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Jack was behind the nurses' station, typing something on one of the tablets, brow furrowed.
Robby threw his stethoscope around his neck, approached the desk and drummed his palms on the counter. "Tomorrow night, brother?"
Jack lifted his eyes, his brow wrinkling. "Huh?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "What's tomorrow, brother?"
Robby bit the inside of his lip. This asshole.
"The game?"
Jack focused back onto the tablet for one second and then he handed it to Princess. "There you go."
"Thank you, Dr Abbot." Princess replied in a sing-song voice, taking it. She didn't leave, clearly eavesdropping now.
"What game? Oh the big game. Tomorrow night. The final."
"What time do you want me? Straight from work?" Robby asked, shifting his weight onto his forearms against the counter.
"Want you?" Jack commented, eyes twinkling with a little mischief. He folded his arms over his chest. "Why would I want you?"
"Don't start."
"Such a loaded question...want you? And right in front of poor Princess..."
Robby rolled his eyes dramatically and tried not to flush up like he did.
Princess looked delighted at the turn of conversation she'd conveniently heard.
"Jack. Oh come on. Not this again. The game!"
Jack coughed out a little sarcastic snark. "It's the final. I'm not spending my night off listening to some exhausted ED chief puff and snore on my couch while I can't hear my TV...again!"
"That was like one time!"
Jack's eyebrows shot onto his hairline. "...maybe two." Robby amended quickly.
"Yeah, last week for instance."
Princess snickered into the tablet that she was pretending to work off.
"I promise I'll stay awake." Robby pledged.
"I'll bring the beers. Pizza. Whatever you want."
"Denied." Jack said calmly. "It's the final. Plus you drink shitty beer."
"Abbot..." Robby said weakly. "I will down a red bull or whatever. I promise I'll stay awake. We always watch the finals together. Come on, man. Think about tradition."
Jack let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine." He said, adjusting his weight on one leg. "Don't drink that red bull though. At your age you'll probably have a cardiac episode and then I'll miss the game anyway."
"We're the same age." Robby pointed out.
"No we're not. You're like four years older than me. That's old."
Princess giggled.
"Princess, working hard or hardly working? Shift has just begun." Robby pointed out to the nurse who was clearly enjoying this interaction more than anyone.
Princess threw him a look, said something in Tagalog and slouched off.
"Alright, man. I'm heading out." Jack said then, as he started to move, debate clearly settled.
"Okay. Thanks for holding shit down here overnight, board looks good. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night. Have a good day off."
"Thanks. Yeah, will do. See you tomorrow night." He clapped Robby on the shoulder and headed for the lockers, before turning and throwing him a wink. "Don't miss me too much."
Robby's heart did something inadvisable. "You're literally still here."
"Emotionally then. Look I'm going through the door..." Jack called with a grin.
Robby huffed out a fond laugh and turned towards the board.
Princess was there looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't." Robby said quickly, flushing. "I don't know what you're about to say but just don't."
Princess smiled sweetly. "I wasn't going to say anything, Dr Robby. Nothing at all."
---
By the time Robby made it up to Jack's apartment, a six-pack dangling from two fingers and exhaustion dragging at every limb, he was already regretting every quip he'd made about staying fully awake for the game.
Jack had texted to tell him not to bring any food as it was his turn to pay, so Robby had almost made it here on time.
He knocked once, too tired to fish out his spare key from his backpack.
He heard footsteps and then the door swung open. Jack was standing there in sweatpants and an old T-shirt advertising some pharmaceutical drug that a Rep had left for the staff in the Pitt, looking unfairly good for someone who'd probably spent the day doing laundry. Robby saw Jack most days of the year, that really should have been enough time to get used to his appearance. Still, he found his breath knocked away.
Jack took one look at him and immediately frowned.
"You're late."
"I'm thirty seconds—"
The door started closing.
"Oh, come on."
Jack's grin appeared in the narrowing gap as he lightly waved goodbye.
Robby shoved the door back open with his foot, laughing despite himself.
"You're an asshole. I'm supposed to be a guest, and look I brought the good beer you like! Is that how you treat your guests?"
"Yes. And yet you keep showing up."
The stupid thing was how much that sentence affected him. God, Robby was beyond fond of this man. Jack made his insides flutter.
Jack stepped aside to let him in and Robby brushed past him, catching the familiar scent of laundry detergent and coffee, clearly what Jack had been doing on his day off. The apartment felt lived in. Comfortable and welcoming. Robby loved Jack's space.
Safe.
Before he could stop himself, he hooked an arm around Jack's shoulders and pulled him into a quick hug.
Jack made a startled noise.
Robby immediately regretted it.
Not because Jack minded, he leaned into it for a second before pulling away, but because suddenly they were both standing there looking awkward about it.
"Hi," Robby said.
"Hi...you know you literally saw me yesterday. Been texting me today..."
"I know." Robby said, a flush appearing at his neck. "I'm still saying 'Hi'..."
A beat.
Then Jack pointed at the beers.
"Bribery accepted."
"Good."
The awkwardness dissolved instantly.
Thank God.
Jack headed to the kitchen to put the beers in to chill. Robby followed.
He shrugged off his coat and tossed it over the back of a kitchen chair.
Jack's expression changed.
"Uh."
"What?"
Jack pointed. "Delightful, man."
Robby looked down.
There was blood smeared across the back of his arm, quite a lot of it.
"Oh."
"Please tell me that's not yours."
"It's not mine."
Jack relaxed approximately half an inch.
"Still gross."
"Occupational hazard."
Jack rolled his eyes. "I'm aware. Go shower then."
"What?"
"You look like you died three shifts ago."
"I showered this morning."
"Go shower again. You know where everything is. Use what you want. You know where fresh towels are. I'll order in, you'll be out by face-off. Pizza? Thai?"
Robby opened his mouth to argue.
Jack just stared.
"...fine. Thanks. You choose whatever to eat."
"Fresh clothes in the bedroom if you want."
"Bossy."
"Says the man who showed up covered in blood."
"Technically it's only one arm...I think..."
Jack physically pointed toward the hallway "well, I'm not stripping you to find out. Go."
Robby surrendered. "Shame." He called as he went, he heard Jack laugh and that made him feel great.
---
The shower turned out to be a mistake.
Not because it wasn't nice.
Because it was amazing.
The hot water pounded against his shoulders, loosening muscles he'd forgotten were tense. The steam filled the bathroom. The exhaustion he'd been successfully outrunning all evening immediately caught up. The scent of Jack's shampoo and soaps made his brain soft.
By the time he finished and changed into the spare sweatpants and hoodie Jack kept around for him he felt ultimately relaxed, he remembered thinking there was no need for Jack to dedicate a drawer to him.
Then again, he'd used it often enough over the years.
By the time he wandered back into the living room in clean socks, he felt dangerously comfortable.
The hoodie smelled of Jack's detergent. He resisted the urge to pull the hood up around his face and inhale deeply.
Jack was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone.
"Food ordered," he announced.
"What'd you get?"
"The usual."
"You're a god-damn hero, Abbot."
"I know." He held out a cold beer.
The game started a few minutes later.
Robby settled into the couch beside him, beer balanced against his thigh.
He was absolutely staying awake.
One hundred percent.
No question.
The commentators were talking.
The crowd was roaring.
Jack was saying something about a terrible call.
Robby blinked. He thought he agreed.
Then blinked again.
At some point he became vaguely aware of leaning sideways.
At some other point he realized his shoulder was pressed against Jack's. Immediately that made his nervous system feel safe.
Then everything went pleasantly dark.
—
A loud vibrating noise dragged him halfway back to consciousness.
Robby frowned.
Something shifted above him.
The annoying vibration continued.
He cracked one eye open.
Jack was stretched across him.
Literally across him, quietly moving over him.
One knee on either side of Robby's thighs, leaning over him toward the far end of the couch and stretching awkwardly for something.
Apparently trying to reach his phone.
"Hm?" Robby mumbled, his face suddenly full of Jack's torso.
Jack froze, then rapidly pulled back.
"Oh. Sorry."
Robby stared at his teeshirt for a moment, still pretty much in his face.
Sleepy brain processed the situation.
Jack.
Close.
Warm.
In his lap. Somehow fitting perfectly against him like he'd been there all evening.
Robby's sleep-fogged brain supplied the deeply unhelpful observation that Jack smelled really good and that his body ran hot. For some reason his brain fog still managed to file this information away under: Important.
He wrapped an arm around Jack's waist and let his forehead fall against Jack's shoulder.
Jack made a sound that was definitely not a normal human sound.
The phone continued buzzing then...
"Phone?" Robby mumbled sleepily.
"I know."
"-kay."
Jack finally answered, still hovering on Robby's lap.
"Abbot?" He said by way of greeting. His voice unusually gruff.
Robby closed his eyes again, just enjoying Jack's weight on him. His perfect weighted blanket.
The conversation drifted in and out around him.
"Seriously? When?"
A pause. Jack shifted his weight and unthinkingly Robby pulled Jack's hips completely down so he was sitting more comfortably.
"No, I get it."
Another pause.
"Yeah."
Jack sighed.
Robby tightened his arm slightly, both his hands resting around Jack's ribs, steadying him.
Jack's hand landed automatically on the back of his neck.
The gesture was so familiar neither of them seemed to notice it at first.
Then there was a very noticeable silence.
"Well yeah, I have plans, okay, okay, sure...I'll be there in twenty."
Jack hung up.
Robby already knew what that meant.
"Tems?"
"Tems."
"You have to go."
Jack groaned.
"Unfortunately."
Robby opened his eyes enough to see Jack looking genuinely annoyed about it.
Which... Yeah.
Okay.
That felt unfairly nice.
"Sorry."
"It's not your fault. They need you."
Jack glanced down.
Then seemed to remember exactly where he was sitting.
"Just for the record."
"Hm?"
"This is a weird position."
Robby considered that.
Objectively, yes.
Probably.
Jack was still straddling his lap, one hand gripping Robby's neck... probably for balance.
Robby's hands still around his waist, holding him in place.
His face was buried against Jack's shoulder.
Normal best friend activities.
Probably.
"It's fine. I'm sleepy," Robby said.
Jack barked out a laugh.
"That's your defense?"
"It's a good defense."
"Not really. Hey, remember when you promised you'd not fall asleep during the game...?"
Robby cracked one eye open.
"Are you moving?"
Jack wiggled his hips to shift Robby's grip on him.
"Eventually."
The laugh that escaped Jack this time was quieter.
Softer.
Dangerously fond.
Something warm twisted in Robby's chest.
Jack looked away first.
"You're staying here."
There was a reason he almost never said no when Jack used that tone.
Unfortunately, Robby had never figured out what that reason was, but he tried to argue anyway.
"What? No, Jack, it's fine, look I'm waking up... I can go."
"The food should be here soon anyway. Eat it."
"Jack..."
"Watch the game."
"You won't even be here... And I..."
"You were asleep anyway."
"I just rested my eyes for one second. I was listening..."
"Fine. Tell me what's happened so far? Who's in the sin bin?...if you were listening that is..."
"You're mean to me." Robby yawned, defeated.
"Yeah." Jack said, his thumb brushing sleep from Robby's eyelash gently. "I'm the worst."
They looked at each other then for a long moment.
"I should get ready."
Robby finally loosened his hold enough for Jack to stand.
Immediately the apartment felt colder.
Jack headed for his bedroom, Robby heard opening and closing of cupboards while Jack packed his backpack.
Robby watched him grab his keys.
"Hey, You be careful."
Jack paused.
Looked back.
His usual teasing expression faded slightly.
"I will."
"Promise?"
Something flickered across Jack's face.
Soft enough that Robby almost missed it.
"I promise. I'm always careful."
Robby nodded.
Not entirely reassured.
The job Tems called about could be anything. Most of the time it was fine.
Most of the time. But there's been a couple of hairy moments. A few broken ribs, that bullet graze...
Jack must've seen the worry anyway.
Because he crossed back over before Robby could say anything else and squeezed the back of his neck.
Brief.
Gentle.
"Hey, I'll be okay. Don't look so freaked out, brother. That's not like you."
Robby looked up at him.
"Yeah."
Jack smiled.
The kind reserved just for him.
Then he grabbed his phone and headed for the door.
"Try not to fall asleep before the food gets here."
"No promises."
"Thought so."
Jack opened the door and was met with a teenager holding a heatproof bag. "Uhm...order for Abbot?"
"Yup, that's us. Robby...enjoy. Leave me something for when I get home."
Jack sidestepped the kid and left, Robby got up and took the food and closed the door.
The apartment fell quiet.
Robby stared at the game for approximately ten seconds.
Then looked toward the door.
Waiting for Jack to come back already.
---
Robby stared at the food containers for a full minute before opening them.
The smell should've made him hungry.
It didn't.
He plated himself up something,
Then, after a second thought, plated another portion and covered it with foil.
For Jack.
The gesture felt stupid.
Jack wouldn't be home for hours.
Still.
He left it aside to cool, then he'd put it in the fridge. Ready for Jack to reheat when he got back...and he would be back. Robby's brain needed to stop being ridiculous tonight. Jack was a big boy. He knew how to handle himself. He was trained to keep people safe - including himself.
The game continued in the background.
Crowd noise. Commentators.
The occasional explosion of cheers.
Robby sat down with a beer, his own food forgotten in the kitchen.
He made it through exactly three minutes before realizing he had no idea what had happened and maybe another three before he admitted to himself that he didn't care.
His eyes kept drifting to his watch.
Then to his phone. Then back to the door.
Nothing. It was too early. Jack had barely left, there was no chance he was about to come home already.
He picked up a book Jack had tossed on his coffee table. He read the blurb and opened at the start, careful not to shift the book mark inside.
Read the same paragraph four times.
Put the book down.
Picked up his phone.
Considered texting Jack.
Absolutely not.
Jack would mock him for the next six months. Plus, he shouldn't distract someone on a tactical mission.
He lasted another fifteen minutes, typed out "you alive?" Let his finger hover over the send button before he hastily deleted it.
"You're being weird!" He said into the empty apartment, scrubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.
---
He'd only meant to grab his backpack from where he'd dumped it after showering earlier.
Jack's bedroom smelled like him. Like his cologne but softer and homely.
Like Jack.
The bed was made to perfection, of course. That army lifestyle never dying.
One corner of the bed was slightly rumpled, probably from where Jack had thrown his own backpack while he'd hastily grabbed his gear earlier.
Robby smoothed it down, making it as neat as the rest for Jack. The sheets were an olive green, and felt soft under his hands.
Yet another book was lying face-down on the nightstand.
Normal.
Robby sat down on the edge, despite his effort to smooth Jack's bedding out just seconds ago.
It would be just for a second.
He picked up the book, this one was a medical journal. His eyes scanned the open page. It actually seemed quite interesting. He toyed with starting at the beginning.
His body immediately disagreed.
The mattress dipped beneath him with the luxury of a mattress that had excellent lumbar support. His eyes burned with fatigue again.
The apartment was warm and cozy still.
Jack wasn't here, which somehow made it easier.
As much as the bedroom felt private he knew Jack wouldn't mind him being here, and Robby was discovering how comfortable he felt being there.
He stretched out without meaning to.
Just for a minute.
The last thing he remembered was staring at the glow of the alarm clock.
He awoke a little later, it was cold now, and he was so comfy. He rolled awkwardly and pulled the top sheet over himself to make a cacoon.
He'd sleep a little longer, get up, make the bed again perfectly and be out of Jack's hair before he even got home.
---
"Hey." He heard softly near his ear. He felt a gentle shake of his shoulder.
Robby was jolted from his sleep. He inhaled, "What have we got?" He said in confusion, expecting an ambulance bay and a stretcher, when he blinked his eyes open. Instead he saw a blurry Jack Abbot, dimly lit in the lamp light.
"Huh?" He said in confused, his brain muddled as to where he was.
Jack huffed out an amused but fond laugh. "Shh. You're alright, never mind, go back to sleep."
The firm pressure of a hand rubbing shoulder and the soothing voice made him doze off a little.
He came to again not long after when he heard whispered swearing.
Robby sat upright instantly. This time his brain switched on. Oh...he was in Jack's bed. The alarm clock read 4:05 a.m. The ensuite bathroom light was lit, Jack was home. He exhaled and thanked the God he didn't believe in.
He gently rolled out of Jack's sheets and stood. Still a bit dazed to feel embarrassed that he'd been caught asleep in someone else's bed.
He shuffled to the bathroom door, leaned against the frame and looked at Jack through his reflection in the mirror.
"Shit. You're bleeding."
Jack startled a little, clearly not realising Robby was up.
Jack was still in his lighter tactical wear. His vest discarded on the bathroom floor. He was dabbing cotton wool to his eyebrow.
"I'm not. It's fine." Jack said immediately.
"You're literally-"
"- I mean, it had stopped- scabbed over. I just opened it again by cleaning it. It's no big deal."
Robby sighed and walked into the bathroom. He washed his hands, grabbed the bottle of mild antiseptic off the sink and fresh cotton balls. "Let me see." He said already ignoring Jack's brush offs.
Robby wished he had his glasses, but knew if he left to get them Jack would just brush off his mollycoddling.
There was a small split through the outer edge of Jack's eyebrow.
"Friendly fire." Jack shrugged when Robby dabbed the light bleeding with his cotton ball. "Well, not fire." He clarified quickly when Robby's eyes widened. "Fuckin' Willis elbowed me in the face while I was assessing the casualty."
"Nice." Robby said flatly. He didn't want to hear about anyone else at the moment.
He shook his head clear. "Just give me a minute. Sit down."
He physically pushed Jack backwards until he was sitting on the closed toilet lid, then headed back to the bedroom for his backpack and glasses.
He unzipped his travel kit, pulled on some gloves from it and opened a small pouch for scissors.
Jack sat there in unusual silence and let Robby fuss, that immediately made him suspicious.
He tore open a packet of steri-strips, cut one strip into two and secured them over the eyebrow split.
"That's fine." He said to himself more than Jack, when he examined the area, gently cupping his face. No more bleeding.
He rummaged in his bag once more and pulled out his spare pen light.
"Robby..." Jack rolled his eyes.
"Shut up." He said, shining the light right into Jack's left eye, then the right.
"Double vision? Ears ringing?"
"Nope."
"Headache? Nausea?"
"Nada."
Robby clicked off the pen light and tossed it into his bag, pulled off the gloves and did the same. "You lying to me?"
Jack laughed.
"Stand up."
Jack stood up, he placed one hand shakily onto Robby's shoulder.
"Dizzy?" He asked, immediately worried, his hand gripping Jack's elbow to steady him.
Jack slowly shook his head but Robby didn't let go.
"You worry about me." Jack said softly, like he couldn't imagine why anyone would, but it wasn't a question.
Robby's heart hammered, struggling to find the right thing to say, because Jack's other hand was also now gripping his other shoulder and he swore he saw his eyes flicker down to Robby's lips and back.
His breath caught but neither of them moved.
The bathroom felt too small.
Jack looked exhausted.
The white steri-strips shone bright white against the angry skin below.
He squeezed Jack's elbow, but neither made an attempt to let go.
"Jack..."
He didn't know what he was even trying to say.
Then Jack kissed him hard. Not tentative and definitely not uncertain. He kissed Robby like he'd spent months talking himself out of it and had finally run out of reasons not to.
Okay. Yep. That was it. That was everything shifting into place. Everything Robby had been searching for locked immaculately into place the minute Jack's hand slid and closed around the back of his neck.
Robby kissed him back deeply without a second of hesitation.
His hand sliding into Jack's curls and tugging lightly.
The sound Jack made in his throat almost undid him.
This was it, wasn't it? It had always been leading here.
It was a mixture of affection, relief and want.
Robby eventually pulled himself back to drop their foreheads together.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah I'm okay...you?"
"Ask me in a few minutes."
"Why?"
"Because after that kiss I think I'd just agree to anything you said."
They stood there a long moment. Just holding onto each other, catching their breath.
Jack let out a small disbelieving chuckle and pulled his head back to look him right in the eye.
"I feel like I'm dreaming."
"God, I hope not."
Robby moved back in and this kiss was different. This one said 'Hello', this one said 'finally' and 'what's next?'
He couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed anyone like this, with excitement and pure joy and commitment... couldn't remember if he'd ever kissed someone like this. Maybe that was the point.
This time when they broke apart, Robby wrapped himself around Jack instead, one arm firmly around his shoulder, the other tightly around his waist. His face settled into the curve of Jack's neck.
To his bone deep contentment Jack melted into him immediately, his own grip tightening and unwilling to let go.
Between them Jack's stomach rumbled audibly.
They both dissolved into laughter.
"Awesome timing, huh?" Jack said, letting him go.
"I'm not surprised, you must be starving. Come on, let's eat. I left you takeout."
"Can't believe my stomach is controlling the biggest moment of my life." He sighed. "But yeah... I could definitely eat."
"C'mon. Food now." Robby said, trying not to visibly react when Jack slid their fingers together, encouraging Robby to pull him to the kitchen.
"4 a.m. is the perfect time to eat."