Work Text:
April 6th, 2025 - Your Apartment
You were so shocked out of your mind leaving Jack's apartment you didn’t even think to put fucking pants on. Though luckily not meeting anyone in the one flight of stairs down to your floor at almost seven in the morning, you definitely gave the poor elderly doorman a show if he was watching the security cameras. Seems like more apology cookies are in order.
This is what you get for the one moment you allow yourself to be close to him with minimal bickering, accepting his stupid considerate ride and trying to just get comfortable to get some sleep, that and the one breakfast you were curious to know what he would cook for you. Him for a neighbor, as if spending half your days working with him wasn’t time enough already.
Now in some sort of self imposed confinement you avoid even looking out of the peep hole like Abbot could knock at your door at any moment. He doesn’t know what apartment or floor you live in. And you're pretty sure Mr. Raymond wouldn’t tell him your specific address if Jack asked—no matter how charming he could be—security norms of privacy and your weekly baked goods delivery induced friendship with the sweet doorman would assure that, you hope.
Usually not doing much in your off days you opt to clean your—much smaller than his, by the way that's so unfair—apartment. You knew there were bigger and pricier units in the small building but you didn’t give yourself the chance to visit them since you couldn’t afford the expense anyways. Eventually having to leave for work tomorrow night you keep to yourself for the rest of your rare free time until then.
How you never saw Jack before is another thing. Your best guess is coincidence, your different routines and the fact he has a car and usually drives everywhere had to be the main reason. Not being particularly friendly with any neighbors given your work schedule was probably a given to you both too, though you remember your doorman mentioning there was another Doctor in the building when he first saw you in scrubs one day you left late for work still putting on your coat on the way to the door. Goddamn it, Jack.
April 7th, 2025 - PTMC ED
Dana was expecting you the next shift you came in, her usual tired expression changing to a shit eating grin right as she set her eyes on you.
"So how was your off day this time, kid? Was Abbot's ride home worth it?" Straight to the point as always.
"I'll just tell you now instead of waiting for you to find out eventually cause you're so powerful and all seeing anyways." She allows you to steal some of her chamomile hand cream as you stall, snatching it back once you don't tell her what she wants to know.
"Spit it out kid, I don't have all the time in the world."
"We're neighbors." You look around as you say it checking if someone else is paying attention to the conversation, seems like no one is for now.
She scoffs like you told her she was overworked and underpaid. Nothing new there. "No kidding."
"You knew?" How come she never said anything?
"I saw it in your files once."
"Okay. First question, why were you snooping on my files? Second question why didn’t you tell me?"
"First question, curiosity. Second question, I have money on it, kid. Couldn’t just give it away like that."
"Is that why it always feels like you guys are scheming something behind our backs? You were trying to see when we would realize?"
"Among other reasons." Now she’s back to being secretive, great. "You really didn’t know?"
"No!" Now you feel like an even bigger idiot.
"Okay. So you finally got inside each other's pants and ended up in the building you didn’t know you shared?"
"It wasn’t anything like that, will you quit?" She just smirks at you. "We were dead on our feet the other night after the double shift and he offered to give me a ride home which I accepted after much insistence on his part. I told you that much before leaving the hospital. I fell asleep in the car and woke up in the garage. I've never been to the garage floor cause as you know I'm too paranoid to drive."
"So when did you realize?" Oh, this is getting good. Maybe she’s right to treat it like gossip, maybe you would too if it wasn’t your own personal nightmare.
"Elevators look pretty standard, right? And keep in mind I was more than half asleep. He insists I stay over. Different floor plan and layout, blackout curtains down on all windows when we arrived. I wake up at almost 7 am, starving." You're definitely skipping the part where you slept in his bed with him. "Go to the kitchen about to eat Abbot alive for breakfast if he didn’t have any food and BAM almost the same view from my windows when he opened the blinds. I ran out of there so fast he probably thinks I'm insane, it was humiliating." Also never mind having no pants on, irrelevant detail.
"No, he doesn’t." She shakes her head smiling at your defeated face. "What I wouldn’t give to have seen your face right there."
"Ugh, I know." You hide your face in your crossed arms on the hub's counter as she sits back checking on a tablet.
"How did you never run into each other before?" The million dollar question that remains unanswered.
"I don't know." You mumble remaining in your improvised hiding spot. "We kept opposite shifts before so that makes more sense with leaving and sleeping at different times. Now in the night shift I guess we leave at similar times but Abbot drives and I take the bus so we continued to always miss the other leaving or meeting at the same time."
"Well, now you know." She pats the crown of your head as if appeasing a sad puppy. "Up and at em, dollface. Go put your stuff away, I have a case for you."
She always does, just another day of work.
Of course he had his favorite problem for a neighbor. He couldn't believe it when you left the other morning like the sight out his windows scared you back into reality. You were so quiet and honest for a moment there, a rare thing around him where you weren't exchanging jabs like your life depended on it and he lost you completely when he lifted the black out curtains and you ran out. So Jack decided to give you some space before you disappeared on him again. He wouldn’t put it past you to move apartments at this point so he held back from pressing every doorbell to see you opening the door. That doesn’t mean he's going to miss the opportunity to mess with you at work, though.
You're charting in a small station near central when he notices it, he smiles at you from across the counter when you somehow feel his eyes on you, quickly going back to whatever you were typing.
"Is that my shirt, Trouble?" He stands near your chair now but you don't give him much attention.
"Nope." It is.
"Are you sure about that? Cause it really looks like my shirt." You continue to type like he’s not bothering you.
"Very sure. You know there are multiple brands that sell plain gray t-shirts right?"
"Not old t-shirts with a hole on the neck seam I gave you to sleep in." He touches the unraveled stitch near your nape to piss you off further.
"Shhh, someone will hear you." You slap his hand away for good measure.
"What about it, are you scared they’re gonna know you don't like sleeping alone?" He forces eye contact by lowering his face to your now shocked one.
You look at him like you're about to shove your pen in his eye but an incoming trauma cuts your conversation short for now.
When he saw you again later in the shift you had a scrub top over your new old shirt.
April 15th, 2025 - Jack's Apartment
You could do the mature thing, right? Jack is going to find out where you live eventually and there's no need to keep staying confined in your apartment. It's a day off for both of you so you decide to offer him an olive branch in the form of food—just cause you're cooking anyways and you could share your lasagna with him so he doesn’t starve to death, of course.
Making sure to not wear his stupid soft shirt again also having done laundry earlier you knock on his door three times instead of ringing the doorbell, if he doesn’t listen at least you tried. He opens the door not ten seconds later. Once again only in boxers and the heat from his apartment waves up on you, he’s using crutches this time, probably giving his leg a break for once.
"Why are you naked again?" Nice and normal conversation starter.
"You didn’t seem to have any complaints last time." You keep a straight face and he gives the honest answer. "I keep it warm in here so my leg doesn’t hurt from constant cold air like in the hospital, and I'm not naked." Okay. "What are you doing here, Trouble?" Rude.
He rests his hip on the side of the door supporting his weight on the wall. You can see the apartment behind him filled with light this time comparing to the other day where the black out curtains were all closed.
"Can't a girl be a little charitable towards an elderly veteran?" He smiles at that like we was expecting an offense from you already.
"Oh, this charity? You want me to sign you up as a volunteer at the VA?" He scratches his stubble and you raise your occupied hands so he'll get a hint.
"Done that already before I transferred to the pitt. I think I have my hands full at the moment."
He looks at the steam blurred glass container in your hand and back at you before taking a deep breath, moving out of the way so you can get in. Guess you have to since you need to set it in the kitchen for him.
"Lasagna?" He closes the door after you, following you in towards the dining table.
"Made too much, thought I'd share."
"Smells nice, is it poisoned?"
"Wouldn’t you like to know, Dr. Abbot?"
"I would actually, yeah."
"Want a refresh on the poison management protocol? We can go through the steps together if you'd like. I'm sure you forgot some things given your old age and all."
"I'm good, thanks."
He stands by the other side of the table as you set the dish down having another realization in his damn kitchen as you look from him back at the street outside.
"OH MY GOD, IT'S YOU!"
"It's me, what?" He asks faking interest as the fishes a fork from a drawer opening the container ready to dig in.
"YOU'RE THE NAKED NEIGHBOR!" You exclaimed once again shocked.
"We have a naked neighbor?" He drops the fork back to the table, sitting down instead.
"No, you are the naked neighbor."
"Someone saw me?" He looks back towards the kitchen windows like you did earlier.
"Don't sound so embarrassed." You cross your arms at his unimpressed face.
"Oh, I'm proud of it." He raises his chin smirking like he usually does.
"I can't believe it. The girls from the coffee shop out front would always tell me about this naked man they see out the windows sometimes." It was him this whole time.
"I didn't know people could see in here, say sorry for me if you see them again, please." He doesn’t seem very apologetic at all, on the contrary.
"Oh, they’re not offended trust me, you should get them some of your fan club t-shirts."
"I'll work on it." He fucking smirks again, of course he is proud.
"Okay, that's all then. Call an ambulance if you need help, but leave my container by my door before you croak."
He nods crossing his very naked arms at you, suddenly his high thermostat is starting to make you sweat. "I don't know where you live." He shrugs. "You didn’t exactly have time to tell me last time after you left running. Didn’t even eat breakfast." Smug son of a bitch.
"I forgot I had something to do, I was running late." What a good excuse.
"Yeah, right." He goes back to his fork and maybe you should have poisoned the damn lasagna.
"One floor bellow yours, left corner apartment." You've obviously only telling him so he gives your glass container back.
"Neat. Thanks for this."
"Sure. I'll walk myself out."
"You usually do." He smiles again and you start walking towards the door ready to get back to isolation.
April 18th, 2025 - PTMC
It was rough shift, you were tired and would rather be taking a nap now but your small break would only allow for a quick snack.
"Wanna share lunch?" You ask Jack as he sits beside you on the break room with a refilled coffee.
"Isn't that dinner?"
"Nope, dinner is the meal I have when I get home in the morning."
"Wouldn’t that be breakfast?"
"That's the meal I have when I wake up at 4pm. You know, when I break my fast."
"Right of course. Cause that makes perfect sense." He rubs at this tired face.
"Totally does." You insist as he stretches his arms over his head, resting his back on the chair.
"You're a weirdo." He gives up, leaving you to finish your meal when someone calls him up for a case.
It's closer to the morning now when you find him in the roof this time, offering him a granola bar as you open one for yourself for a quick bite before being needed back in the pitt.
"What meal would this be?" He accepts it none the less, voice a little hoarse, you shared a tough case before he disappeared to the roof once the patient went in to surgery.
You grab his wrist to tell the time on his watch. "That would be a 3:47 am snack."
"Right. What else could it be?"
"You're finally catching up." You bump your shoulder to his arm. "Walsh called, said things were looking better then expected."
He breathes out relieved. "That's good."
"Yeah, I'll see you downstairs." You leave him alone for now.
Your Apartment
After much insistence again you accept Jack's ride home, only cause it was a rough day and he was going to the same place as you either way. He jokingly said he'd walk you to your door and he did, you jokingly asked if he wanted to have something to eat and he said yes, so here you are. The door is open and as you remove your shoes by the entry carpet after leaving your bag on the floor he remains outside taking in your place.
"Not gonna invite me in?" He has his hands by the doorframe looking at you expectantly.
"Are you a vampire?"
"I work the night shift, don't I?" He raises his eyebrows at your eye roll for his lame joke.
"Just come in, Jack." He sets his bag by yours following you in into the kitchen. You stop midway to push your overflowing laundry basket out of the way and towards the couch. "Sorry about that. Are you the type to need breakfast food or you can eat anything in the morning?"
"I'll have what you're having." He proceeds to seat on one of the stools of your counter.
"Okay, we're having a dinner I froze for breakfast."
"Dinner for dinner?" He asks not having forgotten your whole keeping your meal names even with a different schedule thing.
"Exactly, people have breakfast for dinner all the time anyways."
"As long as you don't give me food poisoning, I'm game."
"They don't go bad in the freezer, I have a system."
"What system? You throw them out after getting food poisoning?" He rests his head on one hand looking strangely at ease at your place, like he’s been here multiple times. You decide to focus on getting the food in the microwave.
"I'll have you know I'm very organized when it doesn’t come to my laundry." You grab your phone to connect to your mini label printer, typing out what you wish for a sticker you glue to his scrub pocket where a name tag would sit.
He looks down at the 'Dr. Jack Rabbot Ი𐑼' sticker stuck to his pocket "A label maker? Really?" The first sticker is followed by a second one you glue over his sternum. He lifts the fabric up reading the 'Boobies <3' sticker. "Very mature."
"Thank you." You smile eyeing the food as it continues to thaw. "I glue the date I cook, then into the freezer they go. Then just take one from the freezer and microwave it, I never make more then a week's worth anyways. Foolproof." He doesn’t seem very trusting but whatever, the food is done warming up.
"If I get food poisoning-"
"You're more likely to get food poisoning from the cafeteria than my food, just shut up and eat." You set the glass container in front of him with some grilled chicken, rice and baked green beans. Not that exciting but nutritious enough.
You both eat in silence until Jack stops inhaling the food, gesturing his head towards your sink where you left the blender cup last night.
"Is that the one to blame for that scar on your finger?"
"Nope. That one is in a much better place now, I got a new one that detaches the blades so I can wash it without losing a finger."
"Nice."
"Yeah."
Both done eating at this point you're pretty much ready to shower and crash on your bed, he probably wants to go to his place to do the same. You take both empty containers to the sink, getting in his way when he says he can wash them for you.
"Okay, thank you for dinner. I'm gonna go, need to get some sleep before the sun gets to me."
Still with the vampire thing, of course. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow."
He left and you went on with your routine until you got to bed alone again.
April 19th, 2025 - PTMC ED
You're standing by the hub talking to Dana before shift change when you catch her frowning at something on the counter as you look around the ED.
"What?"
She taps on your phone case smirking. "Are you sure that's an appropriate sticker to have on your phone where any patient could see?"
Dana turns away to give instructions to a nurse walking by as you grab your phone to check, last you noticed you didn’t have anything on it. But there it is, the stupid 'Boobies <3' sticker. Jack walks by right then making rounds with Robby and you don't hesitate to call him out on it.
"Very mature, Doc."
"Just giving it back to the rightful owner, glad you finally noticed." They continue to walk heading to the rooms in north.
"What?" Dana turns back to you once you remove the sticker throwing it on the trash. "Who glued it there?"
"A certain doctor with a staring problem." You look back at him still talking to Robby and you can hear her scoff.
"You're acting like little kids, it's getting on my nerves."
April 21st, 2025 - Jack's Apartment
Truth is Jack has been mostly napping on his couch these last few days. He tried the bed again but after hours of tossing and turning he gave up resting and went to his living room to read an article or do anything else on his laptop. Eventually getting tired again he laid on the couch to give his back a break from his office chair, he could hear soft rain tapping against the windows and he felt like he doze off for only a few minutes when he heard a knock on the door. That usually means Trouble. Other people would press the doorbell, you're not other people.
There you are standing by his door in what he believes are your actual pajamas consisting of a graphic tee so faded he can’t tell what the original print was and lounge pants, you have socks on but no shoes. Your same hand he sutured up months ago is behind your back and he hopes he doesn’t have to give you stitches as sleep deprived as he is right now.
"Hi?" He decided to start since you didn’t say anything.
"Did I wake you up?
"No, is everything okay?" He tries to spy around you to see your hand but you move with him keeping it out of sight.
"Oh, yeah. That's nothing. Listen do you have some salt to spare?"
"Salt?"
"Yeah. I'm meal prepping and out of all the things I have I forgot to check if I had salt. I'd go buy some but-" He gets a quick look at your hand while you're distracted and you have a small shot glass in you hand with your pointer finger inside.
"It's raining and you burned yourself?"
"Just the rain part." Here we go.
"Let me see your hand." He's not letting you go until he checks.
"It's fine." You insist keeping your hand behind you.
"You're not getting the salt if you don't let me have a look."
"You're so stubborn." You give in none the less. Showing him the finger as you hold the glass with your other hand.
"Yeah, I'm the one who's stubborn."
"I just accidentally barely touched a hot pan, I have it in cold water so it doesn’t aggravate, it's not even half a degree burn."
It seems fine really, just a little red, he'll give you a pass this one time. "It looks okay enough."
"Thank you, Dr. Abbot. I so appreciate your medical input."
"Sure you do. Do you have any burn ointment in your first aid kit?"
"I don't have a first kit." Okay that's it.
He pulls you in by your wrist closing the door after you, both going in to his kitchen this time.
"You're a terrible doctor."
You scoff not actually seeming offended. "Only to myself, thank you very much."
"What do you do when you hurt yourself?"
"If it's something small enough I ignore it until it goes away." You say like it’s routine. "If it's bad enough I go to the hospital, as if you giving me stitches back in January wasn’t the highest point of your career. Wasn’t that so memorable for you?" You rest your hip on the kitchen counter as he rummages around the drawers.
"Oh I remember it, alright." How could he forget? He shoves a small tube of burn ointment into your hands and you pocket it not giving it much thought for now. "Consider that the first item of your first aid kit, Trouble. How much salt do you need?"
"About a spoon full?"
"Just take this." He gives you the entire salt keeper. "You can bring it back later."
He walks you back to the door again and you turn back actually apologetic this time. "Thank you. Sorry for waking you up."
"You didn’t wake me up." You don't need to know you did.
"Yes, I did. I recognize your I just woke up voice." He can see the corner of your smirk as you're about to step out.
"Get out of my house." He grumbles lightly pushing you out.
"Rude!"
"Just go."
A few hours later after another couch nap there's another knock on the door but no one outside this time. A paper take out bag was set on the entry mat with 4 meals in glass containers and the salt keeper on top with a sticky note.
'Refrigerate or freeze these once they’re cooled down. The poison won't work otherwise. (For legal reasons if someone else reads this note this is a joke)
Thanks for the salt. I want the containers back.'
He'll hold them hostage so you have an excuse to come over to get them.
April 23rd, 2025
Somehow you keep feeding Jack without poisoning him so far, he thought he'd extend an olive branch back helping you continue—or full on starting and finishing—your much needed for someone that leaves alone first aid kit. Just some essentials he kept extra and could spare to give you anyways. Some more burn ointment, a small box of gloves, some over the counter medications, bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, a small pair of scissors with matching tweezers and a thermometer. Just stuff you could need really. He organized them neatly on the first glass container you left with him with the lasagna and left it by your door after knocking like you usually do. He doesn’t stay to watch you open the door.
April 25th, 2025
It's raining again and you're off today, pretty sure Jack is too. Your suspicion is confirmed by three knocks on your door as you finished folding the laundry you won't put away. It was that or staying in bed wide awake since you couldn’t sleep anyways.
There he stands in dark jeans and a gray t-shirt not much different from the one you just folded.
"Cup of sugar?"
"You don't bake. What are you doing here?" If it was company he wanted you'd gladly give it, but not before making him squirm at least a little bit.
"Always time to try a new hobby. So?"
"Sure Jack, bake me some cookies in a frilly apron."
"I'm sure you would love to see that." He bites back smirking.
"I so would but I'm out of groceries." It's not a lie to either statements.
"Wanna go get some?" Well you already need to anyways.
That's how Jack ended up back in your apartment a few hours later. It's raining still and he spotted the improvised first aid kit on top of your fridge as he helped you put away the groceries you were pissed at him for paying the one second you turned away from the self check out machine. His own fewer grocery bags by your counter as he watched you bake cookies as Miss Congeniality played on your laptop near the sink, you said it was tradition.
Moving to the couch after too much sugar consumed you dozed off before he did the same, waking up to your head on his shoulder and the blank screen of your laptop on the coffee table. He tucks some of your hair away from your face and you don't move at all, still fast asleep. It stopped raining by now and he should really get back to his place and try to get some more sleep himself before shift.
You look so relaxed like this, he can’t lie and say he didn’t feel rested himself, all that from a nap on your couch. It's not the first or second or third time you both end up easily falling asleep together when he usually struggles on his own, he's pretty certain the same goes for you. He could get used to it, your company and warmth, the way he listens to your light breathing instead of the usual police scanner static in his ears. He should really go home.
Deciding not to leave you sleeping on the couch he slowly gets up, sliding an arm under your knees and under your back, you don’t stir as he picks you up walking to the one door he assumed was your room, finding a made bed by a brick wall filled with pillows. The window is closed but your curtains are open letting in the warm light from the street lampposts.
He has a mind to stay but you didn’t outright invite him and he doesn’t want to invade your space further. He puts you down on the bed tucking you in under the covers and you move a little getting comfortable on your side towards the middle of the bed. He closes the curtains leaving you alone, grabs his groceries and locks your door sliding the key back under it once he's done.
April 28th, 2025
It's about half an hour after the night shift ended and you and Jack ended up alone on the park bench after everyone else left to go home. You're a little glossy eyed like you're about to doze off right there. He wants to ask you something but maybe is not the right moment, he asks either way.
"You want to get some dinner?" You smile at him at the way you only do when you're sleepy.
"Breakfast for dinner?"
A Café not far from the hospital is the choice for the morning and you eat quietly as he finishes his coffee.
"You look like you haven't been sleeping much." He starts and you finish chewing ready to get back at him.
"I would say the same about you but I feel like the tired look is part of you by now."
"Thanks, Trouble. Glad you noticed."
"Sure."
"I was actually going to say I slept well enough on your couch the other day." Here it goes.
"You didn’t have to carry me to bed, you know that, right? I don't wanna be responsible for your back giving out." And here you go calling him old again.
"That's not what this is about."
"You could have stayed if you wanted if that's the issue."
"Right. This is what I wanted to talk about."
"What, you want to go home and sleep together again?" You cross your arms resting back on the booth, saying it like it’s the most nonsensical thing in the world.
"Why not? You're gonna tell me you didn’t sleep and get some actual rest the other times? You said it yourself in the on call room." He shrugs crossing his own arms this time.
"Like that's gonna work, Jack."
"It has worked so far, hasn’t it?" He's sure you know he has a point. "We could make a deal."
"A deal." You laugh into your hands. "Are you actually serious?"
"It's a give and take situation." He shrugs again, trying to make you see what he's proposing here.
"Yeah, I give and you take." You say disbelieving. "It would never work."
"Why not? We're already neighbors, worse that could happen is someone disagrees on it one day and goes home to the other floor. You know I'm right and I'm tired of being sleep deprived at work when we could try and make this work. It's less of a risk not only for ourselves but to our patients." He finally finishes talking, watching as you seem to finally think it over. He could also get used to having you in his bed and in his clothes ready to sleep the day away but that's not relevant to the current conversation.
"If that works, and I don’t say 'if' lightly. Hypothetically, what would that look like?" You're acting like this is a business pitch and he's a bad investment. Damn, Trouble, give me a chance here.
"Well." He thinks for a second, not exactly getting to logistics by himself beforehand. "I guess we go home after work, either to my place or yours and just sleep. Nothing else has to change." That simple. Right.
You had to realize it yourself you wanted it too so you wouldn't fight him on it. He tips up his chin at you as you continue to think until you seem to relent.
"Fine, I guess we could try it. But if we're doing this we need some lines in the sand here."
"You want me to draft a contract?" He asks jokingly and you pass him a clean paper napkin with the Café's logo on the corner.
"Sure, I just need your signature there." He marks two 'X's' signing his name next to one, leaving some space so you can sign too and passes you the napkin back with his pen, you hold on to them for now.
"You want rules, we can have rules." He already knows what his first request will be anyways, so he'll let you start.
"Rule one: No one else can know. I don't want things to get weird and more gossip to be made." He's pretty sure there's a bet or two going around already but you don't need to know that right now.
"Done. Rule two: You will accept my rides from now on." He simply states already knowing you won't agree at first.
"Jack!" Here we go.
"If we're off on a different schedule, fine. You can take the bus if you want but the usual shifts you're going to work and coming home with me, there’s no need to take the bus if I can drive you."
"Fine." You reluctantly agree. "Rule three: This is strictly platonic. No funny business, we're actually just sleeping."
"Wasn’t planning otherwise, sweetheart." He smirks at you and you roll your eyes at him like usual.
"Good." You still haven't signed the damn napkin but this is actually going better than what he expected which was basically you saying no and moving back to the day shift to avoid him.
"Rule four: We're going to be honest if we need a break, no questions asked. The other person will respect it." He doubts he might need one but maybe you'll get tired of him so he'll give you an out.
"I can work with that." You agree again. "Rule five: Things remain the same at work. You're still my boss, if anything it's fine to say we're neighbors cause people will see us arriving together but that's the end of it for them."
"That's fine. Okay, we've got ourselves a deal?"
"I guess we do. What could go wrong?" You sign your name on the napkin sliding it back to him along with the pen.
"Famous last words, Trouble."