Chapter Text
The smell of dinner filled the kitchen, making your mouth water as you finished up the dish. You stood at the stove cooking while Jack cut up tomatoes for a salad at the counter beside you, your shoulders occasionally brushing. Robby moved around you, grabbing plates from the cabinet and setting them on the island. The rhythm between you felt increasingly natural as if you’d been doing this for years.
“Almost done,” you announced.
“Smells good, sweetheart,” Jack said and Robby hummed in agreement.
You smiled in thanks. “I’m a decent cook when I have the time.”
“A woman of many talents.” Jack’s voice was warm with appreciation. “Doctor, hospital fixer, EMT, chef…”
“Don’t forget coffee savior,” Robby added. “Dana sent me a raving text after she tried the coffee this afternoon.”
You laughed as you dished up the food and passed their plates over. “The bar was criminally low there.”
The three of you settled into your meal, conversation flowing easily between bites. Jack swallowed and turned to you. “So, are you planning on staying over this time?”
You nodded. “That was the plan, if the invitation’s still open.”
“Always,” Robby replied immediately, mouth half-full.
“Jesus, chew your food,” Jack muttered and nudged him with his elbow. “The guest room is yours whenever you want it. Or—”
Your phone buzzing interrupted whatever he’d been about to say. You glanced at the display, expression tightening at the name displayed. “Fucking hell. What does she want?”
Both men straightened in their seats looking at you in concern. “Who is it?” Robby asked.
“Gloria.” The name came out like a curse. You tapped the screen to read the message, getting more irritated with every word.
“Well?” Jack asked.
Your eyes narrowed as you read the text aloud. “We need to have a discussion before your shift tomorrow. Be in my office at four.” You shook your head. “I’m not spending fifteen hours at the hospital because she wants to get off at five.”
You typed back a response and glanced up at your soulmates. “Sorry. I know this is rude. I just want this taken care of.”
They both shook their heads. “Don’t worry about it,” Robby assured. “What are you going to tell her?”
“That there is no way in hell I’m coming in three hours before my shift.”
The response came back almost immediately. I get off at 5 so it has to be 4.
I can meet at 6 or this can wait until I’m on days. You hit send with more force than necessary then slammed the phone on the table and took a bite of your food.
Jack glanced at the screen after looking at you for permission then turned it for Robby to see as well. “Good for you, Angel,” Jack said.
“She can’t be dictating what I do in my off hours because it’s convenient for her. And I guarantee you she’s going to try to get out of paying me for it as well.” Your voice was tight with irritation. “That’s the shit that needs to stop.”
“And it will,” Robby reminded you.
The phone buzzed again and you read the message. “Six it is, but she’s disappointed in my lack of flexibility. Also asked if this was really how I wanted to start my career at PTMC.”
Jack and Robby exchanged glances of shared exasperation and understanding. Obviously, they were used to this.
“Her entire management style is making others bend to her convenience and blaming anyone but herself when it goes bad,” Jack said.
“And taking all the credit when it doesn’t. She once scheduled a mandatory staff meeting at noon then wrote up the night shift staff that didn’t show up,” Robby said. “I’m the one that told them to stay home and sleep. Said I’d back them with the board if it came to it.”
You shook your head. “God, she’s a piece of work.”
You finished your meal, Jack and Robby sharing Gloria stories, each more ridiculous than the last, laughter replacing the temporary tension. By the time you migrated to the living room and took up residence on the sectional, the annoyance was all but forgotten.
Jack found a baseball game on the TV for background noise as you continued talking, meandering from hospital politics to favorite movies to childhood pets. You tucked your legs underneath you, feeling the day’s tension gradually unwind. Occasionally one of your soulmates would watch you with expressions that made your heart beat a little faster.
Around ten, Robby stretched and yawned, his t-shirt riding up to reveal a sliver of stomach you found yourself unable to look away from.
“I’m done,” he announced, running a hand through his hair. “Some of us have to be at work at seven.”
Jack tilted his head back to look up at him. “Get some sleep, baby.”
Robby leaned down and kissed Jack’s lips. He paused before squeezing your shoulder gently, fingers lingering. “Night, Angel.”
“Night, Robby,” you said, resisting the sudden, inexplicable urge to turn your head and press your lips to his hand.
The baseball game gave way to the evening news then Jack flipped through the channels and found a movie that had already started. Something filled with car chases and explosions. You settled more into the sofa, leaning slightly in Jack’s direction. He draped his arm across the back of the couch, his fingers just inches from your shoulder.
“You sure this is okay?” he asked, nodding toward the screen. “We can find something else.”
“No. This is perfect. I’m too tired for anything that requires actual thought.”
He chuckled. “I know that feeling. You mind if I put my leg up on the couch?”
You glanced to him in surprise. “Of course not. Do you want me to move?”
He gave you a shrug and a crooked smile. “You don’t have to. Just lean forward for a minute.”
You did as instructed, and he shifted so his back leaned against the arm of the couch and his leg rested along the back behind you.
“Now,” he started with a grin. “You can lean back, move to the other end of the couch or…” He trailed off but opened his arms in invitation.
You glanced between him and the opposite end of the sofa and back before shrugging. You shifted and curled up against him so your head landed mid-chest.
He hesitated before wrapping his arms around you as his body relaxed beneath you. “Didn’t think you’d take me up on it if I’m honest,” he said and squeezed gently.
“Never offer me cuddles unless you mean it,” you said.
He chuckled, chest moving beneath your cheek. “Noted.”
You laid there for awhile, just enjoying the moment. Your eyes found your forearm where his name peeked out from under your pushed up sleeve, the golden sheen catching the light.
“I remember the first time your name turned red when I was college,” you said, voice quiet. Soulmate names didn’t change color often. Gold with the first touch. Gray with death. Green for serious illness. Blue for severe emotional distress. Purple for serious injury. Red for mortal danger. All extreme situations. Some people never saw the color change from the initial black. The lucky ones saw it go gold and never saw it shift again.
Jack’s breath hitched and his hand rubbed your arm but he didn’t say anything.
“It never stayed that way for long. A few hours at most. It wasn’t hard to figure out you were in the military or something.” Your fingers traced random shapes on his chest. “Then it went red and stayed that way for more than a day before shifting to purple. I thought I was going to lose you before I ever met you. I kept waiting for it to go back to black, terrified it was going to go gray.”
He cleared his throat and covered your hand with his. “It was an IED. Lost my leg and three men from my unit.”
“I was happy when it finally went black and stayed that way, but I’m sorry that was why.”
His fingers tightened around yours and he lifted your hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to your knuckles. The touch was brief but electric.
“Hey, I get it,” he said, breath warm against your skin. “Michael said pretty much the same thing. I didn’t think about how my serving would affect my soulmates, if I’m honest.”
You tilted your head back to look up at him. “I’m really glad I got the chance to meet you, Jack.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Same here, sweetheart.”
You fell into comfortable silence, attention drifting back to the movie you weren’t really watching. Jack’s thumb traced small circles on the back of the hand he was still holding. You found yourself relaxing more against him, fatigue swamping you.
Jack kept nudging you anytime you dozed off. It would be easier to stay awake if you sat up, moved away from him, but you didn’t want to leave the warmth of his arms.
***
Hours later, you woke slowly, still laying on Jack’s chest, the murmur of the TV still in the background. You were momentarily disoriented until the sounds of movement drifted in from the kitchen. Robby must be getting ready to leave for work.
You glanced up at Jack to find him watching you with amused eyes. “Welcome back.”
“What time is it?”
“Quarter after six. You’ve only been asleep about half an hour. Figured you’d stayed awake long enough.”
Robby walked into the room in his scrubs, travel coffee mug in hand. His eyes ran over the two of you and he smiled. “Good morning. Looks like someone had a slumber party without me.”
Jack shrugged. “We lucked out. She’s a cuddler.”
“Well, she looks exhausted. You should go up to bed, Angel,” Robby said. “You’ll get a sore neck sleeping like that. Trust me.”
He leaned down and kissed Jack goodbye, a quick but tender press of the lips. Then, in a moment that seemed more instinct than deliberation, he placed a soft kiss to your forehead.
The second the contact registered, he froze, color flooding his face as he straightened abruptly. “Sorry,” he stammered, eyes wide. “I shouldn’t have done that. I just—”
“It’s fine,” you said cutting him off with a smile. “Promise.”
Jack watched you both, his expression caught between amusement and something softer. Robby’s shoulders relaxed at your words, the panic in his eyes subsiding.
“Okay, good.” He hesitated, then leaned down and pressed another kiss to your forehead, your face heating at the action. “See you tonight.”
He grabbed a hoodie from the hook by the door and slipped it on. With a last goodbye he ducked out the door.
The house felt different almost immediately, quieter. Maybe a little colder. You sat up and stretched. “I should probably try to get some real sleep if I want to function tonight.”
Jack nodded and got up as you stood, taking a minute to balance on his crutched. “I’ll go up with you. Guest room’s ready for you.”
You grabbed your bag on the way by and the two of you climbed the stairs in companionable silence. When you reached the second floor, Jack stopped outside of the guestroom door. “Let me know if you need anything.”
You nodded, suddenly feeling awkward in the formal guest space. It was so different from the casual comfort you’d shared on the couch. Jack hesitated, weight shifting.
Finally he said, “You know, not for nothin’ but Robby and I have a very comfortable king size bed upstairs.”
You blinked, surprise momentarily cutting through your exhaustion. Cuddles on the sofa was one thing, sharing a bed was quite another.
You weren’t certain what expression he saw on your face but Jack shook his head. “Just to sleep, I swear.” He waited a beat then added, “And maybe cuddle a little if you want.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m good here.” You softened the words with a sincere smile.
Jack’s expression didn’t change, no disappointment visible in his features. “Of course. Invitation’s open, Angel. Sleep well.”
“You too, Jack.”
He turned and headed up the stairs. You watched until he disappeared from view then closed the door to the guest room with a quiet click.
Despite your exhaustion, sleep eluded you. The bed was comfortable. The temperature in the room was perfect. There were even black out curtains to keep out the light. Yet, you found yourself staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the house. An hour passed before you admitted defeat.
With a sigh, you pushed back the covers and grabbed your bag. The house was quiet as you climbed the stairs to the third floor. The loft was lit by the soft glow of the television. Jack was stretched out on the sofa and he looked up when you reached the top of the stairs, surprise and happiness washing over his features.
“Change your mind?”
You nodded, heading to the closet and putting your bag on an empty shelf before returning to your soulmate. He lifted the blanket he was covered with in invitation.
You settled beside him on the couch, tension melting away as he wrapped his arm around you. You curled into the warmth of him, head finding the same spot where you’d laid it earlier.
“This okay?” he asked.
“More than.” Sleep was already tugging at the edge of your brain.
You stayed that way for a while, drifting in and out of consciousness. Finally, Jack nudged you awake. “Come on. Bed’s more comfortable.”
Half-asleep, you let him guide you to the bed. You crawled under the covers vaguely aware of Jack settling beside you. When he didn’t immediately close the distance between you, you frowned.
You turned your head and looked at him over your shoulder. “Jack?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“You’re too far away.”
His smile was the last thing you registered before you snuggled into Robby’s pillow to drift asleep. That and the gentle weight of his arm sliding around your waist as he drew you against him, your back to his front, bodies fitting together as if designed for exactly this moment.