AN: Thanks again for all the reviews and follows and favs. Y'all are the reason why I update so quickly =]
Tuesday 3:15 PM
"You alright?" Brendan asks Ste as he places him against the tree making sure the pillow supports his back.
"Never better." Ste looks him straight in the eyes and flutters his eyelashes at him. That has to work Ste thinks to himself.
"You got something in your eye?"
It didn't work.
"No." Ste sighs and looks up at the tree. Brendan moves to Stes right side and takes a seat next to him on the grass. They are both quiet for a couple minutes. Ste keeps looking up while Brendan stares down as he plucks grass out of the ground.
"So why do you like this spot?"
"It's calming."
"What do you do here then?"
"Nothing really. Just sit here and relax before I go in there to the real world I guess."
Ste looks over at him and sees him staring straight ahead. Almost looks like he is in a trance. Like he's trapped in a dark place and can't get out. At one point Ste thinks that he hasn't blinked for quite a long time, an unnormal amount of time. As if reading his mind Brendan snaps out of it and moves slightly forward so he can lie down on the ground.
"So Steven not much of a roof man are you?"
Ste wasn't expecting that question but it lightened the mood. "Stupid roof." Ste mumbles under his breath.
"I'm sure it wasn't the roofs fault."
"It's dead embarrassing innt."
"A bit yeah. I mean a bird. Really?"
"It came out of nowhere! Like it purposely did a sneak attack on me!"
"Now we're blaming the bird."
"It was huge! I hope karma catches up to that attacker." Ste looks down and sees Brendan looking up at him. Brendan is giving him his full attention and his eyes are shining so bright. Ste can say he has never seen eyes so magnificently bright and blue before. For a second he thinks he sees Brendan smile again but he can't be sure. He is sure that Brendan rolls his eyes at him before he closed them. It goes quiet again but it's not awkward. In fact it's like Brendan said, its calm. Ste takes this opportunity to study Brendan hoping he doesn't suddenly open his eyes and catch him creeping on him. He sees the perfect spiked up hair. This time not one hair is out of place. He has frown lines on his forehead like even now he is deep in thought. Ste sees the small bags under his eyes and thinks of reasons why he must not sleep at night. Ste moves down and stops at his lips. One word-perfect. He wants to lean down and captured them with his teeth; he can't help but think how juicy they look. Their also wet and slick from where Brendan keeps licking them with his tongue. His cheeks are concave and his jaw line is symmetrically structured. If Gods still existed Brendan would be one of them. Stes eyes go down his neck and see a silver chain with a cross falling off to the side of him. Brendan has on his black scrubs and black Jordan shoes. Those must have cost him a pretty penny. Ste settles on his arms. Brendan must work out as he has muscles, their defined but not too much. His right arm has a few scratch marks here and there. It's his left arm that Ste can't get over. The top half looks fine but Ste spots what appears to be another scar further up but can't tell since it's covered. The bottom half is where he has that scar that is at least 12 inches long, maybe more. There are areas throughout it that are red and the whole thing is raised. Ste can finally get a better look at it and sees it starts above the elbow area and all the way down to his ring finger. Brendan isn't wearing the ring Ste has seen him have on usually so now he sees the scar actually extends onto the finger itself. Ste moves his head slightly down to try to examine it better when he hears a phone go off. He quickly looks away as Brendan opens his eyes and makes a grab for his phone.
"Oh fuck." Brendan lifts himself up and picks up the phone. "What do you want Chez?-Yeah I'm with him now, wheeling him around remember- He seems fine I'll ask him if he wants to go back in-" Brendan looks over at Ste and he shakes his head no. "Nope he doesn't want to go back yet-I got it Sis." There's a long pause as Brendan stands up and clenches his hands into fists. "Are you trying to say I can't take care of 4 patients? I have less than anyone else in this place and that's still too much for you.-Don't you fucking dare transfer one of mine to that asshole Noah.-Oh oh he's more what? What?! Say it Chez!-There ya go you said it! How long you been holding that in huh?-I fucking hate you too." Brendan throws the phone against the wall and Ste sees the tiny pieces just fly all over the place. He doesn't know if he should say anything or not so he keeps silent. Brendan's hands are shaking and his breath becomes more rapid.
"Steven what time do you have?"
Ste fumbles to get his phone out as his arms and hands aren't still back to 100% let alone 50%.
"Umm 3:54."
"Great I forgot to take my medi-" Brendan stops mid-sentence. "Umm can I borrow your phone and make a call real quick."
"Sure."
Brendan walks over and takes the phone and signals that he is going to go behind a small building. It takes him about 5 minutes to come back and give the phone back to Ste. He sits back down next to him though.
"Looks like you're gonna have to get that 4th phone now huh?"
Brendan looks at him and Ste can tell he wants to laugh but he doesn't. "I'll just use yours till I get a new one."
"And have you break mine. Forget it." Ste smiles at him.
"Promise I won't."
"Fine only in emergencies though."
"Deal. You ready to go?"
"Yep. Help me up."
"You know the drill." Ste grabs hold of Brendan's neck as he lifts him up onto his wheelchair. Brendan goes back to grab the pillow and shakes it to remove any dirt on it. While he does this Ste looks through his phone and sees that no call was made. He looks over at Brendan and feels like asking why he lied about that. Why was it necessary to hide himself for those 5 minutes? But he ends up closing his phone and putting it for a later time. Brendan places the pillow behind Ste and starts moving them back inside.
"So east wing right?"
Ste gets another plan in his head and disregards his previous plan of making Jen jealous. "Actually can you take me back to my room kinda wanna watch some tv."
"Ok." Brendan wheels him back in the direction of his room. Ste sees a young nurse look over at Brendan and wave him over.
"What?" Brendan shouts from where he is, not even moving in the direction of the nurse.
"Need you to sign that you looked over next week's schedule. You got 3 overnight shifts next week."
"Fantastic." Ste laughs at Brendan's sarcastic tone and has to give him an innocent smile when Brendan playfully pushes his head forward. He goes over and looks over it and Ste sees this nurse move his hand towards the hand Brendan has rested on the counter. Ste thinks quick and starts coughing loudly. The nurse jumps and Brendan looks over at Ste with a blank expression and shakes his head. "Signed. Off now." He walks over to Ste and leans down so no one can hear him. "You don't fake coughing very well."
Tuesday 4:30 PM
They enter the room and Ste asks for help to the restroom again. They have it down this time. Brendan waits outside, Ste says done, Brendan comes back in and helps him to the sink, they finish in record time. He helps him back onto his bed and attaches all the wires again before he sits down in the seat next to him.
"Hungry yet?"
"Nope later. Remote"
"Bossy. Umm where is it?"
"You had it last."
"No I didn't. You did. I threw it on your bed remember." Brendan gets back up and starts leaning over the bed looking in between the rails. Ste then lets out a huge laugh. "You have it don't you?"
"Busted."
"Idiot."
Ste flicks through the channels. "Say Yes To The Dress."
"No."
"Four Weddings."
"Pass."
"Golden Girls."
"What is wrong with you? No."
"Fine. You pick something." Ste throws the remote at him and hits him directly on the left arm. "Oh god I'm sorry! You ok?"
Brendan runs his hand over his arm and grabs the remote. "I'm good. Didn't hurt...much. Erm how about a movie?"
"Go on."
"Saw 5 is about to start. That good?"
"Yeah." Ste isn't into those types of movies but apparently Brendan enjoys gory films. The movie starts and Ste looks over and sees Brendan trying to get comfortable on the chair. He leans back and props his feet on the bed. "That chair doesn't look comfy."
"It's a hospital Steven nothing is comfortable. It's like I'm sitting on concrete."
"Bed is comfy though. And bouncy."
"Well that's good for you doesn't really help me."
"Erm-"
"What?" Brendan is still moving around trying to find a good position.
"I mean the bed is pretty big actually. I'm sure 2 people can fit on it. So like if you want to-well you know it would be ok-you could I don't know-"
"Spit it out."
"Get on the bed." Ste pouts yet again and crosses his arms. He doesn't know if Brendan will join him or not. Nothing has really indicated which way he actually swings. For all he knows Brendan could be married, he was wearing a ring on his ring finger. Not today though.
"Move over then." Ste shuffles to the left so Brendan can fit on his right side. He gently gets on the bed and moves up a little so his head rest on the pillow. "You good? Your back is fine right?"
"I'm great. Now shut up I'm missing the movie."
"You just tell me to shut up?"
"Are you still talking?" Ste looks over at Brendan and winks at him to show he's not serious. Brendan looks down and when he looks back up at the screen he has a smile on his face. It goes away after a few seconds but that's all Ste needed. They are about 15 minutes into the movie when the door opens. Cheryl walks in looking down at a chart.
"Ste love I was-" She looks up and her face turns into confusion "-ohh umm didn't know you were here Brendan."
"Surprise. Keeping him company."
"And your other patients?"
"Are fine. They haven't called for me."
"Shouldn't you check on them tho."
Ste sees her eyes looking straight at their arms that are barely touching.
"One of them is getting her surgery right now so she will be in the recovery ward for a couple days. I already did the first session of therapy with another patient. And in 2 hours I'll go do the session with my last patient. Got it covered."
"Alright. Did you umm take your you know what. It's past 4."
"Yeah I did."
"Well ok then I was just gonna check up on you Ste but you seem to be covered so I'll see you tomorrow morning. And Brendan remember 8 PM."
"I know I know."
"And..."
"And I'll text you when I get out."
"And..."
"And I'll call you when I get home."
"Good. Ok then have a goodnight." She walks out and then comes right back in. "You did remember to ask for Thursday off right?"
"Yep."
"Great when's the last time we had a brother and sister day."
"Can't remember."
"Exactly. I can't wait! Ok I'll go now. Night Ste. Bye Bren!" She waves and gives her brother a smile.
Ste for the first time sees the love between them. Family love. Something he never had. "She's a good sister isn't she. Even if she's a tad overprotective."
"She is. She's the only one that never let me down. Unconditional love. Standing in front of somebody and taking the bullet for them. Taking the hit. We both taken the hit for each other." Ste feels Brendan tense up next to him. "Anyway back to the movie then?"
Ste nods and relaxes next to Brendan. They get about half way into the movie and Ste can't help but talk. "You know I just thought of something. How are you going to text Cheryl if you broke your phone?"
"Oh right I forgot. I'll just call her."
"Forgot to tell you Jen wanted me to tell you hi for her."
"When did you talk to her?"
"I didn't. She basically told me to tell you."
"Typical."
"You friends with her?"
"Coworkers more like. Umm your phone is flashing."
"What?"
Brendan reaches over to the table and grabs his phone. "Doug."
"Oh an employee of mine. Give it here."
"Nope." Brendan moves out of reach and picks up the phone. "Yep-who you calling for?- yeah you got the right number- names Brendan I'm sort of looking after him- he's fine- no he's gonna be out for about a month-that's fine-yep you get my approval-I'll pass it to him-alright." Brendan closes the phone and places it back on the table.
"What the hell Brendan?! What did he say?"
"Just wanted to know where you were and I gave him the basic details. Oh I also agreed to some delivery."
"Brendan! He's not gonna call back."
"Good." He says it so quietly that Ste struggled to even hear it.
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's just finish this movie yeah. I gotta go check up on another patient in a bit."
Ste shrugs and puts his attention back to the screen. Brendan leans back again and closes his eyes. He looks tired and drained. Within a couple minutes he sees Brendan's chest move up and down in rhythm. He has fallen asleep so Ste very gently touches his hand. Brendan stays still doesn't even move. Ste moves his hand up and glides it so delicately across the scar and feels how warm it is. Brendan moves at that and jumps a little in his sleep so Ste removes his hand. It doesn't look like Brendan will wake up anytime soon so Ste shuffles up and rests his head on Brendan's shoulder. He looks at Brendan one more time and then lets sleep take over.
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