Summary: Jack Abbot is a complicated man to his core. Not many understand him, and he never expected them to. Until one day, someone does, and they decide to stay. Despite all the darkness that fills his life. His mood improves, and suddenly, everyone in his life starts thinking he has a wife.
Pairing: Jack Abbot x Roommate!Reader
Tags: Fluff, Strangers to Lovers, Canon Compliant, Roommates, Slow Build, Idiots in Love, Domestic Fluff, Comfort, Humor Bc Jack Is an Idiot, Romance, Developing Relationship, Mutual Pining, Protective Jack, Oblivious Jack, Oblivious Reader, Fake Relationship,
Author's Note: IT'S DONE!!! I FINALLY DID IT!!! This is much shorter than I wanted it to be. The next chapter will most likely be longer. I just didn't want to leave you guys with nothing for like the millionth time.
"I do think I'd be good for you to live with someone, Jack." Jack's therapist, Peter, states. Jack frowns as he crosses his arms. "I like being alone. Why should I go find roommates?" Jack snapped back, already sick and tired of this conversation, which they've had 3 times in the past month. "Jack. Last week, you told me your home was depressing to be in and that you liked to stay at work to escape it. The week before that, you explained how you hated how quiet the apartment always was." Peter sighed.
"I'm not saying that you need one, but I do think it'd be beneficial for you to live with someone or something. Maybe a friend, or it can be a stranger." Peter tried to soften his approach. "Just try it. Meet a few people, and if you decide you hate everyone, then we'll scrap this idea and try something else to make your home life less depressing for you." Peter offered a deal as Jack thought for a moment.
Jack nodded. That's how he spent almost 2 months sitting across from stranger after stranger. Most of his days off the PTMC were spent in his favorite coffee shop staring at a stranger, trying to flirt with him.
Most of them were too loud or noisy for his liking. He needed something calm to come home to. Something that hummed in the background instead of demanding attention. He was 3 seconds away from calling the search off and telling his therapist that he couldn't do it. Then, you crossed his path.
You sent him a pretty neat and simple email informing him of your interest in being roommates. The first good sign was how forward you were in your email. You hadn't flirted, just sent a simple message introducing yourself and answering some of the basic questions he had prompted. Jack decided to give it one last shot before he called it quits.
That's how he found himself on a nice warm summer morning sitting across from an empty chair. The bell on the café shop rang as you walked in. Your eyes were soft as you looked around the shop trying to spot him. You glanced at your phone as you squinted around. Your eyes landed on his, and you smiled. You had walked over and sat down across from him.
"Hi! Nice to meet you." You offered him your hand to shake. He shook it before leaning back in his chair. This was good. You hadn't screamed in his ear about how excited you were or flirted with him outright.
Jack asked you a bit about yourself. To try and get to know you.
"Oh, right! Um... I'm currently in college, studying physics. I'll probably go into astrophysics, but I'm still debating my options. I have a good, steady job, so I won't be late in paying rent... I'm a night receptionist for the hotel that's close to the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center?" You explained as you folded your arms on the table.
Jack nodded as you looked at him. "You work nights only then?" He asks as you nod. "Yeah. Only nights. I go to school in the afternoon, so I sleep through most of the morning." You clarified. He nodded again as you shifted in the chair.
"How loud are you when you're home?" He asks as he takes a sip of his own drink. "Not very. I tend to be a pretty quiet person overall. Is that a problem?" You questioned as you tilted your head at him.
"Quite the opposite." He muttered. "I work nights at the Medical Center, so I'd prefer to not return to a loud house."
"Oh! You a doctor there?" You asked curiously. "Yeah." Jack nods as he braces for a barrage of questions that never comes. "That's cool!" Was the only thing you said about it. That's how the interaction continued the rest of the time. He'd share something small about himself and expect you to ask more follow-up questions. You never did.
He'd mention his time serving in the military and how he lost his leg. Trying to gauge your reaction to him not being the perfect roommate you might've expected him to be. He had his own baggage and issues he was working on. He didn't want to blindside you by one day taking off his prosthetic or having a bad PTSD episode. He wanted you to be aware, but he also wanted to know how you'd react.
"Cool. I mean, I cracked my head open when I was 5?"
He blinks at you. You blink back. After a few moments, you look away. "Sorry, Um.. Thought we were just sharing traumatic stories or something..." You looked away sheepishly. "Um... I'm sorry you went through that... But, I mean, I don't care- I mean, I do care, but it doesn't bother me that you have a prosthetic leg. Well, as long as you don't 'lose' it whenever we're cleaning the apartment." You tried to joke to not leave the air heavy and awkward.
And he laughed. It wasn't loud or long-lasting, but it was there. You smiled at him as he shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll keep track of it." Jack offered as he lifted his hands in mock surrender. You laugh softly as you nod.
He checks the time and sits up straight. He mentions how he needs to go, but that he'll message you if you end up being chosen for the roommate spot. You nod happily and shake his hand one last time.
You sleepily lift your head off your bed. Your eyes barely open as your hand bumps into everything on your nightstand in an attempt to grab your phone.
Your blankets are halfway covering your head as your face is still squished against the bed. You finally grab your phone and yank it off the charger. You answer it without looking at the caller ID. "Mhm?" You hummed into the phone.
"Hello? This is Jack Abbot." Jack mutters as he hears you hum sleepily. He pauses and glances towards the clock.
"Sorry, did I wake you? I just assumed you'd be awake." Silence follows his words for various seconds. Almost a minute passes before he pulls the phone back from his face to make sure he's still connected. "Hello?" Jack questions, and he hears a loud thud.
On your end of the phone, you've fallen off your bed. You fumble to get your covers off as you flail around. "I'm up! I'm up!" You yelped as you fumbled to grab your phone. You can hear Jack chuckle as you try and rub the sleep off your eyes.
"What's up?" Your words slur as you glance at the clock. "I was just wondering if you were still interested in the roommate spot?" Jack asks as you bolt up to your feet. You slip on your covers and re-land on your ass. You let out a pained hiss. "Yeah! Yes." You managed to stutter out as you rubbed your back.
"Great. When does your lease end?"
"Next month... On the first Monday."
"I'll send you photos of the apartment. Let me know if you need anything before your lease ends."
The phone hangs up as you sit there in shock. You slump against your bed as you slowly crawl back into bed. "Yayyy...." You huff as you collapse back on your bed.
Later that day, you get up and wander into the living room. Just to see your roommate, Rebecca, making out with her stupid boyfriend. "Keep it in the bedroom, please!" You yell as you walk to the kitchen. This was one of the reasons you wanted to move out. You open the fridge and squint as you try to find something to eat.
"Sorry, girl. Thought you were gonna be asleep for longer." She walks over. "Have you found a new place yet?" She asks and sits on the barstool. "Yeah, I'll be out when the lease ends." You muttered as you threw some leftovers in the microwave. "Really?" She squeals as your face scrunches up. "I'll go tell Jack!" She runs off to tell her stupid fucking boyfriend.
"Yeah... Go tell Jack to his stupid face." You mutter to yourself as you grab the food and go to hide out in your room so you don't accidentally see some genitalia you never wanted to see.
"Coming!" Jack yells as he walks over to the door. He looks through the peephole and sees 5 boxes somehow balanced on each other. He can tell it's you by how you're peaking through the boxes. How the hell you knocked is beyond him.
He glances back to make sure he has everything in place and clean. He takes a deep breath and opens the door.
Taglist: @fertilise-me @littlezee80 @seeminglyincurablesadness @viv08ian @sillytotsie @oosarasotaoo @marvelcasey05 @the-fandom-queen @midnightjoonie @isadeeznutz @n0ah-666 @nxtliliana @yooforia @boscogirlsworld @sevikasblackgf @clowninavan @cosmosnkaz @mynameisbaby9 @outpostsworld @feanorianapologist @abschaffer2 @waiyanw3 @smexylittleswine @mmminvo @fangirlcentral1 @darlingspike @karlawithacapitalk @blairdoro
[If you notice you aren't on the tag list and you already commented, please message me! I don't bite, I swear, I just sometimes miss some comments!]