Chapter Text
Brendon 'Shark' Park
The shift had been bursting with chaos and was already busy before you even walked in through the doors. It wasn’t so unusual to see the hospital look that, but it was just enough that you hadn’t properly given yourself a break.
Not to finish the expensive coffee you bought yourself prior to getting to your shift, and somehow you had managed to only eat half of the granola bar you stuffed into your pocket at the start of the shifts hours before hand.
You’re only about halfway through helping one of your patients when you feel that oh so familiar ache hit you, you pause for a brief moment. Taking a deep breathe because you know that pain, so it’s not unusual at all. It just can’t be right now.
So you do what ever other nurse, and doctors do. Ignore your own pain in favor of helping the ones that are truly in a much worse position then you are. So, the net hour passes. With call lights going off, charting, medications being administrated, more charing, running from one side of the floor to the other side.
You were so focused on your job, and just getting through the workload you had managed to get yourself into, that you didn’t even notice the second more intense waves of cramps that came crashing down until you were finally standing still at the nurses station.
Then it hit you, the sudden warmth. You felt your stomach drop, and you glanced down as discretely as you could. Looking down you were met with the smallest, but the most unmistakeable stain on the bottom of your scrub pants.
Your heart sank, “You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.” You whispered to yourself. You were sure that your cycle wasn’t due for at least another few days, but it had a mind of it’s own even if you spent many nights, days, weeks, and months narrowing your cycle down to a tee.
Grabbing the closest things to your which was a clipboard. You held it up protectively agasint yourself. Pretending that you had somewhere very important to be, and something very important to talk about.
A women on a mission some might say.
Once you were out of shot of most of your coworkers, and patients you could have made a run for it. Straight to the bathroom, to clean yourself up, and possible find a pad somewhere if the bathroom was empty of those supplies. Then in a sudden dawn of realization you thought about your scrub bottoms.
The stupid machine would need a pair of bottoms to exchange for a new pair, and that meant stripping down to your panties in the middle of the ER to replace the pair that had gotten ruined by your surprise time of the month.
You also came to the sudden thought that you would need to disappear long enough to take off, return, and put on a new pair of scrubs bottoms without anyone being the wiser. You stood there on the ER floor debating with yourself which might be the best of options. When a oh so familiar voice came from beside you.
“You okay?” He asked, when you looked up after nearly dying of a sheer heart attack from the suddenness a person standing at your side. It was Brendon standing there. In his own scrubs, once that weren’t provided by the hospital, his badge clipped to his chest pocket. Looking like someone who was requested to come down for a stupid console and only to end up thinking about what is already waiting for him up in Ortho.
Your smile was a forced, quick one that was caught right away from Brendon. “Fine.” You forced out, he raised a brow at you, “You know if you wanna sound believable maybe don’t say it so fast.” Park tells you. “I’m fine.” You say slower hoping that it will keep him off your back, and before you know it he’ll be summoned back to the Ortho unit.
“So you’re just holding the clipboard hostage?” Your cheeks start to burn instantly. You take a quick looked around before lowering your voice, so just Brendon hears you. “My cycle started.” You watch as Brendons entire face shifts, not into embarrassment, or awkwardness, or even shame.
Just an understanding. “Oh.” He says quietly, you nod. “Early.” You add on, “Okay.” He says imply, before looking back down towards the clipboard in your hands. “How bad is it?” He asks with genuine concern, “Like I need a new pair of scrub bottoms, bad.” You tell him with urgent eyes.
The longer you stand there the worse it will get. The more embarrassed you will become. “Then I will go get you new scrubs.” Brendon says as if it’s just that simple. “No.” You say shaking your head at him. “You need to go back upstairs. They’re probably wondering where you are anyways.”
“I know I have to go back upstairs.” He tells you, “And you’ve got your patients waiting for you.” You continue, “I also know that.” You sigh, starting to give in into the defeat of the day. “Brendon…” But he cuts you short, holding up on of his hands to make you pause mid sentence.
“I’m going to allow you to stand here and worry about some scrub bottoms while I’m here now.” It almost makes you laugh, the way he says it so matter of factly to you. “When did you get so bossy?” You quip. He smirks, “I’ve always been bossy. I can’t believe your now just noticing.”
He’s gone before you’re even able to come up with something that sounds like a thought. You stand there waiting for you aren’t sure how long. With the clipboard still hiding the active war zone that your scrub bottoms are becoming. With that, you stand there wondering how the hell he’s even going to manage finding you a pair of scrubs, while the rest of department is on the other side of the wing.
It’s just five simple minutes later, when Park is coming back holding a new fresh set of navy scrubs in his hands. He holds them out for you to take from him, “Found them.” He declares, you stare down at his hands. “Where?” You asked unable to stop the words from coming out, “Supply.” Is all he says, “How?” You ask, “I just asked.” He tells you.
You stare up at him with wide eyes, “You just asked around?” He sighs, his shoulders dropping. “Hmm, turns out that how things work around here.” This time you do laugh. “Thank you.” You murmur. “Is the bathroom empty?” You nod, “Think so.”
“Okay, go change.” Your hesitant at first, and then Brendon goes soft like he does when it’s just the two of you in his apartment. “Hey.” He says softly. You look up at him with watery eyes, already unable to control the emotions. “It’s alright, darlin’.”
Those three words have you nearly breaking in the middle of the ER. You hadn’t realized just how embarrassed you would be until someone said that you didn’t need to be embarrassed at all. You’re a nurse for fucks sake you know this happen, you’ve been a women for long enough to know that sometimes your cycle doesn’t line up with your dates on the calendar.
It’s the simple way that Brendon makes it mostly all okay. “Okay.” You nod, and he gives you a small smile. A smile that only ever meant for your eyes. “And take the time you need, don’t go rushing just to get back out on the floor.” He tells you just as you disappear into the bathroom.
When you do come back to Brendon it’s a few minutes later, wearing a new set of scrubs. He’s holding in his hands, a heat pack for your back where the cramps always manage to make your muscle ache. A new bottle of cold water and a sleeve of crackers.
You stare for a few seconds at the items in his hands. “Brendon.” He hums, “Did you go shopping in the time it took me to change?” You ask, he shrugs, “I mean you can call it shopping if you want to.” You let out a breathe you had seemed to be holding on to for forever. “You didn’t have to do all that Bren.” You tell him.
He ignores your comment all together, shoving the cold water bottle into your hand. “Drink it.” You take the water bottle, and then the crackers. “You are so fuckin’ bossy.” You tease, “It’s just an occupational hazard, darlin’.” You smile.
Your smile is sadly wiped off your face, when another wave of cramps comes crashing into you. Your expression shifts and Brendon is on you immediately. “Bad?” He questions, “Just a little.” You breath out, “Come here.” He whispers.
Guiding you gently over to an abandoned chair that is tucked closer to the nurses station. “Just sit here for five minutes.” Brendon tells you, “Bren, I have things I’ve gotta do. I’m at work.” You tell him as if he isn’t also at work, doing things he shouldn’t be doing right now. “So do I.” He tells you, a reminder of yes in fact he should be in the Ortho unit by now, but is instead right by your side.
“Now go sit.” He demands, pointing towards the empty chair. Your roll your eyes at him, like a teenaged girl getting yelled at by her parents. Once you’ve gotten yourself ‘comfortable’ in the chair or at least as comfortable as you’re going to get. Brendon is handing you the heat pack.
In the sitting position the ache is dulled in your back muscles, so you switch it to be pressed into your lower abdomen and sigh in contentment when the ache starts to ease up. For a moment neither of you speak a word.
Then Brendon is leaning down, just barely into the counter beside you. “You don’t have to be so embarrassed about this.” He tells you, you nod in understanding. Not that feeling, and emotions aren’t still there. “Do you?” He asks with raised brows, eyes staring back into you that say ‘I don’t believe you right now.’
You look up at him, for real this time. Brendon smiles softly. “You’re a nurse, darlin’. That doesn’t mean you aren’t also allowed to be a human being, too.” Your throat grows tight, “Why do you alway know the right things to say.” You pout.
He smirks, “Because I’m just like that, but don’t go tellin’ anyone. We don’t need that secret getting out.” You laugh again for the second time since your cycle has started. He looks over checking the clock on the board. “I do have to get back upstairs now.” He tells you, but you can hear the sadness and possible disappointment in his tone. “Your ortho awaits you.” You say nodding.
“Unfortunately.” He groans, and with that he starts to walk away but stops and turns around. “You’ll text me if things get worse, or need something?” He ask, knowing that you will, but wanting the verbal confirmation regardless. “I will, Bren.” You promise him, “For anything?” He adds, “Yes, Bren.”
“Anything.” He says again, you smile this time, and give him a simple “Okay.” He points at you, “Rest now.” He demands of you, “You rest.” You quip back. "I’m not the one who started her cycle in the middle of a twelve hour shift.” Your shoulders drop, “Yeah that’s fair.” You mumble.
With that Brendon gives you one final smile before he’s heading off to the elevators, you watch him go. With a joy and sadness that start to mix in your chest. You feel the warmth of the heat pack start to spread over your lower abdomen. “Drink your water!” Brendon shouts before the elevators doors can shut on him.
You laugh, because of course he’d shout from the elevator more instructions that you were already… probably going to follow. “Go upstairs!” You shouted back, then the doors are shut. Then for the first time since you realized that your cycle was early you don’t feel so embarrassed, you just feel cared for deeply.