My Distant Boyfriend
"Aw, JD," Elliot cooed, comfortingly placing her cold, clammy hand on his. She sat back in her seat and pursed her lips thoughtfully.
"I don't know what to do, Elliot," JD sighed, resting his elbow on the table and cradling his cheek with his hand. "We've both been really busy, and he's been… kind of distant, I guess." He sulked. It didn't help that every time he managed to gather up the courage to ask Perry if anything was wrong, tears would spring to his eyes on their own accord. It had been a long and grueling two weeks — fourteen days of mind-numbing work and getting into a big, empty bed and crawling under cold sheets at unconventional hours of the day.
"Ooh, you know, my psychiatrist once gave me this cognitive-behavioral type exercise to help me calm down in stressful situations during my intern days, namely back when Perry was his big bad self and reinforcing horrible things about me that I already know—"
JD frowned. "Are you sure it worked? Because it looks like he still does that—"
"JD!" she admonished shrilly. "Not the point!"
He gave her a sheepish smile. "Carry on," he allowed.
"Anyway," Elliot said, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes, "he pretty much told me that I'm emotionally retarded, except he said it in a more clinical way, and that means that I don't know how to convey anger in a healthy manner and so I kinda make up for it by…" she cringed to herself and murmured weakly, "…diving into supply closets and crying." A distant, glassy look fell over Elliot's features as she shook her head and sighed, "Doctor Cox and Doctor Kelso had so much fun riding my ass when I was an intern. And Jordan. And um, Carla, when she was mean to me in the beginning, now that I think about it." She gave him a leery grin. "But now you've got the honor of getting your ass ridden by Doctor Cox!" she squealed. Her face fell. "But that's literal and I guess I've got the honor, figuratively…"
"Elliot!" JD whined, covering his face with his hands.
"Oh, right," she said with a grin, consolingly patting his hand again. "Anyhoo, so he told me to think of a part of my body that I had confidence in, or has a lot of strength, and use that strength as a kind of moral support boost!"
JD raised his eyebrows. "What body part did you pick?"
"It was debatable, at first," Elliot said meditatively. "I mean, you remember when I was flashing my boobs at patients and it boosted their morale, and, um, sometimes their BP? Well, I considered that. And I considered my fingers—"
He nodded appreciatively. "You do have fingers like biceps."
"—but then I decided to zero in on my thighs, 'cause personally I feel like there's a lot of power there. Like, remember when I carried you to the finish line when you were all pooped out from that triathlon?"
JD nodded, a disappointed look on his face. "All too well," he mused.
"So, yeah," Elliot said, beaming at him. "I use my thighs as my moral support boost! And it kinda makes sense, you know, since it's practically the foundation of my body. If my body were a house, I guess."
JD drummed his fingers on the table, looking thoughtful. Then he nodded to himself. "Thanks, Elliot."
She smiled. "No problem, JD! Call me after and tell me what happened, or, you know, if you need a ride to the emergency room or something…"
JD rolled his eyes and stood. "Will do," he sighed, making his way out of Coffee Bucks. He walked back to the hospital and absentmindedly wondered what body part he'd be able to use as his emotional foundation.
He found himself walking to the nurses' station after clocking in, leaning on the counter as he observed Carla and Turk animatedly talking to one another.
"Hey, guys," JD greeted.
"Hey, Bambi," Carla said, offering him a smile.
"I could use some advice—"
Carla sat up at that, a determined look on her face. "I'm all ears!"
JD imagined Carla having ears all over her body, standing on a soapbox with everyone surrounding her, begging her for a piece of her counsel and wisdom.
"That's an interesting piercing on your nose-ear, Carla," JD said as he reemerged from his fantasy.
Turk and Carla waited patiently until he trained his eyes back on them.
"Something bothering you, VB?" Turk asked, laying a brotherly hand on his shoulder and giving it a brotherly squeeze.
"Yeah," JD sighed. "What would you say is the strongest part of my body?"
Carla giggled, returning back to a chart she was looking over. "Oh, Bambi. You're a hoot."
Turk was giving him a weird look. "Are you having a gender crisis again, my man?"
JD pouted. "I'm being serious."
Carla was still giggling. "Maybe it isn't strong physically, but Doctor Cox does have an obsession with that butt of yours."
"Baby, there are just some things that I don't need to know!" Turk shrieked.
JD perked up at that. Perry did like his butt…
--
JD entered Perry's apartment with a sigh, shedding off his backpack and leaving it by the door. He heard the sounds of his boyfriend moving around the apartment, getting ready for his shift.
"I'm home," JD called out softly, trudging into the kitchen.
Perry came out from the bedroom, fiddling with the clasp on his wristwatch. "I ordered Chinese. Left it in the microwave."
"Did you leave me some?" JD joked lightly.
Perry's mouth quirked into a half-smile as he looked upon the younger man. He noted the way the younger man dragged his feet as he made his way to the kitchenette, and the slight slouch of his shoulders. He frowned. "Okay, Newbie?"
JD paused before pivoting around slowly, leaning back on the counter and shrugging his shoulders. "I dunno," he said vaguely.
The older man approached him, raising his eyebrows inquisitively. "Sounds to me like you do," he remarked.
JD looked at him. "Perry, do you like my butt?" he asked sulkily.
Perry laughed at the spontaneous question. "It's gotten the least of my complaints," he offered.
The younger man smiled. He shrugged. "It just seems like you've been really distant lately. That's all." JD's smile widened, but it seemed a little forced. "There isn't someone else, is there?" he asked jokingly.
"Yeah, actually," Perry said with a teasing grin, "her name's Sacred Heart Hospital."
JD pouted even as Perry came closer and gently pulled him into a loose embrace. The younger man tightened his arms around the older man's waist, and he lifted his head to kiss him. Perry kissed back fervently, cradling JD's head between his strong hands.
"I'm off tomorrow," JD murmured as they parted, resting his forehead against the older man's. "If you want me to pick up a couple of things from the groceries or something…"
"Looks like we got lucky, Newbie," Perry said with a leer. "Just got my schedule printed out the other day. Looks like I'm stuck with you."
JD beamed. "Looks like," he said cheerfully.
"Meet me in the bedroom around 9ish tomorrow morning?" Perry said with a smirk, pressing another kiss to his lips.
"I'll be there," the younger man reassured him, nodding. He looked at him inquiringly. "Attire?"
Perry's smirk widened as he slid his hands down to squeeze JD's ass. "None."
END