i've got expectations!
pairing: jack abbot x sunshine nurse!reader
summary: on a rare friday night off jack begrudgingly joins his coworkers on a night out. he hates every second of it, that is until he sees you dancing and singing your heart out. he can't help but fall even more helplessly in love with you.
warnings: drinking, fluff, slightly suggestive, yearning!jack, jealousy (blink and you miss it), reader is a night shift nurse, jack's pov, reader wears a dress, no physical descriptions of reader, no use of y/n, not proofread
word count: 2k
authors note: my blog is generally 18+, mdni. short and sweet brainrot! i just really fucking love this song and want to scream it every second of the day. i wanted to finish this to give myself a break from my angsty secret baby draft 😭
song inspo: expectations - olivia rodrigo (duhhh)
divider credits: @/omi-resources for line dividers, @/saradika-graphics for disco divider
masterlist
Jack Abbot would never be caught dead at a nightclub—especially not on his only Friday night off in months—yet he found himself walking through a cloud of artificial fog, strobe lights and glittery skirts blinding him as the smell of cheap beer and body odour clogged his throat. He had been inside the tacky neon-signed club for less than two minutes and could already feel a throb starting behind his left eye.
John had guilt tripped him, claiming he needed to step it up as an attending and join the PTMC crew on one of their rare nights out. John who had claimed glaring at residents while having a beer in the park was not considered bonding. John who was going to have his neck wrung the next time Jack saw him because he was not in the booth—or in the club at all, for that matter—like he had promised.
The text lighting up Jack's phone screen confirmed his suspicions.
John Shen: Shit sorry man. Can't make it tonight, Hunt called in sick. Next time drinks are on me!
Jack was ready to turn back around and hightail it out the door when a tipsy Langdon called out his name, half hanging out of the booth crowded with the day shift and a few of his own team that were lucky enough to have the night off.
He sighed, reluctantly dragging his feet towards the group of his intoxicated colleagues.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't our very own prince of darkness," McKay slurred out, tilting her head to the side. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Jack gave her a deadpan look. "Prince of darkness? Really?"
McKay threw her hands up in defence. "Hey, I didn't come up with it." She jutted her head towards the dance floor. "You can thank sunshine for that one. Though I do think it's fitting."
His body tensed immediately at the mention of you, every cell in his body vibrating with the need to turn around and get a glimpse of you. But, he couldn't. Not when Donnie and Jesse were looking at him knowingly, snickering into their pint glasses.
He regretted asking them about you seconds after he opened his mouth, and now almost a year later he was still paying for his slip up. He just wanted to know what your deal was, why the day shift nurses called you sunshine and never failed to smile when talking about you. He soon found out that reason when you switched to the night shift a couple months later—you were the sun in human form, and you shone through his clouds of darkness and sorrow like a beacon.
"When was the last time you came out with us?" Langdon pondered aloud, tapping a finger to his dimpled chin.
"I think it was when Czechoslovakia was still a sovereign state," Robby answered, sliding into the only spare seat and handing Jack a bottle of beer.
"Ha-ha," Jack rolled his eyes, accepting the bottle. "You guys are doing a great job of making me want to come out again. Five star efforts for you all."
He took a gulp of beer, leaning a shoulder against the end of the booth and taking a moment to assess his surroundings.
"Surprised to see you here, brother." He muttered to Robby, raising his eyebrows as he overheard Javadi drunkenly whisper—shout—to Mel about how Mateo's half up half down bun makes her forget how to breathe. She was going to regret those fruity cocktails come morning.
An upbeat synth-pop song blasted through the speakers, the bass shaking the floors and eliciting a chorus of ear splitting screams.
Robby winced. "Santos bet that she could diagnose a mystery patient before me—this is my punishment."
Vivi, who was sat on the other end of the half circle booth, jumped up and grabbed Whitaker's hand—dragging him to the pulsating dance floor. Jack's eyes followed them absentmindedly, doing a double take when they reached the group in the middle of the dance floor—when they reached you.
Jack barely noticed Santos and Mohan dancing next to you, your vibrance pulling his attention like a lighthouse guiding a ship through a stormy night. It was hard enough to control his blood pressure when he saw you in your grey scrubs, but seeing you in that dress had him feeling like he was fighting for his life—or at least fighting for his blood to stop rushing south. Your face lit up further at your friends joining you, wrapping them in a tight hug as your body continued to bounce to the song blasting.
Your group formed a small circle, your bodies moving freely with the help of the liquor running through your veins. You pointed to Santos as the lyrics started, animatedly mouthing along to the song. Jack couldn't help but chuckle at your antics, a small smile gracing his lips as he watched you.
Your face was glowing under the dim nightclub lights with a tipsy smile permanently plastered across it. You alternated between jumping and grabbing Santos' hands as you sang passionately, and raising your arms above your head with an intoxicating sway of your hips that had Jack forgetting how to breathe.
"I won't settle for a guy with a fake job! They seem so desperate for lovin' but baby I'M NOT!" Your voice reached him above the pounding of the speakers and loud atmosphere of the club, your singing turning into shouting as your eyebrows drew together in an expression of passion.
You were singing with an intensity that told him how much you resonated with the lyrics; it wasn't just an upbeat song that some people—certainly not him—found catchy to you, it was painted across your face how personally you connected to it.
"I'm not kissin' any boy that is passive, their indecision is painfully unattractive!" You continued to belt out, grabbing Santos by the shoulders and throwing your head back. "Past mistakes are just new information, these days I've got expectations!" You spun around, placing yourself next to Samira and slinging an arm around her shoulder.
Memories of conversations he overheard came to the forefront of his mind—when you and Ellis would be loose-lipped in the early hours of the morning, bonding over nightmare exes while slouched at the Hub. The ex that 'forgot' your one year anniversary, leaving you sitting alone in the too bright restaurant while he smoked and gamed with his friends. The guy who only wanted to see you under the cover of darkness, saying being seen out in public during the daylight was 'too much commitment'. The men you talked to on dating apps only offering three worded replies, their nonchalance leading you to carry the conversations. You always ended with "maybe love just isn't in the cards for me" and it made the ache in his chest so much harder to ignore.
To him, you were so easy to love. It was like breathing—an automatic response, his brain and body doing it without a thought. You offered your heart on a platter to everyone you met and never asked for anything in return. He didn't know how the world's cruelty hadn't dimmed your shine yet, but he was going to make it his life goal to never let that happen.
You had no idea how you made him feel. How your smile and laugh turned his insides into liquid gold, how his heart oozed with gooey honey when you rested your head on his shoulder briefly, the butterflies in his stomach making him feel like a lovesick teenager whenever you walked into the room. How he often laid in bed thinking about you, fantasising about how you would sound with his face buried—
Jack's thoughts halted as a guy around your age slid up behind you, his hands grasping your hips and pulling you back into him as his head dropped to your neck. Jack felt the vein in his forehead throb instantly, his teeth clenched so tight he was sure he'd crack a molar. The bottle in his hand shook from his tightened grip, his free hand balling into a fist as his gut churned.
Before he could take a step forward, you slipped out of the guy's hold—grabbing Whitaker and switching places with him so quickly it took the guy a second to realise he was now holding onto another guys hips. He bolted back to his friends in the corner as your group burst into fits of laughter.
Your face was in perfect view of Jack and he felt some of the tension ease from his body, the smile on your face assuring him that you were okay. You picked up where you left off, singing and dancing like nothing had happened. You made eye contact with Jack and it felt like the whole club had faded away, the mischievous glint in your eyes making it impossible for him to look away. Not that he would ever want to.
You raised your voice again, looking at him directly as you sang the next lyrics. "But in a couple months, a man will be procured." Your lips tilted into a smirk, your hand raising to point at him. "He will be evolved," you brought the hand to your chest, "and I will be adored, adored, adored, adored, adored!"
You turned back to your group, throwing Jack a wink over your shoulder before continuing to jump and scream with your friends.
In that moment, Jack knew he would do anything to be the man who adored you—to be the man who met your expectations. It took every ounce of strength he had to not march over to you and kiss you until he didn't know where he stopped and you began.
He was so utterly enraptured by you that he didn't notice his friends eyes on him, their snickering morphed into full on belly laughs. Even Robby was losing his shit over his friend's clear infatuation.
The song ended and your group returned to the booth, Santos exclaiming that if she didn't have a drink in her hand within ten seconds she was going to start spilling everyone's dirty secrets. Jack paid her no mind, keeping his eyes on you—your hips swaying with every step towards him.
You threw your arms around his shoulders once you reached him, the heady aroma of your perfume and sweat seeping into his lungs and making a home there. His free hand slipped around your waist to return the hug, praying to god you didn't notice how fast his heart was beating.
You pulled back with a grin, your hands trailing down his shoulders and arms before dropping to your sides. "The dark knight is here!"
Jack couldn't stop the smile on his face even if he wanted to. "Oh, so it's the dark knight now? I heard it was the prince of darkness not long ago."
He watched in fascination as your face turned bashful. "What can I say? You're so easy to think of nicknames for!"
"Is that right, sunshine?" Jack leaned closer, his easy smirk lifting his lips.
You hummed, nodding your head. "I'm glad you came out tonight, Jack." Your voice dropped low, private. "I wasn't expecting it."
"Well, I hope I can continue to exceed your expectations, sweetheart."
Maybe it was because of the way your lashes fluttered, the soft smile on your face, or the fact he was hopelessly in love with you, but Jack continued, taking a deep breath.
"How about we talk some more when you're sober? I think it's time for you to know how it feels to be adored."
a/n: i love that old man, your honour
