Work Text:
It had been a hectic week at work for you in the Pitt. The amount of patients was abnormally never ending.
This resulted in disgruntled patients, all hands on deck and not a moment to breathe in between.
The worst part was working multiple doubles in a row. 6 days specifically with little to no sleep in the rare moments there was even a chance. With how little you’d been home, you hadn’t been able to keep up with house chores.
Laundry? Everywhere in all phases of dirty, clean, not folded, etc.
Groceries? You couldn’t remember the last day you had a moment to make anything, let alone go shopping for it.
Dishwasher? Full and honestly probably dirty. You’ve not had the time to check.
Also with such little time, you’ve not been able to see your boyfriend Jack hardly at all in the week. There was the occasional passing by during handovers or briefing with a patient chart. But mostly it was just stolen glances and a smile in passing.
Jack took notice of your work overload and how it was weighing on you.
He made sure to check in every day by text or a brief phone call that usually ended in you falling asleep over the phone in minutes. This wasn’t preferred considering he’d rather have you in his arms, in his home.
——
Today he was excited to see you after all the doubles you had been pulling this week.
He gets in the car with a grin making his way over to your apartment. His phone buzzes. Stopped at a red light he looks at the screen
‘𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘦, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘫’
The unnecessary, but very you, apology gripped his heart. He hated this for you. Maybe he could cook dinner for you as a surprise.
Jack made it to your place and let himself in with the key you deemed his. As he walks in he’s stunned at the state of your place.
Clothes in various places and states of being done, dishes lined the counter, items knocked over, shoes missing from pairs. He walks around the place surveying the disarray.
Again his heart drops.
This time at the fact you’ve been working so hard that you’ve not had time to do the basics.
Well, that settles it.
He had a few hours alone and a mission in mind.
___
You had just parked your car from leaving the Pitt. Exhausted didn’t even describe how you felt. The only thing keeping you upright was that you were going to see Jack tonight. You just had to shower, change and hurry back out.
Unlocking your door you step in, ready to step over the shoes you’d forgotten to pick up. You look down and freeze—the shoes… they’re gone? You look around and you’re stunned, confusion all over your face.
The clothes you had left on the couch and living room floor? Gone. There’s a blanket laid over the back nicely and some magazines laid out on the coffee table. You walk farther in and see the kitchen—- like can actually see the counters.
No dirty dishes in the sink, trash thrown away and taken out, fresh fruit in the basket that was just empty this morning. Shock still on your face you go to open the fridge and it’s… stocked full? Prepped meals and all.
Who did this? You think and then it hits you after a minute. No, no, no.
There’s no way he did all of this for you. You turn to shake your head and see a vase with fresh flowers, a note laid in front of it
‘𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦’ you huff with a laugh at how well he knows you ‘𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘺 𝘱𝘫𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 5. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘑’
A tear hits the note, you wipe your face with a watery smile. Of course you had the best boyfriend. Of course he’d go above and beyond. Bare minimums didn’t exist in his vocabulary.
After your shower, you're just slipping your shirt on and headed to the couch when the front door opens. Jack comes in holding a takeout bag with the name of your favorite restaurant.
He’s too good to you, way too good.
“Hey sweetheart!” He puts the bags on the counter and makes his way to you. “You better have been ready to find us a good ass movie to watch huh?” He smiles, kissing your forehead while he engulfs you in a heart melting hug.
“Was just ‘bout to” you chuckle softly, squeezing him back hard.
“…Jack I-“ you stop short, starting to get choked up. Overwhelmed with emotion.
“I know honey, I-“
“N-no Jack let me get this out” you gently cut him off.
He nods against the top of your head and then takes your face in both hands “I’m listening sweetheart.”
“All you did today? Everything in the apartment? You have no idea how much it means to me. This week was fucking awful” you say eyes filled with unshed tears.
“I didn’t know when I was gonna be able to take a minute to regroup and get shit done. Turns out… you already had my back—you always do. So thank you. Thank you for showing up for me. For supporting me. For catching me before I even realize I'm falling. For loving me in ways I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing.”
The tears are now falling and Jack continues to hold you. His eyes a bit watery at your speech. There’s nothing else he loves more than to take care of you and love you.
“It’s all I ever want to do. To make sure you’re always okay. You’re so good at taking care of everyone else that I think you forget about yourself. But that's okay because I promise I’ll always take care of you. I won't let you be forgotten. And like you said, I do have your back—cause you always have mine too” he murmurs, cheek resting on the top of your head.
You both stay embraced, silence falling over for a beat .
“Alright baby” he pats your butt lightly before moving towards the takeout bag “ I do believe you still have to pick out our movie.”
You look over to what he's pulling from the bag “Ooo is that-“
“Sirloin steak, medium rare with a side of lobster mac and cheese, extra sauce?” He chuckles “Sweetheart what kind of man do you take me for? How could I not get your favorite. “
You just stare at him with a lovesick smile "You're my favorite, Jack Abbot. All the time. Thank you baby…”
He smiles back softly “Oh for you? Anything.”