( @camelehon for hyunshik! )
‘don’t look now but tae’s about to lose his shit.’
“language please!”
taeyang’s not looking. whatever it is that has his partner thinking they can curse on shift, he’s not looking. it can be a lot of things, the pediatric ward always getting a little too full during summer time. another bicycle accident, maybe a sprain or two kids and a log the trilogy. whatever it is taeyang always keeps his composure. the worst thing about this job was seeing the scrapes and the tears. it takes a lot to really make him lose his shit so to speak.
either way, their shift’s coming to a close, a quick shift because of exams approaching soon. maybe that’s why jun’s so antsy. everyone’s gotten used to the student nurse’s way with words but even so - there are kids around.
he’s finished with his last rounds and has a quick assessment to do for his shift leader. but he’s about to turn and give jun a piece of his mind. or at least scold the older a little bit. but taeyang turns and he’s being turned and for a second he doesn’t know why. he’s just protesting and trying to still himself.
but the sight he sees is enough to get him to pause.
which is completely obvious and he should turn around right now. but of course jun is holding him in place, and snickers from the nurses finishing their rounds are heard from the corridor behind him.
everyone is out to get him. everyone, the hospital, the summer, the universe.
across from him, standing by the entrance to the waiting rooms is hyunshik. hyunshik is standing by the waiting room. the cute barista from down the street is standing in the hospital where he interns. by the waiting room. waiting on someone. possibly waiting on taeyang -----
okay maybe he’s waiting to be seen.
‘yeah sure he’s waiting to be seen by pediatric department.’ and suddenly taeyang is aware that he’s talking out loud again, and that he still hasn’t stopped staring. or even registered that hyunshik was staring back at him. hyunshik’s stare however, is what makes taeyang’s cheeks flare up. because yes the male has noticed him staring. and as always hyunshik looks great, looks like he just got off work and is still in a button up and khaki slacks. and he’s giving taeyang that look. the raised eyebrow look that makes him shiver from his toes up and oh - taeyang can’t do this.
‘yes you can, go say hi.’ he’s talking out loud again but he can’t be bothered.
“I’m on shift.” he’s actually done with his shift, but -
‘when has that ever stopped you from talking to him.’ true.
“but it’s literally his job to talk to whoever comes in -”
‘and it’s your turn to talk to whoever needs help, now go assist!’
taeyang doesn’t even get to argue the statement before he’s being pushed forward. he tries to be as collected as possible, maneuvering around new and old patients. smiling at some and giving high-fives to eager ones. it makes it easier to swallow the lump in his throat when he gets closer to hyunshik.
“hello sir, do you have an appointment or are you a walk-in?”
‘i’m about to walk right back out.’
“wait no,” taeyang wants to reach for his hand to stop him but freezes. luckily hyunshik freezes mid-walk and is looking back at him. taeyang breathes. “is everything okay hyung? did you come to visit someone? is someone sick?” taeyang freezes but naturally his words don’t, and concern takes precedence over his heart.
‘yes everything’s fine. no, no one’s sick. and yes I came to visit someone.’ taeyang breathes a sigh of relief, a little disheartened that hyunshik would even know someone who has to stay in a hospital. he perks up though.
“give me a second? I can look up the room and walk with you there!” he finds hyunshik surveying him for a second and taeyang wonders if he’s overstepped boundaries again. that maybe it’s personal who the older male is seeing and doesn’t really want the company. it wouldn’t bother taeyang in the slightest, it is his job to make sure everyone’s privacy and comfort is at it’s peak.
‘aren’t you working?’ hyunshik asks after a few minutes and taeyang just shakes his head, voice lowered as he brings himself down from his previous excitement.
“I’ve technically finished my rounds. I’ve been helping the others with their rounds for the last hour. Summer’s really busy for us and we get all the new student nurses too. I had a pre-assessment to do for my supervisor but that’s all. if you’re in a rush I can ask someone else to assist you?” In fact he’s making a move to do so, knowing jun hasn’t moved from his spot since he came over here. he doesn’t get the word out because hyunshik’s already stopping him.
“it’s fine. I’d rather you show me than the newbies I suppose.” the heat is back. the color in his ceeks, the lump in his throat, the idea that hyunshik’s okay with the idea. truthfully taeyang’s sure that hyunshik doesn’t hate his company. has even let him spends nights at the coffee shop when it’s just the two of them. even let him spend a few nights by his place, talking until the weather became unforgiving and taeyang bundled out.
now it’s summer and the shop is busy both night and day and taeyang’s schedule has changed considerably.
still, he’s never sure where he stands. but he supposes at least being able to stand by hyunshik is alright.
“yeah sure, I- I’ll be back in a bit hyung!” and he’s off, purposely ignoring the look jun throws him.
‘I said talk to him, not throw heart eyes for thirty minutes.’ taeyang doesn’t dignify that with an answer. simply because his heart’s still pounding and turning to respond to jun would reveal just how red his face has gotten.
“can’t wait until sooyoung sees you haven’t finished your rounds.” that gets jun cursing again but out of his hair. doesn’t stop the receptionist from giving him a little pinch as he hurries by.
‘that guy was cute tae!’ taeyang groans and jun cackles as they hurry into the office.
finishing the assessment doesn’t take long. it’s just allergies acting up and he’s shadowing the prescription procedure, high-fiving the seven-year-old as he runs out with his mom.
‘wait for it guys tae’s about to throw more heart eyes!’ taeyang ignores that one, busy grabbing his backpack and clocking out. he has his heart-eyes perfectly under control thank you.
because he’s walking out the back office and towards the waiting room. and hyunshik is already waiting, leaning against the receptions desk, eyes in his phone until he spots taeyang approaching.
‘all done?’ taeyang manages one nod. then two. then three before he’s coughing.
“I’m clocked out but I can take you to the room, they won’t mind.” he’s purposely ignoring the look jun sends him from behind the desk as he reaches for the pad. “who are you here to see?”
‘the cute brunette student nurse whose name starts with a t perhaps?’ taeyang is ready to reach over and strangle jun. so ready.
“ignore my co-worker.” he pleads, almost afraid to gauge hyunshik’s reaction. instead he’s met with bubble tea being slid into his hands. taeyang can already tell from the smell that it’s chai and his favorite. all he really needs after a long day at the hospital. he’s still looking at it in confusion, and hyunshik, he looks amused. thoroughly amused. no indication of having heard jun’s words until -
‘he’s not completely wrong. but since I am here to visit you and not him, it’d make sense for me to ignore him.’ taeyang doesn’t process the words as quickly as he should, instead he’s hurrying hyunshik out the minute jun starts making unnecessary whoops from behind the desk. that and his face is too too red to be seen inside the hospital.
because hyunshik said he’s visiting him. because hyunshik came all the way here, to visit him. and bought him chai. and also indirectly agreed that he thought taeyang was cute. or maybe indirectly agreed to shut jun up ( which at this rate jun will never shut up ). but taeyang’s processing and processing too much and trying to get as far away from his co-workers as possible.
‘any longer and someone might’ve checked your temperature.’
“hyuuuuuuung.” hyunshik is way too amused. taeyang is glaring at him, trying to anyway but the chai makes him too refreshed to stay upset. that, and he couldn’t hold that look at hyunshik for too long anyway. he’s a weak man. a smug grin and a bubble tea and he’s tame.
‘really? that’s all it takes?’ he’s also apparently not learned his lesson about talking out loud. this time he really doesn’t face hyunshik, he looks away and continues to drink, marveling at how thirsty he was. ‘you’re going to ignore me now, after I came all the way here?’ taeyang’s red. much too red to look hyunshik in the eye. instead he shuffles beside him the moment he starts to walk off, and speaks quietly over the straw.
“thanks hyung.”
he gets a hum back. and it’s a quiet walk aside from a few tales and a few questions about each other’s day.
taeyang is sure though. all he really needs right now is to be by the hyunshik’s side.