faith & trust

johnny miu - nurse - thirty one

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

―

          “To each their own, I suppose,” she replied with a shrug, setting the bottle down on the counter as it seemed that he was content to let her take the lead for the moment as she began to open and close cabinets to find two glasses for them. “Oh, I could tell from the first time that we met. You couldn’t help but want all the attention on yourself and none left for anyone else around you.” A smirk played in place as she found the glasses and set them beside the bottle before she glanced back at him. “Boredom? Or is that too sad. We could drink to friendship, unless that’s somehow worse,” she teased lightly.

***

“Neither of those really strike me as fantastic options, no offense.” Johnny called back as he followed her into the kitchen, content on just watching her help herself to his things and set it all up. “I suppose, if we really needed something to drink to, it could be to our health. Lord knows the town doesn’t have a lot of that right now.” Getting dark wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do at the moment, but the truth was the truth and working where he did, well Johnny was met with it often. “So, where did your roommate run off to anyways? Not that I’m complaining. With her gone, I get you all to myself.”

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

―

          “I mean I could be back in my place and all alone, but I thought that you could use the company. So came to share,” she answered with a slight smirk as she stepped through the opened door and into the other’s apartment. It was always easier to make it seem that someone else could use her company, rather than the other way around as she head towards the kitchen. “Or I can keep it all to myself while you watch.”

***

“Somehow that sounds even more depressing than drinking on a weekday evening, just watching you drink.” He certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea, but it also didn’t hurt to tease Alana about it just a bit as he watched her enter his apartment. “Well, you know me. I’m such the social butterfly that I need all of the attention basically at all times.” That wasn’t entirely untrue, but he had been a bit more reserved with his time lately, something Johnny was sure wasn’t the best thing for him. Yet, as long as no one called him out on it, well he was perfectly fine. “So, are we drinking to anything in particular?”

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

          “Frankie is out and I’m bored. How do you feel about a little company?” Alana spoke as soon as the door opened as she smiled briefly before she glanced over her shoulder back towards her apartment right next door. She also raised the bottle in her hand when she turned back towards the other. “Plus another friend named Jose.”

***

Nights off were rare to come by, especially lately as it seemed more and more people came rolling in with illness. The town wasn’t overwhelmed with illness, but he had noticed the numbers of patients rise and as they did, the hospital needed more hands on deck. Tonight, though, was all about him and resting. At least, it was until he heard a knock at the door. Confused and curious, Johnny went to answer it, smiling slightly when he saw Alana on the other side. “Oh I see. Your roommate is out, so now you want to hang out with me? Always knew I was second-best.” Still, he stepped away from the doorway, gesturing for her to come in.

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

***

          “I would not underestimate me.”

While she might have spent most of her life shipped off to boarding school where fencing had been the extent to her ability to fight back, it hadn’t stopped the curiosity and desire to feel stronger and more in control of her own life. Or the way that she’d found herself exactly where her family tried to keep her from and with people that taught her how to fight back, and fight dirty. It never lasted, when did the good ever last?

Every part of her life away from home had never lasted, always brought her back and dampened her back into the box they sought to fit her in with nothing more than a pretty smile and a quiet demeanor. It was horrid. Alana could see why Ari left when she did and never looked back but defying her parents for too long had never been her strong suit. This was as far as she’d come to leave them behind enough that they wouldn’t be able to follow, or so she hoped.

Her abuela was the only one that knew exactly where they were and that they were together, even if she was moving in with someone else and could barely hold a conversation with her cousin. Though it didn’t seem as hard with the current conversation. “No, I don’t expect that you were,” she mused out loud as she stepped over and into the other’s apartment. She smiled as she glanced around, taking in the state of the apartment that was hardly a mess but it only showed that he was more human than not – without a staff on hand to take care of everything. Alana shook her head as she glanced back at him. “Nope, so you’re free to surprise me.”

***

He didn’t put much thought into the reply – his first mistake really – considering it more of a quip back than anything else. There was no way that she could actually take him if they were to get into any sort of fight, not that Johnny was looking for one. He especially wasn’t looking to get into a fight with a woman – though that part felt like something that he should keep to himself unless he really wanted to offend her and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Though he didn’t know too many of his neighbors, it wouldn’t hurt to at least know one. At least, that’s what Johnny told himself. It was all purely him trying to be a good neighbor and absolutely no outside motivations – none at all.

“I’m not really the having company over type. Weird work schedules and all that sort of dampen that idea.” Johnny just shrugged, not really giving the idea much thought. His hours were all over the place it seemed, so it stood reason that he didn’t exactly have people over regularly. There was that and the fact that most of his friends were also employees of the hospital, so their own schedules were all sorts of fucked up. All of that just made it hard to really have anyone over, even if Johnny had been looking to host.

“Alright, surprises. I can do that. Yeah, just make yourself at home. It really shouldn’t be long now before your roommate gets back. The normal work day seems to be almost ending.” At least he didn’t work tonight, which meant he wouldn’t hate himself later for not actually sleeping yet. He would just have to make sure to get himself back onto his schedule later. That would suck, obviously, but sacrifices. “So, feel like telling me anything about yourself?”

[johnny-miu]

grimm-tyler​:

–

If Tyler hadn’t seen first hand how run down Cordelia looked when she got home these days, he’d been more inclined to believe Johnny. He knew the other man probably didn’t want him to worry, didn’t want to let on that this all got to him, but Ty was pretty fucking good at worrying on other people’s behalf by now. He had it down to an art. Maybe he’d double major. Studio art and worrying. Sounded like a stellar pair.

“If you say so.” He said, squinting his eyes at Johnny and deciding next time he’d have to bring some orange juice and actual food instead of just brownies. Gotta keep his hospital staff in tip top shape after all. “As long as you’re not just calling me babe so I get all flustered and change the subject. Gotta keep you a lean, mean, healing machine. Not that you’re actually mean. The only rude thing you’ve ever done has been looking too goddamn attractive.”

–

***

“Why, is it working?” At first he had felt guilty about it, taking Tyler home once he was no longer a patient at the hospital, but Johnny had quickly gotten over it once he realized how much he enjoyed having the other male in his bed. Not only was he stunning, but he was also comforting in a way that worked well for him. Johnny found himself needing that comforting presence beside him more often than not and Tyler never failed to deliver.

“Oh yeah? I don’t remember you complaining about how goddamn attractive I am before.” Though that wasn’t true. He had gotten used to the mock offended compliments about how he was too hot for his own good. It wasn’t really something he saw in himself, but he supposed everyone had their tastes. He just happened to fit Tyler’s and honestly, that was perfectly fine by him. “Really, babe, I’m fine. A little tired because of all the shifts, but other than that I’m in tip-top shape. In fact, if you would like to see just how in shape I’m in, I get off shift in about another hour. Maybe we could go back to my place?”

[johnny-miu]

akatheo​:

As many people during the last weeks of the mist outbreak, Theo had felt a little funny and just in case the symptoms could get worse, he booked an appointment for a checkup. Maybe he was acting a little paranoid, but he didn’t want to end in a black bag like the two ladies who ventured into the fog. Better safe than sorry, right? Unlike them, he was lucky enough to just have some minor flu, nothing a few aspirins and some nights of sleep wouldn’t cure.

His little hospital adventure would have been over if he hadn’t bumped into someone he didn’t think he would see again after they slept together. Silly of him, considering this town seemed to be small enough that probably everyone knew one another. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t enjoyed it, but you normally weren’t supposed to see your one night stand again. “Well, is this just a coincidence or you’re just following me now?” He joked to keep it casual, just as the night they hooked up. They hadn’t shared more than their names, so it was impossible for any of them to know the other was there, unless some stalking was behind. Then again, he didn’t even know Johnny was a doctor. “Sorry for hitting you, by the way.”

( @johnny-miu​ )

***

There were moments when he was working that Johnny found himself in a mode of sorts, with only objectives and tasks before him. Everything else seemed to fade away and only work mattered. It was as if he had blinders on or something. Johnny was only yanked out of that focus when he collided with someone else, instantly thinking it was his own fault that he had done so. Quickly he righted himself, regaining his balance and was about to start apologizing when he was met with a familiar face.

Theo had been a fun night where Johnny had just wanted to relax and not think about how stressful the fog was. It was clogging up resources at the hospital and with everyone starting to stress more and more about it, well they were all keeping busy. He had just wanted to forget about that for one evening, and he’d been able to. While in bed with Theo, he was able to put blinders on again and make Theo his only concern. It had been lovely. But it was supposed to be a one evening situation. Yet there he was again, standing in the hallway of Johnny’s workplace.

“No, I – I’m not following you I just…I work here, actually. I’m a nurse here. This is my route for today. Oh…don’t worry about it. It’s fine. It was probably my fault anyways, actually.”

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

***

           “You offered help without any information given as to what kind of help you were offering,” she pointed out with a sharp look that softened around the edges, because he wasn’t wrong. Too many others had completely ignored her or offered help only to laugh as they walked away, leaving her confused and frustrated with the fact that she still could not get a hold of her roommate or remember the number of their apartment. “I did not know at the time that you even lived in the same building.” Technically, she still didn’t.

If she believed him, then it was easier to see why he wanted to help as they would run into each other more at the building and have to face ignoring her one time with every pass they made in the future. “Then you invited me into your apartment without knowing your name,” she added with a hint of a smirk as she shook her head and glanced back down at her boxes before she moved a few around to make the pile seem smaller than it actually was. “But you are not as weird as you might have seemed at first because you did help me.” And she appreciated it.

So she wasn’t about to take advantage of that as she pulled out her phone to text Frankie where she would be, in case she was wrong about the other completely and ended up in a stranger’s apartment, never to be heard from again. It was a tendril of fear and doubt, but a small one at that considering that she wasn’t completely out of her element or unable to protect herself as she slipped it away and nodded at Johnny. “It’s a good thing that you are not concerned that I might be the one lying, that these aren’t even my boxes or my apartment building but that I do this to slip into strangers’ apartments and rob them blind,” she teased, feeling more at ease having been able to move her things indoors and know that Frankie would eventually see her phone. “A real good thing.”

***

He couldn’t help but be even more amused as she kept talking. Johnny found himself hoping that she stuck around for a while. The building could use a touch of life in it and though she seemed over everything in a way, she also seemed to be just the level of vibrant everyone in the building needed. “Yeah, well, I’m not too worried about you coming into my place to rob me. If we actually got into any sort of a fight, I’m pretty confident that I could take you down.” He was beyond confident, but that was only because he had already sized her up well before they started bringing the boxes upstairs. It was something about himself that drove him crazy, but once he had started, he couldn’t turn it off.

His life had gone from something wonderful, like a scene out of a Hallmark story to a horror story. Such events had put him on edge, plain and simple. Now, it just felt natural to size up everyone he spoke to, look for exit strategies and just remain on high alert. That was his natural state.

Though he masked it with a chuckle as he pulled out his apartment keys and began walking towards the door to his own place. “Forgive the bit of mess in the living room. I obviously wasn’t expecting to have anyone over so I didn’t really tidy up the place.” Though naturally he was a rather tidy guy, every now and then the chaos in him took over and clothes were tossed over the back of the couch and empty coffee mugs were left all over. The chaos hadn’t been too bad as only three mugs were out and about – one on the coffee table in the living room, one on the small bar facing the kitchen that he used as a dining table for one, and one on an end table. He was getting better apparently.

“Make yourself at home. Do you have any food allergies I should know about?”

[johnny-miu]

esmeraydemir​:

“Hydrating as in water, right?” She teased then as she looked him over while he held onto his cup of coffee. Some people only drank or pop and juice. While it was liquid, it was no where near as hydrating as some water. Food was an important aspect of being healthy but simply drinking enough water could make a world of difference in terms of fatigue and other health issues that arose. Not that she didn’t think he knew that. But she also know remaining awake was an important issue for him.

A small smile framed her features at the mention of how her dancing seemed inspiring. She’d heard far too many compliments that she couldn’t actually starting thinking she was a bad teacher or dancer. She simply hadn’t believed people noticed it much. “That means a lot to me.” The brunette told him truthfully as she looked him over before she contemplated his answer. “A lot of different classes right now. We have about five different classes learning different styles. Some Ballet, some hip hop, a bit of burlesque and pole work — even yoga.” All fun classes for members of the town to join.

***

“If I told you yes, that I intend on hydrating with water, will you believe me?” They both know it would be a lie. Johnny was who Johnny was. The chances of changing him were slim to none for the most part, so why people even tried sometimes was beyond him. He wasn’t straight up falling over from lack of health, so he wasn’t doing too bad…yet. There would come a time for that, he was sure of it, but it wasn’t there yet, so why should he worry about it? He was just grateful that none of his patients could see inside of his head and read his thoughts sometimes. He really didn’t need them knowing that he was as apathetic about health at times as he told them not to be.

“Wow…that’s impressive. I don’t know how you keep up with all of that.” He thought his own schedule was busy, but listening to her, well that just seemed to blow him out of the water. Sure his job had long hours and a lot of responsibility, but at the end of the day it was a repeat of sorts. He knew what he needed to do and all he had to do was come in and do it. He didn’t have to figure out what he was doing to do or plan any of it out ahead of time hoping that people would actually appreciate it. “You honestly amaze me.”

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

***

Alana noticed but kept it to herself the way his cheeks reddened when she called him out on having invited her to stay at his place without so much as a name in either direction. All she’d given him was the name of her roommate and the floor that she would be living, but everything else was unknown. A fresh start was how she had painted her life to be here, but things were complicated when it came to even finding a way to reconnect with her cousin again. “You offer your home to a stranger without asking their name or giving your own. I am afraid that you seem as weird as you claim,” she told him with a small smile as she took his hand with a gentle but firm handshake. “Alana.”

He hadn’t asked, but she wasn’t about to make him squirm when he had helped her this far along and it fell on her shoulders to either wait out the time until Frankie returned or take him up on his offer. She glanced from her pile to him again, hands resting on her hips as she considered her options and knew that they were limited, but his actions spoke more than words at this point. “You would think, but you were not raised as I was ― “ A thought she didn’t want to remark on as she shook her head and smiled, brushing that off her shoulders and sought the feeling she got when she started over somewhere new ― somewhere that wasn’t home but could be. 

          “I accept but only if you let me help or else I will stay out here with my boxes and wait. You have already helped me this far and I’m not going to let it continue without giving something back.” Even if she didn’t like the idea of talking about what brought her there. “And then I too can ask the questions like do you always invite strangers into your apartment or is this a special occasion?”

***

“Yeah well, this weird person is making sure that you were standing out on the sidewalk with all your stuff, so I Think I get some credit.” Though Johnny would have been lying to himself if he said there was anything she could have done that would have made him not help her. That just had never been the type of person he was. If someone needed help, they got help and that was that. Despite all the hardships he had gone through in his life, it hadn’t made him cold. Really, it seemed to do the opposite as Johnny just wanted to keep people from feeling the same pain and dismay that he had felt at several points in his life. If he could do that, well he would consider it a good day.

It didn’t really surprise him when she set conditions on the entire thing. He probably would have done the same if someone had been offering him so much help then insisted that he come back with them to their place for dinner. Suddenly, Johnny couldn’t help but wonder why in the world she had even agreed to talk to him in the first place, only then realizing how odd it was to invite her back to his apartment for dinner without it seeming like some lame attempt at picking her up.

“I’ll accept the help. As for if I always invite strangers in, no. Though, to be fair, most strangers don’t keep holding a conversation with me as you have long enough for me to invite them into my apartment. Besides, we’re hallway neighbors. We’re not strangers.”

[johnny-miu]

ursulagallegos​:

~~~

Ursula was inherently annoyed by people who were, in her opinion, obscenely chipper for no reason. Most people had to earn a smile-like twitch of her mouth, they had to earn a softening of the predatory gleam in her eyes. Come in preparing for battle with an enemy and don’t let down your guard until there’s something in it for you. Not the most moral of sentiments, but then she’d never claimed to be a moral individual. 

In any case she tolerated Johnny more than she tolerated most. Keep a safe neutrality with service workers, they were the backbones of any city or town. The hospital workers, the police, the people who could be intensely useful got your patience and acting skills first. It wasn’t quite a smile that responded to his bouyant greeting, but it could easily be misconstrued as one by people who expected to see their own good natures reflected back at them. “I am indeed here for my fix. I’ll have to pass on the scone though, Johnny, I’m not much of a breakfast person.”

***

When it came to people reacting to his jovial nature, Johnny had never been offended by those who didn’t give it back as hyped up as he put it out there. Not everyone was smiles and upbeat positivity all the time, he got that. He himself wasn’t even that way all the time, though he didn’t let that show to the others. No, the moments where he turned it off were best set for those moments alone in this apartment, hidden away from the view of those who could be more judgmental, not that he imagined anyone expected him to be ‘on’ twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

“Yeah? I can’t imagine not being a breakfast person. I couldn’t imagine not being an any meals sort of person, really.” But he could. There were plenty of evenings where he forgot to eat dinner simply because he was too busy and it had just slipped his mind. Then again, that was also something that was hidden away from the other citizens of Grimmbrook. As far as they needed to know, he was the upbeat nurse who was ready to do everything possible to alleviate everyone of their issues.

“I guess the better question is, what is it that you’re getting your fix with? What’s your poison?”

[johnny-miu]

madelainesloanx​:

–––––––

Ah, yes. Johnny Miu. There were very few things in life that could bond people together like vehicular manslaughter could ( or drive them apart in secrecy and mistrust, as it were ). That fateful drug and booze-filled night was one that Madelaine was unlikely to ever forget, but one that she could and did easily live with, despite the horrific ending. People lived, and people died all the time after all, right? It was rather elementary, if one thought about it. Survival of the fittest. Look out for yourself. And while three out of their little party foursome had shared the same sentiment after the accident, Johnny had not. He’d actually wanted to be a little snitch and go to the police. Thank fuck the rest of them ( Che and Anastasia for the most part ) had convinced him otherwise. Who the hell knew where’d they’d be otherwise? 

“That’s rude,” Madelaine replied bluntly as she pulled her sketchpad back into her chest; cradling it carefully as though the man had gone and hurt its feelings personally. “I just wanted you to answer the question, but if you’re going to be a huge prick about it, then don’t even bother. Carry on with … whatever it is you’re doing.” 

***

“Oh come off it, Madelaine. Hasn’t the weird thing run its course already?” Though he knew it hadn’t and it never would. Like it or not, this was who she was. Johnny had always known that in a way, but he had never really been close enough to give a shit. He saw her here and there, sure, but so long as he never had to interact with her, what did he care about her personality. That had been his mindset up until that evening. That evening it felt as though everything changed. That evening he had taken a trip down a terrible road. He now knew what it meant to get a little wild and carefree and because of his choices – along with his co-party goers of course – someone was dead. That was something that would haunt him for the rest of his life. In a way, it pissed Johnny off that Madelaine didn’t seem to feel the same way. Even worse, she seemed to be as good and carefree as ever, bouncing around and living her life as if they hadn’t killed someone in cold blood in their fucked-up state. It was sickening.

“Well, I’m aware that this is foreign to you, but the rest of us are doing this thing we like to call being adults. It’s where we actually act our age and do things that we might not want to do, but we have to do, because that’s what it means to be an adult.” He had went down that carefree road one evening, but no longer. He couldn’t risk it – not again. “I suggest you do the same.”

[johnny-miu]

alanalopez​:

***

With a cursory glance over her shoulder, Alana didn’t know if she truly was to believe the other or they were attempting to lighten some of the frustration level that she was currently occupying. It wasn’t as if she had a say in things when she was new to the building or that there were copious amount of other options then that weren’t living with Frankie. Things were difficult and awkward between herself and Ariela, leaving her to have to find her own way despite wishing that it wasn’t the case. “We are not living together. I’m living with Frankie,” she pointed out despite not being able to do much more than gesture with the box in her hands as she set it down gently with some of the rest. “I think I’ll have to have a conversation with this person in charge, they will need to fix the elevator.”

Or else her job was going to make things harder for her with lugging equipment up and down the stairs with every job that she managed to secure, not to mention her keyboard was large enough to cause anyone to want to give up before taking it up and down more than once. “If you were to offer me a place to stay, then yes – you would be on the floor for the first night. I don’t even know your name,” she added with a bit of a hidden smile as she shook her head. It wouldn’t be the first time that she shared a bed with someone that she didn’t know, but that had been years ago when things were a lot more simple.

            “Maybe invest in an air mattress, just in case.” Though even as she spoke, a lighter topic at hand with her predicament; Alana knew that she was stuck. Until her new roommate made it there and let her know which apartment was theirs or she tried all the locks, then she was left to hover in the hallway with her things which was still a step above where she had been. “I don’t know,” she told him quietly, eyes on her phone to another unanswered text from herself to Frankie before she glanced back up again. “She hasn’t been answering any of my texts which mean I think she’d gotten tied up in her work.” Or had lost track of time. “I can’t ask that of you. You don’t even ― no, I haven’t.” She had hoped to get this done first.

***

Had he really not given her a name? Johnny thought back on it as a blush came to his cheeks at the realization that she was correct. “Sorry about that. Maybe let’s start over there. Hi, my name is Johnny Miu, I live in this building, and I promise that I’m not as weird as I must seem.” He held out his hand as if to shake hers then pull it back. “You’re not asking me; I’m offering it to you. Pretty sure when you’re offered, you’re allowed to say yes.” Though he wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to. He was a stranger, and even if she knew where he lived, there was some level of sketchiness to it that he wouldn’t have blamed her for picking up on.

“Well, if you are up for it, I can fix something up to eat and then we can wait for your roommate to show up.” It would be a bit and leaving her just out there alone felt wrong for him to do. “Maybe, over lunch, you can tell me a bit more about yourself. What made you want to come to Grimmbrook, what do you do for a living. You know, those sorts of questions.” No one had ever said that he wasn’t a nosy boy and it was a label that Johnny wore with pride.

[johnny-miu]

esmeraydemir​:

Esmeray peered back at the male and nodded her head when he admitted that he was busy. It came as no surprised given how it was the majority of the issue behind why their date had died where it had begun. Not that she blamed him as he was doing a job that helped others. Plus, they’d remained in contact as much as they could. Apart for those last few months when the midst began to creep into the city. It felt that everything was slightly off and she could only imagine how busy it must have made the hospital. “Well, I’m glad to see that you’ve found time for some breaks to hydrate and eat. I wouldn’t say coffee is a method to hydrate, but you know what I mean.” The brunette teased then. 

“Yeah. I can imagine the people who must have come in when it first started in order to get check when we had little information on it.” Sure, they didn’t have much more then they had then but no one had died so people were beginning to get used to it. At least, that’s what it seemed from the dance studio. Perhaps the place had simply helped be a sort of distraction from the outside and the looming cloth that covered them all. “I’m hoping it’ll just vanish as quickly as it started.”

“Dancing, mainly. So a little bit more fun but maybe a little less rewarding also.”

***

“Maybe not, but I think we should take me actually stopping to hydrate by any means necessary.” Though Johnny was usually seen with coffee at hand, sometimes he did stop and drink some water. He wasn’t exactly looking to pass out or anything like that and drinking only coffee felt like a good way to do just that. As for eating, well scones probably weren’t the best meal to have, but at least he was getting something on his stomach. It was the little progresses in life that mattered to him.

“I don’t know about less rewarding. Your dancing always seemed inspiring to me.” Perhaps he was a little biased, sure, but he had never been in the habit of handing out fake compliments. At times he could be a little overly giving with his complements, but he didn’t pass any out unless they were actually earned for someone’s hard work. “What are you working on with your classes right now?” Johnny wasn’t even sure if she was still holding classes. It seemed a bit silly to do so, considering the mist, but then again, they couldn’t just live life in fear forever. Eventually they had to go about their daily lives once more.

[johnny-miu]

arilopez​:

*****

“Hey, I’m not judging,” Ariela raised her hands defensively but she smiled and laughed a little. “I just know how hard you can crash after a coffee bender and it is not a lot of fun from what I remember. And definitely makes way for some road rage.” The drive up the west coast through to California had been fun. Especially in a shady rented car from an even shadier dealer. The whole thing had been shady looking back on it. Oh well. At least she had caffeine crash experience under her belt now. “I just know Edith’s got a lot on her plate so here I come, trying to stave off the crash for later when she’s done.” It was probably more information than the man needed or cared to know but Ariela had always been an open book. Words flowed out of her like water from a tap. 

“The world’s a big place,” she shrugged her shoulders. “There’s got to be one person out there who isn’t a fan of scones, as crazy as that is. And it may just be our dear Edith, but I’m not one hundred percent sure yet. But thank you, for the advice. I should bring you around more often to all my pastry hunts.” She elbowed him playfully, smiling up at him. “Blueberry it is. But… maybe I should grab one extra thing too… just in case…” 

And then she was right back where she started, ‘hm’ing at the pastry case once more.

***

“See, that’s where you’re tripping up when it comes to pastry selection. You can’t go second guessing yourself or anything like that. Otherwise you’ll be staring at the case all day.” Not that he could really talk. There had been plenty of mornings where he just couldn’t make a decision and had probably spent far too long staring at every flavor possible only to end up with the tried and true. “If Edith doesn’t like scones, I will happily accept hers. Of course, I’ll probably just her a bit for it, but I’ll accept her scones so they don’t go to waste. I’m just a helper that way.”

There was a bit of a smirk on his lips to show the woman that he was just teasing. “I think, at some point, when your body is mostly coffee the way mine is, the crashes don’t happen anymore.” It had been a while since Johnny could remember really crashing from caffeine. Maybe, if he had crashed from caffeine, he hadn’t really noticed it, attributing it to something else instead. “If you’re going to get a backup pastry, maybe a turnover or something? If Edith doesn’t like those, then we’ll know that she’s truly a monster and at that point, what does it really matter?”

[johnny-miu]

grimm-tyler​:

–

“I appear to be pretty good at bullying Yao into things, so if you need more space I think I can convince him. His bleeding heart’s bigger than his ego.” At some point he needed to stop overstepping Yao’s hospitality and convince the Seven to go somewhere else. But for Johnny and the hospital staff, he’d do anything. They’d saved his life.

He really hoped that Johnny was right. Normally he was, Johnny was smart. Med-school smart, and all that. Tyler just wanted Casper to like him so badly. It mattered like, so fucking much. He’d never had a brother before. Cor was already his sister, Cas could be his brother if they got this whole thing figured out. Then he focused on what Johnny had said. “You holding up okay, John?” He asked, concerned now.

Tyler flushed, just out of habit. Besides Johnny, J was the only one who called him babe. Mike had always called him ‘baby’ or ‘stud’. The last of which felt incredibly embarrassing now. “I mean, I am a bit irreplaceable.” He shrugged with a jest. “But so are you.”

***

Tyler had always had a good heard. That was just the type of guy that Johnny remembered him to be. He was no angel, sure, but he was better than that. He was just a genuine good guy. Johnny adored that about him. “Yeah, of course. You know it takes more than this to take me down.” Honestly, he had been running ragged lately, certainly losing his momentum and probably taking a hit to his immune system, but he couldn’t tell Tyler that. He didn’t want to worry the guy ever.

Flirting with Tyler had always been a weakness of his. Flirting with anyone, really, even if Johnny had always been pretty bad at it. Flirting usually brought a smile to people’s faces and if he couldn’t do that, well then what good was he? Bringing smiles meant someone was in pain a little less and he liked that. He couldn’t manage to solve his own internal pain, so he would do whatever it took to assist with someone else’s pain. “Well we both know that you’re irreplaceable, babe. That’s just a fact, no questions asked. But, don’t you worry your gorgeous head about it. I’m doing alright.”

[johnny-miu]

roseruth​:

“Why do you care so much? Why do you seem so worried that I’m worried?” He was rambling. He wouldn’t do so if he wasn’t trying to deflect. She wasn’t going to let this drop until he told her what was up. She was persistent because she cared about his well-being. Holding it in wasn’t going to help him, so she was trying to give him a chance to talk about it. She’d always had a safe space with her family. They trusted each other and confided in each other. Ruth was lucky in that regard, and she knew he had siblings too, but she wanted to give him another option. Plus, she didn’t mind listening to other people, and the unique stories they had to tell.

“I don’t really. Your well-being is high on my list of priorities.” Even if a lot was going on with the town, she could always make time for her friends. She always wanted to help people – that was why she agreed to act like a psychic in the first place. She could help people find closure, or give them something to look forward to for the future. Even if she was deceiving people to do so, she was ultimately helping them which was the important part. She dropped her hands, but she didn’t take her eyes off of him. She nodded her head sympathetically. She couldn’t imagine how much pressure was on him. “I’m sure. Have you been taking care of yourself otherwise?” She paused for a moment and her curiosity got the best of her. “The patients who come in, what are they like?” 

***

Johnny didn’t have an answer for her as she seemed to not be letting up on quizzing him on his own avoidance. He could appreciate Ruth for her caring nature, but it was less appreciated when that caring and sometimes damn right annoying nature was directed his way. As, every time it was, he was forced to face the truth that he wasn’t doing as well as he likes to tell people that he is. Worse, every time he tried to do that, it seemed as though Ruth could see right through it. Which was annoying in its own right. Still, he supposed he should have been more grateful for her. Not everyone had a friend who was as dedicated and concerned to them as she seemed to be for him.

“I’ve just been having a bit of a hard time sleeping. But, really, it’s not a big deal. I’m sure a lot of people are dealing with that right now. Everything going on right now has people worried. It’s harder to really get some sleep when you’re worried about stuff like this, everything going on in this town.” Though his lack of sleep really has nothing to do with the town and everything to do with memories that just won’t seem to go away. But he won’t talk about that. Blaming his lack of sleep on the town’s situations felt like a much better decision.

“I’ve been caring for myself the best that I can, given the circumstances.” He wasn’t getting as much sleep as he should have – and with the nightmares and tossing and turning he was getting even less – and he was working more than normal, but that’s what happened when you were on full speed ahead. They had to be ready to care for the town, and that meant all hands-on deck sometimes. “They’re all sort of different in ways. I mean, they have the same general symptoms, but some take it harder than others, I guess. Some come in and it’s like they are in and out, perfectly fine. But we’ve had some that just…they take a pretty harsh turn really quick. Those are the ones we really try and keep an eye on, figure out how it gets that far, try to pay attention to what basic treatments work even if we are trying everything hoping one just really sticks. It’s…diverse. And in the medical field, diverse subject reactions like that…usually isn’t good.”

[johnny-miu]

roseruth​:

“Why do you care so much? Why do you seem so worried that I’m worried?” He was rambling. He wouldn’t do so if he wasn’t trying to deflect. She wasn’t going to let this drop until he told her what was up. She was persistent because she cared about his well-being. Holding it in wasn’t going to help him, so she was trying to give him a chance to talk about it. She’d always had a safe space with her family. They trusted each other and confided in each other. Ruth was lucky in that regard, and she knew he had siblings too, but she wanted to give him another option. Plus, she didn’t mind listening to other people, and the unique stories they had to tell.

“I don’t really. Your well-being is high on my list of priorities.” Even if a lot was going on with the town, she could always make time for her friends. She always wanted to help people – that was why she agreed to act like a psychic in the first place. She could help people find closure, or give them something to look forward to for the future. Even if she was deceiving people to do so, she was ultimately helping them which was the important part. She dropped her hands, but she didn’t take her eyes off of him. She nodded her head sympathetically. She couldn’t imagine how much pressure was on him. “I’m sure. Have you been taking care of yourself otherwise?” She paused for a moment and her curiosity got the best of her. “The patients who come in, what are they like?” 

***

Damn her for caring so much. Sometimes it sucked to have friends that actually gave a shit about him. Johnny cared about his friends dearly, even those that got on his nerves such as Ruth did every now and again when she pushed this way. At the end of the day, he would do anything for them because that was just what he felt was right. When it was turned back to him, however, that was when Johnny just wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

“Of course I’ve been taking care of myself.” Something of a lie, but Ruth didn’t need to know that. He ate healthy meals sometimes. Sometimes – often – he had way more coffee than he ever should have. Yet, he had never gotten himself into any real trouble, not in a long time. “The patients that come in are fine. I mean…they’re into the hospital for this whole thing, and when we have to start increasing the treatment that sucks, but for the most part things have been going alright. Before it seemed as though we were starting to get a grip on the fog. Now, however, we have a time table, but is that really helping?”