looks down at their hands and frowns more.
“You brought me flowers,” Bob says, matter of fact. Jake nods.
“I did,” he agrees. Bob seems to contemplate that, his eyes squinting.
“They told me my boyfriend was waiting for me.” Bob points to the board, where Jake can see his name listed as emergency contact. “And you’re listed as my person.”
“Your person?” Jake says, his heart fluttering as he realizes that Bob’s slowly catching up to the present.
“Are you my boyfriend?” Bob asks, sounding positively scandalized. Jake just squeezes his hand.
“For over a year, darling,” Jake says softly, watching as Bob sits back on the bed and mouths ‘wow’ to himself. He stares up at the ceiling and Jake takes in the scene in front of him. Bob’s hair is messy, all over the place on top of his head. His face is pale but he’s starting to get some color. Or maybe he’s blushing, Jake can’t really tell.
“But you’re so beautiful,” Bob says suddenly, looking at Jake again. His shoulders stay on the pillow but he turns his head to look right at Jake. His blue eyes are still squinting slightly. He’s obviously fighting the anesthesia. “You’re way out of my league.”
“Impossible,” Jake says, feeling his cheeks warm. Bob frowns and huffs.
“But look at you!” Bob cries, trying to wave the hand Jake has a hold on. He stares at their hands and sighs. “No way.”
“Yes way, sweetheart,” Jake says, laughing softly. His cheeks are too warm and he touches his skin for a moment. “You really think I’m out of your league?”
“Yes,” Bob sighs, looking at him. His face is so open like this, not entirely himself. Jake almost feels bad for asking but Bob’s usually more show than tell. Jake can't help himself. “You’re like, cut from marble.”
Jake laughs suddenly, hand covering his mouth, as Bob frowns. “Marble?”
“Like those statues of men with their junk hanging out.”
“Robert,” Jake gasps, bending over slightly as he laughs. “You mean the statue of David?”
“Yeah,” Bob sighs again, eyes fluttering. Jake scoots the stool closer so he can rest his chin on the railing of Bob’s bed. Bob’s eyes widen comically as Jake comes closer. “You’re like something out of my dreams.”
“You dream of me often then?” Jake asks, voice soft. Bob thinks for a moment before nodding.
“I dreamed of you while I was asleep,” Bob says, gesturing to his stomach. Jake smiles.
“You mean while you were under?” Bob nods. “What did you dream about?”
“They said my appendix burst,” Bob says, ignoring Jake’s question. “Said my boyfriend was waiting for me. Didn’t know I had one of those.”
“You do,” Jake says, squeezing his hand. Bob looks at their hands again.
“How long?” Bob asks, head turning towards Jake.
“Over a year,” Jake says again, already knowing what Bob’s going to ask when he opens his mouth. “Fourteen months.”
“Fourteen? Wow,” Bob says, closing his eyes for a moment. Jake wants to reach out and touch his face but he doesn’t. “I’ve been dating a Greek God for fourteen months.”
“Baby,” Jake laughs, watching as Bob’s eyes open and his cheeks flush. Jake hasn’t seen that reaction to a pet name in almost a year. “You’re very handsome yourself.”
“Pfft.” Bob shakes his head. “I know what I look like.”
“You’re gorgeous,” Jake says, smiling as Bob blushes. “You’re so handsome to me, honey. Bright blue eyes and that crooked smile and the blush you always have on your cheeks when I compliment you.”
Bob closes his eyes and sighs. “But you’re just so pretty.”
Jake bites his lips to keep his laugh in. Bob’s eyes are still closed and he hasn’t let go of Jake’s hand yet. Jake just watches him for a moment, taking everything in. He’d been so scared, so absolutely worried, that Bob was going to die that he’d called Javy in a haze and just started crying. He knows now that he was being overdramatic but Bob had looked horrible, doubled over in pain when Jake found him in his bed. He’s sure there’s something to say about the depth of his fear of losing Bob, and it’s all wrapped up in the ring he has stashed deep in his closet, but Bob opens his eyes before Jake can get too deep into it.
“Wow,” he whispers again and Jake smiles. “I wake up to this every morning?”
“Every morning we’re stateside,” Jake says, finally feeling like he can reach up and touch Bob’s cheek. The man blushes but pushes into Jake’s hand and Jake feels a deep sense of calm at that. “But you usually wake up first.”
“Because I go on runs,” Bob says softly, eyes closing as Jake pushes his hair back gently.
“Because you go on runs,” Jake repeats softly, fixing Bob’s hair. He sighs heavily at the ministrations and Jake feels butterflies in his chest.
“How do I leave when you’re in my bed?” Bob murmurs, eyes opening to look up at Jake. There’s a whooshing in Jake’s ears and he feels himself fall in love all over again. He smiles against the tightness in his throat.
“You manage, somehow.” Jake clears his throat. “I’m usually up and starting a pot of coffee by the time you come back.”
“Oh, that’s hot.” Jake tries not to laugh but he giggles anyway. Bob smiles at him. “You’re really my boyfriend? Like, really really?”
“Yes,” Jake says easily. Bob shakes his head and looks up at the ceiling again. “You’re the one who asked me out.”
“Now that doesn’t sound like me,” Bob laughs, wincing as his stomach moves. Jake frowns at him but Bob’s still going. “I can’t talk to hot guys. I’ve never been able to.”
“You’re talking to me now,” Jake points out. Bob’s mouth snaps shut and his eyes grow wide. “You’ve been talking to me for ten minutes.”
“Wow,” Bob sighs again, gazing at Jake. That’s the only word Jake can think to describe it - Bob, face relaxed and eyes slightly wide, gazing right at Jake with a look that makes Jake want to hold him in his arms forever. “I must really like you.”
Jake takes a deep breath. “You usually call it ‘love’ but I’ll forgive you this one time.”
“Do you love me? ” Bob asks, brow furrowing. Jake just nods, hand gentle on Bob’s cheek.
“Very much, sunshine,” Jake says softly. The anxiety in his chest that hasn’t left all day begins to break apart as Bob smiles back at him.
“I think I love you too,” Bob says, frowning. He squeezes Jake’s hand. “No, I know I do.”
Jake grins at him, feeling like he could cry. He swallows against the lump in his throat, stretching his neck to clear his airway. Bob watches him carefully, free hand coming up to touch Jake’s cheek. Jake opens his mouth to protest, watching as the IV lines pull slightly, but Bob drops his hand down to cover Jake’s on the bed.
“I can’t remember your name,” Bob says suddenly. Jake blinks at him. “I know you’re Hangman, but that’s not your name. What’s your name?”
“Jake,” Jake says, smiling as Bob mouths it to himself. “Jake Seresin.”
“Jake Daniel Seresin,” Bob says, eyes fluttering. “Oh, I do remember.”
“You’re tired, baby,” Jake says, running his fingers over Bob’s face. “You should rest.”
Bob sighs, turning his head back up towards the ceiling. His eyes are half lidded, heavy, and Jake can see the way he’s fighting sleep. Standing, Jake lets go of Bob’s hand to grab the extra pillow from the small couch in the room. He gestures for Bob to lean forward and shoves the second pillow behind his shoulders, propping him up slightly. Bob sighs as he settles back into the pillows, tired eyes looking up at Jake.
“Most handsome nurse I’ve ever seen,” Bob mumbles, laughing to himself. Jake just rolls his eyes.
“I hope you remember this tomorrow so I can tease you,” Jake says, bending down to kiss Bob’s forehead. As Jake pulls back, Bob’s hand comes up to his face and cups his jaw. Jake freezes, watching as Bob’s eyes move over his face.
“You’ll be here tomorrow? When I wake up?” Bob asks, voice small. Jake turns his head and kisses his wrist.
“I can’t be here when you wake up, there’s visiting hours,” Jake says against Bob’s wrist. “But I’ll be here as soon as they let me in, baby. I promise.” Bob watches him, eyelashes fluttering. His fingers flex on Jake’s jaw, tracing his skin gently. Jake catches his eyes and smiles, pulling his hand back to place it on Bob’s chest. “But you need to sleep now. I’ll be right here on the couch.”
Bob nods, eyes closing slowly. Jake watches him, unmoving, as Bob’s eyes flutter a few more times before he drifts off into sleep again. If he pulls the stool over and sits right next to Bob’s bed, head resting on the mattress next to Bob’s hips, no one but Dana has to know.