Just a really quick ficlet that I have saved.
This took place at the end of season 1 episode 11 (Turn off the light) after Jay's fight with Munoz.
"Damn!" Erin whistled as she saw the damage on Jay's face. The split lip, the shiner and the cuts scatter all over his face like freckles made it clear that Jay had gotten his ass kicked. "I'm almost afraid to see the other guy."
Her comment was ignored. Instead Jay just spat into the sink— splatters of blood still coming out— before he washed his mouth with water. Erin just leaned against the lockers, waiting for him to be done and acknowledge her. But he continued ignoring her, his tense body hunched over and his hands gripping the sink. All in all, he looked like a pitbull that just lost his prize in a fight.
Erin gave him a few more minutes to lick his wounds before she walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, feeling just how tense he was. She turned him around and when he tried to protest, she just quieted him with a lift of her eyebrow. It worked like a charm because he deflated enough for her to maneuver him over to the bench. He sat down, almost pouting like a petulant child, and Erin was having a hard time not to find him— and his antics— adorable.
He tried to get up but she pushed him back down by his shoulders and pointed her finger at him to stay put. God, he could be so stubborn sometimes.
"What?" he threw his hands up.
"Just sit down," she replied impatiently before she walked over to his locker and pulled out the first aid kit she knew he kept. It had been a staple in his locker ever since she fell down tackling a guy and almost busted her head open. The only thing she remembered vividly beside the pain was him fussing over her. And now it was her turn to fuss over him.
He made a few more grunts as a protest to show his unhappiness before she straddled the bench and sat down in front of him. She gently lifted his head to the light to see the full scope of his injuries and winced when she saw a deep cut right by his lips as well as a bruise turning deeper and deeper in color.
"Munoz really did a number on you," she muttered, her eyes still scanning his face, finding more cuts as she went on.
"He got the jump on me. Took me by surprise that's all," he said with a shrug. Erin just held her tongue, knowing that his ego was more bruised than his face. Men and their pride.
"Uh-huh," she just hummed as she opened the kit and ripped open a packet of alcohol wipe. "Come here, tough guy." She scooted closer and took his face in her hand again. "This is gonna sting," she warned him before she slowly patted his cuts with the wipe. She knew he was hurting but Jay being typical Jay just bit down his pain, stopping himself from wincing. "Almost done." She used up a couple more wipes to make sure all of his injuries were thoroughly cleaned before she moved onto his hands, focusing on his bloody knuckles. "At least you got in a few hits of your own. I was starting to worry that you got your ass completely kicked and Munoz got away without a scratch. Good thing because I would have to change partners otherwise. I can't have a partner that can't fight. I have to hold up my reputation here."
Her attempt to lighten him up worked as she saw a hint of a smile on his face, the corners of hls mouth starting to turn up.
"Is this part of your bedside manner? Kick an injured patient while he's down?" he retorted, slowly starting to come out of his angry funk from earlier.
Erin just smirked and shrugged, happy that he seemed to be feeling more like himself. She knew Jay and knew that he could be a hothead. He was quick-tempered and sometimes, he could be the grumpiest person she knew. But she also knew how he operated and most importantly, she knew how to calm him down. How to tease him so that he could see the ridiculousness of the situation and ebb his anger away.
"If the patient is acting like a baby, then yes," she shot back. He just rolled his eyes at her, another grin threatening to break out on his face. "Now, come here so I can finish this." He complied as she said, leaning his face closer so she could put some ointment on the cuts. He winced when the q-tip made contact with his skin. "Baby," she muttered, knowing that he was just putting on an act.
"Seriously, you need to work on your bedside manner for next time."
"I'm not a nurse and how about next time, you don't take on a Colombian gangster by yourself?" She dabbed on more ointment, making sure to be extra gentle this time. "Really, Halstead. Next time they might just knock out all the prettiness from your face."
A smirk crossed his lips, an indication that he was about to make his patented Jay Halstead's smartass comment. "I always knew you thought I was pretty." She just pretended as though she didn't hear him and continued doing what she was doing. "That's why you're so worried. You're afraid that you won't get to enjoy my pretty face any longer."
"If only Munoz managed to knock out all of your sass too," she muttered and his body shook as Jay laughed. Erin loved seeing him like this— his whole face lighting up and the grin on his face so easy and beautiful.
"Yeah, well. Maybe next time." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm just kidding," he quickly pacified her. "Trust me, I have no intentions of getting into another fight and getting my ass kicked again."
"Good," she stated, capping the ointment bottle and putting the kit away.
"You forgot a spot." He pointed to the corner of his lips, the spot clear of any ointment. He looked at her expectedly, a small grin on his lips.
Erin cupped his face and pulled him closer, Jay's eyes widening in surprise when he saw how close their faces were. She closed the distance completely to place a kiss— fleeting and evanescent— on the corner of his mouth. She heard him take in a sharp inhale, obviously not expecting her to do that. And when she pulled away, she could see the astonishment on his face.
"How's that for good bedside manners?" she whispered, her voice low and soft— almost a purr. Jay's mouth was just parted, like he couldn't form a reply. Erin loved the reaction she was getting out of him, like she just changed his world with just one press of her lips. He finally seemed to snap out of his daze and he swallowed. She raised her brow, waiting to see what he'd say.
And by the way his mouth started to split into a grin and a mischievous look started to form in his eyes, she just knew he was about to say something so Jay.
"I take back what I said about not getting into another fight." He wagged his eyebrows at her. "After all, you need to practice your bedside manner and who better to practice them on than me, your partner?"
She bit her lips, trying to stop a smile from escaping. She gave his shoulder a squeeze. "So noble. Get out of here."
With one more smirk as a parting gift, he got up and walked out of the locker room, Erin hearing his chuckles all the way down the hall. She just shook her head fondly at him and placed her hand over her heart, feeling it beating so fast against her chest.