quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Now you're just lying." He mused, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. For he witnessed her soft side during those intimate moments, where they were alone and no one could hear the words spoken between them, or the moments after, where one might debate about where his body began and hers ended, tangled up in nothing but sheets. Or those moments where the moonlight broke through the window and illuminated her face. Definitely lying about her never being soft. He didn't need to see her smile to know so. Carefully inhaling a breath, he was lucky the pain medication the EMTs had given him were still having an effect. Though hobbled, he walked at a reasonably pace besides her. "Nothing else." Quentin shook his head. "Just you and take-out.. Perhaps a cuddle from my kids, but I won't be upset if that's a thing for tomorrow." @julietaxalvarez

Julieta smiled at the playful teasing. Her heart skipped a beat when he squeezed her hand. They easily fell into a rhythm with each other, the comfort of it all still managing to catch her off guard sometimes. "Maybe," she teased, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Soft? Me? Never," she said with a grin, though the smile on her face said otherwise. She laughed softly, nodding her head, "Let's do that, then." She was happy to walk alongside him, "The fresh air is nice," she agreed with Quentin. The breeze was gentle against their skin as they left the hospital. "Anything else you want?" She hummed, looking at him. "Anything else you need?" @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"That and parenting." He was quick to correct her, a slight pull on his lips. "I'm a great dad, mind you." Quentin uttered, though not as an offense. No he knew he still had lots to learn on that front. He was pretty okay, even Sadie would have to admit to that one. "Oh?" Was all he said, waiting for her to start explaining, even offering her the slightest of smiles when she mentioned the sewing machine mishap. Everyone had one of those days, didn't make it any less shit. "That's the spirit. As long as there's no puddles that cars can drive over or no swarm of crickets washes over us, we'll be fine. And the weather forecast mentioned nothing of rain or crickets." @carmenxfontenelle

"At least you got one good skill out of marriage," Carmen lightly quipped in return. "Nothing bad," she shook her head, "I promise." She continued walking alongside Quentin, "Just one of those weird off days when everything feels a little sideways." Carmen lifted her shoulders into a shrug, "I mean, my first red flag of the day should have been when my spool of thread basically flung off the sewing machine. I should have gone home and crawled right back into bed." She laughed with a slight shake of her head, "But, here I am. Keeping you company, which is a good way to end the day." @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"It's more a success with the nurses and my male colleagues. You'd be surprised at how vain male doctors are, oof." Quentin shook his head, as if he appeared completely serious about his shared observation. "Don't tell my girlfriend, but I have three work husbands just for telling them their skin looks amazing. The nurses simply invited me to their Thursday gossip club." He continued, fishing out his wallet in the meanwhile, already taking out cash from his wallet enough to cover both their lunches and leave space for a tip. "Oh, good. They'll be spoiled with popsicles, then. I loved getting my tonsils removed." He reminisced about the memory. If only you could get them removed twice. "Well, I'm biased, but I'd say it's the best department. Always on the move, interesting cases, the best patients, stunning surgeons. Definitely beats the trauma guys." @georgiaelliot

She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re hilarious. That work on all the ladies coming through the hospital?” She teased him a little bit before nodding. “Trying at least. Seems to be sticking.” Georgia teased as well. She always loved peds and couldn’t imagine doing any other field. “Yeah. It was just tonsils. The kid will get surgery and be all good before we know it.” She told him before shrugging. “How’s ortho here?” @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"See, I always put that on my dating profiles, yet they never took it seriously." Quentin joked, though more to distract from the fact he was being a sap right now. If anything, Quentin was a family man. Be it a brother, a father, a son. But being a partner seemed to complete the picture. Not being able to live in that role during his previous marriage made him desire it all the more this time around. "Ah, so are we both donning a dual citizenship, then?" Quentin mused, then shrugged. "I'd say it's for her birthday, but that was in February." He uttered. "I just like the way she lights up when she gets them. It's adorable." @scottyxthomas

"Well, aren't you just the romantic," she quipped, though there was clear fondness in her voice. "It's sweet seeing you like this," though she didn't know Quentin before she moved to Kismet Harbor, she tended to think that she was one of the few people that believed in romantic gestures after she was fully committed to someone. "Makes me know that I'm not alone in love land," she teased Quentin, "Are you looking for a special occasion or just because flowers?" @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Vodka sauce and carbs it is, then." he agreed, his fingers locking with hers the second she reached for him. He gave her hand a light squeeze, giving her a look that he saved especially for her. "You calling yourself fate now?" he asked, teasing her with the sudden gesture. "You're not getting soft on me now, are you?" He mused, lifting her hand up to kiss the back of it. "I say we pick it up." he offered his opinion. "Stretch the legs a little more. Plus, I always feel they're quicker when you choose for take out." He uttered, breathing in the fresh air once they stepped into the open world. @julietaxalvarez

"I still dream about their vodka sauce sometimes," Julieta mused, thanking him as she walked out the door that he held open for her. She walked beside him, brushing their hands once. "Thai is tempting but I think I'm voting for carbs tonight." After everything, carbs seemed like the comfort food that they were both in need of. "Your face happened to land you a loving girlfriend, so it's not all bad fate that came your way." She teased Quentin, this time reaching for his hand to lace their fingers together. "Do you want to pick it up on the way home or have it delivered?" @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Well look at you, great job, Fran." Quentin clapped the other on the back, deciding not to bring up the amount of things he had been knitting for the donation boxes. Anything to keep his fingers nimble. But he supposed Francisco was less dependent on the dexterity in his fingers. Two different worlds. "I would offer to meet you in the ring, but I'm grounded.. again for a few weeks." Quentin rolled his eyes. If it wasn't his legs, it was the fact his ribs got the shit kicked out of them. "But we can always do that some other time." He mused, instead shrugging. "But seriously, how're you feeling about it? Must be exciting. First baby of the new generation, right?" @franciscofontenelle

Cisco quirked a brow, when brown eyes flickered and shifted over at Quentin. "Make fun of me all you want, but I finished the socks and they're in fact not falling apart." Even if they were shoved in the furthest corner of his closet's drawer, in the darkest corner, where they'd likely never be uncovered. But that didn't have to become public information. "Depends on what this battle of the uncles looks like." Now, he mirrored Quentin's smirk, the expression that sat atop the other's features reflecting on his own. @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"One thing marriage has been good for, is that I learned to listen more." Quentin mused, raising his hands in self defense. Now if only his ex-wife had done the same, they might not have ended up in such a messy divorce. He was happier now than he was then, however. So in the end he was where he needed to be. "Company granted." Quentin uttered, offering her his arm. "Oh yeah? How come? Nothing bad, I hope?" @carmenxfontenelle

"Good, I'd hate to waste my warnings on someone who doesn't listen," she quipped back lightly. She matched his pace, clearly in no rush herself. She gave a little tilt of her head at his suggestion, "A detour," Carmen glanced over at him again, her tone dipping into sincerity, "I could use the company, actually." She smiled warmly at him, "I'll be honest, I haven't had a decent distraction in a while." Admittedly, it was because she was spending far too much time at work, holed up in the sewing room or holed up in her apartment sewing until the morning light broke once more. @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"By all means, wrap me up. Gives Julieta something to unwrap once I'm home." Not so sure his chest hair would be appreciative of the sentiment, but maybe it would cause Juli to crack a smile again. He'd never actually thought he'd be in a position again where he would think of getting flowers and other romantic sentiments for someone he was actively together with. After his divorce, it was easier to give up on the idea and not go beyond anything casual. He was happy things ended up differently, however. "I would appreciate that. I'm game for any pointers you can give me, too." @scottyxthomas

Scotty laughed softly, "I do have two," and the thought warmed her heart. "I'd call it resourceful over abusive," she teased Quentin, tipping her head to the side. "You're right," she laughed once more. "She might be able to argue a brick wall into changing its mind," she teased with a shake of her head. "We have a roll here," she joked with him, "I'll make sure to keep extra in stock now." Her lips twisted, "I've got a way with flowers," she had a tendency to buy them often for Bridget. "I'd love to help you pick something out, a thanks for all your help here today." @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

Quentin smiled at the kiss, his hand resting on her waist for just a moment longer before he let it fall. "Perfectly boring sounds like the dream." he murmured, looking down at her as she settled back on her feet, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, his thumb grazing her cheek in the process. The question would always sound of how he got so lucky. "Hmm.. Comfort food. Thai maybe? Or that pasta place I like with the garlic knots that could floor a whole block." He mused, stepping back toward the door, holding it open for her like always, a familiar ease in the gesture, even managing to do so without a fraction of pain. "Or pizza. Doesn't require plates or cutlery. Just no sushi." He uttered, offering her a boyish grin. "I'm already taking my chances walking around with this face. Don't need to give fate any more reason to knock." @julietaxalvarez

Julieta shook her head at his words, "You actually would," and that was the part that made the woman nervous. Her lips curled into a softened smile as he pressed his lips to her temple, getting out of the bed. Julieta watched him, her gaze lingering as he put back his shirt on. "I don't plan on tempting fate," she told him with his comment about sushi. Julieta walked over to him, slowly and gently smoothing out his shirt, "Of course," she nodded her head, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, "let's go get cozy and spend a perfectly boring time at home, yeah?" She looked up at him as she fell flat back down on her feet, "I can order food for us to be there when we get home. What are you in the mood for?" @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

cottagecore boyfriend with his fancy porcelain.

[quentinxjames]

“We've got him. Pulse is steady, we'll know more at the hospital." The paramedic nodded reassuringly while her partner made sure Quentin was made comfortable, which with a mix of groans and exhales of relief that was still uncertain. The officer beside Chantel took a small step forward, his notebook already out. "Juli. Got it. We'll go through the phone once he's stable." He paused, eyes scanning Chantel’s trembling hands. "You did good, ma'am. Though we need your witness statement at the station, if you wouldn't mind?" The officer followed Chantel's gaze, watching as the scene shifted from chaos to control. The paramedic nodding at the officer, then looked at Chantel before he looked back. "He's a surgeon at the hospital, so we have his emergency contacts in the system." The paramedic spoke, recognising the man to be ready and going whenever they brought in the occasional patient with a bone fracture. With that information he left, the sirens not needing to be turned on as there was no immediate danger to the man's life, though the lights flickered through the dimly lit streets. It would be afterwards when the pain would subside, that Quentin would live through a mixture of gratefulness and guilt, for not having said more to the woman. Though maybe he'd get that chance later.

Chantel could barely make out what was happening over the sound of her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. She'd never been in this sort of situation before, and while her own instincts were telling her to stay guarded in case they came back for more, she couldn't focus on anything other than the other right now. He needed someone, and despite the fact she didn't know the man - there was the faintest sense of familiarity in his facial features, but nothing she could quite pinpoint in the moment - she sure as hell wasn't leaving someone stranded like this in the middle of a street - in the dark none the less. Her hands - now shaking as she tried to find a phone to call whoever 'Juli' was, only to realize once she'd found it that the screen was scratched. She'd try to take the number down for anyone that she suspected he could've been talking about once she knew he was going to be okay. It was the sudden silence as the sirens stopped next to them that snapped her back into reality and not just in fight or flight mode as she stood, letting the paramedics take over. Not before muttering a "Help is here. You're going to be okay." in response to his 'thank you.' She truly didn't feel like she deserved the praise; she was doing what she'd want anyone to do for her or a loved one. "I saw the whole thing." she spoke, eyes looking between the man and an officer as she began to retell what had happened, hands shaking more as adrenaline left her body and the realization of what she'd just witnessed overtook her. "He told me to have you guys call 'Juli'. I found his phone, but I wasn't able to focus enough to see who that was. He called her his wife though." she admitted, eyes averting back to the other as he began being assessed. "You think he's going to be alright?" @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

Quentin's shoulder lifted in a partial shrug, though the wince that followed betrayed more than he likely intended. "Yeah." he muttered, offering the woman a reassuring smile. "Wasn't a big deal. Wrong place, wrong time. That kind of thing." He glanced sideways at Carmen, catching the playful edge in her voice, and allowed a faint smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. "Noted. Consider me effecively warned."he chuckled, watching ahead of them again. Quentin slowed slightly, not out of fatigue, at least, he wouldn't admit it, but maybe for the sake of not rushing this unexpected company. "Home, eventually." He'd spent months not having been able to walk properly, that now despite the discomfort to his side, he would choose that over anything else. "But I wouldn't mind a detour, if you could use the company and have the time." @carmenxfontenelle

Carmen's eyes narrowed slightly as she picked up on Quentin's words. "Wait, someone jumped you?" Her voice was soft, but there was an edge to it, an edge of surprise. She walked beside him, matching his pace without hesitation. "That's just a damn warning, by the way," she glanced over at him, her tone a little more playful with those words. "In need of just a walk or are we headed somewhere in particular?" She questioned Quentin curiously, knowing that walks were good for clearing heads. Carmen often took them when she was stuck with her designs. @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Good, that's good." He doubted anyone had a good reason for going to the police, unless it was for one of those happy reunion kind of things you saw on the tv. "Me? Oh, yeah. All good. Word to the wise, don't get money from the bank after dark." He chuckled, though his words were far from a joke. He was rather more angry at the fact they got his watch that his father gifted him when he went to university. "Feel like walking?" He refused to drive a car and with his injuries, driving his motorcycle hadn't been an option. So the legs worked just as well. @carmenxfontenelle

Carmen glanced over at Quentin, recognizing his voice as soon as it hit her ears. She'd never really had many conversations that were deep with Quentin, but since Amayah was engaged to Quentin's younger brother, they'd crossed paths many of times. "No, not here for business," she replied with a soft tone, "just passing by." Carmen studied Quentin for a moment, "Looks like you've had a rough time, are you okay?" Carmen's gaze flickered to his bruises, a slight wince in her expressions. @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Well, if you got a brother-in-law, you might as well abuse it. And in this case you have two. Quentin snickered, wanting to toss a little joke in there about Wesley having two left hands, but that was far from the truth. "Nothing wrong with independence. If anything, it makes you the right fit for Ridge. Though, I would call her stubborn." He winked, then let out a snort, a regrettable one, at her joke. "Duct tape, probably." He joked. Though careful movements were doing just well. "Speaking of, how good are you with flowers? It's about that time again I should offer another bouquet to Juli for getting her blood pressure up again." @scottyxthomas

Scotty glanced at him, placing some screws in the cart. "Yeah, I've got some shelving to put up and a couple of paintings that I had shipped in from Paris that I couldn't leave behind." Admittedly, there were just some things that Scotty could not part with. "I appreciate you being able to help. I really pride myself on being an independent woman," she started, "but these are just out of my height's reach." She smiled up at Quentin, "Anything here that can fix up those ribs of yours?" The woman teased, knowing it were impossible. @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"Hey, sock man." Quentin teased the other with the nickname, actually finding it quite endearing the guy was actually knitting socks for his sister's baby. It did make him think he had to step up, since that was going to be his niece or nephew as well. Perhaps a promise to Wesley he'd buy them a motorcycle when they're 21 would suffice. If they would allow for it, of course. "We knitting again, or are we doing a battle of the uncles?" He grinned, thumping his fist lightly on the other's shoulder. @franciscofontenelle

[quentinxjames]

"Wouldn't I make that movie a great watch, though?" Quentin joked to attempt to make the situation light. Despite her laugh, her worry was evident. Thankfully she'd missed the questioning by the police, as he was certain she wouldn't have enjoyed the retelling of the tale. "Hey now, none of that. I'd be the last person to judge." He nudged her chin, returning the squeeze. "Never thought I'd say it, but living an old and boring life does sound good right now." He mused, slowly sliding off the bed, kissing her temple in the process. "Though lets avoid sushi. Before the raw fish decides to add onto our karma." Quentin joked, putting back on his shirt, though frowned at the small stains. "Perhaps a change of clothes, while we're at it." @julietaxalvarez

"Mi amor," Julieta breathed the words. My love. Her fingers gently brushed against his cheek, careful not to avoid the bruises. "You say you're fine but you are sitting in this hospital bed like some star of the bad action movies I've been subjected to." She laughed softly, more at ease in the presence of Quentin. Her smile was faint as his lips brushed against her knuckles, "I'm not crying," though she was about to, "but I just might, when you're not looking." That could be reserved for those moments alone. "We've got to stop making life so interesting," she squeezed his hand gently, "maybe we just go to dinner and no one ends up in stitches afterwards." @quentinxjames

[quentinxjames]

"What? Aren't you like fresh out of uni? You can't be older than thirty." Quentin snickered, honesty laced in his joke. "Ah, doing the noble work. I liked pediatrics when I was a resident." Though the art of bones, tendons and nerves had been where his true passion was. "I hope all is okay?" He inquired, moving along the queue towards checkout. @georgiaelliot

She laughed a little bit and put up her hands innocently. "Sorry. Though, I get it. I'd feel the same if anyone asked me." She joked with him and moved to grab her sandwich. "Georgia Elliot, Pediatrician." She said and shook his hand. "I work at Hopeful Horizons and one of my patients was admitted so I came in to check on them." She explained. @quentinxjames