A Slight Misunderstanding | John Carter
~John Carter x nurse!reader
~Word count: 2k
~Cw: Several uses of y/n, kissing, mentions of sex but no smut, graphic language, let me know if I missed anything!
~Summary: John hears that you slept with one of the biggest jerks he knows, Dave Malucci. You’re not sure why he cares so much, he’s the one who told you it was just casual. Will a confrontation in the lounge and a ride home fix things between you two?
~a/n: My first fanfic! I’ve started and never finished a lot for a ton of different character but the need for John Truman Carter III was too strong. He is so fine and cute and sad I need him. I hope you all enjoy! Please reblog, share, or like if you do!
“You slept with him?” The voice came sharp and pointed as the door to the lounge swung open. He was angry, although he had no right to be, given the fact that just earlier this week he had made sure to let you know that whatever you thought there was between you and him was strictly casual.
You turned around to finally face his wrath. “So what if I did, Carter?” You tried to sound as argumentative as him but you couldn’t bring yourself to be so mean. You did love him after all. His eyes bore deep holes into yours. You can practically see the gears turning in his head. Deciding carefully what words to say, how to tell you what he really wanted. He finally spoke, “Malucci. Really?” The mention of your coworkers name made you wince.
Dave was cute enough. A jerk, you would give Carter that, but he asked you out for drinks and you needed a good rebound. You just hadn’t expected him to go around bragging to everyone that he got you into bed. He hadn’t even really accomplished anything, other than sticking it in you for two minutes and swiftly pulling out as soon as he finished. He was a cuddler, but he was also sweaty and didn’t even bother to ask if you were okay. Or if you came. John always asked if you were okay. His cuddles only came after digging his head in the crevice of your neck, placing soft and gentle kisses, fiddling with your fingers before finally pulling out and cleaning you up. He would then pull you halfway on top of him, hiking your leg up over his own, holding you tightly against him. It always felt as if your bodies had been custom fit to each other. Each and every curve sitting comfortably together.
Laying there in bed with Dave was embarrassing to say the least. You had pried yourself out of his hot grasp and quickly pulled your clothes on to rush out the door. He didn’t exactly care that you were leaving either. Assuming you had a shift early or would just call him later. You weren’t even sure you had his number as you turned around, gave him an awkward smile and made your way out of his apartment.
The whole encounter from start to finish was a mistake. You spent the whole time thinking of John Carter. When you arrived home, you spiraled thinking about why he didn’t want you the way you wanted him. You cried yourself to sleep, clutching the T-shirt he left once after a steamy encounter. Carter cleared his throat to bring you back from your day dreaming. He raised a single brow as if to ask you to explain yourself. Except you didn’t want to. You didn’t owe him anything. He told you that night that you didn’t matter to him. It was “just sex.”
“I don’t know what you want from me John. You don’t want to be with me, but you don’t want anyone else to be with me either? How does that make sense. You don’t own me, I’m not your girlfriend, I’m just the nurse you fuck sometimes.” You couldn’t stop the word vomit from exiting your mouth. His gaze faltered. You had struck a nerve.
You wanted to walk right up to his and hold him in your arms, the way you always did after a hard and long shift. But you had to stand your ground. He doesn’t get to just fling you around like some stress toy. “Y/N, I-“ the door slammed open, interrupting his soft voice. “We got a GSW coming in, we need you Carter.” Carol spoke. Glancing between the two of you, picking up on the heavy tension in the room. Carter paused for a moment before answering, “yeah I- I’ll be there in a second.”
As Carol let the door close behind her, you and John shared a look. This conversation wasn’t over. His eyes looked so sad. You’re sure you looked the same. Tears welling in the corners, threatening to spill if one more word was spoken. He begrudgingly tore his eyes from yours and made his way out of the stuffy break room. Avoiding you the rest of your collective shifts.
The walk from the ambulance entrance to the L was quiet. Almost deathly so. All you wanted to do was lie down in your bed and crash. You didn’t have to think about the predicament you had found yourself in when you were sleeping. A car horn honked from a few miles away. Carter’s sleep Jeep came in to view and he stuck his head out the window. “Get in.” He demanded. A scoff left your throat, “no way John. There is no way I’m gonna sleep with you af-“ “it’s late and it dark. There’s no way you’re taking the L home. Get in. I’ll drive you home.” He cut you off. He really just wanted to get you home safe. Even after fighting with you and blowing up your little world, he really did care.
The car ride was more than awkward. It was deafeningly silent. Neither one of you moving to turn on the radio or speak to the other. As he pulled up in front of your building you turned to look at him. His eyes burned through the dashboard, trying not to stare right back at you. “John?” You said so quietly, you’re not even sure he could hear you. “Would you like to come up.” His head snapped in your direction when the words left your mouth.
“What?” Had he heard you right? Were you really asking him to come upstairs? After everything? The look you gave him only confirmed the words he questioned. You moved to open the door and stood outside on the side walk. Waiting for him to follow you. This has been an often occurrence on nights you spent in each other’s embraces. But the weight of it this time was astronomically heavier.
The elevator ride to your small apartment was silent, but not awkward. Only a few times did you look over at him and catch him staring at you. Every time, he would whip his head away, pretending he had never even seen you. You couldn’t help but smile every time it happened.
Finally last the threshold of your doorway Carter spoke. “Y/N, I know I have no ri-“ “shut up.” You spoke quickly. His mouth stood open at the phrase. “I love you, John. I know it was casual, I know we agreed to just have fun and be there for each other when we had a bad day, but I messed it up. I like you so much.” You had started pacing around the room, waving your hands in the air like a woman gone mad. “You just made it impossible. I mean your stupid hair and sad eyes and your dopey smile just made me fall deeper and deeper until there wasn’t anything I could do about it. You always took care of me and stayed after sex. Honestly I think it’s more your fault than mine, you’re the one who put all these crazy ideas I my head.”
John couldn’t help but grin at your rambling. But you were far too deep to notice, so you kept going. “You held my hand and kissed me all the time at work, what am I supposed to do? Not fall head over heels? Carol always warned me. “Don’t sleep with a doctor, he’ll ruin your life.” And look at me now. My life is ruined. Because not only did I sleep with you, but I slept with fucking Malucci. God he sucks. Why did I do that?” John took this as the time to finally chime in.
“Yeah, why did you?” His tone came off far too light for your liking as you focused on him and pointed in his direction, stomping closer until you were about a foot away. “Don’t be so smug. It’s your fault I ever did. You told me that I should leave that night and avoided me at work. He asked me out and I was in a very vulnerable place. I wouldn’t have even said yes if you hadn’t been ignoring me.”
Poking your finger into his chest, you made your speech, longer and longer. “He wasn’t even as good as you, but the need for a rebound was just too strong because you decided to cast me aside like some Barbie do-“ John grabbed your hand, ceasing your pokes. His other hand came to your waist, resting there comfortably, pulling you in closer to his frame.
“Say that part again,” his voice said, low and steady. “Like a Barbie doll?” You asked dumbly, what was he talking about? “No, the first part. “He wasn’t as good as me?”” You realized the mistake you made at last. Eyes growing wide at the embarrassing statement. The last thing you needed was to admit to John Carter that he was the best you’d ever had. Then your point would be totally moot.
But you did admit it. And he loved it. The gleam in his eye was a similar one to the look he would give you before your more intimate moments. His grip on your hand left to match his other hand on your waist, pulling you impossibly closer. Your hands instinctively found their way to his upper arms, holding tightly, and you couldn’t help but lean in to him. Your faces were now almost touching, nose to nose.
“You really like me, huh?” His voice sounded taunting, but oh so endearing. The kind he always used to make you flush deeper even though he was already settled inside you. He always cared. That was becoming clear now.
Your eyes looked up to meet his, wide and distressed. “I kind of just ranted about how I’m in love with you. So yeah. I like you Carter.” You could feel the heat on your cheeks. His ability to fluster you will always astound you. He leaned his head down further and before you could think about it to hard his lips were on your’s.
Your arms reached around his neck, pulling him down to meet you as you stood up on your toes to do the same. The kiss quickly became heated, moving together in sync. A habit you both never bothered to break. You knew you would have to pull away for air, but the passion kept you in it. It was full of longing, a silent loving between you that you had failed to bring up until now.
As you came up for air finally you stared intently into his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time that day. His gaze kept shifting, flirting from your eyes to your swollen mouth. His body kept swaying him, almost subconsciously leaning in for more. But a miss doesn’t solve everything. You knew that. No matter how much you wanted it to.
“John.” “Hm,” he replied, still distracted by your lips, not totally paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth. His mind was always very one tracked. “John.” You repeated and his look slowly met your worried one. “What’s wrong?” Then came the crease between his brows.
“John, why did you tell me to leave?” He faltered, loosening his grip on your love handles. “Why would you say we should end things? Have I been reading this wrong for the past seven months? Am I just that stupid?” The words were a weight off your chest. Things you had been dying to ask him, but you were too humiliated to even mutter.
He sighed heavily. This was the part of the conversation he was hoping to avoid. Mostly out of his own embarrassment of his actions in the first place. He spoke, but only in a low mumble that you couldn’t quite make out. You leaned into hear him but to no avail. “John, speak up.” You demanded. His head stayed tuck but his eyes lifted to look at you, scolding him for not using his words. The product of this was his big puppy dog eyes that made your heart melt in half a second.
He brought his head back up to its normal level and spoke again, this time clearly and concisely. “I heard the nurses talking.” He avoided eye contact with you, still embarrassed. “They were talking about you and some guy you’ve been dating. Said he was the greatest and you wanted to have his babies and all that kind of stuff.” You stood appalled. You remember telling your fellow nurses the gossip they quickly spread around. But you were talking about Carter. Just because you weren’t actually dating didn’t mean you weren’t going to brag about him to all your friends.
“Oh my god.” You finally replied. “I just didn’t want to stand in the way of you and this mystery guy that seemed so perfect for you.” He started to pace the room, similarly to the way you did at your arrival. “Trust me I wanted to be selfish, but they just kept going on about how great this guy must be if you were smiling all the time and I felt so guilty. I loved you- I love you so much I knew I had to let you go.” He stopped in the middle of the room, staring into your soul when he confessed the last bit.
You bursted out laughing. You couldn’t help it, this was so ridiculous. You bent over and held your abdomen in shrill cackles and giggles that made Carter stare at you puzzled. He opened his mouth to ask why in the world you were laughing but he couldn’t get the words out before you stood up straight again. Wiping the tears from your eyes and walking up to him, pulling into your embrace.
“I was talking about you, John.” You held his beautiful face in your hands. You kept your eyes steady on his to reassure him. His searched your face for what felt like eternity. He couldn’t believe it, you loved him. Sure you had just gone on a whole rant about it but that didn’t stop him from thinking that you could be seeing other people. Feelings are complicated, you could love him and another man.
He immediately went in for another kiss, which you met gladly, both of you smiling into the kiss. This continued for some time. Not sexual necessarily, just loving. You loved each other and it was finally out in the open. You belonged to him. He belonged to you. Always had. Always will.
Your magnetism was cut off by a loud phone ring. Both of you ignored it for a moment but decided that if someone was calling, you should probably pick up. You were medical professionals after all. John was the one to pull out of your arms, sighing dramatically and walking to your landline.
“Hello?” He answered, he sounded exhausted. You’re sure he was from all the excitement. Probably disappointed too that you were interrupted. All you hear on the other line was a muffled screaming. Not just one person, but at least three. John’s eyes widened as he held the phone out to you. “It’s for you.” he muttered.
Your brows tied together as you took the phone from his hand, holding it up to your own ear. A shrill call of your name came from the speaker.
“YOU AND CARTER!! WE CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DIDN’T TELL US!” Chuny’s voice was unmistakable. Carter had picked up your phone. They knew. Why else would he be at your apartment at nine o’clock at night. Chuny kept rambling on asking for details. Others chimed in here and there, Even Carol prodding for the juicy stuff. As you listened, you supposed there was no denying it. They were bound to find out at some point. You had already folded when they interrogated you about the hickey on your neck a while back. Sparking the conversation John overheard and decided he wasn’t good enough for you.
“Hey- gu- guys!” You finally cut off the nurses. “I’m busy right now, but I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow. Good night!” You ended the conversation. You would love to spill all the hot gossip, but you had the love of your life standing in front of you, looking at you with some much love that you wondered if he would melt. One last squeal came as you set the phone back on the hook.
“I guess everyone knows now, huh?” You asked, placing your arms around his neck, playing with the soft hair at the top of his neck. “Yeah I guess so. Doesn’t matter though. I was gonna shout it from the roof that you were mine anyway.” Carter shot at you sweetly, leaning in for another long and meaningful kiss. Ever the romantic, it seemed.
