baked-potatoad

[baked-potatoad]

HERO 4 HIRE | Chapter One { nice to meet ya }

masterlist — the pitt x avengers crossover masterlist

Pairing: Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch x former avenger!reader.

Summary: There's a new regular in The Pitt, a woman prone to stumbles and misfortunes. She always comes when her wounds need stitching and wearing fading bruises, to the point Robby's getting worried. Until her face is all over the news: former avenger tears down crimelord and political connections.

tags: strangers to lovers; violence; injuries; mature; romcom.

a/n: got a bit carried away with the drama, but I hope you guys enjoy this first part! oh, and a special thank you to @jupitersmoon167 for helping me choose reader superhero name!

word count: 4.9k.

— this fic is dedicated to my bestfriend @faethbees luv ya 💜

You showed up one morning, in the quiet period between chaos and the first wave of people from the waiting room. Whitaker came closer to the nurses’ station to find Robby, a worried expression on his face and asking for help evaluating a case. There’s something off, he whispered, don't think she's telling the truth about how she got hurt.

Entering the room, Robby came face to face with a dislocated nose, a cut on the eyebrow, a busted lip and hand with scratches. Adding the old purple bruise in the right eye, it was hard to believe a word you said. A clumsy person that's trying to make big on the fighting ring. It was odd, but they couldn't do much. You were lucid and calm, despite the tiredness, you didn't show any behavior that could confirm their suspicions. So they discharged you like any other patient, quickly forgetting what happened.

Until you showed up again two weeks later.

With a new black eye starting to swell and bruised knuckles.

Then just two days later.

Bruised ribs and a concussion.

And then again one week later.

Sprained foot, bloody knuckles and bloody mouth.

After almost four months of collecting small injuries that required at least three stitches, you officially became a new regular. And with each passing day, Robby became even more worried. To the point where he started thinking about you even outside of his work hours.

He went to work every day wondering if he would find you still alive on his next shift.

The worst part? It seemed like only he cared about your wellbeing, struggling to maintain a professional approach while you kept flirting with him. You were friendly, an extrovert, almost like an orange cat – not a golden retriever, there was a dangerously craziness energy in you, not a silly playful one.

You always showed up around the same time, between the waves of patients, sometimes even carrying a bag full of food for the ed team – something Robby could never understand how you could get it. Other times, you brought coffee especially for him, followed by a ‘you’re the only one, handsome’ or something like ‘just a thank you for your magic hands last time’.

So you talked and flirted, and seemed to quickly know everyone within the department. You gossiped with Perlah and Princess as if you were long-time friends. Even Myrna knew who you were and had a special scandalous nickname for you (Baby Maso).

You were everywhere, but no one seemed to know any deep information about you or your life.

You were an enigma.

A puzzle he couldn't figure out.

A beautiful riddle that he wanted to get his hands on and solve.

Sometimes he had to fight the desire to shut you up with a kiss.

And that's a big damn problem.

“Your Rocky Balboa is here," Jack said as a greeting when he saw Robby approaching.

Robby sighed. "How bad is it this time?"

"Well, stitches on forehead, stitches on right cheek, stitches on left arm, stitches for a stab in the hand. And one dislocated right shoulder.” Jack enumerated. "I must say, looks like gang shit, brother."

Nodding slowly, Robby sighed again. "I know, but the police disagree."

Jack looks at him with raised brows. "For real?"

"Yeah, some detective came here. I reported her on the second visit, y'know?" Robby rubbed his face, already feeling tired and his shift hadn't even started yet. "The detective took her, said he'd keep an eye on her. Then, when I called him again, he said she was telling the truth and just to patch her up."

"Not at all suspicious." Jack whistled low, then got his backpack and threw over his shoulder. "Alright, I'm out. She's on her usual spot, sleeping."

Robby nodded, sighing for a third time. "Thanks, brother. Rest well, see you later."

He slowly made his way to the nurses' station, Dana nodded her head pointing somewhere behind her.

"Don't even bother going to see her. She's gone."

Robby blinked at her slowly. "What the hell?"

"Yeah, Whitaker went there to offer coffee and found the bed empty." Dana said, a knowing smile on her lips, sliding a paper towards him. "She left this, though."

Grabbing the piece of paper, Robby looked for a long moment, then looked to the ceiling as if he would find the answers there.

'See you soon, handsome. I'll bring coffee next time.'

You showing up during the night shift for the first time was a sign from the universe that Robby didn't catch. The following visits to the Pitt were before sunrise, and your injuries got progressively worse.

And whatever you were doing was starting to get to you. Emotionally and psychologically, as if physically wasn't enough. It was easier to notice your exhaustion, like you didn't get a chance to relax properly for just one minute.

“I'm telling you, man, I saw her somewhere before.” Shen insisted, after the ninth time you crashed into the night shift. “I think I've heard her voice on the news.”

Ellis rolled her eyes. “Why would she be on the news?”

“Dunno, can't remember.” Shen shrugged, attention returning to bed 13, where Jack was stitching you up. “Is she sleeping?”

“Yeah, think so.” Ellis answered, a bit of wonder on her face.

“Broken arm and broken fingers? A sprained foot, bruised ribs and several cuts? She's part of a fight club like Brad Pitt.” The younger attending conspired, crossing his arms as he took turns looking at the board and bed 13.

“Dr. Robby is going to flip tomorrow.” Ellis stated.

That night, Jack thought for a fleeting moment to report you again. Worried about what you got yourself into, but mostly important, worried about the effect you had on Robby's life. In the end, he didn't call anyone. Not even Robby. He let you sleep once again, waking you up before the day shift came. At least, both of you agreed that sometimes Robby didn't need to see how in bad shape you were.

Smiling in gratitude, you walked out silently and disappeared discreetly. No hesitation, even with all your injuries. Jack knew that kind of walk, that kind of behavior. He's seen this before, and deep down he wished to be wrong.

You were back to the ER two weeks later, during the day shift. It was a curse and a blessing. Limping, the cast on your arm shattered, busted lip and a nose bleeding. Dana was the first to notice you, but Princess was the quickest to move to search for Robby.

“Welcome back to the living hours, darling.” Dana greeted, meeting you halfway and turning you to room 8. Her trained eyes quickly evaluated you from head to toes. Nodding to herself, the charge nurse declared, “Robby will be here soon.”

You frowned. “Can't you call, I dunno, Samira?”

“No can do,” Dana shrugged. From where she was standing in the doorway, she could see Princess pointing in her direction and soon Robby was striding over with a worried expression on his face. “Your doctor is already here.”

“Dana, please-”

The charge nurse ignored your call and left you behind, with no time or route to escape, soon enough you were staring into a pair of sad brown eyes. You don't say anything, keeping your mouth shut for the first time since meeting him. Robby let out a shaky breath, trying to compose himself. Then his eyes roamed over your body, categorizing each wound by priority level.

“Dr. Santos, since you're here, get the necessary supplies to take care of the patient.” Robby ordered, his eyes still locked on you.

You arched an eyebrow, surprised for not having noticed the younger woman's silent approach, but incapable of breaking Robby's stare. Without saying anything, he stepped closer and reached for your face. His touch was gentle, tilting your face to assess the bleeding from your nose.

“Does it hurt?” Robby asked quietly.

His somber expression made you swallow your sassy comment, and whisper cautiously, “No, not anymore.”

He nodded, but you knew he didn't believe you. Robby shifted his eyes lower, narrowing as he noticed the rip in the right thigh of your cargo pants. “And your leg?”

“Fell down funny, but nothing broken or needing stitches.” you answered trustfully, holding back the need to shrug because you knew Robby wouldn't appreciate it.

Letting his hands fall off your face, you instantly missed his touch and warmth. Robby stepped back when Santos returned to the room. He watched the intern arrange the material and put the gloves on, then turned away, declaring a simple, “Dr. Santos, let me know when you finish her treatment. I'll see how the others are.”

“This was as good as a trainwreck,” Santos stated bluntly.

You snorted humorously. “I shouldn't have come.”

Santos didn't comment right away, choosing to wipe the blood from your face. When you were clean and she deemed the bleeding had actually stopped, she muttered closely. “He's always worried about you, y'know? At least when you come, he's sure you're still alive.”

You didn't need to ask her who she meant, it was clear enough. And it made you feel guilty for creating such a deep bond with him. At first, it wasn't anything, just you being silly and trying to distract yourself a little in the middle of the chaos you were in. Of course things quickly changed, there was a spark and connection. You felt greedy coming to The Pitt to get a little dose of Robby. Maybe you were being only selfish in the end.

A voice startled you from your thoughts. “Why can't you listen to me for once, troublemaker?”

Your head snapped towards the voice at the same time Santos turned around. Leaning on the doorframe was the detective responsible for you. You groaned. “Francis, what are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Take a guess, silly.”

“He called you?” you shouldn't feel offended nor sad about the fact, but something inside you didn't like it one bit.

Santos whistled. “Trainwreck.”

You looked incredulously at her. The intern didn't look back, focusing on renewing the cast on your arm.

“He wasn't ratting you out, in fact, he asked me why I wasn't doing my job properly.” Clint had the audacity to snicker, but composed himself after seeing your glare. Clearing his throat, he stated. “I'll give you a ride home.”

Saluting with two fingers, Clint walked away, probably to make a fool of himself to the nurses.

Nine minutes later Robby was back. An unreadable expression on his face and gloved hands. He watched Santos finish the cast on your arm in silence. A tall imposing figure at her back. And when she moved to see your thigh, Robby stopped her.

“Dr Mohan needs help to speed up the treatment of the patients.”

Santos opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but decided against it in the end. Nodding, she glanced at you before leaving in hurried steps.

There's a short pause.

“Do you want me to take off my pants, doc?”

“Jesus Christ,” Robby exhaled shakily, sliding a hand across his face.

“It's fine, I'm wearing lace.” You said softly, giving him a flirtatiously smile.

Robby squared his shoulders, stepping up and standing dangerously too close. His ears and neck turned red. He warned huskily, “Behave.”

You nodded and stayed quiet. Realizing that you would obey his warning, he checked your thigh with a feather-light touch. Robby sighed after noticing the angry bruise.

“I'm sorry for making you worry all the time,” you said, trying to keep your voice casual.

Robby took a breath, nodding once. His brown sad eyes staring at your soul. “Are you ever going to tell me the truth?”

Of course he would ask that. You knew that everyone in that ER pretended to believe in your lie (because they couldn't think of a loophole thanks to Clint coming to rescue you). Unfortunately, you couldn't risk telling him what you were really doing in Pittsburgh. Risk him. It was safer for him to think you were a gang member. Or a lunatic. He'd never survive if he knew the mess you were trying to clean up.

So you decided on a promise, you owned him at least that. “Yes, Michael.”

“But not now.”

“No.”

Not wanting to push, he excused himself. “I'll prepare your discharge papers.”

Robby didn't return with the papers.

Clint was the one to come get you, papers in hand. When you got out of the room, Robby was nowhere to be found. So you accepted defeat with a heavy heart, and left without looking back.

Meanwhile, Robby was sitting alone in the break room, cup full of coffee to try and drown his worries.

“She's gone.” Dana declared as she opened the door, raised eyebrow and a knowing look in her eyes. “Thought you'd wanna know the coast is clear, so you can stop hiding.”

“I'm not hiding,” Robby lifted the coffee he was holding. “See, I'm taking five to recharge.”

“The detective is handsome, right?” Frank joined them at the break room, a little smirk on his lips. “Blonde, fit, husky voice, blue eyes…”

“Came running to her rescue like those movie heartthrobs.” Dana sassed.

“Fuck.” Robby groaned, standing up and swiftly walking between them to get back to work.

Frank called after him, “Just saying!”

Like other times, you didn't come back to the follow-up care. However, Robby felt in his gut something was definitely wrong. The detective didn’t answer his calls, but sent an ominous text saying you were fine and staying low, whatever the hell that meant. The routine in the ER continued, forcing Robby to focus on patients and the chaotic rush of managing residents, interns and students. The worst part was when he was home alone. He tried to drown his thoughts and worries about you with housework and sleep.

You were gone for two months. Robby wasn't sleeping well, he felt like a ticking time bomb. And it got worse with Dana and Jack constantly asking if he was okay. He definitely wasn't. Detective Francis came by once during the night shift, handed over a note signed by you. Robby asked Dana to read it first, his heart clenching in his chest as he waited for the worst. He was always expecting the worst. When he heard Dana laugh, he felt his shoulders slump in sheer anxiety.

'Broke my old phone. And then noticed that I never directly gave my number to you. I'll be quitting my job soon. So let’s go out on a date, okay? I’ll wear something nice just for you.'

You were trouble. So much trouble. You’re gonna be the death of him. But that stupid note made him smile and feel like he was his stupid 20s something all over again. He texted you a simple ‘behave’ and kept smiling for the rest of the shift. Robby didn't even mind Dana and Jack teaming up to make fun of him. He went home making planes, thinking that maybe, just maybe, everything's going to finally work out for him. After almost one year of you turning his mind upside down, he should known better.

Night shift was finally slowing down around midnight, only two patients were staying until morning. Jack was updating the charts while Shen and Ellis bickered over some dumb shit they saw online when the radio crackled to life. Woman with multiple trauma, in her 30s, crashing down. ETA 3 minutes. The team was quickly to move.

Shen and Ellis went outside to help the emts with the victim. Jack stood back to prepare the trauma bay with the rest of the staff. No one was prepared to see you on the stretcher, completely covered in blood, unconscious and at death's door. Jack felt like he had been thrown back to when he was out in the field saving soldiers years ago.

“Bridget, call Robby now!” Jack yelled, his voice hard and determined.

Jack always knew this moment would come, at least it was him taking you to the OR. And he knew that whatever happened there, Robby needed to be here too. Robby would never recover if he wasn't by your side at a critical moment like this. Would never forgive himself. In the mean time, Jack would gladly Jack would gladly take the burden of opening your chest, to stop the internal bleeding, search all the bullets, cauterize all your wounds, fix your broken bones, make your heart beat with his own hands. It took hours, but Jack wouldn't lose you at that table.

Robby arrived in the ER like a raging river. Bloodshot eyes, hyperventilating, trembling hands, messed hair. He didn’t hear or see anyone around him, no one was capable of preventing him from reaching the OR. The worst part? He didn’t scream or cry out loud, his legs just gave up right there at the door.

He watched silently as Jack, Shen, Ellis and Walsh worked together with the rest of the team to save you. Rocking back and forth, Robby covered his ears but was unable to look away. There was so much blood. It was as bad as Pittfest, maybe worse, because all that blood covering floor, machines and feets was just yours.

“Please. Oh, God. Please. Not her too. Not her.” Robby repeated in a weak voice, drowned out by all the chaos.

It wasn't until he came face to face with Jack that he realized you were no longer at the table. He felt all the air escape him, heart in his throat. There was a ringing in his ear, he couldn't understand what Jack was trying to say. Robby closed his eyes, trying to breathe through the nose. Then, he looked into Jack's eyes for answers.

“She’s fine, brother. She’s alive. Breathe. We’ve got her.” Jack repeated over and over, waiting for Robby to come to his senses.

He sucked in a breath, hands clasping on Jack’s shoulders. “She’s safe?”

“Yeah, brother.” Jack nodded, watching him closely. He held Robby by his arms and helped him get up. “We took her to the pedes room, for privacy and safety. She’s gonna stay with us.”

“What the hell happened?” Robby questioned, dragging his hands on his face before looking around the now empty OR.

“I don’t know, man.” Jack shook his head, at loss. Then added, “I asked Shen and Ellis to find out, thought. Let’s get out of here. Wanna see her?”

“Yeah,” he answered softly.

Jack accompanied him to the pedes in silence. When they stopped walking, Jack looked at him carefully. “She’s sleeping now, so stay as longer you need and then meet me at the hub.”

Left alone, Robby took several deep breaths before finally opening the door and getting inside the pedes room. You were right in the middle, lying in bed with an oxygen mask and wires connecting you to the machines. He slowly came closer, standing beside your bed. His eyes analyzed every bruise, every detail. with trembling fingers, he caressed your face and brushed away the hair that had fallen into your face. You were gone for two long months and now you were there. He almost lost you on the same day his heart had filled with hope of having a chance with you. A broken laugh escaped him, the overwhelming turmoil of the situation catching him once again.

“Shit, sweetheart.” Robby whispered wrecked, eyes still wet from all the tears and voice raw of emotion. He leaned over to place a kiss on your forehead. “You have no idea how much you mean to me.”

He didn’t linger. Opting to search for Jack and get answers. He took one last look at you and carefully closed the door behind him. He found Jack and the others with one of the tv of the hub turned on the news. Frowning, Robby hurried his steps.

'Former avenger member known as Shrike tears down crimelord, and brings to light political corruption and executives connections linked to the growing wave of violence and crime in Pittsburgh. Witnesses at the scene helped the hero who was seriously injured in the aftermath, but no one knows where she was taken. What we know is that Shrike's face is all over social media for the first time after bravely using her helmet to disarm a criminal who was holding a child hostage–'

“Oh Lord,” Robby gasped, the world around him tilting down. He closed his eyes tight, hands supporting his weight on the nurse’s station.

“I knew it!” Shen squealed somewhere behind him, voice full of enthusiasm. “I said I heard her voice on the news!”

“Shut up, Shen.” Ellis elbowed him hard in the stomach. Shen let out a faint grunt of discomfort but fell silent.

Jack came closer, standing beside him and squeezing his shoulder. “She’s gonna be okay, brother.”

“I could have lost her and I wouldn’t have know.” Robby whispered, mind still reeling trying to process all the situation. “All this time I thought-”

“Does it matter now?” Jack tilted his head, trying to make eye contact with his friend, a serious expression on his face. “You can't blame yourself for a disguise she created for safety.”

Suddenly, rushing through the ambulance area, Detective Francis materialized in front of them. No, not detective Francis. Clint Barton, the avenger Hawkeye. He was still dressed in his suit, but he was carrying the famous purple bow and arrows. Robby was glad that the ER had reached a lull, with few patients to witness the situation.

“How is she?” Clint asked, pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head and squinting his eyes because of the bright light. “Got held up finishing the cleaning.”

“You.” Robby hissed.

Clint raised an eyebrow, scratching his chin unperturbed. “Yeah?”

Jack sighed. “She had surgery and is under observation. She lost a lot of blood, we removed seven bullets. Her right arm was broken in three places, had a deep cut on her temple and head trauma.”

“Well, it could be worse.” Clint nodded, shoulders relaxing. He offered a crooked smile, “She’s had worse, actually. But thank you for taking care of her stubborn ass.”

“He's so cool,” Shen whispered to Ellis, but loud enough to be heard.

Everyone ignored Shen’s comment.

“I'll take you to where she is,” Jack offered, hand pointing to the path in invitation. “I think it's best not to draw any unwanted attention right now.”

“Right.” Clint sighed, starting to follow Jack. Stopping abruptly to face Robby. “For what it’s worth, she took your safety into consideration. It's personal to her.”

The hero then followed Jack's footsteps again, disappearing down the hallway to the most secluded and discreet room in the ER.

Robby let out a shaky breath, leaning forward again, tense shoulders and head in hands. He felt like shit. Emotions and reason at war inside him. He kept repeating in his mind that she's alive, she's alive, she's alive, she’s alive like a mantra. But he remained afraid that he would wake up at any moment and be told that she had died on the trauma table.

Jack found him a few minutes later, at the ambulance entrance, sitting against the hospital wall. Knees close to the chest, arms resting on his legs and hands holding his head. Getting closer, he noticed that Robby had tears on his face, but he wasn't crying desperately like before. Jack stopped beside him, leaning against the wall, and drew in a long breath. Looking at the watch on his wrist, it was already two in the morning.

“She’s awake,” he informed, an incredulous huff escaped him. “The cut on her temple is superficial now.”

Robby snapped his head up, frowning. “What do you mean?”

“The little shit has a slight better healing metabolism, according to the hawkguy.” Jack shook his head, still not believing everything that happened. “Not like the crazy dude called dead something, or like Captain America, but there’s something. That’s what he said.”

Throwing his hands up, Robby cursed softly. “It just gets better and better the emotional rollercoaster.”

“Go home, brother.” Jack said, after looking at his friend for a long moment. “Try to rest a bit before your shift.”

Robby nodded once, slowly getting up from the ground. “Yeah, guess I’ll need all the rest I can get.” Glancing at Jack, he smiled faintly. “Thank you for calling me.”

“See you in the morning.” Jack replied, tilting his head in acknowledgement.

Rest was forced due to exhaustion. Robby barely touched the bed and passed out, everything that happened that night catching him as a wrecking ball. Four hours of sleep later, he was re-entering the ED grounds. The place bursting with energy more than normal, night shift and day shift staff completely agitated.

Dana approached him before he could reach the hub, her expression a mix of seriousness teetering on the edge of mischief. “Glad you decided to join us. Your circus has been on fire for too long already.”

Confusion settled onto his features, “I didn't get enough sleep to deal with any shit before clock in.”

“Oh, you're going to want to get involved in this one.” Dana snickered with a smirk. “Pedes room rings you a bell?”

Robby straightens up at that, glancing worriedly at the nurse charge. When she didn’t elaborate, he changed his route. Hurried his steps towards the pedes, throwing his backpack in the locker on the way. Jack was already there, standing at the pedes’ door with Shen and Perlah.

“What’s going on?” Robby asked, worried eyes trying to catch a glimpse inside.

Jack held up a hand to stop him, “She’s awake and has visitors-”

“I should make a birdcage and lock you two in there! That's not being careful!” a male voice boomed inside the room, making Jack fall silent. Despite the volume, the voice sounded more worried and exasperated than anything. “That's why I created your fucking suit, to avoid shit like this!”

“What the fuck?” Robby muttered.

Shen giddly chimed in, “Tony Stark in the flesh, dude.”

“He came from the roof not even twenty minutes ago.” Perlah informed dutifully, arms crossed.

“It's time enough,” Robby muttered.

The door opened suddenly. Tony who was about to leave stopped abruptly. He looked from Jack to Robby, and then Shen and Perlah, before his focus returned to the two senior attendants.

“I’ll be contacting the hospital for a donation to the ED as a thank you.” Tony declared simply, he glanced inside the room towards the bed before fixing Robby with curious eyes. “Take good care of her, that's my only warning.”

Without missing a beat, you hissed behind him. “Tony!”

“That’s my cue, I know the way out.”

And just like that Tony Stark, the famous IronMan, passed like a hurricane. Clint was the next to come to the door, a tired expression on his features. “Thanks again, guys. I’ll be going too for now. Gotta sleep.”

“You were drooling not even half an hour ago!” You retaliated, arms crossed petulantly.

“She’s all yours, man.” Clint said, clapping Robby’s shoulder and ignoring you. He then turned to Jack, “Can you help me gather everyone of the night shift? Wanna know everyone’s names.”

It was obvious why the hero was asking that. So Jack just nodded, and tilted his head for Shen and Perlah to go with him. The four of them quickly left Robby alone with you. He remained rooted in the doorway, staring at you on the bed. Looking breathtaking. As if you hadn't given him a terrible panic attack out of fear of losing you forever before he even had the chance to hold you.

“Are you going to stand there forever?”

You asked, eyes full of vulnerability. He didn’t answer out loud, just crossed the threshold and closed the door. He came closer with careful steps, taking one of your hands into his. You stared at each other in silence, then Robby brought your hand to his lips and kissed your knuckles.

“Please, don’t scare me like this again.” he pleaded. “I thought I was going to lose.”

You drew a sharp breath. “Michael-”

“I know you had to do what was necessary, sweetheart.” He cut you off softly, kissing the palm of your hand before bringing to his face. “I’m proud of you, don't get me wrong. But you’re important to me.”

“So,” you started, using your hand holding him to tilt his face down towards you, nose brushing against his. “You already know everything?”

“That you’re the amazing Shrike? That I want to know you inside out? Date you? Love you?” Robby whispered on your lips, almost touching. “Yeah, I already know.”

You closed the distance and kissed him, heart fluttering overwhelmed with emotion. His arms held with care, but he kissed you back all-consuming. Months of pent up emotions and tension pouring into the kiss. He licked hotly into your mouth before breaking the kiss. He rested his forehead on yours, sighing deeply in contentment.

“What do you think about home-cooked meal on a first date?” Robby breathed, one eyebrow shooting up in amused curiosity.

“If it's you, Michael, then it's perfect.” You whispered sweetly.

“Good, because you’re not leaving my sight anytime soon.”

Your laughter echoed through the room, making Robby smile goofily. Yeah, maybe, just maybe everything's going to finally work out.

thank you for reading and supporting my writing 💜

comments, likes and reblogs are welcome and appreciated!

[baked-potatoad]

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝ Chocolate Bars and Injuries

Pairing: Jack Abbot x Reader

AN: I ofc watched The Pitt and became obsessed so here’s a fic! Beware of medical inaccuracies and ooc-ness and there should be a second part because I can’t stop my self

TW: Parental death, usual medical injuries etc

Synopsis: Jack unintentionally bonds with a young patient and then somehow even more unintentionally, falls for his older sister.

PART TWO PART THREE

Dr Jack Abbot would never admit it, especially aloud but he was terribly bored. The ED wasn't exactly busy at that moment with borders waiting in the hall waiting to be transported to the appropriate departments in the hospital. Dr Shen was in triage with a med student, residents were tending to the higher priority patients coming through triage, and Dr Ellis was checking in on patients which left Jack bored at the nurses station and Jack Abbot 'hated' being bored, especially on shift.

He eyed the patient board, hoping for something even slightly interesting. Just as he was going to take another coffee break when a new case appeared on the screen. A simple adolescent with a supposed fracture, low stakes but it was something to occupy his time and so he pushed himself to his feet and swiped a tablet from the charging station, making his way to the room.

You tried your hardest to comfort your little brother as he wiggled uncomfortably on the hospital bed, trying to keep him from moving his injured arm but as time passed, it was getting increasingly harder for you to do so.

A traumatising experience months ago had meant that when you suggested taking your brother to the hospital after an accident on the jungle gym earlier that day had ended up resulting in a meltdown. It had taken hours of convincing and begging, along with a promise to get a new toy for him to finally agree and you found yourself in a sweet spot in the hospital that night. It was late enough that the rush of the day crowds had left but too early for the late night antics crowd had not yet arrived so they only had to spend an hour in the waiting room before they were shuffled into the ED and onto a free bed. Your brother had already had his x-ray taken when you arrived and so you were just waiting for the results.

You were internally debating whether or not you should quickly run and grab a chocolate bar to placate your brother when the curtain was drawn open and you were greeted by a doctor and a nurse.

"Hi there, I'm Dr Abbot" The man's eyes flicker between the two of them on the bed and then his tablet. "And I've heard you've hurt yourself little guy."

Your little brother, Caspian, whimpers in response, curling up even closer to you.

"We had a fall at the jungle gym earlier," You responded as you tried to untangle yourself from your brother, "He hurt his arm."

"I've got the x-ray results here and it looks like you've got a fracture so we'll give you a cast and then you'll get to go home." Dr Abbot turns to the nurse beside them and quickly mutters off what he needs before the nurse nods and leaves them.

"You hear that Cas?" You turn to your brother, "Nice and quick!"

Caspian's pout deepens, "Chocolate?"

You huff a disbelieving laugh at him before you turn to Dr Abbot who watched the both of you with a curious look.

"Is there a vending machine here?" You ask, already reaching for your purse.

"Yeah, down the hall and around the corner" Dr Abbot tells you, "I'll stay with him, the nurse will be back shortly."

You turn back to Caspian, cautious of how he would do without her, "I won't be long. Please behave for Dr Abbot"

You stepped past Dr Abbot as you left and he was momentarily dazed by the scent of your perfume as you breezed by. He watched you until you disappeared from his line of sight and then brought himself back to reality. For all he knew, the kid on the bed was yours and you were probably married as well.

Caspian eyed Dr Abbot with apprehension as the doctor took a seat on the stool. The doctor was generally quite awkward with children, of course he came across them and treated them when they arrived in the ED but talking and interacting with children was just out of his comfort zone. 

"So, uh, what's your favourite chocolate bar?"

Caspian giggles at his questions, his shoulders retreating from his shoulders as he considers his answer.

"Kitkat!"

Dr Abbot laughs, "Yeah? I like that too."

"I'm going to get a new toy tomorrow!" Caspian bragged to the doctor.

Jack couldn't help but laugh again. He had no idea why but he finds it easy to talk and get along with the kid.

"Yeah..Because you're doing so good today?" 

"Uh-huh!"

You returned shortly with a handful of chocolate you had got from the vending machine, interrupting their conversation and Caspian perked up at the sight of you, eagerly reaching for a kitkat.

"Thank you~" Caspian spoke around a mouthful of chocolate.

"Don't be gross and don't speak with your mouth full." You chastise Caspian, as you dumped the rest of your haul into your bag but Dr Abbot spied the smile on your face despite your words.

Soon the nurse returns with the supplies for the cast and Caspian is brought back to earth, crying into your shoulder as you try to comfort him.

"You can sit with your mom little man, but you gotta shift a bit so I can access your arm."

You freeze momentarily at his words. It's not the first time you've been mistaken as his mom, you're most definitely old enough to be but since you've gotten custody, it's happened more frequently.

"Oh I'm not his mom. I'm his older sister." You correct the doctor.

"Oh" Dr Abbot pauses, "My apologies"

You shrug, "It's fine. No worries"

Dr Abbot was silent as he wrapped Caspian's arm, only breaking the silence to ask him what colour Caspian wanted before he returned to his work. Truthfully, he wouldn't normally do something like this but it was quiet in the ED that evening and he had also taken a little liking to the quiet boy and his sister.

After he had done the final patches, he looked up and saw Caspian half asleep in his sister's arms and so he lowered his voice as he spoke to you.

"We're done here." Dr Abbot shifted his stool a bit closer to you, "It'll take around four to six weeks to heal and the nurse will be back with your discharge papers and your care plan that outlines the next steps."

"Thank you" You smile at Dr Abbot, "Seriously. Cas doesn't have the best experience in hospitals and I don't know how you did but he felt calm around you. He is usually quite upset and irritable but I think he likes you."

"Ah, it wasn't me, he's a cool kid." Dr Abbot felt shy, almost, of the gratitude he was receiving.

After you thanked him one last time before he left, you waited patiently for the nurse to return but as you dug in your bag for one of the chocolates you bought earlier for a snack, you unknowingly woke your young brother.

"Dr Abbot likes KitKat…" Caspian murmurs against your shoulder, surprising you.

"Holy sh—" You gasp, your heart thundering against your chest, "Did I wake you?"

Caspian nods before he repeats what he said, "Dr Abbot likes KitKat."

"...Yeah I heard you…" Your words trail off as you get a sudden idea, digging back in your bag for a random receipt and grabbing a pen nearby.

Hours later, long after you and your brother had been discharged, Dr Jack Abbot was sitting at the nurses station, taking a breather after a sudden rapid set of back to back patients. He was sipping his coffee and talking to the night shift charge nurse when the nurse he had worked with earlier made their way over to him with something in their hand.

The nurse had a soft smile as they passed over the item, "This was left behind for you."

Jack reached for the item, a curious expression on his face. "By the kid?"

The nurse nodded before they left, returning to other patients.

Jack looked down at the item and smiled. It was a Kitkat bar wrapped in an old receipt that had a little note scribbled on it.

'Cas said you liked Kitkats. I hope you enjoy it ❤'

Veronica, the night shift charge nurse curiously peers over at him, "What's that?"

Jack waved the chocolate bar before he opened it up and took a quick bite before he elaborated, "The sister of the kid with the broken arm left this for me. She bought a bunch from the vending machine earlier."

Veronica smiled at him, "That's kind of her."

Jack smiled to himself, "...Yeah"

It would be just under two months later when you see Dr Abbot again but at least this time it was you in the hospital bed and not Caspian.

It was nearing one am and you were relaxed in the hospital bed, sleep tugging at you as you tried your hardest not to drift asleep. Caspian was fast asleep in your lap and you felt almost jealous of him. If your palm wasn't almost split in half and burning in pain, you would have gone to sleep and gone to the hospital the next day but alas that wouldn't have been a good idea.

You were on the edge of falling asleep when the door opened and a doctor introduced himself.

It was Dr Abbot again.

The doctor paused at the end of the bed, recognising you as well.

You sat up, the urge to sleep disappearing at the sight of the doctor, smile tugging on your lips, "Dr Abbot, it's you again"

"You know, most people don't see an ED doc twice in a month and if they do, they usually aren't happy about it" Dr Abbot replied as he read over your chart.

“Can I be technical and count them separately?” You joke, “Once as a family member and once as a patient, they can’t be combined.”

“Says who?” Jack asks, pulling up a stool up to your side to examine your wound.

“I say,” you joke once more, pausing when Dr. Abbott looks up at you. “Or do I need a doctor’s backing as well?”

His movements are gentle, pausing to give you a moment to breathe after you wince in pain when he gently pulls away the dishcloth you had haphazardly wrapped around your hand after you had sliced it open. His words are soft as he explains his actions, his voice a low murmur that sends a warm shiver down your spine. His touch is soft yet firm, confidence and warmth radiating through his gloves as he pokes and prods around your wound.

"How did this happen?"

"Lost a fight against a craft knife" You laugh.

"Yeah, those don't tend to end well." Jack murmurs, eyes still on your hand.

"I found some of those DIY decorations online and decided to try it out," You huff and roll your eyes, "I think next time I'll just stick to stuff in the stores."

"It's going to need stitches" Dr Abbot announces as he pulls back and stands, "I'll be back with the nurse and then we can get started."

Dr Abbot disappears quickly but the door slamming behind him wakes Caspian and now you were tasked with calming the tired and irritable five-year old with one hand but when Dr Abbot returns, all of Caspian's bad mood disappears at the appearance of the doctor. You were surprised he even remembered Dr Abbot but you weren't going to complain.

"Dr Abbot!" Caspian beams.

"Caspian!" Dr Abbot indulges the young child, "How's your arm?"

Caspian flaunts his cast free arm proudly, "It's better now, it doesn't hurt nomore!"

"And you're keeping out of trouble? Being good for your big sister?" Dr Abbot asks, gently guiding your arm into the correct position as he pulls the tray of equipment he needs closer.

Caspian nods before you pass him your phone and send him to the chair in the corner of the room so he can entertain himself and not see you get stitched up.

"I wanted to apologise again about last time" Dr Abbot says as he meticulously stitches you up after he numbed the area.

At your confused expression, he elaborates, "When I called you Caspian's mother."

"You're not the first one to think that so don't beat yourself up. I'm twenty-five years older than him so it's a common assumption," You clarify, laughing at the shocked expression on the doctor's face, "I was a 'oh shit we're too young to have kids baby' and he was a 'oh shit we're too old to have kids baby'."

Jack can't help but be curious, his mouth opening before he could stop himself, "And you take care of him? What about your parents?"

At this, your expression changes slightly. Your brows lower and your lips pout a bit, "They uh- died a few months ago…car accident."

Once again, Jack had shot himself in the foot.

"My apologies. Again." Jack murmurs as he finishes up the stitches, "I apparently can't help but put my foot in my mouth whenever I speak to you."

Your lips quirk at his admission, "You get nervous when you speak to me?"

Jack's eyes flicker up at you, his own lips falling into a small smile, "Are you teasing me?"

"More like flirting but I think I need to brush up on my skills." Your eyes never leave Jack's face.

Oh how Jack wanted to flirt back but you were young. Too young, he tried to rationalise. He was in his mid forties and you were in your early thirties at most. Both adults yes, but Jack tries to convince himself that the age gap is too large.

Jack will always deny it but you were certain you saw him flush. Red spread across the top of his cheeks before he tucked his head down in embarrassment. Jack finishes stitching and wrapping your hand in silence before he pulls away, telling you the next steps once you've left the hospital. Feeling guilty of putting him on the spot, you reach out to grab his wrist with you non-injured hand, pulling him to a stop,

"I'm sorry," You apologize, "If I overstepped or made you uncomfortable. It wasn't my intention, I promise." 

"No harm done, I assure you." Jack tries his hardest to appear unaffected, stepping away from you, "We're done here, the nurse will be back soon with your discharge papers."

"Actually," You reach back out to take hold of his arm and shyly look up at him,"If you have the time, can you keep an eye on him for a moment? I need the bathroom."

Jack considered it for a moment, he wasn't needed at the moment and all the nurses needed to do was call his name and he'll come running so he agreed, "Sure."

You squeeze his arm thankfully before you leave the room which catches Caspian's attention and he watches you leave with wide eyes. 

Jack turns to the young boy, "I enjoyed the chocolate you left me last time."

Caspian's eyes light up at Jack's word as he climbs down off of the chair before he climbs onto the bed so that he is closer to Jack. "I told her you liked 'em!"

Jack paused, the idea of reciprocating the chocolate gifting entering his head. 

"Hey kid," Jack focused back on Caspian, "What's your sister's favourite chocolate?"

Caspian's nose scrunched in disgust as he answered, "Bounty…gross!"

Jack's own nose scrunches in disgust at the answer, "...Yeah you're right about that kid."

Soon you return back to the room, the nurse not far behind you as they hand you the discharge paper for you to sign.

"Did you drive here? How are you getting home?" Jack asked, concern leaking through his words.

The nurse flashes him a curious look, a doctor did not usually concern themselves with how patients were getting home.

You peer up at him from where you were signing the papers, "No we taxied. We'll be fine won't we Cas?"

"Yep!" Caspian chirped.

Jack paused as if he wanted to say more before he eventually nodded, wishing them well before leaving. Jack immediately made his way to the vending machine and bought a Bounty chocolate bar and when he returned to the nurses station and pulled out a post-it note and a pen, he paused as he thought about what he should write before settling on, 

'Let's hope the next time I see you, it isn't in my ED. Enjoy. - Jack Abbot'

"You're not going to leave your number?" Teased Veronica over his shoulder.

In a moment of doubt, he asked her for advice, "It's not too much is it?"

"No! It has a good mix of flirting and you, Sergeant grumpy" Veronica assures, referencing the nickname he had garnered during his time at The Pitt.

Jack watches as the nurse guides you and your brother out of the ED and Veronica leans down to whisper in his ear, "You're running out of time."

Jack knows she is right so he quickly follows after you,  the chocolate bar held firmly in his hand as he searches for you in front of the hospital. 

"Hey," He calls your name, jogging up to you, holding out the chocolate bar towards you, "A little birdie helped me return the favour."

You looked down and smiled at the bounty chocolate bar in your hands, "My favourite! This little birdie of yours is very smart."

You grin down at Caspian who simply smiled tiredly, the late hour affecting him now.

Just then the taxi pulled up, and you placed the chocolate in your pocket as you focussed getting Caspian buckled inside but before you made your way into the cab, you smiled at him. A full sincere smile that leaves Jack breathless.

"Thank you Dr Abbot, for everything. You've made our hospital visits durable and Cas has really taken a liken to you. Really, thank you for everything" 

With that you wave at him before you climb into the cab which shortly pulls away leaving Jack alone in front of the hospital, kicking himself for not writing his phone number on the post-it.

Jack let out a dismayed sigh before returning back to the ED, regretting letting you leave without a number.  

[baked-potatoad]

Sweet Heart (one-shot)

Synopsis:

The Pitt x The Bear (I've been thinking about this crossover for so long). I might make this a sort of interconnected standalone series :)

There is someone new living in the apartment across the hall from him. 14B. And 14B makes the best desserts ever, Jack Abbot being the lucky bastard that he is, gets to test them out first. However, he has never met 14B. Not until an accident brings her into his ED.

Pairing: Dr. Jack Abbot x fem!chef!Reader (age-gap - reader is stated to be 27 for the purposes of the story, Jack is mid to late 40ies);

Platonic! Carmy x fem!chef!Reader

Genre: pretty much pure fluff

Warnings: injuries (a cut ligament to be specific), talks of depression and suicide by our two favorite older men, mentions of a lost spouse, Pittfest, medical inaccuracies, though I did my best with the palm anatomy research (based on something that actually happend to my colleague) but I don't think anything else really

Word count: 11,206

The day had been absolute shit.

            Not that Jack really had any other kind, it was just shit and shittier, but that one had been one of the shittiest ones yet.

            For one, his shift ended with the death of a vet, and those always hit too close to home, poking holes into the walls he’d built around himself. But he didn’t even get a full day’s rest, a proper amount of time to process it, as the Pittfest shooting happened, and he had to rush back to the ED hours before his next one started, which was not how he’d planned on spending the time off he had.

            It was a routine – get home, maybe catch a couple of hours of shut-eye (at best, though he did attempt to give his body a proper rest), then heat up some of the leftover pasta he had in the fridge, and then, as a cherry on top before going back to the Pitt, delight himself into some dessert left on his doorstep by his neighbor from 14B.

            Instead, he’d had to leave the pasta bowl in the microwave, and he didn’t even have time to put on the prosthesis sock. He just had to raw-dog it out of the house, when the police scanner informed him of the mass shooting. He didn’t even get a chance to look towards the greeting mat in front of his door for a Tupperware; that was how quickly he rushed back to PTMC.

            112 people lived. 6 died. It could have been worse, he tried to compartmentalize. They were in the trade of balancing the scales of life and death, so anytime the life one tipped lower, Jack could breathe a sigh of relief.

            However, injuries and death, he knew how to deal with, despite the impact it always had. Having to talk your best friend off the ledge though, was a different beast. Because this time it was different. This time, as Jack watched Robby stand on the wrong side of the railing, he thought he might actually take that final step.

            So he talked, he was the voice of reason, like Robby had been to him on the mornings when the weight of the world just pressed down a bit too hard on his shoulders. The first proper breath Jack got to take was when Robby stepped back onto the safe side of the roof, walking with him back down to the chaos that was their workplace, where finally, a few hours later, they could emerge into the night, surrounded by their residents and students and interns, all sharing a drink of victory.

            And where most of their days would end, they’d go back home, get a full night’s rest, hopefully, one not filled with nightmares, Jack’s had only begun. He still had a night shift to manage.

            So, with a clap on Robby’s back, and a promise from Shen they'd hold down the fort, he drove back home for a couple of hours, if only to regroup and clean his scrubs before returning to the maw of the beast.

            This time though, he did glance down beside his door, only to be met with disappointment, when nothing awaited him. On the one day he so desperately wished for a sweet thing, there was nothing.

            Jack’s brows furrowed as he glanced across the hall towards the door of 14B.

            He’d never met the inhabitant of the flat. He’d never once seen anyone enter or exit, and would only sometimes hear quiet shuffling or soft humming.

            For a while, after Mr Redford who’d lived there for the past twenty years, only to move away to Sicily as some sort of a midlife crisis thing, the apartment had stood empty. And then one morning, about four months ago, as Jack had dragged his tired and sore body home, he noticed a new greeting mat by the door.

            His head slowly moved in a nod of approval. His only hope was that whoever now lived there, was a quiet and respectful person, but his brows rose in surprise when he went to unlock his own door, only for his foot to meet a Tupperware container, a neatly folded piece of paper on top.

            With a grunt he leaned down and took the glass square, opening the note.

Hi! This is from 14B across the hall. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. Miss June from 2nd floor said you’re a doctor, so I dunno when or if we’ll have a chance to see one another, but I just wanted to do the neighborly thing and say hello. :) Inside are some Millionaire-shortbread-brownies. I swear they are not poisoned, but I am trying to perfect the recipe, so any and all feedback is appreciated, as long as it’s constructive. (If you actually throw them out, it’s fine, but please don’t tell me that). Besides, I need a new taste-tester, living in a new place and all that. P.S. ingredient list is attached to the bottom, just in case you have any allergies or food restrictions. Hope you enjoy! :)

            Jack stared at the container, finger slipping over the other paper attached to the back with tape, and turned to look at 14B as if he had some sort of laser vision, and could see through into the apartment.

            He waited for a minute, two, three, but still the door remained closed. He could just go there and knock, do the neighborly thing like 14B had tried and introduce himself to the new occupant, but then he heard the entrance door on the first floor click open, and took it as his cue to enter his own flat, Tupperware in hand though. He didn’t wanna get caught looking at the apartment like some sort of a creep.

            Slipping his bag down his shoulder, he left it by the couch, before plopping onto it. For a second, the dessert and 14B were forgotten, as Jack rolled up his scrub pants and removed his prosthetic.

            The leg had been killing him the entire shift, as the heel of his prosthetic had been worn down really bad on one side, and the new one was still in transit, so his weight distribution was completely off. The thought of having to walk up those five flights of stairs had made him want to go back to PTMC and finally fling himself off the edge.

            Jack allowed himself a couple of moments of pleasure, of simply existing in silence, before he stood up, grabbed the crutch he’d left resting against the couch, and ventured to the bathroom.

            He stripped off, throwing the scrubs in the washing machine, and allowed the hot water of the shower to wash away the thoughts of the day. After he’d run the water cold, with just a towel around his hips, he went back to the living room, but not before putting his scrubs into the drier, and finally took a real look at the Tupperware and its contents.

            Even without fully lifting the lid off, Jack was immediately enveloped by the sweet scent of chocolate, caramel and butter.

            He’d never been a desserts kind of a man, but he swore after taking the smallest bite of the brownie, quite literally popping a piece of crumb into his mouth, he would marry whoever had made it.

            It was decadent in all the ways that mattered, but not so dense you would be filled up by just one bite. The shortbread bottom had a nice, salty flavor to it, and how 14B had managed to keep the caramel the stretchy kind, was beyond Jack’s understanding. But he didn’t really bake either, so there was also that.

            There was no police scanner on, there was no TV or radio, just the sounds of Pittsburg in the morning, as Jack, for the first time in ages, enjoyed something sweet.

            The beeping of the drier was his cue to get up and get to bed, needing to grab at least a couple of hours of sleep before going back to PTMC, but before he did that, he took out the rest of the brownie and put it in his own container, washing 14B’s. As he exited and ventured over to the apartment, clad in some plaid pyjamas, he placed a note inside with a small comment,

“hope you’re settling in well, 14B. maybe some flaky salt on top, and it’d be a 10/10. current rating – 9.85/10. have a good day. 13A”

Once more, Jack debated whether or not he should try and knock, but it was already close to ten in the morning, and most normal people would be at their jobs, so he just placed the container down by the door, but not directly in front of it. Their doors swung out.

He lingered for a second, as if maybe whoever was on the other side would feel his presence. Why in the world was he so intrigued by 14B’s new inhabitant? Better yet – why did he suddenly feel so drawn towards someone he’d never met?

With one final glance, it was time for Jack to go, and dive into his bed. This time, he actually slept quite well and felt fairly rested for the night ahead. When he got to the Pitt, Robby passed the baton onto him without the need to venture up to the roof.

By the time he got home, leaving Robby in charge again, and was walking up to the fifth floor of his home, he was greeted by another Tupperware.

            Jack lifted it and took off the Post-It on top.

“Thank you!” it read in neat handwriting. “Will add it to the next batch! In the meantime, try this instead!  From 14B”

            And that is how this weird exchange began as an anonymous stranger managed to make Jack find a silver lining even on his bad days.

            Jack would return home to find some sort of a dessert in a glass container waiting for him, a piece of paper explaining the ingredients and allergens attached to it. He had given back a note once saying he didn’t have any restrictions, but still, it showed up, though it seemed like his words had unlocked some closed creativity and flavor vault, as 14B started to experiment with taste profiles.

            Sometimes it was as basic as a butter croissant, the flakiest one he'd ever eaten, pastry dough no doubt hand-laminated, and then sometimes it was as extravagant as a panna cotta with passion fruit jam and candied orange zest on top.

            More often than not, as Jack would dig into the sweet treat of the day, his eyes would roll to the back of his head in pleasure. After thoroughly enjoying it, he’d take a piece of paper and write down his thoughts, though he didn’t actually think he had much insight to give. Then he’d clean out the container and leave it by 14B’s doorstep.

            It was shift after shift, and they continued on with this dance. Sometimes he got a repeat dessert, but with whatever improvements Jack had told it needed, however, the one thing he looked forward to most was the notes, as he tried to figure out who 14B might actually be.

            Jack had a few theories and he wrote down the small deductions in a little notebook he’d started to keep.

            He was fairly certain it was a woman. Call him stereotypical, as much as he wouldn’t like to hear it, but he just couldn’t imagine a man doing such a thing, especially for so long.

            The handwriting was also too neat. Too clean and precise. But then again, maybe normal men who didn’t work in the medical field and didn’t have illegible cursive also had normal-looking handwriting.

            Jack had debated whether or not this person could be in the same profession as him, or maybe the same field due to the way 14B always gave him a full-on ingredient and allergen list, but he’d struck that out. The timing and consistency of the desserts appearing by his doorstep, were way too precise because even techs and sanitary workers couldn’t predict their hours so well. A hospital was one big hamster wheel that was spinning non-stop, and people just had to try and find when to jump if they wanted to get home.

            Finally, after dessert number 44 (thought he’d come to that conclusion by dessert 5 really), Jack had settled on the fact that 14B had to be a chef or a chef in training because when he’d gotten home, a still-hot dark chocolate lava cake had waited for him, a yuzu and raspberry sauce in a smaller container to the side. It was still something he dreamt about on the darker days.

            So now, returning home on one of the worst days he’d had at the Pitt, after one of the worst mass-casualty events they’d had to deal with, without a container and note waiting for him, was anxiety-inducing.

            A horrendous thought entered his mind – could 14B have been there at Pittfest? Could she have been one of the people he treated? Or had she been one of the unlucky ones who got a ride directly to the morgue?

            His feet carried him to the door in an instant, heart pounding in his chest. He was just about ready to knock when something crashed behind there.

            “Fucking hell,” Jack heard muffled swearing. “That’s batch number fucking three for the trash.”

            She was there.

            14B was right there, and seemingly warring with her food.

            Jack’s heart rate returned to normal and as it did so, he took a step back. Then another. And another until he was back at his own door.

            14B was alive, which meant Jack could get some rest.

            By the time he was back on his feet ready to finish off the shift, this time a proper prosthetic sock on, if only to help out a bit with the pain, it was dark outside, but Pittsburg seemed quieter. Like it was still reeling from what happened during the day.

            He could make his way to the Pitt blindfolded, as he’d taken the route so many times in his life by then, however, what was unusual was finding Robby there by the lockers. Jack was sure he had left to go home.

            “Brother, and I mean this with love, what the fuck are you still doing here?” he pulled him in for a hug. They both needed it.

            Robby ran a hand over his face, leaning to rest against the metal doors. “I know we took an oath to help and save people, but God, do I think we all should be afforded one murder per year. And I know how that sounds after today.”

            Jack snorted, putting in his combination and unlocking it. “Tell me about it.”

            “I get dibs on Gloria.”

            “What’d she harass you about now? I mean seriously, tonight after everything?”

            “Got on my ass about Santos.”

            The vet raised a brow. The intern was reckless, that was for sure, but her instincts were in the right place, as Jack had found out about her having done a REBOA unsupervised. She just had to hone them and start to listen to authority, otherwise, it could end badly for someone, and most likely, she wouldn’t be the victim.

            “Some reporter wants to sue. Says she chucked his phone into a mop bucket. Damage of personal property or some sort of bullshit.” Robby slammed his head back against the doors. “He literally took an actual victim’s hoodie just to get inside the hospital, and now he wants to sue?”

            “Jesus, and Gloria’s on his side? It hasn’t even been 24 hours!”

            “Gloria’s on the side that costs the least amount of money for PTMC.” Robby let out a scoff. “And a lawsuit is definitely on the expensive list.”

            “Yeah, well sucks to be her. She should start properly staffing us with nurses and security, and this kind of shit wouldn’t happen then.”

            Robby gave his friend a tired smile. It was a soul-tired kind of smile, something Jack understood intimately. “And yet despite all that, we always come back.”

            “Someone has to.”

            For a moment they basked in the silence between them, but it was never fully quiet. Not at the Pitt. Sirens could still be heard somewhere in the distance, probably coming towards them. For others, they had white noise in the background, or maybe a thunderstorm app on. They? They had ambulance wails and heart rate monitors.

            Robby clapped him on the shoulder. “Ready to take on the night, brother?”

            “As I’ll ever be,” Jack responded with the same gesture. “Someone has to keep Shen from saying certain stupid words.”

            “Heard this full moon’s gonna be one of those super moons or something too.” Robby slung his backpack on his shoulders, chuckling at Jack’s groan.

            “Then god help us all, and someone better find some tape for John’s mouth.”

            “You know what does help?” Robby took a glance from the side. “Those cookies from 14B. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything that tasted that good. Maybe you could ask for the recipe?”

            It had been day 84 when 14B had given him a larger container filled with browned butter, and dark chocolate chip cookies, dusted with freeze-dried raspberry powder. Robby had come over for a drink, as he had a day off, and when he’d found them on a plate, after taking just one bite, had pretty much melted into the cushions.

            “There is no fucking way you made these,” he practically moaned at the taste. Not that Jack could say he was any better when he’d tasted them. “And these are way too good to be store-bought.”

            “What? You don’t think I can bake?”

            “Not like this. Your speciality is Kraft. This is fucking artisanal.”

            That was when Jack had come clean about the situation with the apartment across the hall.

             Ever since that day, his brother-in-arms had been on his ass about getting the actual recipes with step-by-step instructions on how to make these wonderful desserts, because when Jack had given Robby the ingredient list for one of them, it hadn’t come out nearly as well, as when 14B had done it.

            One time, during day 99, Jack had brought in a piece of rum-soaked chocolate sponge cake, filled with blackberry jam in between the layers and coated in a chicory Mascarpone and Philadelphia cream cheese frosting, only to have Robby basically attack him like a vulture about how he still hadn’t made any contact with 14B apart from the notes they exchanged.

            “Don’t you wanna know who it is?”

            “Sure,” Jack shrugged. “But this way works too. Besides, I don’t think our schedules really align.”

            Robby just raised a brow at the dry rebuttal, stealing a bite from the cake, which Jack could only accept with a sigh. “Well, if you don’t I just might, and I just might and go on marry them. This is fucking nuts!”

            Jack couldn’t fault him for the sentiment, because it wasn’t the food he had slowly started to fall for either, it was the person on the other end making it.

            He still didn’t know how old she was (if 14B even was a she, but he was 99% sure he was right about that), or how she looked, but he knew her favorite book. Her favorite song and color. He knew she loved thunderstorms and lightning, that it was how she slept the best. He knew she loved indie rock, but pop-punk was her favorite music genre. He knew that and so many other little things that’d allowed him to form a version of the person behind 14B. Someone with a heart as sweet, as the desserts she made.

            But in the present, Jack just shook his head, giving Robby one last goodbye for the night. He hoped he would take the next day off, maybe a week or so. However, who was he to talk about a work-life balance when his whole life practically was his work. And, well, being a dessert taste-tester, but that was more a side gig.

            The night was surprisingly calm, a word he didn’t dare say out loud, and anytime anyone thought Shen just might, someone physically clapped a hand over the man’s mouth. A patient even shushed him as she was being prepped for an appendectomy, eyes wide as she looked at Jack and Mateo.

            “Isn’t that like totally illegal to say here?”

            “It is if he wants to remain an attending.” Jack gave Shen a look, a good-natured one, but that still said – do not say the ‘q’ word or the ‘c’ word or the ‘p’ word. Not after the day they’d had.

            John just rolled his eyes but did lift his hands in surrender, as he left the room to deal with other patients.

            And so, the night rolled on without too many intense traumas, as if even the supermoon hanging over the world, had decided to give them a break because they needed it. Jack needed it. Methodical, almost tear-jerkingly borking kind of work, where he didn’t need to call a time of death or watch someone code or try and get a life-saving surgery scheduled with all ORs already full.

            By the time it was 3:26 in the morning, Jack was on his third cup of coffee, when a soft voice invaded the ED.

            “Carmy, seriously, I’m fine,” a young woman, mid-to-late twenties by the looks of it, was trying to calm down the clearly anxious man next to her, as they walked to Lupe sitting behind the clerk’s desk. “They’re just gonna stitch me up, and I’ll be back on track.”

            “I mean that seemed way deeper than the usual cuts.” The blond man was chewing on the bottom of his lip.

            “Yeah, well, it’s why we’re here,” she rolled her Y/E/C eyes, thanking Lupe for the forms and venturing to sit down in one of the open chairs. “Per your insistence, might I add?”

            He ran a hand through his curly hair. “Oh, sorry for caring about how you were bleeding all over the counter.”

            “It’s just a cut! Honestly, I would’ve been fine with the first aid kit at home.”

            The man, Carmy as she’d called him, gave her a look. “We’ll see what the doctor has to say.”

            With that, Jack glanced up at the monitor as a new name appeared, one of the only three there at the moment. He nodded to Princess who was sitting behind the HUB. “I’ll take care of this.”

            This he could do. This was not a critical, high-stakes thing. This was hooking someone up to fluids, cleaning and assessing a wound, and giving some nice stitches, telling them to take it easy, and schedule a follow-up with their PM to get the threads out.

            As Perlah instructed the woman to follow her, Carmy going with like a puppy, Jack trailed on behind, eyes scanning the print-out Princess had given him.

            Name: Y/N Y/L/N

            Gender: Female

            Age: 27

            Type of injury: cut on the hand; the bleeding hasn’t stopped after thirty minutes of continuously applied pressure.

            “My name is Jack Abbot,” he introduced himself, entering the room Perlah had settled Y/N in. “And I will be your doctor today. What seems to be the issue?”

            She lifted her towel-covered hand, the material soaked through with blood. “Hi! I’m uh, Y/N and, I just gave myself a bit of a cut.”

            “A bit?” Jack snorted, eyeing the cloth that was still getting visibly soaked through.

            “Look, I was just a bit distracted while cutting some lemons, and the knife slipped. Sliced through the skin by my thumb. Honestly, the juice in the wound hurt more than the cut itself,” she let out a weak chuckle while Jack put on some gloves and sat down on the rolling chair, sliding in between her legs.

            “It’s not just a ‘flesh wound’,” Carmy pinched the bridge of his nose, and Jack threw him an appraising look, mouth pursed while he untied the injured hand.

            “Are you her partner?”

            But before he could reply, Y/N butted in with a warm smile. “If this is some way to try and figure out if he was the one that cut me, then no. He didn’t. But I’m grateful you’re looking out for me like that.”

            “Just doing my job.” Jack shook his head. “Seen such things one too many times, and it’s hospital policy only family or legal guardians are allowed into the room, unless otherwise stated.”

            Y/N snorted. “Carmen’s more than okay to stay, but I mean on the other hand…” she wiggled her brows at her friend, who just stared back as deadpan as Jack was. “Geez, tough crowd.”

            “We’re co-workers,” Carmen offered as he sat down on another chair that was in the corner, crossing his arms over his chest. “And we’re both chefs, so I know it’s more than just a surface cut. I think she might’ve severed a tendon.”

            “Now why would you say that!?” Y/N snapped her head to him. “I say this is just a couple of stitches, and I’m on my way. Right, doc?”

            Carmen sighed. “All I’m saying is, we kept steady pressure on the wound, wrapped it for fifteen minutes straight, and fifteen more minutes later, she is still bleeding. Went through two towels already. Look, Y/N has a really high pain tolerance, but I’m worried about this.”

            “Oh, please!” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “You men just like to exaggerate everything.”

            “You literally told Syd one of those what was it, ovarian cysts? Yeah, it burst, and you thought it was cramps when you should’ve been at the hospital.”

            “PCOS is a bitch, what can I say,” she shrugged like it was a self-explanatory thing, and Perlah who was helping Jack place a sanitary pad underneath her hand, disposing of the dishtowel in the trash, muttered a small ‘word’ underneath her breath, eliciting a smile from Y/N.

            Jack, the good doctor he was, had been listening the whole time, making mental notes and asking Perlah to jot down some physical ones as well, but where he’d had to take in a breath and clear his throat had been when Carmen had told him their profession.

            Chefs.

            No, he reasoned. It couldn’t be, could it? Probably not. Pittsburg was a huge city and populated by many people with many different professions, and there had to be thousands if not tens of thousands of chefs even in the area they were in.

            Just in case he leaned over her chart and checked the address, but a Chicago zip code stared back at him, sending a pang of disappointment through his chest, because ever since Y/N’s eyes had met his, Jack swore she was his mysterious pastry fairy.

            There was this unexplainable warmth that’d seeped through his veins as if they already knew one another. As if he could ask what was the latest book she was reading, and Y/N would give him the answer from the post it from two days ago. But she wasn’t 14B. However, she was still a woman in need of medical attention.

            “Alright,” Jack finally positioned her hand in a way where he could see the issue better. “I will have Nurse Perlah hook you up to some fluids to counter the blood loss, in a bit too. Are you allergic to any medicine?”

            “Nope,” Y/N shook her head. “At least none I’ve been given before.”

             As gently as possible, Jack took hold of her wrist and helped her expand her fingers as far as they would go without causing much pain.

            It wasn’t a horrible bleed, but still a steady one, no doubt the worst of it having happened right after the cut. Even through the gloves he had on, Jack could feel the calluses marring her palm, signs of a skilled laborer. He trailed over where blisters and nicks had left small scars, and fuck… did her hand feel perfect in his.

            Well, apart from the massive cut sitting right at the base of her thumb. Clearly, the knife had gone through the commissural ligament. As he pressed against the wounded area, testing the nerves and reflexes, Perlah was already prepping gauze and oral painkillers, as both without a word understood there would be no simple stitching for them that night.

            “Okay, Y/N,” he murmured, taking hold of her wrist and twisting it as carefully as he could, and still, something in his heart tugged at the sharp intake of air, and the swearing she did under her breath. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thoughts of 14B swearing just the same way a few hours prior. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

            “Uh, good?” She raised a brow, as Perlah handed her a small cup of pills and water, explaining it was for the pain. Y/N took them down in one gulp.

            “We’ll need some x-rays to confirm, but once they’re back, we can get you scheduled for surgery in a few hours.”

            “You said you had good news!” she scoffed.

            “Well, the bad news, at least for you, is that your friend’s right. This is more than a surface cut. It looks like you’ve managed to potentially sever one of the ligaments that's attached to your thumb.”

            She threw both men a scathing look, before settling on Carmen. “Not. A. Word.”

            “I didn’t even say anything!”

            “Then keep doing that.” She looked back at Jack. “But like how serious are you about that surgery? Because honestly, it doesn’t hurt that bad. Can’t you just pop in a couple of threads and send me on my way?”

            A smile he had no control over, bloomed on Jack’s lips at Y/N’s words, while Perlah helped her lay down onto the bed, going to the other side of the woman and asking for her hand to prep an IV line. “I promise you, you want this surgery, and you want this done by a professional. You have a cut, potentially severed, ligament, and it needs proper stitching. The hand is incredibly complex, and this unfortunately isn’t the kinda thing you want me to have a go at.”

            Y/N eyed him up and down. “Aren’t you supposed to be a professional?”

            “Well, unless you never want to use your thumb again, I can always give it a go.” He pulled off his gloves, trashing them.

            “Well, not with that attitude,” she grumbled.

            “It’s quick,” Jack could feel the way he wanted to give a full smile, but if he started grinning like a madman, Perlah would make sure he got put in a padded cell at the sight. “You won’t even be fully under, and I will make sure you have the best on it.”

            She huffed, head lulling to the side and giving Carmen a dirty look. “You know this is all your fault, right?”

            “Wh – what? How?” He looked affronted, face completely red.

            “Well, you made me come here, didn’t you?”

            If Carmen pinched the bridge of his nose any harder, Jack might need to get him in for a rhinoplasty. “And if I hadn’t, you maybe would’ve lost all hope at ever moving your thumb! Did you not listen to a thing the doctor said?”

            She tried to cross her arms, but when she realized she couldn’t – one bandaged by her side the other being examined by Perlah as she tried to find a good vein on the top of her hand, Y/N glared at Carmen and then Jack. “I hope neither of you expect me to say you’re right.”

            “Please,” Carmen sighed running a hand through his hair. “I think Syd would have an aneurysm if she found out. Bet she could feel it all the way from Chicago; such a drastic shift in the cosmos.”

            Good, Jack thought as they talked, let him distract her from it all, as Y/N clearly had understood the severity of the situation while he went to call up ortho and ask for the hand surgeon, as he had a possible severed ligament on the way.

            “Thank you for putting up with me,” Y/N no doubt muttered to Carmen, as Jack tried to focus on the person at the other end of the line, confirming her slot for the OR.

            “Hey, I need my best pastry chef to be right as rain.”

            “Now I think Marcus might have a stroke,” she laughed, and Jack’s head almost snapped around at her words.

Chef was one thing, but a pastry chef? A chef specialising in desserts?

            Too many coincidences had happened that night.

            Way too many to be just coincidences.

            And he’d always been a man who followed his gut, despite it being no-man’s-land.

            Jack was positive he’d never seen her face before; he was sure of it. There would be no way in hell, he’d ever be able to forget it, but her whole being… her smile, the kindness in her eyes, the intensity of her words… it was like coming home and having the nightlight left on for you.

            Maybe the previous day’s mass-casualty event had impacted him a lot more than he thought. Maybe he was trying and hoping to find 14B safe and sound, all because a single dessert hadn’t been left out for him.

            But it was the way all the small details 14B had revealed about herself, that fit Y/N to a T, that made him truly wonder.

            14B who always managed to make him smile.

            14B who always took into account his suggestions, and gave him an improved recipe to try.

            14B who made sure to give him just enough of the sweet treat, that he had leftovers for the next day.

            “Oh,” it was Y/N speaking up that brought Jack out of his thoughts about the pastry ghost down the hall. “And also, can you tell Luca to give me a call when he can? I’d like his opinion on the blueberry and lemon pie. I think I might change up the ratio of the lemon, but I dunno if it’d be good overall unless I also increase the amount of basil in the peppermint drizzle.”

            The penny finally dropped.

            Blueberry-lemon pie with a basil and peppermint drizzle.

            No doubt with a saltine and Grahm cracker-mix crust.

            No. There was no such thing as coincidences, at least Jack didn’t believe in them anymore, not when it was way too specific of a recipe. One that he’d been a test subject to four days prior. One where he’d commented on how, maybe it was just what his taste buds liked, but he thought it’d be a bit more balanced if it was tarter.

            It took everything in him to wait until she’d given Carmen the rundown of the things she wanted from her apartment, Jack almost blurting out how he could get it, because they lived across from one another until he remembered he was her doctor, and he had to stay to make sure she was alright.

            He took one breath, another, and cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from where Carmen had left to go grab her some clean clothes, her wallet and a phone charger.

            Fuck it.

            “Alright, 14B, let’s get you prepped for the stay.”

            Y/N’s eyes were wide as saucers, head snapping up at him so fast, Jack almost thought he’d have to schedule a CT for whiplash. “What did you just call me?”

            “14B?” He raised his brows as if in nonchalance, even though his heart was beating out of his chest. He could actually be so far off with this hunch and just turned himself into a massive weirdo in his patient’s eyes, but he was curious to see if he was right, because hope was a bitch if nothing else.

            “Are…” She squinted at him, eyeing him up and down again as if seeing Jack in a new light. “Are you my taste-tester? Are you my salt-bae?”

            “Salt-bae?” Jack choked out through a laugh. God, he was glad Perlah had gone off to find a saline bag.

            “Yeah.” A warm smile blossomed across her lips. “That’s what you always write in your feedback if you think something is missing. ‘Needs a bit more salt’. It’s your most often-used suggestion.”

            And as Jack thought back to it, to all the little comments he left, he mainly did say he would prefer the dessert, if there was some flaky salt on top, or maybe in the crust or base, or mixed with the caramel. “Hey, you were asking for honest feedback. But in truth, I’ll uh, I’ll eat just about anything, so rest assured, nothing of yours has ever gone to waste. When you’ve lived off of army rations, you learn what cardboard tastes like. And then you try to make it edible, more often than not with salt, so you learn what... saltier cardboard tastes like. And that is at least digestible.”

            She chuckled. “Contrary to normal indigestible cardboard?”

            “Contrary to normal indigestible cardboard, yes,” he confirmed, soaking up the sound of Y/N’s laugh like a sunflower soaked up the rays of the sun.

            “Guess now I understand why you didn’t answer the door that first day.” She tilted her head to the side. “Or why our paths haven’t crossed. You work just as shit hours as I do. Worse, actually.”

            “What time do you get home?”

            “Midnight usually,” she said, as Perlah returned and finally put on a tourniquet around her bicep. Jack frowned at the words, not liking the idea of Y/N walking across town during the dark hours of the night. Too many times, he’d seen people in the ED because they were just trying to get home, and someone decided to interfere with that. Violently. “Then I knock out for a few hours before I have to get back up and be ready to go to the restaurant for morning prep at around six-ish. You?”

            “Nightshift. Twelve hours on a good day, usually 7 to 7,” he explained, very much so avoiding Perlah’s raised brows at how ‘intimate’ the conversation was.

            “Alright,” the nurse said. “It’ll be just a little poke, but try and relax.”

            Y/N hummed a nod but turned her head away. Jack’s eyes trailed to how her wounded hand twitched at her side as if she wanted to grab onto something, to hold herself through it. On almost instinct, he placed a palm on her knee, squeezing it. He could feel the tension melt away, and fuck, if that didn’t make his heart stutter in his chest.

            “Good job,” Perlah gave Y/N a smile, as she taped down the IV line. “I’ll get you a gown before we hook you up, so you can change out of those bloody clothes.”

            “Oh, right.” Y/N took a glance down as if only now remembering she looked like a walking-talking murder scene.

            Perlah gave a warm laugh, patting her bicep. “And a bag too.”

            “Yeah, that’d be nice, thank you.”

            Jack helped pull the curtain closed and put up the standing partition, so Y/N could have as much privacy as possible while changing. Just as he informed her, he was gonna step out for a moment, she asked if he could stay.

            Jack froze on the spot. “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable with Perlah here?”

            “ ‘S fine, I don’t mind,” she looked at him from around the partition. “I trust you not to peek. Also, I just think you’ve probably seen one too many butts in your day-to-day life for mine to be anything special. But uh,” she stammered as if suddenly realizing something and hiding behind the curtain again. “But if you are uncomfortable, you can go. I mean, fuck you probably have other patients to see, and I’m wasting your time with this.”

            “Nope, I’m uh, right where I need to be.”

            He wasn’t uncomfortable, he was, however, worried he might say something beyond stupid. How he’d pretty much fallen in love with a person he didn’t know a thing about, but being able to put a face to the ghost across the hall, had only intensified the crush growing in his chest.

            Jack hadn’t had any romantic feelings in ages. Not since his wife had died. He still wore the ring she’d slipped on his finger, a steady comfort during the darker moments, like he could feel her hand holding his, guiding him towards the light when he couldn't find it himself.

            He wondered what she’d think about this whole situation, about the mystery desserts and him catching feelings for a neighbor he’d never met. Of course, he wouldn’t make any sort of move on Y/N, not while at work. She was his patient, almost half his age, and despite his ‘cowboyish’ nature, he’d never try and hit on her while she was in such a vulnerable position. But he would like to think, his late love would nudge his shoulder in the right direction… tell him it was okay for him to want to be happy again.

            “So,” Jack cleared his throat and busied himself with Y/N’s chart. “What brought you to Pittsburg? You put down a Chicago address by the way.”

            “Shit, yeah. I sometimes still do that… But uh, Carmen, the guy who brought me in, he’s opening up a restaurant not too far from here actually, and he wants me to be the pastry chef for it. It’s why I didn’t have a dessert for you today. We were at the restaurant testing things out, trying to get a feel for how we worked as staff.” Y/N bit down on her lip as she emerged from behind the screen, giving him an apologetic smile. “Wanted to leave a note too, but time just slipped by, and when I did try to make one at home, the food started fighting me.”

            Jack laughed, shaking his head. “I mean, you don’t have to feed me you know. But I… I can’t say I wasn’t worried about you. With everything that happened today… I just… I was scared you might’ve already been here and I hadn’t known. Had missed my opportunity to find you… but uh, then I heard you break something at the apartment, so we’re all good.”

            He tried to act as if the thought of her, of 14B, his one constant of the past four months, having possibly died, hadn’t gauged a hole in his chest.

She raised a brow, clearing her throat. “Why didn’t you knock? If you uh, if you were worried…”

            “Honestly?” Jack put his hands on his hips, as he looked at the floor, unable to keep his eyes on hers, but it was like Y/N understood him, so she turned her back. He stepped closer, tying the strings into knots, not once peeking below her waistline. “I was scared you might not answer. That there might be nobody there left to answer.”

            “I’m sorry,” Y/N whispered, turning around as Jack helped her settle in the bed and under the covers. “For what you had to go through today.”

            And when she didn’t try to pry, didn’t try to get anything else from him, simply offered her support, all Jack could do was say, “Thank you,” as emotions started to gather in his throat, forming a ball. “Where you uh, where you at the festival?”

            He just had to know Y/N had been hopefully as far away from it all as possible.

            “Uh, no,” she shook her head to his relief. “I was at The Bear with Carmy at that time, when we heard about it. We did have plans on going for the evening concert, but obviously... yeah...”

            “The Bear?” The name sounded vaguely familiar, like something he might’ve skimmed over in some article, but wouldn’t deem interesting enough to read the full thing. And Jack had to focus on that information, rather on how closely she and her friend had avoided a mass shooting.

            “It’s named after the OG one in Chicago. I told him, he should call it The Cub,” Y/N snorted. “You know, like the first one, the mother, if you will, is in Chicago, and the second, the child of The Bear, is here. Carmy and Syd thought Pittsburg people wouldn’t get it, though, and not come."

            “I think the Pittsburg people would come even if it was called The Trashcan, as long as you served your desserts there.”

            Jack couldn’t help the glee he felt, couldn’t stop the pride from rising as Y/N had to avert her gaze from him when her heart rate spiked, the monitor Perlah had hooked her up to, beeping in a quicker rhythm.

            He also made a mental note to find out where in Pittsburg exactly the new restaurant would be opened, so he could go and check it out sometime. And if he gathered enough courage, maybe give compliments to the chef there as well.

            They filled the time in between awaiting the x-ray results and getting sent up to the OR, by small talk. Jack asked about her background, how she got into cooking and how she’d met Carmy and their team back in Chicago. And miraculously, Jack shared too. Even some of the truly deep stuff - how he'd had a wife, how he’d been an army medic, how he liked to listen to the police scanner as he tried to catch some sleep, because the way Y/N looked at him, so disarmingly, did something to Jack. It made him want to share, it made him want to show his heart to her.

            Soon enough, he got a call the x-rays confirmed his suspicions and they were ready for her to be operated on.

            “So, how long until I can hold a knife?” Y/N asked as she was wheeled out of the room to the elevators. It was only at that moment, that Jack realized nobody had come in to ask him for a consult or even a second opinion. He was just about to thank the lucky stars of the night when a glance over at the HUB - Shen, Ellis and Princess all huddled together with sly grins on their faces - made him sigh.

            “Well, given how it isn’t your dominant hand, you can hold a knife with no problems.” He pressed the elevator button. “It’s the other one holding the ingredients, you’ll need to be careful with. And if you want the best outcome, you'll have to go to physical therapy at least two-three times a week, with at-home exercises.”

            “Physical therapy?” Her brows rose to almost her hairline. “And I get assigned homework? This sucks.”

            “I told you,” Jack shrugged but smiled down at her from where he stood at the side of her bed. “The hand is very complex. It’s why surgeons specialize in specific fields. Trust me, you wouldn’t want internal medicine operating on your money-makers.” He did a little jazz hands for emphasis. “And given how you almost perfectly severed the ligament in half, you’ll have to put in some work to get the full range of motion back, but I uh, I can refer you to some pretty good physios if you need some recommendations.”

            Y/N threw her head back against the pillow with a huff, earning a chuckle from Mateo who was wheeling her bed. “Yeah, I guess I’ll need some. Thank you.”

            “You’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Jack looked at her pouting face, and his stomach did a somersault. “Besides, I am very personally invested in the health of your hands. You’ve turned me into a dessert addict when I used to hate sweets.”

            “Well, we can’t have you munching on salted cardboard, can we?” she threw him one last laugh.

            And then the elevator arrived, taking her up and away from Jack. But he didn’t remain on his own for long. There was nowhere he could hide in the ED, not from the gossip vultures that were Shen and the rest of his posse.

            “So,” he dragged the word out. “Is this the mystery dessert ghost?”

            Jack schooled his face into one of his straight masks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

            “Robby does. And Robby has been talking Dana’s ears off about these specific cookies made by your neighbor for months, at this point. And Dana talks to Princess and Perlah, who talk to me.” Shen shrugged, rolling back and forth from the balls of his feet to his heels, hands in his scrub pant pockets. “I’m just saying,” he shrugged, “From what I’ve heard down the grapevine, they’re divine. And also – The Bear?”

            Jack raised a brow as John said the name with such reverence like it was something monumental.

            “You get food made by one of the best chefs in the world. The least you could do is share.”

            Jack clapped a hand on John’s shoulder, trying to hide a smile that wanted to tug at his lips and this time he succeeded. “For one, she baked them for me. And two, don’t you have patients to check on?”

            With a gentle shove, he sent Shen on his way, needing to return to his own attending duties, but not before hearing, “I see who your favorite is. Just tell Robby I can fight, especially when cookies are on the line.”

            As much as he’d thought about finding some cosmic way of speeding up time, it still ticked by in its usual tempo. At one point, though, Carmen returned, with everything Y/N had asked neatly placed in a bag.

            “I need to get back to the restaurant, so I can't really stay,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair while Jack put the bag on the chair in her assigned room. “How is she doing?”

            “Still up in surgery, but she’s in great hands.”

            “Good,” Carmen nodded. “ ‘Cause I need her great hands too.”

            “We’ll do our best,” Jack affirmed and agreed to give a call if anything was needed. He was Y/N’s emergency contact after all, but Jack guaranteed him, she’d be fine. He himself would make sure of it.

            Soon enough, the sky started to lighten, and people from the day shift trickled in, the first one being Dana, much to Jack's surprise. The shiner was badly concealed by some make-up, but honestly, Jack thought she should leave it as is. Maybe if Gloria had to look into the consequences of her own incompetence in the face, she’d hire the staff they so desperately needed.

            “How did everything go?” Dana asked, settling in behind the HUB.

            “Better than we could’ve hoped for. Everyone’s stable, no codes. It was like… like someone was watching over us, if only for a few hours, and you know I don't much believe in such a thing.” But just as Jack was about to start explaining about the patients they had, who was priority and whatnot, the elevator dinged, and he watched Mateo wheel Y/N back out into the ED, and into her room. “Give me a sec.”

            If Dana said anything, he didn’t hear it, not as he made for Y/N, and a boulder rolled off his lungs allowing him to breathe once more, when she turned to look at him in the doorway, eyelids half-closed and body, no doubt exhausted. Just because she wasn’t fully under, didn’t mean it wasn’t a strain on her.

            “Hey, how’re you feeling?” he lowered his voice to just barely above a whisper.

            “Tired,” Y/N mumbled, drowsy from the medication if he could gather anything from the slight slurring of her words. “But honestly, I don’t give a shit if I need even a microscopic surgery in the future. I am now and forever more, requesting to be put to sleep. Period.”

            The right side of his lips quirked up. “That bad?”

            “It was more so the sounds, and god when they first strapped me down, I thought I was gonna have a panic attack.” Y/N winced as she adjusted on the bed, Jack by her side like a lightning strike, a steady hand on her hip to help out. “I just… yeah… it’s one thing to watch a horror movie and it’s something else to hear it and feel it happen to yourself.” She let out a heavy exhausted sigh, as she sank against the thin pillow.

            “Carmen stopped by earlier. Brought you the stuff you asked,” Jack informed her and got a soft hum in response. “He had to go back to the restaurant though. Anyone you can call to take you home?”

            She shook her head, eyes closed. “I’ll just Uber.”

            Jack frowned at that. He didn’t like the thought of Y/N needing to figure out how to get back to their apartment complex on her own, especially when in such a state, so the offer slipped past his mouth before he had time to think. “I can take you home.”

            “Isn’t your shift just about over?” her brows furrowed, and his fingers itched to smooth the grooves out with just his touch. He also wondered if a kiss would help him achieve the goal, but that was better left to his imagination.

            “I can wait.”

            Y/N hummed again, snuggling deeper into the duvet, that he gently tucked under her neck. “No need to waste your time on me like that. Go home. Get some rest.”

            But Jack’s words fell on deaf ears, as he watched her breathing even out, and soft snores permeate the air, and yet, he still murmured, “wouldn’t be a waste at all.”

            Again, his hand twitched at his side, wanting to brush his thumb along her cheekbone.

            Nope.

            Jack was not gonna do that. She was still his patient, and he was still at work. Besides, just because he’d gotten to know her cooking talents for the past four months, didn’t mean he truly knew Y/N. Not yet at least, he hoped.

            He didn’t manage to even go to the other side of her bed to check the drip of the IV, when Robby poked his head inside, an almost insidious smile on his face. Well, Jack thought it was insidious, especially with the way his brown eyes darted over to Y/N’s sleeping form.

            “What in the world are you doing here, brother?” Jack let out a grunt. “Thought I’d told you to take some time off.”

            Robby crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway. “I will when you do the same.”

            “Fat chance of that happening,” Jack snorted, shaking his head.

            “Exactly, so the pot better stop calling the kettle black, and rather start explaining who this lovely person in here is.”

            “My patient.” Jack turned his head to scan Y/N’s vitals if only to make it seem like that was the true reason. He should’ve known it wouldn’t work, not on Robby, seeing as he was probably one of the few people who could glimpse past the mask he wore.

            A knowing smile pulled on the day-shift attending’s face. “I mean, I have heard some rumors that this might be the famous 14B. Did the mystery-baker’s identity finally get revealed?”

            Fucking Shen and fucking Dana and fucking Princess and fucking Perlah and fucking gossip, travelling all over their ED at the speed of light. God, it couldn’t have been more than five minutes since Y/N had been wheeled down from the OR, and they were already on his ass.

            Jack just lifted his shoulders, acting like this revelation didn’t mean anything. “She’s a chef, just like I thought.”

            “A pretty chef, no less.”

            “Yeah, and she’s like half my age,” Jack scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

            Robby stepped inside the room, hands in his pockets as he took a glance at Y/N. “First of all, that's an exaggeration, and second of all, she’s an adult woman capable of making her own decisions.”

            “She’s my patient,” Jack emphasized the last word, turning on his heel and exiting the room, but not without a final glance over his shoulder. Just to make sure everything was good. That she was good.

            “Oh, give me a fucking break. It’s day-shift hours now, so technically, she’s, my patient. So come on, spill…” Robby wiggled his brows a bit, but Jack wouldn’t break as easily, not even with his best friend.

            “There is nothing to say. Yeah, she's 14B. Yeah, she's a chef. And she got a really bad cut, almost severing the commissural ligament completely. Sue me for caring about a neighbor.”

            “Right,” Robby nodded as they walked to the lockers together. “And it has nothing to do with the fact you’ve been keeping 14B like some sort of a secret lover, and now that you finally know it’s a gorgeous young woman, you might be crushing just a bit harder.”

            Jack ran a hand down his face. “Look, I – I had my hopes, okay? But she’s a kid! Besides, I’ve only known her for a couple of hours, all of them as my patient.”

            Robby gave him a deadpan look. “She’s been giving you dessert to eat almost every day without a fault for the past four months.”

            “She’s a chef trying out recipes. She needed a taste-tester.” Jack shrugged. “That’s like a huge part of her job, man. Getting people’s opinions on food and stuff.”

            “Just explain this to me – why on Earth would she go out of her way to feed a neighbor she’s never met, to get an opinion of someone she’s never met, when she literally has chefs around her? You know, her fellow professionals that have taste buds made by the fucking food gods or something?” Robby raised his brows. “But no. She asks you – salted cardboard man.”

            God, Perlah could run her mouth faster than Usain Bolt could run 100 meters.

            “Research?”

            Robby looked at him and sighed, shaking his head. “Look, just because you didn’t know who she was, doesn’t mean she didn’t know who you were.”

            “We’ve never seen one another before,” but even as Jack said those words aloud, he thought back to how intuitive 14B had always been about when to give him the newest dessert.

            He took a glance towards Y/N’s room. How had the lava cake still been hot? It would’ve been amazing cold too, and yet… Maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t been the only one paying attention to the apartment across the hall from theirs…

            But all Jack said was, “You’re a hopeless fucking romantic, brother,” while moving back out towards the HUB to hand Dana off his final charts.

            And yet, the thought of leaving Y/N on her own, or her having to Uber home, just didn’t sit right with him.

            “I’m uh,” he cleared his throat, watching Robby’s brows raise. “I’m just gonna wait until she wakes. Take her home.”

            “And you’re not gonna help out, man?” the words were teasing, but given Jack’s workaholic tendencies, probably shocking as he shook his head this time.

            “The daytime is your kingdom, brother. But, do call if you need me.”

            With that, Jack slung his backpack over his shoulder, venturing back over to Y/N’s room and he just sat there. Sometimes he just looked at her, tracing her profile with his eyes, memorizing the features, putting them onto the vague shape of 14B he'd developed in his mind's eye. Sometimes he scrolled through his phone, pulling up some articles about The Bear and their team.

            Jack almost choked reading about Carmen, how the timid man was a Michelin-starred chef, a James Beard award recipient and so much more. Not to say the whole team behind the original restaurant wasn’t just as talented.

            And then there was a section on Y/N herself. A culinary prodigy, having staged in Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, New York, Zurich and so many other cities Jack didn’t even know existed. There was even a huge New York Times article about her and the food scene in the bustling city, and how at just 23 years of age she was dealing with helping run one of the most famous patisseries in the state.

            “Holy fucking shit,” Jack murmured in awe, and when he looked up, he was met with Y/N’s open eyes, a pout on her face.

            “I thought I told you to go home and catch some Zs.”

            Jack locked his phone, standing up and leaning over her. “How are you feeling?”

            “Sore. Hand hurts like a bitch. But I just wanna get back to my own place, and rest there. Not to sound ungrateful, but I really don’t wanna stay at your workplace longer than I have to.”

            His lips quirked up at that, and when she responded with a smile of her own, Jack’s heart stuttered in his chest. “Then let’s get you checked out, and out of here.”

            Dipping out of the room, he asked for Robby, as he was the one person he truly trusted to handle this, no interns or students allowed, to start the discharge process.

            “Hey,” Y/N’s face lit up at the sight of Jack’s friend, which made him frown. “I know you.”

            “Good to see you again. I’m Dr Michael Robinavitch, but you can just call me Robby.”

            Jack cleared his throat. “How exactly do you two know one another?”

            “We met down at the lobby one time. My mailbox was being a little shit and wouldn’t open, and he helped out,” Y/N said while Robby took her hand and unwrapped the bindings, checking over the incision place and how the stitches were looking. Spraying on some antibacterial solvent, he had Princess help him rebind the wound and prescribed some oral antibiotics for the next week as a precautionary measure.

            Robby chuckled, signing the end of Y/N’s chart and giving it to Princess so she could finalize the discharge with Dana. “Had I known the woman by the mailbox was also the author of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten, I might’ve just had you struggle with it a bit more. Could've picked your brain a bit for the recipe.”

            She tilted her head to the side. “Which ones?”

            Robby raised a brow. “What do you mean which ones?”

            “I mean, I’ve made a lot of cookies for Jack to test out, I-,” she scoffed in the middle of her sentence, throwing the man in question a look. “Jack, you don’t share?”

            “No,” he said with a straight face. “And the only reason Robby got a piece was because he’s a damned thief. Now, can you please discharge her, so I can take her home?”

            Y/N tilted her head down a bit, a small shy smile blooming on her face. “You didn’t have to wait for me, you know.”

            Jack wanted to say he knew that, that he was just being a friendly neighbor and it was the least of how he could repay her for all the desserts, but he just shrugged, a sudden bashfulness taking over his own body. “Honestly, it was more for my peace of mind.”

            “Well, thank you anyway… You didn’t have to stay, especially after a twelve-hour shift, and everything before that... but I appreciate it.”

            And he just nodded, nudging his chin in the direction of her bag, as Perlah came in to assist, Robby moving away with a small 'Hope you feel better soon,' while Jack nodded in thanks, turning his attention back on Y/N. “There are some clean clothes for you there, and when you’re done, we can get going. Let me know if you need any help.”

            With that, he left Y/N behind the partition, and closed the curtain and then the door. He was met with Dana’s smirking and Robby’s obnoxiously smug faces as they converged by the nurse's station. “Not a word.”

            “Oh, Jack,” the charge nurse shook her head, laughing at him. “You have no idea about the storm that’s coming your way.”

            Maybe he could move, Jack thought. He’d gather up his stuff and go somewhere deep into the Appalachian Mountains, where nobody would ever find him. The problem with that plan though, was when he started to wonder if Y/N would be willing to at least make a trip out there, if not move with him completely.

            “Ready to go?” She opened the door he’d been guarding like a knight, her bag over her shoulder, while handing him his own.

            Immediately, Jack took the strap of hers too, sliding it down her shoulder, despite her protests, and ignored her insistence on carrying her own stuff. “Got everything?”

            “Uh, yeah, I think so. But I mean, if I have forgotten anything, I know who to ask.”

            Jack’s lips pulled up in a smirk as they walked side by side, one of his hands hovering over the small of Y/N’s back as he guided her out of the ED and to the parking lot. “And you think he’d just jump at your every whim and request?”

            “I dunno. I’d like to think I might’ve sweetened him up a bit with all the desserts. After all, he did stay and wait for me.”

             “Maybe just a bit,” he let out a low laugh, heat crawling up his neck. “Can’t tell that to anyone though. Might ruin my street cred.”

            And with just a single smile, Y/N sent him spiralling.

            He helped her up into the passenger seat, putting their bags in the back and, reversed out of the parking lot in record time. They rode in silence, as she unrolled the window a bit, allowing the morning breeze to wash over her face.

       ��    The ride home was too short for his liking, as any minute spent in her company, was a minute Jack cherished, but soon enough he was helping her out of the car, and holding their complex doors open. Step by step they moved up to the fifth floor.

            Jack waited as Y/N rummaged through the bag until she found her keys and unlocked her door.

            “Thank you, again.” She turned to face him. “For taking care of me.”

             “Just… doing my job.”

            “I mean yeah, but…. Giving me a ride home? Staying after hours?”

            “We live in the same house. On the same floor. It was no big deal.”

            Y/N cocked a hip. “You’d already worked your night shift.”

            And Jack had nothing to rebut. He just awkwardly cleared his throat and hoped she didn’t see the blushing staining his cheeks.

            “Do you uh,” she started, “Do you maybe wanna come inside for a bite and some coffee? I’m not much of a barista, so you’d have to take my shitty pour-over as is, but I still have some leftover millionaire-shortbread brownies I made two days ago.”

            Jack gave a small smile. He’d smiled more throughout that one night than in the past few years combined. “Flaky salt on top?”

            “Haven’t made it any other way since.”

            And when he followed her, closing the door behind them with a soft click, his eyes ventured over to a coffee table beside the couch.

            She’d left a night light on.

Tags: are open :) A/N: I need that old man so hard, I'm gnawing at the bars of my enclosure

[baked-potatoad]

sincerely thank you for your service on writing about 2 of my favorite things— bounty and abbot ilysm u hv no idea. Anyway, since requests are open i was wondering your take on how it would be like if jack is married to shen's best friend and everyone thought reader is shen's wife and shen is so tired and just out them both leaving everyone shocked. i really love your jack characterization and would like to see more of it. Thank youuuu in advance :))

Pairings: Jack Abbot x Reader. John Shen x BFF!Reader

AN: omg ily too <3 bounty gets so much unneccessary hate and thank you for the love (and sorry for the long wait.)

TW: mentions of an car accident. medical inaacuracies (pls dont kill me)

As you did every day, you entered the hospital with John Shen, both of you carrying take out coffee cups from the local coffee shop where you met up before every shift, and, like clockwork, the nurses watched you with eager eyes and gossiped behind hands and charts.

You and John were two peas in a pod, platonic soulmates, attached at the hip ever since meeting during your intern year at PTMC and you rarely left each other’s side in the past four, almost five years and even now, when you both recently completed your residency and became attendings, things hadn’t changed between you two.

You and John exchanged looks when you reached the lockers, laughing at the nurse’s behaviour as you dump your bags and jackets away.

“Are you ever going tell them that you’re married?”

You pull the simple chain that rested around your neck and reveal the rings that rest on there. Your engagement and wedding rings home when you were at work.

Honestly, it wasn’t like you were actively trying to keep your marriage a secret but considering who you were married to, you’d rather keep it down low to prevent further gossip or drama. Your husband, Jack, on the other hand kept his ring on but no one dared to ask him anything about his wife and so it was your little secret. The only other person in the hospital who knew about your marriage besides John was Dr Robby and that was because you and Jack needed witnesses when you eloped.

“I don’t plan to no…unless it’s upsetting you. It isn’t, is it?” You frown at him, concerned that the whispers are getting to him.

“No,” John laughs, “I’m just curious of Jack’s reaction.”

You tuck the rings back under your shirt and laugh, “Well, you know Jack and for him, the less people who know the truth the better.”

A trauma was called in just after midnight and it was all hands-on deck, multiple casualties from a multiple vehicle collision which currently had you kneeling over a patient on gurney performing CPR after they suddenly coded in the ambulance shortly before arriving at the hospital. The gurney was being rushed to trauma two where a team and a crash cart was waiting for you.

Soon you’re standing back as Abbot yells, ‘clear’, making sure you’re not touching the patient as the shock goes through them before you’re back performing CPR for another two minutes before Abbot calls for another shock and you step back again as the patient is shocked once more. This time their pulse returns and they’re intubated and moved to the ICU.

You release sigh as you peel off your gloves and throw them in the bin. Your arms burn and ache but you don’t have time for even a five-minute rest since you have the rest of the victims from the MVC waiting for treatment. Unbeknownst to you in the midst of everything your chain slipped out of your scrubs, your rings on full display.

Maddison, a nurse, is walking past you when she double takes at the rings resting on your chest.

“Are those…rings?” Maddison blinks in confusion before she reaches a guess, “Are you married?”

“Oh!” You tuck the rings back under your scrubs, “Yeah, I am.”

“To Dr Shen?!”

Before you could deny it, Maddison is pulled away to help another patient and you know the rumour that you’re married to John would have spread all around the hospital by the end of shift.

“Hey, you did good just there.” Abbot makes his way over to you, gloves off, arms crossed as he stared you down, making eye contact with you. The classic Dr Jack Abbot stare.

You smile and shrug off the compliment, “It’s no big deal, just doing my job.”

“You’re good at your job, you’re a good doctor.” With that Jack pats you on the arm before he leaves the trauma room.

Jack at home and Jack at work were two different people. Jack at home was sweet, loving, doting, the perfect husband in many ways but Jack at work was completely detached and indifferent. You weren’t complaining as this was something you both agreed on but it was still jarring at times.

Trauma dealt with, you finally had a moment to sit on a computer to complete reports and respond to emails but the brief respite from patients meant you were fending off questions from curious nurses.

“Maddison said you’re married…” Amira starts, “Is it true?”

“Yes Amira,” You sigh, “She’s telling the truth.”

“For how long?” Colleen asks.

“Two years, three in a couple of months.”

“And you didn’t tell us or invite us?” Amira pouts.

You smile at the memory of you and Jack getting married at the courthouse on a whim, only calling Robby and John on the way there.

“We eloped. Very last minute.”

“So, you’re Dr Mrs Shen now?” Jasper interrupts.

You frown at the words but Abbot’s voice cuts through before you can.

“Mrs Shen? What are you talking about?”

John is just behind Abbot and gives you a wide-eyed look as Amira explains.

Amira gestures between you and John, “They’re married. Not that you’d know anyway, they didn’t tell anyone.”

Jack slowly turned to face, eyebrows high on his forehead as he looked at you, the tiniest smile on his lips.

“Oh, I didn’t realise.” Jack’s smile turned into a teasing grin, “My apologies Mrs Shen.”

“We’re not married!” You and John groan out loud.

“You know you don’t have to lie right?” Colleen looks unimpressed, “I mean most of us have caught on. You always arrive together, with coffee and you always have lunch together whether you go to the cafeteria or go out, hell I’ve seen you bring lunch from home to share with each other.”

“Well, when you put it like that” You murmur after a moment of silence, “Regardless, I’m not married to John.”

“So, who are you married to?” Jasper questions.

“Does it matter?” You huff.

“Yes! Is it someone we know? Is he another doctor? Are they nice to you?” Amira babbles excitedly, “Are they rich?”

You couldn’t help but laugh at the last question, “Hardly rich but we are very comfortable Amira if that’s what you were concerned about.”

Amira nods along as if that was the reason behind her question, “Of course, of course.”

“Of course you’re comfortable, you’re on two doctor salaries.” John mutters underneath his breath but everyone heard it clearly.

“So, you are married to a doctor.” Jasper nods, “Someone here obviously…maybe Dr Robby?”

“It’s not Robby” You roll your eyes.

“Walsh?”

Even Abbot looks over at Amira in shock at her guess, no doubt wondering the reasoning why she guessed Walsh.

“No Amira!” You bark out and laugh incredulously.

“And you’re sure it’s not Shen?”

“Oh my Godddd” John groans out, rolling his eyes in frustration, “She’s not married to me, she’s married to Abbot!”

“John!” Your eyes widen in shock as you spin to face John and realise Jack had done the exact same thing.

“Sorry I couldn’t take it anymore!” John sighs, “The constant gossiping, everyday and night…I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“So, you eloped with Dr Abbot?” Colleen asks.

Jack made his way over to you and pulled your chair away from the desk and held his hand out for you to grab and pull yourself up, “She did. And now I’ll be taking my break with my wife and I expect it to be interruption free, am I understood?”

The nurses nod and quickly scatter and Jack begins to lead you away for the aforementioned lunch when he turns back to John,

“And Shen? Your big mouth just got you covering my shifts next weekend.”

“Hey, what?!”

Jack turns to you, “How does a weekend away sound?”

“Ooh, sounds great.” You hum as you walk away with Jack.

“Oh man…” John mutters as he watches the two of you disappear around the corner.

[baked-potatoad]

Some rather unlucky investments have landed you in a tad of debt. However, you have know of a way to get out of it that requires very little work on your part.

The "Pussy Portal" company are always hiring after all.

All you have to do is have a portal directly connected to your pussy that any paying customer can use at any time. What could go wrong?

Just realized u didn't actually say it had to be monsterfucking specifically but I made it that anyway lmao.

At least you thought it was going to be very little work on your part.

But now you're not so sure as you sit on the train ride home trying to act like there isn't a monster cock reaching deep in your cunt.

You curse yourself for not reading the terms and conditions of the contract properly. You thought they were just being hyperbolic when they said "Prime Pussy Anywhere, Anytime!" Surely they would have down times right?

No. There are no down times unless you call in a sick day of which you only have few. You shoulda known that pay was too good to be true.

At least whoever's using your portal seems to only be cockwarming themselves for the time being, although that could change at any moment. Every jerk of the train makes you tense up as you try and act as nonchalant as possible. The cock sits so snug and warm inside you, it twitches every time you tense around it.

On the customer app your portal is advertised as specifically "Human pussy" so you like imagining the kinds of monsters who would pick that out specifically. You haven't figured out what monster this one might be, it's rather thick and hot with a very generous amount of precum.

When you get to your stop the train jerks more than you expected and you have to subtly cover your mouth and grab the railing to avoid making a sound. Your customer definitely felt you clench down in panic as their cock jumps in excitement.

They start grinding down slowly on the portal, their cock thrusting shallowly. You speed walk straight for the train station bathrooms and lock yourself inside a stall. Close call but you made it and just in time for their shallow thrusts to turn into full pumps into your slick pussy.

You lean your back on the wall of the stall as your cunt is now being thoroughly pounded by this stranger. You have to crouch to your knees as your orgasm builds up, rubbing your clit with one hand while the other covers your mouth.

Just as you're about to tip over the edge you feel something bigger at the base of the shaft bump against your pussy with each hard thrust. You gasp in realization but it's too late as the monster thrusts their knot past your entrance and you cum hard with a silent scream, spasming and shaking against the bathroom stall.

Their cum fills you to the brim, kept inside by their inflamed knot. They don't stop cumming for several minutes but when they do it takes you several more to compose yourself enough to step out of the bathroom on wobbly legs.

You make the slow and embarrassing walk home while the monster's knot sits snuggly inside your pussy, keeping all that warm cum inside you.

The knot inside you doesn't deflate fully until you're already home and making dinner. You have to grip the counter, shivering slightly as your customer pulls out and goes on with their day having been properly satisfied. The thought makes you feel a strange sense of pride. Just then your phone beeps with a notification from the Portal companies app.

The customer left a tip!

How nice! They also left a review on your page,

"10/10. Best stress relief. Would fuck again."

[baked-potatoad]

Silver Lining

Summary:  You’re half shapeshifter / half human and head over to dinner at your boyfriend’s house to meet his family. Things don’t go quite as you planned. Characters: Mark Winchester (OMC) x Teenage!Reader…with Sam, Dean, and Bobby Word Count: 2599 Warnings: Very very very minor angst. A/N: In this fic, Dean has a teenage son. He, his son, Sam, and Bobby all live together at Bobby’s house and they all still are hunters. This is my first one-shot reader insert fic. I’m still new to the fanfic scene, so any feedback would be appreciated!

It’s gross.

Even if you were a full blood shapeshifter, the transformation process is disgusting; but as a half shifter…the process is not only just as gross, it’s extremely painful and takes longer than normal. You’ve only shifted four times in your life that you can remember (your mother said you were not as careful when you were a baby), and each time it was an emergency. 

Your mother explained as much as she could as you were growing up, but you still had questions. All she ever told you was that your father was a shapeshifter and he had tricked her into falling in love with him. When he vanished, your mother said he was probably killed by hunters.

You didn’t understand what hunters were until a few years ago. You were out with your mother at Tully’s Diner for lunch when two people dressed in business suits came in. Your mother looked up at them and tensed up immediately, clenching her teeth together.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” You asked, reaching across the table for her hand.

“You need to learn eventually.” She muttered under her breath before clearing her throat and speaking normally. “Do you see those two people who just came in?”

You wait a few seconds and casually looked over your right shoulder at the man and woman who entered as they made their way to a booth on the opposite side of the restaurant. You turned back to your mother and nodded.

“They’re hunters,” she whispered, “They and people like them go after supernatural beings like your father. I don’t know why they’re here, but I can assume you’ve been careful with your transformations?”

You sighed and rolled your eyes, “Yeah, mom. I’m fourteen, not stupid. Last time I shifted was last year when you needed me to go to the DMV for you.”

Keep reading

[baked-potatoad]

Serial Magic

Summary: Y/N, a serial killer on death row, gets a surprise visit from two FBI agents who aren’t what they seem. But… neither is she. Characters: Witch!Reader, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Peter (OMC), other minor OCs Word Count: 3410 Warnings: Language, angst, nerdy!Sam, sassy!Reader, sexuality, fluff A/N: This takes place in season 10. Not really sure where this one came from, but I was in the mood to have an out-of-the-box story with a couple twists and turns. And of course, who doesn’t love making Sammy blush. It was beta’d by @saxxxology and I hope you enjoy!

Time passed differently when she was trapped in a cell.

Things she didn’t normally notice were suddenly a lot more prevalent, and sometimes even more annoying. The most annoying part for Y/N, though, was not being able to channel enough power to get the hell out. The dull gray jumpsuit, obviously sewn to be unflattering, was itchy against her neck as she laid down on the uncomfortable mattress and stared at the ceiling.

Twelve deaths. Well, twelve murders is what they said as she was sentenced. That’s why she was currently locked in a stupid cell inside a stupid prison. They weren’t even murders, though… all of those deaths were self defense. A witch as connected as her, she made enemies fast and had to learn to defend herself even faster.

Being arrested wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was the anticipation, the small twitch of hope she still had in her body, even though she knew it was useless. Her brain still held onto that optimism, even after a year, and each day just served to remind her that the inevitable was coming. She had four months left until they were going to execute her like it was Salem in 1692.

She was considered a serial killer. They had sentenced her to death.

Keep reading

[baked-potatoad]

OKAYY moving into simu!ken’s mojo dojo casa house and him cuddling with you every night & not letting you go 🫣❤️

a/n: YUHHHHH more Simu!Ken, coming right up! Thank you dear anon! 💗💗💗 Can be considered an AU of this piece, btw! (+ again, you can kinda read this as Ryan!Ken!)

warnings: fluffy fluff! (+ spoilers obv!)

» fancy reading something new? check out my full m.list!

Let's say for an unbeknownst miracle, Mr. Mattel does allow our dear Ken to bring you to Barbieland, whether temporarily/visitor or as a permanent resident. What's more, he doesn't have a lot of say in it considering the universe has, in fact, destined the two of you to be together.

Ken is obviously your tour guide, not just in the sense of showing you around the place, but also being there for you since Barbieland and the real world worked differently, after all! He especially wants to be by your side the way you did for him when he struggled to get used to your world.

Acting as your guide, he just loves the way your eyes sparkle at anything and everything he shows you, whether it’s the Mermaid Barbies saying hi to you when you first arrived at the beach, or when your OOTD magically appears in your wardrobe or even when he held your hand as the two of you float down from Ken's house!

But the best part about having you by his side is knowing that you'd be the last person he sees when he goes to bed, just as you are the first person he wakes up to. 

Shortly after the Barbieland vs Kendom kerfuffle, one of the first changes was the Kens receiving their own houses (read: Mojo Dojo Casa House, because they still liked the ring to it!) rather than living in Ruth knows where.

By now, all Kens, as you can imagine, would have different interests, and one could see it from the interior of their houses alone, including Simu!Ken’s old one! And just as his friends promised, they kept it just as he left it in case he decided to come back, and with the girl of his dreams. 

He’d be into athletics, plus basketball and gymnastics. You'd also see a couple of his favourite posters of classic musicals here and there and his ol' good friends, his guitar and piano. He’d even bring some of his new favourites from your world to gift his friends and of course, to spruce up the place. Make his ol’ Mojo Dojo Casa House more ‘you-and-him-esque’.

The Barbies were all too happy to have a newcomer, let alone the significant other of the Pompadour Ken, even inviting you to your first ladies' night. 

Ken would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a bit disappointed at their invitation, initially wanting to end the night, and your first night, no less, by playing some songs of your choice on his piano before cuddling with you. But, the last thing he wants to do is ruin your fun. This is your first time, after all. Plus, he knows he has all the time in the world to give you as much cuddles as he has to offer. 

So, he returned home without you. 

Still, he had a skip in his step, watching a bit of TV, jamming out on his guitar a little. Even as he showered, got changed and went under the covers. Not only was he happy to see his friends, but he was even more elated to introduce you to them. 

And though he expected you to stay over at the Barbies’ place for the night, that didn’t deter him from staying awake for a while, laying in bed with his hands behind his head while humming a tune, reminiscing all the things you did from when he met you till today.

So, imagine his surprise when he heard footsteps coming up.

“Ken?” He immediately sat up at the voice, his face breaking into a smile as soon as you peeked your head from behind the wall, “Hi, handsome.”

“Hey,” Ken whispered in disbelief, pushing off the blanket before walking to you. He gently held your jaw, tilting it upwards to lock eyes, "You're here. Wait, how did you get here?”

Though he didn't have to worry about anything happening to you here unlike the more dodgy streets in the real world, he would've still come over in a flash if you had called.

"Have a good night, you two! Don't do something I wouldn't do!" She winked, laughing heartily when you looked away in embarrassment. Ken, too, but he also had a more goofy smile on his face because, well, even the president knew you were both practically joined at the hip. She then drove off, back to continue ladies' night with the rest of the Barbies.

"The president offered me a ride." You answered before looking over to the street, Ken following your line of sight to see the president waving at the two of you from her car. 

“It’s not because of me, is it?” Ruth forbid he ruin your night just because he couldn’t give you some space for a few hours.

“No, no! Don’t get me wrong, Ladies’ night was amazing! I even had dinner with both President Barbie and Writer Barbie!” You gushed, remembering how you looked like a child in a candy store as they welcomed you. You then placed your hands on his cheeks, “But I didn’t want to be away from my boyfriend, not especially on our first night here.”

You watched his eyes crinkle as he grinned, even more so when you added.

“Plus, you know I’m not much of a party person.” You shared a laugh, holding each other for a moment before letting you go for a shower. Though, you didn’t miss the goofy smile on his face. Just when you thought you couldn’t be blinded any more by that look of his.

It didn’t take long for you to get ready, heading to your shared wardrobe and finding your sleepwear next to Ken’s outfit for tomorrow. Back in bed, he couldn’t help but grin when you let out a sound of awe as you were miraculously in your nightwear, the same cute noise you made this morning when you changed into your first set of clothes when the two of you first arrived. He stood up, walking to the wardrobe to find you checking yourself out in front of the mirror. 

“How do I look?” You posed a little, only to be caught off guard when he took your hand for a twirl, then moved forward, chest to chest as he nodded in appreciation.

“Like an angel, but then again, you are one.” He wiggled his brows. Suave, “Come on.”

With your hand in his, the two of you headed for bed, getting comfortable in between the sheets before he brought you close by the hips. 

“Did you at least have fun here?” Ken asked almost hesitantly. 

“Ken, I had one of the best times of my life,” You replied, craning your neck to kiss the tip of his nose, “Thank you.”

“Mmm, and there's more where that came from,” Ken assured you proudly, “But right now, I just wanna hold you.”

Since then, there has never been a day where Ken was not cuddling you to sleep. You didn’t have a long-lasting social battery as much as the Barbies did, and Ken was already seeing his friends in the day, so nighttime was almost always reserved for the two of you. And still, he manages to surprise you every night with his bright ideas.

Even when the sun rises, good luck with getting out of his arms. If his proposition to stay in bed for the day won't work on you, his deep morning voice certainly will.

One of his favourite ones is when the two of you were watching a movie in the living room after dinner. You were both comfortably chilling on the couch when he saw you yawn from the corner of his eyes. He chuckled, wrapping one arm around your shoulders and coaxing you to lay on him. Your protests only came in light murmurs, though giving in as the temptation to lay in the arms of your man only grew. 

He grabbed the blanket off the couch’s backrest, as he may or may not have hoped for nights like these, opening it up to cover both you and him. 

He’d watch the movie for a few minutes, occasionally kissing the crown of your head and patting your back in a lulling manner. He then just stopped caring about the movie altogether, too entranced by how relaxed you were with one side of your face against his chest. 

He was too focused on you that he didn’t notice that the movie had a scene revolving around a bomb, not until it detonated, releasing an all-too-loud ‘boom!’ through the speakers that had you stirring in your sleep. 

Ken was quick to grab the remote, turning the volume down while cussing under his breath. His heart stopped for a moment when you moved, only to sigh in relief when your body relax again. He narrowed his eyes at the TV before putting his attention back on you. It was only a matter of time before he, too, went out like a light, holding you close before getting some shut-eye of his own.

But besides the jarring lack of walls or just privacy from the neighbouring houses in general, Barbieland is absolutely wonderful!

˚ · . f i n . · ˚

» a/n: wanna tell me your soft thoughts about Simu!Ken? go ahead!! you're not just feeding me, but you're also feeding many others with your chef's kiss-worthy ideas!! <3

» gorgeous rose divider by @firefly-graphics ♡

[baked-potatoad]

Hello! If it's not too much trouble, could you please write some Headcanons for Older! Steven (Steven Universe) dating a Tomboy girl? So like how he would react to his girlfriend being boyish, dressing masculinely, always being covered in scabs and bruises from adventuring and maybe some fights, and taking up more traditionally masculine hobbies like Blacksmithing? Thanks so much, I hope this isn't too weird of a request! ☘️

Steven met you on the Miami beach.

That’s it. That’s all. He met you on the beach, first.

You went up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, my friends and I are in the middle of some dumbass debate, how old are you?”

He was definitely taken aback by your straight forwardness. “Uhm... 19.”

“Fantastic.” You smiled.

“You?”

“18, 19 on Saturday. Would be a shame if I didn’t have a cute boy accompanying me to the movies and for dinner.” You winked.

“W-w-what about your friends?”

“There were no friends.” ;)

“Oh.”

You two began dating after that.

He said the first I love you, and that was AFTER you punched Kevin in the face.

Steven often finds himself buying and giving you more bandaids than flowers and stuffed animals

Not that you’re complaining.

He definitely did establish a “leave your scabs the fuck alone” rule. So... you have to leave your scabs alone now.

He plays connect the dots with the little scars you have from throwing sticks with kids when you were younger. “Dodge the UFO” you called it.

You and Bismuth DEFINITELY bond. She’s definitely your best friend.

You two made your own axe.

Steven came to see you and bismuth at her little shop and saw you branding a double-edged axe almost as big as you.

“What is that?!”

“I think imma name it Chad.”

You make Steven take you everywhere.

Taking to the diamonds?

You’re there.

However you leave if the topic of crotch goblins EVER come up.

“Oh Steven! Ever though of babi... where did (Y/N) go?”

You’re very firm in your stance on not having children before you’re at least 8-10 years into your career.

Steven is VERY much ok with that.

You’ve been taking MMA for a couple years.

You 100% steal his clothes. His jeans? Might as well be yours. You wear them all the time. After a point the line between living apart and living together are VERY MUCH blurred.

Oh he definitely steals your clothes too

“Is that my muscle tee?”

“And if it is?”

“Need muscles for a muscle tee Steven.”

You definitely like to tease him and call yourself the muscles of the relationship.

Do you like to WWE his ass?

You’re constantly pulling out the new stops.

The first time you two got into an argument he found you at Bismuths, yelling and kicking at the practice dummies.

“He has the NERVE to call me insensitive. It’s not MY fault the girl eye balling him.”

“You told her ‘keep staring and I’ll knock you cock-eyed’.”

“Yea but how’s the insensitive? It’s mean. I’m mean.”

“No you’re scared.” Bismuth put down the hammer and looked at you.

“Scared? Me?” You turned around.

“You’re scared. That’s reasonable. I mean, you’re what? 19? Real relationships will scare you. Pearl scares me a lot.” Bismuth chuckled. “Go and talk to him. There’s obviously some unresolved shit from your past.”

“No, it’s resolved.”

“Then why did you act the way you did?”

So you did, you talked to Steven. Who was there the whole time outside the door.

“I’m sorry for calling you insensitive.”

“I’m sorry for being an ass.”

Steven doesn’t pry for your past, or ask you why you’re living in Miami.

You eventually end up telling him why. And about everything. And Steven tells you why.

“Holy shit dude.”

You could only go and say that. You felt so horrible for what he went through.

“Hey Steve?”

“Yea?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too” :D

You definitely fight a lot of people. Boys, girls, non-binaries.

Your hands are rated E for everyone

“I will literally strangle you with your lower intestine.” You threatened a college boy who pushed you in a Sams Club over a pizza slice.

“Let’s not inside a sams club.” Steven put his hand on your shoulder.

“He pushed me.”

“And remember what your therapist said? Deep calming breaths.”

“Wow, wack job sees a shrink.”

You took a deep breath and walked away.

Until he laughed and you turned around, and you turned around punching him in the nose

“And back down to 0 days without a fight.”

When you two moved in together, offically, you just share the closet. It’s hard to distinguish what belongs to who

“Ripped jeans?”

“Mine... I believe?”

“They have an S on the tag.”

“Oh definitely mine.”

“ 🥺 you keep my initials on you?”

Steven DROOLED when he saw you nekky for the first time.

Tattoos???

“IS THIS WHY YOU WEAR FLANNELS AND LONG JEANS? YOU HID THIS FROM ME?”

“I wear tank tops.”

“So many tattoos 🥺”

He definitely drools over your body.

If you think he’s vanilla?

You’re definitely right.

Until he met you.

“What’s that?”

“What’s wh- Steven put that down.”

“I didn’t know you were a cop.”

Steven is a SWITCH and you will NOT TAKE THAT FROM ME

[baked-potatoad]

Snakes and Stones

Requested

________________________________________________________________

“Damn,” Sam said under his breath. He and Dean had just stepped into a small, rundown diner where the ghoul was known to terrorize. While the diner was open 24/7, the brothers had hoped that they would find the diner empty (except for the ghoul, obviously).

But you were sitting down at the corner of the counter, staring straight ahead.

“Nah, it’s cool,” Dean said, studying you. “She’s obviously drunk. And maybe blind.”

“What?”

“Look at her—beanie down to her ears, no doubt hiding greasy hair. Stained pants that haven’t been washed, hell, maybe not even taken off in at least four days. Sunglasses on inside at…” Dean glanced at his watch. “11:26 pm.”

“That doesn’t–”

“And take a look at that plate in front of her. Biscuits and gravy with bacon. Heavy on the grease.”

“You really have no room to judge people on what they eat. You probably think that looks good.”

“Hell yeah, I do.”

At that moment, a waitress stepped out from the back. “Help you, boys?”

“Table for two,” Dean said, holding up two fingers. “Booth if you can.”

The waitress nodded to the booth the brothers were standing next to. Sam and Dean slid into it as the waitress placed sticky plastic menus in front of them. The boys pretended to look over the pages while surveying the diner.

“That’s our ghoul,” Dean whispered as the waitress drifted back into the kitchen.

“Totally,” Sam said. “So, what… ambush in the kitchen?”

Dean pursed his lips. “I don’t know…”

“We need to keep that civilian safe.”

“Yeah, yeah. But…”

“What?”

“I don’t want to destroy the kitchen.”

“Why?”

“That’s where the food is.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

At that moment, there was a screeching in the back, along with the clanging of pots and pans hitting the floor. Sam and Dean grabbed their weapons and dashed into the kitchen.

The cook lay dead in the middle of the kitchen floor, his blood splattered around, his intestines now on the outside of his stomach. The waitress lay near him, mouth covered in red. The figure standing over her corpse was wearing a beanie and stained pants.

“Hold it right there!” Dean said, gun aimed.

“Easy, gents. I’m just here to help.”

“Who the hell are you?” Sam asked.

You raised your hand to your face, causing the Winchesters to twitch, prepared to fire if you tried to throw a blade or shoot a bullet in their direction. Slowly, you turned.

“Guns down, boys. The threat’s gone.”

“What did you do to them?”

“Her.”

“What?” Dean asked.

“I only did something to her. She killed the cook.”

Dean’s eyes went from the bloated corpses at your feet to your eyes.

Your sunglasses-covered eyes.

“How’d a blind chick gank a ghoul with such speed and ease?”

“I’m not blind.”

“Hungover?”

“No?”

“Then what’s with the glasses?”

“Nothing.”

“So take ‘em off.”

“No, thanks.”

“You got somethin’ to hide?”

“You have no idea.”

Dean and Sam shared a look. “What’s going on here?” Sam asked.

“I did my job.” You paused for a moment. “And apparently your job as well. Nice try, boys. Better luck next time.”

“Who the hell are you?” Dean asked.

“Y/N. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” You started out of the kitchen, brushing past the Winchesters.

Dean watched as you disappeared. Was it his imagination or was there a faint hissing sound following you?

“You can have my biscuits, if you want,” you called behind you.

Dean was tempted—after all, the cook was dead. But the mystery of you was too big to leave alone.

“Hey,” he called, following you, Sam following him.

Did… did your beanie just move?

“What are you hiding?”

“Everything I normally don’t share with strangers!”

Dean reached forward, yanking your beanie off.

He froze in his tracks, Sam running into him.

“Holy shit,” Dean said.

“Goddammit!” You spun around, hand darting to your hair.

Your hair made of SNAKES.

“Give me that back!” You reached out for the beanie.

Dean was so shocked that he let you jerk the beanie from his fingers. You pulled it back down over your head, tucking in a stray snake. You adjusted your sunglasses but Dean could feel the glare you were giving him.

“Holy shit,” Sam said. “You’re a… a Gorgon.”

You crossed your arms in front of your chest. “So?”

“I didn’t think those existed!”

“Yeah, well, we do, thank you very much.”

“Hold on, she’s a what now?” Dean asked.

“Right here, jackass,” you murmured.

“A Gorgon. They’re these creatures from Greek mythology with hair made of snakes and a stare that turns victims to stone.”

“Wait, like Medusa?”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak of Grandmother as if you knew her.”

The Winchesters stared at you, eyes wide.

“You… you’re related to Medusa?” Sam asked, incredulously.

“Any living Gorgon can trace their lineage back to her. There aren’t that many of us left, though.” You studied the men. “So… can I go now?”

“Are you a hunter?” Sam asked.

“I do what I can.”

The three of you stood in awkward silence.

“Can I seriously have your biscuits?” Dean asked.

[baked-potatoad]

A Place To Call Home

Summary: The reader isn’t thrilled to be going to yet another foster home and is simply looking to get by until she’s an adult. Only her new family isn’t going to let her give up so easy…

Pairing: Jensen x foster daughter!reader

Word Count: 163K (individual counts in parts)

Warnings: language, angst

A/N #1: The reader is 16-17 years old for this series. This series is complete! <3

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Keep reading

[baked-potatoad]

The Loveliest Lies of All Masterlist

——————————

*if there is no link, the chapter has yet to be posted*

Chapter One: The Old Grist Mill

Chapter Two: Hard Times at the Huskin' Bee

Chapter Three: Schooltown Follies

Chapter Four: Songs of the Dark Lantern

Chapter Five: Mad Love

Chapter Six: Lullaby in Frogland

Chapter Seven: The Ringing of the Bell

Chapter Eight: Babes in the Wood

Chapter Nine: Into the Unknown

Chapter Ten: The Unknown

Epilogue

——————————

Publishing Schedule:

Every Tuesday from Sept 21st - Nov 30th

——————————

If you want to be added to the taglist, just lmk ❤️

[baked-potatoad]

The wise Ragnarsons x Reader Modern AU Imagine

A/N: Alright guys, this is my first requested imagine. It took me a while to do it, due to some problems with my laptop (which was the reason I had to start all over again), and then I got ill…it was almost as if this story shouldn`t be written…so if it is not as good as my other imagines, please be kind! Anyways here it is, requested by @ceylon-morphe286, hope that’s what you had in mind.

if you find any mistakes, please comment.

Description: Y/N A woman from the future gets stuck in the world of Ivar the Boneless and his brothers and tries her best to deal with the situation. But her, to the Vikings seemingly strange, behaviour causes many unexpecting things to happen and gives her a special position in Kattegat.

Since I can remember, I was dreaming of experiencing an adventure.

But by that, I did not mean to wake up one morning and find myself in a dark hot and completely unknown room.

I laid in a huge bed made completely of wood and even though it was about 40 ° C in here (caused to a massive fire burning in a fireplace a couple of meters away from the end of the bed), someone decided to wrap me in what felt like a ton of furs.

The house, (if you even could call it that) seemed to have no windows, so it was very dark.

It took me a while to figure out, that this was no dream.

No, it was the reality!

I figured out, that this couldn`t be some crazy one night stand after me getting VERY drunk.

I came to the conclusion, that someone must have played a sick prank on me.

However, every thought on how and why I got here, was gone within seconds when I abruptly realized something that made me scream in shock and panic!

I was completely naked.

It’s been a week since these events took place.

It took me a while to figure out, what happened.

I travelled back in time to the 9th century.

Yup, that’s my life…

I still had no clue as to how and why I ended up here, but I learned that I was in a place named Kattegat ruled by king Ragnar.

His youngest son Ivar was the one that found me that morning unconscious on the beach.

I was told, that the cold nearly killed me, so I was stripped down and put in this room under those furs to sweat out all the bacteria.

I remembered my grandmother always doing the same when I was ill as a child, so I believed them when I was told that that was the reason why I was naked.

Since my arrival in Kattegat, I was under the care of the Ragnarsons.

I came to the conclusion, that it was better not to tell them where I came from.

I was allowed to walk through Kattegat but they were always watching over me.

especially Ivar.

He claimed me as his with the justification, that he was the one that found me.

However, I tried my best to fit in but, let’s just say it was difficult.

It was my second day here in Kattegat and I was told to serve  Ivar and his brothers their breakfast this morning. Even though I had a problem doing what I was told as I saw no reason in doing so, I figured out it would help me fit in.

However, things got a little bit out of hand…

When I was almost done with putting everything on the table, I felt a hand squeezing my butt.

When I turned around slowly trying to keep calm I saw Sigurd smirking right up at me.

That was a mistake.

The noise of my palm hitting his face was a reminder of that.

“What the hell slave” Hvitserk called out in shock.

But Hvitserks comment caused my blood to boil completely.

“Do NOT dare to call me a slave again! I shouted.

”I am equal to you and I am not anyone’s property.”

“NEVER forget that unless you want me to give your balls a reminder of that for the rest of your life.”

“I would not mess with her” Ubbe said while smirking slightly.

well well well, it seems like there were a lot of things to fix around here…

The following week’s things in Kattegat changed…

No one doubted the things (Y/N) said.

Everybody thought she was some kind of a god or someone that was able to heel injuries nobody else could.

At first, everyone was sceptical. I mean come on, how could you not be if suddenly she would start singing “shake it off” and shuffle dance during a feast when she was told to dance.

Even Hvitserk stopped eating.

Or when she talked about something called “Infinity War”, “Avengers” and “Thor” being defeated by a purple giant…

But people started trusting her when she healed Björns arm, on her fourth day in Kattegat.

From this day on, people started calling her “the wise”.

“How many times did I told you how important it is, to wash your hands before dinner? I told you about bacteria and stuff, remember?”

I shouted when I caught Hvitserk stealing some food from the table before washing his hands.

“By the way, where is Ivar ?” I asked a bit suspicious.

“I don`t know, Hvitserk answered while looking at his shoes.

I was about to push further when the doors of the great hall opened and Ivar crawled inside.

covered in blood.

“oh no, no no no NO” was all I repeated, when I walked over to him and dragged him over to the can of fresh water by his ear.

I insisted on always keeping some fresh water in the dining hall.

A little bit of hygiene couldn`t hurt.

“IVAR!” I shouted while letting him go next to the water can.

“You gonna get sick!”

“Your wounds from this ridiculous fight yesterday are still open. If blood comes in the wound and you and the other person don`t have the same blood type, you will get clotting problems and you gonna die because your blood will bind with the other’s cells and… I tried to explain.

“Nonsense” Ivar growled quietly.

He was really too stubborn for his own good.

“Dude really? You still don`t trust me?”

Dude? Is that some sort of insult? Sigurd asked curiously.

Yup and here we go again…

“I don`t know about you Sigurd but I think you and Ivar owe me some trust after all I`ve done. You should be ashamed of yourself. Both of you.”

That was all I said, before leaving the hall.

Later that evening I was about to leave the great hall to go to bed when I heard someone talking.

I became curious and tried to listen in to the conversation.

“What is it Ivar, why were you so suspicious and reserved towards Y/N?” Ubbe asked. “We decided to trust her.”

“She is scary” Ivar answered quietly.

I smiled to myself.

Who would think that the mighty Ivar the boneless would be afraid of somebody?

Maybe, things would work out between the boys and me.

[baked-potatoad]

"Oh god" Ethan turned away and covered his face. They were doing a reddit video when some one posted photos of you from an old video you had done.

It wasn't inappropriate, just supposed to look like it was. But they didn't know that.

Mark tried to make some words but he was laughing to hard.

"We need to get an explanation" Ethan grabbed his phone and called up Y/N. She soon answered the call confused as she heard the sound of Mark "dying". Ethan giggled and turned the camera towards Mark.

"Wha-What?! What is this!?" Mark shouted hysterically.

"What do you mean?" Y/N asked extremely confused. Ethan flipped the camera towards the computer.

"Oh god, that was an old thumbnail from a video. It was just some clickbait shit" By this time Y/N was dying as well.

"Okay, thank you!" Mark said as Ethan hung up. They had to stop recording for a bit because it was just too funny.

[baked-potatoad]

━"Guest Appearance"

━Tw: None

━Notes: A very cute idea I had reminiscing about the time Unus Annus did a wax video with Sean

━Song: "Twin Sized Matress" By The Front Bottoms

Ethan and Mark were staring to regret their choice in friends.

Or at least the kind of ideas they came up for this goddamn channels videos.

It was fucking loud. I mean, honestly what did they expect when offering two of the goofiest people they knew to fly out for a video and shutting them in a room with a camera. There wasn’t going to be a bit of content without yelling after all. Especially when it came down to the four idiots playing around right now with how tightly knit they were.

Maybe it was the full on wax war that wasn’t predicted.

The rapidly cooling substance was flinging nearly everywhere, clinging to the surface of the walls like sticky soda and some even being propelled on the ceiling fan above (which in turn splattered it every which way like a modern age art project).

Paintbrushes with cream colored bristles—that had previously been used for spreading wax across bare skin—were now being dipped in the milky white substance. Before the wax could harden completely it was launched at a respective person, who got a face full of it to enjoy.

Honestly (Y/n) was having the time of their fucking life.

They didn’t give a shit whether or not the camera couldn’t even see them properly right now. All they were focused on was ducking up and down between the protection of a scrappy desk, trying their best not to get smacked in the mouth with the slimy wax as they fired their own ammo at Sean.

Ethan was on the other side of them, the team of two having mischievously grabbed half a bucket of hot wax halfway through the scheduled video and attacking the other people in the room.

The war had only been officially waged after Mark had grabbed a handful from his own bucket without a second thought, nailing Ethan directly in the scalp with it as a ‘thank you’ gift.

”Surrender losers!” A girlish squeal came from Ethan as he narrowly avoided another fire ball of wax, sticking his tongue out at Mark. His brown hair was plastered to the front of his forehead with a mix of sweat and wax, mimicking the look of everyone else. He had even almost knocked their cover over as he squatted down.

”Nhever!” Determination poked its head through Sean’s thick Irish accent. (Y/n) paused to clutch at their rib cage in a fit of laughter as they witnessed the man stand up and pose like a superhero, only to slip on a puddle of wax and land straight on his ass.

”Oh ye think tha’s funny (Y/n)?” He said quickly getting back up and making devilish eye contact. They let out a sudden yell as Sean grew closer and fully left the protection of his pathetic looking plastic table, formerly having hid behind it with Marks bulky figure.

They attempted to scramble up and out of the room, a complete disregard for the camera recording all of this as this point. All that they were worried about right now was escaping the ghoulish grin and bucket of wax coming their way.

”Wait no please!”

Their pleas were met with a tirade of evil laughter, managing to just barely close their eyes before warm wax slid down every available surface of their face.

Even Ethan and Mark had stopped in their ferocious battle to watch the buckets contents get emptied onto their head. Now instead of (Y/n) rolling on the ground belly laughing it was them, completely ignoring the mess sticking to their clothes like wallpaper in exchange for playfully howling at the fellow content creator.

”You guys fucking suck!” They spat, already feeling their face start to freeze up with the wax. While their words might be venomous their tone was not, breaking up with an amused wheeze halfway through.

“I’m telling Amy and Gab that you three were pushing me around!”

”Oooooh I’m so scared of Sean and Marks girlfriends!”

”Dont think I forgot about you either Mr. Crankgameplays. You act like I won’t go get your mother on the phone right this second.”

The other boys made oohing sounds at Ethan like a fifth grader who just watched their classmate get in trouble. He simply blew a raspberry at them in response.

It was only then that Sean backed up slightly, bumping into the forgotten camera and startling himself

(Y/n) laughed as much as they could with a temporarily paralyzed face, watching as the boys discussed jokingly in front of the camera if attacking each other with discolored crayon wax was enough content to satiate their gremlin viewers. Spoiler alert: They determined it was.

”Not exactly the normal content of Unus Annus. But then again we wouldn’t have invited you and Sean if we had wanted that. Congrats on being the first and last special guest to hijack our original plan for a video.” Mark grinned with teeth, now holding an arm out so (Y/n) could help themself up. They took it with as much of a smile they could manage, attempting to mumble a jovial ‘thank you dumbass’ back at him.

”Mark wipe their face off I can’t understand jack shit coming out of their mouth.”

”Awhh bu’ I was enjoyin ta silence.”

(Y/n) simply made a slitting gesture across their throat at Sean, cussing him out with their eyes. The motion just received more snickers.

“You know what? Sure. Let’s get Chica in here to wipe that wax off their face.” Mark rubbed his hand together in a comically evil motion. “Or should I say lick it off?”

Their eyes widened as they chased after the laughing boys, yelling from the back of their throat desperately with a smile.

Totally worth the trip.

[baked-potatoad]

Lumity x Reader cuddle session? It can be one shot or head cannons I’m not picky 💕

Poly Lumity cuddling with reader

Fandom: The Owl House

Character(s): Luz Noceda, Amity Blight

A/N: I love writing for Poly Lumity💕

Lumity

Cuddling with Luz and Amity is definitely a very pleasant experience

The three of you discussed how you'd like to cuddle a lot and in the end came to a good agreement

You are in the middle holding Luz since she came to a conclusion that she likes to cuddle into your chest while you hold her

Amity is wrapping her arms around you both from behind you since she likes to feel like she protects you two

So you are in the middle being surrounded by your girlfriends

Ever since you decided to sleep like that none of you wanted to change that because of how comfortable this position is to you three and how it's perfect in satisfying your needs (Amity protective instincts for example)

The best cuddles on earth right there

[baked-potatoad]

Sashannarcy - We're here now

Anne Boonchuy x Sasha Waybright x Marcy Wu x Female Reader

Fandom: Amphibia

Requested by: Anonymous

Request: Okie dokie! Over complicated request for Anne, Marcy, and Sasha in Amphibia. Basically reader is the 4th of their group, sadly not always able to hangout due to a whole list of martial arts hobbies they do. But hey she had a free day and Sasha invited her to be a look out for Anne while she stole the box! And so they all went together. But where all three of the others landed where they could be taken in and taught of the world, reader didn't. Instead reader landed in a dangerous region the denizens of Amphibia refuse to enter due to the monsters that live in it. The three find eachother, they reunite, but still no sign of reader, but there's rumors of a new rising terror in the dangerous region. And so going to explore they find reader, wrapped in various pelts and scales, fighting massive creatures with ramshackle weapons. But the moment reader sees the three, she bursts into tears, hitting herself and mumbling various statements along the lines of "no, can't be them. They're home. They're safe. Just focus, survive, and maybe someone will take me home. Back to them." Clearly assuming they are hallucinations.

And I'm sorry for just how MUCH that is, 100% chill if you don't wanna do it cause its a mess and I'm sorry.

Summary: After getting teleported to Amphibia, Anne reunites with her two girlfriends Sasha and Marcy but not Y/N. Worried about their girlfriend, girls started looking for her while they recharged the stones but they didn't expected to find her on a mission that King Andrias send them on.

A/N: I'm in such an Amphibia mood, it's unbelievable😩😂 Thanks for requesting <3

Anne's POV

"Yeah, so the first time I got here I fell down a bunch of stairs and broke my leg" Marcy laughed to which me and Sasha kind of forced a laugh since our girlfriend getting hurt isn't that fun for us but well it's Marcy so of course she will find it funny.

Me, Sasha and Marcy had a sleepover in Newtopia so we could catch up on everything that happened since we came to Amphibia. Marcy's room was full of laugher but we could all see a free seat between Marcy and Sasha which didn't let us fully enjoy ourselves. I mean how could we when our girlfriend is still out there and we don't even know if she's safe or not.

We met Y/N when we were kids. She joined our group a few months after me, Sasha and Marcy met each other but the moment we saw her we knew that we had to befriend her.

*Flashback*

"Get back here Boonchuy" I heard Sasha yell behind me while she chased me. I laughed and ran away, having a lot of fun before I was tackled to the ground by Sasha.

"Ha, Gotcha" She said in pride before she started tickling me. I tried squirming out of her grip but without any success.

It didn't took long for Marcy to jump on both of us and tickling us. I threw my head back laughing, opening my eyes only for a second but it was enough to see a girl sitting under the tree not to far from us, reading a book. She kept her distance from all the other kids, not even interested in them.

I quickly got Sasha's and Marcy's attention and pointed in the other girl's direction. I proposed them to approach her and they agreed so we walked up to her. We stood in front of her blocking the sunlight that helped her read her book so she looked up, looking at us in confusion.

"C-Can I help you?" She quietly asked us making our eyes widen. She was so cute!

"Hi I'm Anne, this is Sasha and Marcy" I introduced all of us, pointing each of us before looking back at her. "What's your name?" Asked Marcy who stood kind of behind Sasha, still being a little to shy to be closer.

"Y/N" She introduced herself making us smile, I offered her my hand and asked "So Y/N, do you want to play with us?". She looked like she was about to refuse but she seemed to change her mind because she closed her book and took my hand, accepting my proposition.

"Sure"

*End of Flashback*

And it didn't stop on befriending because after years of being friends we all decided to try dating each other since we all had feelings for each other. At first it was hard to keep our friendship and then relationship with Y/N going because of her passion for martial arts. She was always practicing.

But we made that work and everything was great in our relationship.

*Flashback*

"Ugh, where is she? She's late again" Sasha grumbled while tapping her foot and looking at her watch. Me and Marcy were just quietly sitting on a bench, waiting for Y/N to show up.

We all decided to have an ice cream date after school. Y/N finished classes before us but had to go training so we didn't had to worry about her having to wait for us but now after we finished our classes she still wasn't here.

"Hey" We heard her voice calling us which made us face her running figure. We stood up and walked up to her. "You're late again!" Sasha started, narrowing her eyes at Y/N. She gulped before raising her hands in surrender and apologizing "I'm really sorry guys, my practice dragged on longer than I expected. I didn't mean to come here late again" She lowered her head and I immediately took her hand in mine.

"It's okay, just try not to do it again this time" I accepted her apology which made her smile. She pecked my cheek and I turned red, I could hear Sasha and Marcy whining that they want to get the kiss too which they got.

I smiled while looking at them. Yeah Y/N have flaws just like all of us but she is working on herself which just makes me proud of her.

She's incredible.

*End of Flashback*

The girls saw me looking between them longer than just a quick glance and they sighed. I know that they couldn't blame me because I saw them looking there too. The lack of one presence hanging on all of us.

When I was about to say something about it, Lady Olivia walked into the room saying that the King wants to see us. So without another word we went to him.

We walked into the throne room and saw King Andrias with his glasses on looking at some papers. When he looked up and saw us he smiled and greeted us "Marcy, Anne, Sasha I'm so glad you three came here".

"Why did you call for us?" I asked and King's smile faltered. "I asked you to come here because of this-" He started and showed us the papers he was looking at before "The sudden rising in this region is making me uneasy. I never knew what was there because everyone who got send there, never came back so I stopped looking into this area but if anything that has so much power that even I know that something's wrong comes here, all our lives will be in danger. So I want the three of you to look into it" He finished.

I looked at the girls and we decided to do this because we didn't want to leave all of them without any information when we get back home. And maybe we find some useful informations about Y/N's whereabouts.

After coming back to Marcy's room we decided to cancel our sleepover because we will need sleep before tomorrow's mission.

*The next day*

"I can't believe that we have to go through this whole annoying area" Sasha yelled and I rolled my eyes being annoyed because of this situation too. "Okay Sasha we understand, I don't like it too. But the weird rising comes from here so we have to endure this" I said while trying to avoid another big puddle of mud which was nearly impossible since this whole area was like a puddle of mud.

After walking some more we heard a loud roaring that made us jump. We quickly ran to the place that we heard it from only to see a group of big beast fighting with someone. We couldn't get good look at this person but they're looked like a girl.... maybe our age? I'm not sure.

We were ready to jump in to help her but we didn't got chance to do that before the beasts were defeated. The unknown to us girls stood for a few seconds before swaying a little, probably because of exhaustion. We ran up to her and saw that she was a human. We froze.

"Anne?" I heard Sprig asks from beside me but I stood still. I couldn't believe it. Was this really her?

"Y/N?" I tried to get her attention which I got but the second she looked at me, Sasha and Marcy she took a step back with wide eyes. She fell back and started grabbing at her hair while mumbling quietly "Impossible, yeah impossible. They're not here right? They're home. They're safe. If I survive then I find the way home to them. Right now they're not here. Can't be them!".

Tears started forming in my eyes and I could see that's the case for the girls too. We ran up to her and pulled her into a hug, trying to show her that we're not hallucinations. That we're real.

"Shh Y/N" Marcy started for us. "You know that we don't like seeing you sad like this" Sasha added while pulling her even more closer to us.

"We're here Y/N. Real, not some hallucinations. I don't know what you went through for all this months alone but we're here now and we're not leaving" I whispered in her ear while trying to control my tears but it was impossible because by now all four of us were sobbing messes.