Opposites Attract
845Words
Joseph Byrnes was a quiet and, usually, predictable man. He'd been forced into medicine like his father, despite being a man of words. He'd always been told that he'd make a good English teacher. He had a large vocabulary and was eloquent with words. He looked like a teacher too with his tall, slender frame and floppy brown hair. He was a stickler for rules and order with a slight hero complex and obsessive compulsive disorder brought on by his extensive studies.
But then, without being forced into medicine, he'd never have met 'him'.
Him being Matt Parker, a blue eyed intern with an Irish accent and cheeky grin that made him want to drag the younger man off to some quiet place and make read for hours and hours, till they were both sick of Shakespeare and Sonnets. Matt was book smart, he could read anything and absorb the information, recall it later on. He was quick to learn with experience aswell, his memory was amazing. His problem was his articulacy when it came to talking to patients, often stuttering when put on the spot. He often came out with it, straight to the point, blunt with his words and whilst other's would try to phrase things a little more kindly.
That's why Joseph wanted to curl up and disappear when Matt walked into the bathroom, scrubbing away at the first on his hands. He couldn't see it, but it was there, he could just feel it. It was still there, no matter how much he scrubbed. Matt disappeared into a cubicle, coming out a minute or two later having relieved himself. Joseph was still washing away.
"Hi.." Matt grinned, washing his hands in the sink besides Joseph. Joseph nodded, offering a small smile before going back to his task. Matt's eyes followed his gaze and noticed his hands were turning red. He frowned. He said nothing but went over towards the towel rack, dried his hands. He stood around for a few moments, under the pretence of thoroughly drying his hands. He noted that Joseph was still at it.
"Hey, Jo... don't you think your hands are clean enough?" Matt glanced over his shoulder.
"It's Joseph!" Was the snappy reply "And no.. there's still dirt on them" he added in a softer voice.
"Sorry, It's just.. you've been washing your hands for at least five minutes and that's how long I've been in here. You where in here before me" Matt walked towards the other man but noticed him flinch away slightly. Matt pouted as he stopped besides him.
"Your hands are red raw" He looked up to Joseph, voice soft.
"They are not! They're just.. dirty" Matt blinked, he couldn't see anything on them other then soap.
"Dirty from what? Anti-bacterial soap? Water?" He heard Joseph sniff.
"Don't you have patients to see?" Joseph was still spreading soap over his hands but soap was beginning to creep up his wrists and his tone was clipped.
"Yes. Don't you have patients to see, too?" Matt fixed him a look, firing the question back at him. He saw Joseph's shoulder's sag and the man said nothing. Matt leant forwards, wrapped his fingers around Joseph's wrists and carefully pulled them under the running tap. Joseph tried to jerk his hands away but Matt was stronger.
"Come on Jo, what's wrong?" Joseph looked at him then, faltering when he met blue eyes.
"It's Joseph.. I did something I shouldn't have, let someone talk me into something.. wrong. I was bad..." He paused, looking back to his hands. Matt thought he looked awfully vulnerable right there, not the usual stick-up-his-arse Byrnes. Matt's fingers slid over Joseph's hands, rubbed at the soap, trying to be gentle with the sore hands.
"How bad?" Matt queried, pulling Joseph's hands from the water and turning the tap off. Josephs hands flew towards the soap but Matt's were quicker and pulled them away.
"Had to perform an emergency tracheotomy on someone's.. partner. We didn't have consent.. but they couldn't loose the person... I said no, really I did.. but I.." Joseph bit his lip and looked up at Matt suddenly "You can't tell anyone!" He was desperate.
"I won't" They fell silent, just stood there for a few moments before Matt spoke again "How's the patient?".
"Alive last time I saw them.. they're under care though" Joseph looked worn.
"Then you shouldn't punish yourself. You did well" Matt had steered him towards the towel rack and was drying his hands. He noted the other man's wince. He raised them towards his face to get a closer look.
"Oh, what have you done to yourself, Jo" He frowned at the red skin, noting it was only sore, no bleeding. Joseph had the urge to reach out for him.
Matt bit his lip for a moment, eyes timidly meeting Joseph's for a moment before he pressed a gentle kiss to each of Joseph's palms.
Maybe he could get used to being called, Jo.. Only if it was Matt's Irish accent though.
Author's Notes: Ok so this is my first Holby City story, I've been watching it few months because my mum loves it, and I like casualty. My favourite characters are of course; Joseph, Matt and Sam.Based onthe latest episode where Elliot talks Joseph into doing the the traceotomy on Gina (showed on the 11th April 2006).
That's all I have to say, I think. Thanks for reading!