Doctor Au: Eddie knows Steve's really sick when he actually takes the day off from work or actually asks if he can go home early.
I am officially hijacking this ask and making it:
✨How Steddie Got Together (Doctor AU)✨
**
Saturday
“Another round of drinks?” The waiter a asked, towel folded over his arm.
“Yes please!” Robin exclaimed as the young man took away their empty glasses.
Steve held up a hand, “None for me, thanks.”
Robin stared at him judgmentally as he sipped from his water glass.
“You’re so boring!!! Just one more?”
“We’re not supposed to be getting hammered, Robin.”
“I am not hammered!”
Her argument was unconvincing at best, but Eddie ignored it, waving them off. He turned back to the waiter, “Sorry about them - it’ll just be the two margaritas for the ladies.”
“Nothing for you either Eds?” Robin asked.
“Nah, can’t let my boy Stevie stop by himself.” He shrugged.
Steve felt himself tense up at the Eddie calling him “his boy”.
“How very noble of you.” Nancy joked.
The four of them were out for dinner and drinks - something they liked to do once a month or so - going to the fancy hotel restaurant. Robin and Nancy were sitting in the booth seats opposite the boys who had two regular chairs.
Steve felt a tickle somewhere deep in his nose. He lifted the fabric napkin to his face and twisted away from their food.
“H’eMPtsch!! MPT’schh!!”
“Bless you.”
He sniffled as he lowered the napkin again, the waiter returning with the margaritas for the girls. He set them on the table, tiny umbrella and all.
“Thank you, thank you!!” Robin exclaimed.
Eddie picked up a French fry and took a bite. “Yeah. Definitely not hammered…”
“What’s everyone’s plans this weekend?” Steve asked, ignoring Robin rolling her eyes.
“I have to go back to my parents house this weekend. They’re moving Mike out for college and need some help.”
Robin was sucking away at the margarita, realizing it was her turn to speak, “Oh! I’m not doing much. Probably painting or watching tv. What about you, Eddie?”
“Eh, practicing guitar I guess. Not much. Steve?”
Eddie turned and looked at these with the warmest brown eyes. Steve felt butterflies in his stomach. He really didn’t want to say that he was actually starting to feel like he was catching a cold and wanted to sleep all weekend.
“I um… I think I’m just cleaning the apartment maybe?”
Eddie raised his arm to rest it on the back of Steve’s chair, rubbing the man’s shoulders as he did so.
“Thanks. Sorry.” He sniffled into his napkin, trying not to think about how his crush was sat there rubbing his back right now.
Eddie’s always been a friendly guy, but he’s exceptionally flirty when it comes to Steve. Robin, who has known him since middle school, shoots Steve a knowing glance - he’d told her about his crush when she got hired on.
He shot her an equally knowing, discrete glance that screamed, ‘Don’t say a thing!’
The waiter came back with their bill, setting it on the table. Eddie quickly grabbing for his wallet in his pocket.
Nancy held out a hand to stop him, “No Eddie, we can split it!”
He waved his hand around and shook his head, “Nah, I got this one Nance, don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you Eddie!”
“Thanks Eddie!” Robin added, taking another sip of her drink.
“Thahhh thanks! H’ISSSH!”
“You’re welcome.” He turned to Steve, “Bless you.”
***
Monday
Eddie arrived at 7:25 Monday morning. He came in through the back door, the parking lot already filling up with the morning’s patients. He dropped his bag down next to his office desk.
“Morning Eddie!” Came a high pitched voice.
He looked up, only to meet the eyes of Chrissy Cunningham.
“Oh hi Chrissy! What a pleasant surprise!” He strode over to give her a hug. “How are you?”
“Doing just fine, and yourself?”
“Good, good! Ready to be back at work I suppose. Is Steve here yet?”
The last question was rhetorical. He figured if Chrissy was here, something had to be up.
“Oh, no. Sorry. I’m actually covering for him today.”
There it was.
“Covering for him?”
“Yeah, Robin called me this morning and said he won’t be coming in.”
“Oh, well glad to see you around!!”
As the girl left him, he tried his best to hide the disappointment. He absolutely loved Chrissy to pieces, but the past few weeks, seeing Steve was the highlight of his day.
He knew from the start that Steve was into guys and girls. Once he found out he and Robin were just really really close friends, he felt a relief. He’d been hanging out more with Steve outside of work lately - mostly doing cook nights at someone’s house to talk about life and the job. He thought maybe give it some time and he might have a chance?
He found himself sitting next to Robin at her desk while she signed out a patient, the methodical clicking of her keyboard putting him in a trance. Was Steve okay? Was he hurt? Where was he??
“Can I help you with something, Doc?” She asked, not looking away from the computer.
“I was just wondering where Steve is today.”
“Didn’t you see Chrissy?” She asked again, still typing appointment notes.
He fiddled with his thumbs. He was really hoping she wouldn’t ask questions.
“Yeah I did but…she said he’s sick or something..?”
Robin stopped typing to pull an appointment card out of her deck and started scribbling information on it for the patient.
“He is. Called out really early this morning.”
The long haired man hummed in thought, thinking out loud. “He must be feeling really bad then…”
“Hmm?” She handed the card to the patient and turned around in her chair to face him.
Not realizing he’d spoken aloud, he blushed slightly, “Oh, sorry. I just said… he must be feeling really rough. It’s not usually like him to call out when he’s sick.”
Robin raised an eyebrow, unaware that he was even keeping track of that information, “Uhh yeah I guess. He sounded pretty shit on the phone.”
Eddie bit his lip, not wanting to show too much concern. “Okay. Thanks.” He stood up and walked to his office, pulling the cell phone out of his pocket and sending a text.
Hey, Robin says you’re sick.
Hey Eddie. I’m fine, just a URI or something
Eddie rolled his eyes. “Just” a URI? Of course Steve would say that.
Are you okay though?
No response. He waited several minutes but nothing. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and decided to continue about his day as normal.
When lunch came around, he peeked at his phone again: no new messages. Fuck.
“Hey Robin, have you heard anything from Steve?” He asked hesitantly. He already thought she was into him.
“Nope. Not since this morning.” She looked up from her crackers, “Why are you so concerned about him??”
“I’m not!” He said almost too quickly, “I mean… I’m not super concerned. I’m like an average amount of concerned.”
Chrissy and Nancy looked at Robin an chuckled.
“What??” Eddie asked.
“Just. If you’re so worried about your boy, why don’t you just go check on him?” Nancy teased.
Eddie paused for a minute. “Maybe I will.”
“So it’s settled then. Okay.” Robin and Chrissy laughed some more.
“Okay.” Eddie looked away and poked at his lunch.
***
Steve was where he’d been all day - the bed in his small studio apartment. On Sunday morning, he’d confirmed he’d caught a cold. But by Sunday evening, it had turned into something more severe.
It was like he’d gotten hit with the very worst of every cold symptom. His cough had gotten progressively worse, leaving him voiceless. He constantly had to sneeze, but when he tried to blow his nose, it just felt like his sinuses were filled with concrete. He’d been getting small dizzy spells every now and then as well, something he chalked up to the fever that developed overnight.
He knew immediately upon waking up that there was no way he’d be able to make it through his clinic shift today. He’d thankfully been able to call Robin before his cough claimed his voice as collateral damage.
It was almost 6pm. He should probably eat, but all he’d been able to manage was walking to the kitchen to make a mug of tea. Before he could even decide if he wanted to get up again, someone was knocking at his door, making the decision for him.
He winced as the knocks echoed through his small space adding to his headache. Perks of a studio apartment though, was that he didn’t have to walk very far.
He unlocked the door and opened it without thinking, being met with the soft brown eyes he’d been daydreaming about every day for the past several months.
“Brought ya some tea!” The man held up a paper to-go cup.
“Eddie?” He rasped before having to turn to the side and cough harshly into his hoodie.
“Whoa, easy there Harrington!” Eddie stepped closer, putting a hand on the man’s back as coughs continued to come.
The older man winced, hearing the barking and congested quality of Steve’s cough. Finally the brunette straightened out, swallowing painfully.
“So sorry.” He said, barely above a whisper, “Come on in.”
Eddie had been to Steve’s place a handful of times do their rotational “cook nights”. He knew Steve’s place was cozy, poorly heated, and that Steve made a killer chicken parm.
The younger man led the way, rubbing his nose on the back of his jacket sleeve. He sat on the edge of his bed in the space that doubled as the living room.
“Sorry it’s such a m’bess.” Blush flooded Steve’s pale cheeks as he frantically tried to pick up all the tissues from the floor around his bed. “Would be a lot clea’der if I didn’t have to khhh keep…”
He turned away from Eddie, using his hands to pull the collar of the hoodie over his nose.
“H’eKSHhEW! iGh’TCHEW! Hrd’ziEW!”
“Bless you! You sound so-”
“Gross? I k’dow.” Steve mumbled as he reached for the tissues by his bed. “IK’tsch’IEW!”
“I was gonna say sick.” Eddie sat next to Steve on the bed and put an arm around him, frowning. “You sound so sick.”
Steve tried blowing his nose, to no avail. He threw the tissue away in frustration and coughed rather productively into his sleeve.
“I’b so sorry. You did’t come here to watch mbe be gross…”
“First of all,” Eddie grabbed the paper cup that he’d set down earlier and pressed it into Steve’s hands, “drink your tea. And you know damn well I’ve seen grosser things.”
Steve chuckled, stopping to cough lightly before bringing the cup back to his lips.
“Second of all. I came here because I care about you a lot.”
Shit. The words came out faster than he could think them. Maybe he didn’t notice??
Steve looked up from his tea with glassy, puppy eyes. “What?”
Shit. He definitely heard.
“I mean… I just meant…” he was flustered now. He didn’t mean to say that, “What I meant to say was-”
Steve smiled and put a hand on Eddie’s chest to stop him from rambling.
“I care about you a lot too.” The younger man looked into Eddie’s eyes, heart thumping out of his way too congested chest.
Eddie tried to hold the gaze, but his eyes flickered down towards Steve’s lips (only for a second!). When he shifted his gaze back up, Steve was leaning in.
The older man reached out with a hand, caressing Steve’s jawline and brushing over his slightly swollen lymph nodes.
Their lips met, soft and warm. After a few seconds, Eddie leaned back realizing Steve probably couldn’t breathe out of his nose.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have kissed you that totally crosses a line!!” Steve was the one to be frantic now, eyes darting around the room. “And AESSHhiew! and I probably got you sick and .. and …”
“Steve!” Eddie put a hand on Steve’s thigh, “It’s okay. I…liked it. A lot actually.”
The younger man deflated, relieved that he read the signs correctly. He went silent, suddenly overcome by a dizzy spell.
“Okay there Stevie?”
The other man squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, “Yeah, just got lightheaded again…”
“Aww. My poor guy… come here.”
Eddie pulled Steve into a hug and then let themselves lean back until they were cuddling on Steve’s bed. Steve was resting his head on Eddie’s chest when his phone vibrated. He looked quickly.
How you feeling sickie?
“It’s from Robin.” He explained. He quickly typed and sent a reply and then silenced his phone, resuming his cuddle session with Eddie.
Feeling a lot better now
***
Friday
Eddie say at his desk, pressing a finger to his temple, hoping to relieve some of the pressure. This sinus headache had been building for the last twelve hours and he loathed every second of it.
“ih’NgxxT! IxxTch! NG’tchEW!”
A few muffled, “Bless you, Doctor Rockstar”s came from the back room. So they’d heard him despite his efforts. Great.
He pulled a tissue, sighing as he realized that was the last one. He blew his nose and then stood up with the empty box, making his way to the back.
Steve was typing notes into a digital chart while Robin and Nancy were discussing one of the patients who just left. Eddie entered the room, nose red and lips parted.
“Do we have snF an’dymore tissues? I ran out a’d… H’iGTsch’EW! Heh’KSHh iKSHHh! SnFF H’eGKT’chEW!!”
“Bless you! Try the left cabinet up top.” Nancy pointed.
Eddie opened it, sleeve pressed firmly to his nose as he opened the box and plucked a couple. He turned to the side, gurgling into them.
“Gross dude come on.” Robin complained. “You’re lucky Billy isn’t here today…”
Nancy stopped what she was doing and turned to really look at Eddie.
“Are you feeling okay? You sound like Steve did earlier this week.”
Nancy had meant nothing by it, but Robin whipped her head around and gasped loudly.
“NO!!” She shouted accusingly, “NO YOU DID NOT!”
Nancy, confused at first, finally caught onto what Robin was implying. “Oh my god guys, really?!”
Steve shot Eddie a look and then glued his eyes back to his computer screen, turning bright red. Eddie’s cheeks and the tips of his ears matched the crimson as he shrugged lightly, not looking at them.
“OH! MY! GOD! They’re finally together.” Robin stated matter-of-factly, high giving Nancy across the table.
“You guys are dumb.” Eddie turned around to go back to his office, holding the fresh box above his head, “Thanks for the tissues!” He called over his shoulder.
Robin cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled back, “Have fun with Steve’s URI!! Heard it’s a real doozy!”
Steve whacked her with a chart and shook his head, the girls laughing in excitement.
As he sat there writing his appointment notes, a guilty smile crept across his face. ‘They’re finally together!’ He was dating Eddie Munson.
Doctor Eddie having a terrible pollen day, which makes him horrendously sneezy. But then, one of his patients has cat dander on them. So he starts to hold back his reaction until he finishes with the patient and absolutely explodes to the point of feeling faint.
So then, his asthma (I head cannon him to have asthma nobody can convince me otherwise😂) flares up
So Nurse Stevie has to help him change, splash water onto him, give him an inhaler and catch his sneezes.
My whole thing is just soft 😂😂😂
This has been in my inbox for so long I’m SO sorry!! I don’t know if I know enough about asthma to do that part justice, BUT please accept this drabble with very allergic Dr.Rockstar. (Pre-Steddie)
❤️-KB
Robin and Steve were in the break room pouring themselves coffee when the back door opened. In true Eddie fashion, he announced his presence in the most unconventional way.
“H’isSHoo! Eh’isshu! iKTch’ew!”
Robin smirked as she whipped around. “Bless you Doctor Rockstar.”
“Thanks…” he mumbled, sniffling helplessly into a wad of tissues he pulled from his pocket.
“You got a cold, Doc?” Steve asked, stirring his coffee.
“N’do it’s - H’eSH’iew! - bad allergy day…”
“Did you take some allergy medicine?”
“snFF, every day like clockwork, Stevie. It’s just really bad todhhhay… NgxxTch! Ktsch’EW!”
“Bless you Doctor Rockstar.” Robin and Steve chimed in unison, smiling.
God he hated that stupid running joke.
“Thank you.”
———
The morning was peppered with sneezing Fits from Eddie. He really tried to hold them in when he was seeing patients, succumbing to the tickle in his office or outside of the exam rooms.
His downfall came when one of their patients came in, covered in cat hair. Usually he’d be okay enough, but on top of the ragweed, he was super sensitive.
He left the room in a hurry, running into Steve just outside the office.
“Steve can you order hhhher lab whhhork?” He’d no sooner finished the sentence before jerking to the side away from Steve.
“Isssh! Tissssh’ew! H’ISHew!”
“Bless you Doctor Rockstar.”
“Thank- iGT’chew! H’eKSHh eksssh! …h’NGtch’EW!”
“Whoa whoa, easy.” Steve rubbed a hand up and down Eddie’s back, the older man leaning against the wall for support. “Are you okay?”
“Got a little dizzy…” he mumbled into his tissues.
Steve supported Eddie by the elbow, helping him to the chair in his office. Once sitting, Eddie blew his nose a few times and pulled some fresh tissues to wipe away some allergic tears.
“NxxT! IxxTch! H’Nxxt!!”
“Geez, it really is a bad allergy day. Here, this might help.”
Steve grabbed a couple paper towels from the bathroom and wet them in the sink so they were damp. He came back to Eddie’s office and knelt down in front of him.
“I’m just gonna see if this can’t was some of the pollen off you.”
Eddie nodded, sniffling thickly as Steve gently wiped at Eddie’s face. First his forehead, then around his eyes and moving down his cheeks.
Eddie’s nostrils flared, “Steve m’gonna…”
Steve, realizing, moved the wet paper towels over his nose and mouth, holding them there as Eddie plunged into them.
“ehMPTchu! P’tch’EW! iKSHew!”
Steve moved the towels away slowly, handing Eddie some dry tissues instead.
“I’b so sorry Steve!” Eddie exclaimed.
“Don’t be! You know I have allergies too, don’t even worry about it.” Steve reassured, “I do think you should shower and change into some new clothes though.”
Summary: Everyone gets sick. That’s it. That’s the fic…
Word Count: ~ 10k ~
CW: Mentions of v*mit only at the very very end
Thursday, October 13th
Robin chewed on the back of her pen while she scrolled on the computer. She was almost done verifying patients’ insurances for the next day and was prepping all of the charts.
There was a small gust of air as someone plopped into the seat next to her at her desk.
“Hey Birdie!”
It was Eddie. Every now and again he would come sit with her at her desk either to catch up or to vent about different things happening.
“What’s up, doc?” She imitated Bugs Bunny and laughed.
He leaned back in the chair, Metallica t-shirt peeking out from behind his white coat.
“Can I take a peek at tomorrows schedule?”
“Sure!” She set down the pen and pulled open a different tab on her computer, Eddie scooting closer to her to look over her shoulder.
She looked on as he skimmed the block schedule, seeing names and brief appointment notes that Robin had typed. The appointment boxes were color coded based on the type of appointment - injection, consult, check-up, pre-op.
Eddie noted the mostly orange schedule. “Geez, that’s a lot of consults.”
He was right. Robin had access to all the provider schedules - Eddie, Billy, and Nancy. For all three, at least half of the daily schedule was orange.
“It’s mostly patients who think they have the flu.” Robin noted.
Eddie nodded as he kept skimming notes for the next day, “Yeah, this flu season is already shaping up to be a brutal one it looks like. You hanging in there?”
“Yeah, I mean it’s a bit hectic sometimes but I can handle it.”
She appreciated his asking. After all, there were three providers and only one of her. Check in, check out, and scheduling was all her responsibility on top of sending out reminder calls and checking insurance.
“Well we all appreciate you!” Eddie smiled and squeezed her shoulder as he stood up to head back towards his office.
The bell above the door alerted her to the arrival of Mr.Jenkins, who was following up after a fall on his hip a few weeks ago.
“Hey Mr.Jenkins, how’s the hip?”
“Still sore but it’s been a lot better since Doctor Munson worked his magic.” The elderly gentleman explained.
“Well that’s great news!” Robin pulled his chart - the last one of the day, thank gosh - and scribbled some notes. “Any updates in contact information?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” The man chuckled.
“Okay then!” She smiled and stood up, “Insurance covers the follow up, so you have no financial responsibility. If you’ll have a seat, Steve will be out to get you in just a minute.”
The man nodded as he sat on one of the chairs, looking up at the tv, playing the cooking channel as always.
Robin found Steve in the back room. Both Steve and Nancy’s desks were there, as well as a sink and some cabinets. Steve was at the counter looking at a paper strip under the light.
“Whatcha doin?” She asked, making Steve jump.
“Jesus Buckley…I’m running the flu test for Mrs.Chavez. It’s definitely positive.” He half directed the response towards Nancy, who was the PA tending to her.
“Thanks Steve. I’ll send a script for Tamiflu.” She typed into her own computer.
“Last patient for Eddie. Mr.Jenkins, doing better after his treatment last time.”
Steve smiled. He and Robin were the most familiar with all the different patients since they saw everyone and not just a select few. As he looked at the notes on the chart, an exam room door closed, Billy walking out and thrusting a chart out at Robin.
“Here. Tell him to come back in three weeks for a follow up.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke, as he was writing something down on a sticky note that he put on Steve’s monitor. “Add those notes to the digital chart, would ya? I’m heading out.”
The man pulled on a leather jacket and grabbed his backpack. “Be back tomorrow.” He mumbled.
After the back door had closed behind him, Robin called out, “You’re welcome!!”
*****
Friday, October 14th
“Gosh these lights really drain the color from this place huh?”
Robin directed the comment at the model skeleton in the back where Steve’s desk was. She was at the office bright and early with her box of cheap decorations.
To be quite honest, she should have decorated earlier, but it had just gotten so busy lately. She’d already put small pumpkins on everyone’s desk, orange and black streamers twirled together and hanging off the edges. She was so preoccupied she missed the ringing of the back door that would usually tell her Steve and Eddie had arrived.
She’d placed a cloak around the skeleton and perched a witches hat atop its head.
“That’s much better! What do you think?”
“I think it looks great.” Steve walked in from the hallway behind her.
“JESUS CHRIST!” She jumped, throwing a foam bat at him.
It bounced off his chest and he raised an eyebrow. “Who are you talking to??”
She bit her lip and looked away. “Skully…”
A laugh escaped his lips, “You’re talking to Skully??? The skeleton??”
“Shut up Harrington, he’s good company. Now are you gonna just stand there or are you going to help me?”
She gestured at the open box on his desk. He pulled out a couple reusable wall stickers of bats, ghosts, and Jack-o-lanterns, taking them to the waiting room and hanging them up. Robin tore open a box of pens with Halloween bobbles on them and put one on each person’s desk.
The disposable cups and plates in the staff room were replaced with Halloween printed ones, a bowl of candy being added in the staff room for them, as well as Robin’s desk for the patients.
Once the office was thoroughly decorated to her liking, she let Steve get to work at his desk while she logged into her own computer and turned the tv on to the cooking channel.
She made sure to pull up today’s schedule, the digital charts, and the list of reminder calls to make later that day before she unlocked the front door for the first patients. There were already four waiting outside.
Back at her desk, the first two approached - the Alvarados. Mrs.Alvarado scribbled both their names on the sign in sheet while Mr.Alvarado went to sit down.
“Good Morning, Robin.” She greeted.
“Hiya Mrs.Alvarado, how are you both doing?”
The woman shrugged while Robin pulled both of their charts. “Not doing too great, sweetie. We’ve been feeling sick for a week or so now.”
Robin added some notes to the chart. “I’m so sorry to hear that! Doctor E will hopefully take care of that for you.”
She offered a sympathetic smile to the woman who nodded before joining her husband on the plastic seats.
“I’ll be right with you, Mickey!” She smiled at the older man who was signing his name on the sign in sheet.
She scooped up the Alvarados’ charts and brought them to the back.
“Mr and Mrs.Alvarado, here for a flu consult for the both of them with Eddie.” She handed both charts to Steve who skimmed over the notes and typed into his computer.
“Thanks Robs, I’ll get them in a room right now.”
He got up and followed her to the front, Robin going to her desk to continue check ins, and Steve calling the Alvarados back to exam room 1.
Mr.Gilmore (“Mickey, please”) was one of Robin’s favorites. He was a very relaxed man in his late 60’s and was here to see PA Wheeler for a medication refill.
“Alright Mickey, you know the drill.”
“Steve will come get me in a little bit… speak of the devil.” Mickey waved to Steve who just left exam room 1.
“Hey Mickey! I’ll be out in just a second!” The brunette waved back, smiling, and continued his walk to Eddie’s office to let him know that his first patients were here.
The last one to check in was Mrs.Waters, here for Billy. She was a bit of a hard ass, but then again, so was he.
“Karen Waters to see Doctor Hargrove. I have an appointment.” She said blandly, looking at her fingernails.
Robin absolutely knew who she was, but the woman for some reason always felt the need to remind her in the rudest of tones.
“Hi Karen, how are you today?” Robin attempted.
“Not great, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” The woman snapped.
Robin held back a sigh, “Sorry about that. Looks like your copay today is going to be $35.”
“Really?? Last time it was only $30. This is absurd.”
Robin pulled up the patient data on her computer, “I can print you the invoice Mrs.Waters. It’s always been $35 for a consult with your insurance until you hit the deductible.”
The women groaned over dramatically, unbuttoning her wallet and slapping a credit card down on the counter, chewing her gum loudly in frustration.
Robin cautiously took the card, all too familiar with the behavioral issues of Billy’s patients. She typed some numbers into the card reader and then swiped the card, two small receipts printing. She tore them both off and handed them to Mrs.Waters who took them and started to walk away.
“Umm Mrs.Waters, you need to sign the top copy and give it back. The bottom copy is yours.”
The woman groaned and trudged back to the counter scribbling a sorry excuse for a signature on the top copy and pushing it back at Robin before she took her seat.
Robin got up with Mrs.Waters’ chart and rolled her eyes as she walked it back to Steve.
“Our favorite person on the planet is here for Billy.” She said sarcastically, tossing the chart on Steve’s desk, who read the name and sighed audibly.
The next hour was spent checking in the next patients, and signing out/scheduling follow ups for the early morning ones.
Mrs.Waters, always a spectacle, came out beaming and laughing with Billy.
“You’re too good, Doctor Hargrove, thank you.”
“Anytime. You take care of yourself.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
How two insufferable people could make each other smile was beyond her. Steve brought her Mrs.Waters’ chart with the note at the bottom to follow up in two weeks.
“Alright Karen, it looks like we’ll be doing a two week follow up for you?”
“That’s what the paper says isn’t it??” She snapped.
Jesus Christ it was going to be a long Friday…
---
Robin had always joked that her favorite religious passage was “Lunch 12:15”. Today, everyone had to agree.
Billy almost always ate in his office, his car, or in the opposite corner of the room. Eddie, Steve, Nancy and Robin usually sitting at the staff room table together.
“Did anyone else see Mrs.Waters sass me at check out!?” Robin complained.
“She told me I was taking her temperature wrong.” Steve mumbled under his breath, making Eddie snort.
“How do you possibly do it wrong?” Nancy asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.
Steve threw his hands up in the air, “I don’t know!! Ask Karen!! She said she read online that if she didn’t eat this morning she wouldn’t have a fever.”
Eddie knitted his eyebrows together, “She isn’t referring to….. she can’t be…”
“Feed a cold, starve a fever?” Nancy finished, “yeah, I think she is.”
They all laughed for a minute. Eddie setting down his bag of chips and rubbing the back of his neck. “Gosh I must’ve seen four flu patients just this morning already.”
“I had two.” Nancy added, holding up her hand.
“Billy had at least one on the schedule. Plus two walk ins.” Robin mumbled, poking at her pasta with a fork and taking a bite.
“Running all these flu tests is so repetitive, I think I could do it with my eyes closed.” Steve whined.
“Methinks I smell a challenge…” Eddie grinned.
“No. I’m not doing that.” Steve playfully punched Eddie in the shoulder, the older man leaning in to kiss him. The two had finally admitted to mutual feelings last year and they’d moved in together just a few months ago.
“You’ll have lots more chances to practice Steve,” Robin said, “there’s still like five more on the books for this afternoon.”
They all groaned, Steve looking at his watch, “And there’s only five more minutes of lunch.”
Those, Robin thought, had to be the worst 6 words in the history of man. He was right though, it was almost 1pm. Robin zipped up her lunch bag and tossed it back in the fridge, going to the front to unlock the door again for the afternoon patients.
For the most part, the afternoon was fairly routine. There was a pretty even amount of follow ups and regular consults versus the large influx of flu consults.
Towards the end of the day, one of the nicer patients came in. He was one of their younger patients, around 25 in age.
“Hey Josh!” Robin said. “What can I do for you?”
The man was usually energetic, but Robin could tell from his demeanor that he seemed drained of energy.
“Hey Robin,” he sniffled into a tissue, “Does Doctor Munson have any openings this afternoon? I feel like shit.”
Robin glanced at the clock and then turned back to the man, “let me go check.”
She got up from her seat and headed towards the back room where Eddie was facing Steve’s desk filling him in on the follow up care for the last patient.
Robin rested a hand on Eddie’s back, “Hey Eddie, you have time for one more really quick flu consult? It’s Josh Cummings. He’s in the waiting room right now.”
Eddie sucked in a small breath through his teeth, “mmm for Josh? Yeah go ahead. He’ll be my last one for the day. Cool with you Steve?”
The two of them had planned a Friday date night with a movie and takeout.
“Yeah go ahead, send him back. I’ll take his vitals and test him now.”
Robin nodded a and went up front, “Hey Josh, they said you can come on back.”
“Thank you!” He said, opening the door and following Robin to a room. “Steve will be in shortly.”
Nancy and Billy were wrapping up their last patients, dropping off charts with Robin before they left for the day. Eddie stayed at his desk while Steve stepped into the exam room and closed the door.
“Hey Josh, good to see you man!”
“Hi Steve. Wish it was under better circumstances. I feel so awful.”
Steve was running vitals as he caught up briefly with the boy.
“That’s what Robin said! I’m gonna do a rapid flu test alright?”
Josh nodded as steve snapped on some gloves and tore open the packaging.
“I’m going to swab the back of your nose and then test results should come in about ten minutes. Can you find your head back just a little for me?” Steve took a step closer.
Steve rested a gentle hand under Josh’s chin as he used the other hand to slowly insert the long swab into his nose and swirl it around.
Josh coughed slightly at the touch, his nostrils twitching.”
“I know, it’s uncomfortable I'm sorry. One more.”
“Steve-”
Steve pulled out the swab and inserted it into the other nostril. “Just a little longer buddy…”
“M’gonna- H’iKtch’EW!” Josh sneezed openly, unable to cover with such little warning.
Steve reflexively pulled the swab out, feeling a small mist land on his cheek. He didn’t want Josh to be embarrassed so he just put the swab into the test tube and handed him a box of tissues.
“Excuse me!”
“Here you go, man. I’m gonna go run this and I’ll have your results ASAP.”
Steve pulled off his gloves and washed his hands. As the test results were cooking, he went to the bathroom to rinse his face and wash his hands again.
When he came back to find Josh’s positive flu result staring him in the face, though, he felt the damage had already been done.
He closed his eyes and sighed, not wanting to jump to conclusions. Taking a deep breath, he went to give Josh his results.
*****
Monday, October 17th
When Robin pulled into the parking lot on Monday, she was shocked to see Eddie’s car already there. She was always the first one at the office.
She walked in the back door, looking for either of the boys.
“ih’AYESSSH! ISSSH’iew!”
She heard Steve before she saw him, his loud sneezes echoing through the hallway leading to his desk in the back room.
He was hunched over his desk, blowing his nose.
“Alright there Stevie?” She asked, backpack hanging off one shoulder. “Why are you here so early??”
“Oh hey. snFF yeah I’m okay.” He cleared his throat, Robin not missing the way he winced afterwards, “Eddie wanted to come early. snfSNFF said something about the patients? I dunno.”
“Where is he?”
“Up front I think.” Steve cleared his throat again, Robin approaching her desk with caution.
She found Eddie opening some sort of packaging at her desk.
“Oh hey Robs!” He greeted, “I bought this forehead scanning thermometer. Thought if you don’t mind you could just scan the patients and write the temp on the top of their charts? Might speed things up a bit since we have so many walk ins.”
She chuckled as he waved the device around, pretending to use it as a laser gun, complete with “pew pew” sound effects.
“You’re such a dork.” She took the device from him and set it to the side. “I can do that.”
The back door bell rang twice in succession, Nancy calling out, “Good morning everyone!”
“Morning Nance.” Came as a reply from everyone.
Billy walked in behind her.
Steve but the bullet first, “Morning Billy, h’ekt’CHEW! ISSSH’iew!!”
“Gross! Are you sick Harrington?”
“I’m … it’s just a little… ”
“Whatever, I don’t care, just don’t get your germs on me, kapeesh?”
“Yup. Understood. Sorry.” Steve stared at his feet, Nancy walking over and rubbing a hand on his back.
“He’s just in a bad mood this morning.”
“He’s in a bad mood every morning.” Robin noted.
Eddie shook his head and went up behind Steve, rubbing his shoulders. “Bless you babe.” He kissed the top of Steve’s head and then made his way to his office.
---
“Hey Robin can you do me a favor?” Steve approached her desk with a puzzled look on his face.
“Probably, what is it?”
“Could you just tell me if the labs sent anything for Debbie Reynolds? She can’t remember if she did them or not.”
Robin rolled her eyes laughing, “Mrs.Reynolds can never remember if she did them or not.”
“You’re telling me… H’ITSSSSCHhh!”
“Bless you.” She raised an eyebrow at him but he seemed to ignore her.
He rubbed at his nose, “thanks.”
She turned her chair back to the computer, moving to the digital chart tab and typing in Mrs.Reynolds’ birthday. “Mmmmm yeah looks like she got them done last month. Want me to print them?”
“Please?”
She tapped a few more keys and the bug printer by her desk fired up, two sheets coming out. She pulled them hot off the presses and stapled them before handing it to Steve.
“Thanks Robs!”
An hour or two later, Robin was walking down the hallway when Steve emerged from the bathroom, nose red and streaming. He had some toilet paper pressed against it.
“Whoa are you good?”
He sniffed wetly, “Yeah, just uh. Had to snhhh sneeze so I HAESSSSH! snFF went to the bathroom cuz Billy keeps telling me I’m ISSSHIEW! …gross.”
“You’re not gross, you’re just sick.”
“Heh’KSSHhhh!” He muffled the wet sneeze into his arm.
“Okay that was a little bit gross.” She joked, playfully punching his arm.
“Harrington!” Billy yelled from his office.
“Yeah Billy?”
“Why aren’t there charts on my desk??!”
“Because! I’m … doing something..” his voice turned into a grumble as he shook his head at Robin. He turned on his heels to bring Billy his next chart. Robin felt bad for him.
---
Over time, everyone had developed their own ways of dealing with Billy’s spontaneous irritable moods. Eddie would doodle slightly offensive portraits of him and slip them to Steve, Nancy, or Robin. The girls usually would have a girls’ night where they almost exclusively shit talk him, and Steve would just rant or do impressions of him to Robin.
By the afternoon, Steve was frustrated. He dropped off a chart with Robin and rolled his eyes so far back in his head that she thought they might fall out.
“What did he do now?” She asked in a hushed voice.
Steve shifted his posture and put on his best Billy voice. “Do this now! That’s not right. Where’d you learn this crap? Night school???”
Robin laughed, “Oh my god! Night school? What does that even mean??”
“Hell if I know…” Steve turned to cough into his elbow.
“Seriously Steve, are you okay?”
“I’m just. I’m a little bit sick... It’s nothing.” He huffed a sigh and leaned up against her desk.
“Hmm,” she hummed in disbelief. “I’m bringing you soup later, okay?”
The corner of his mouth lifted into a slight smile. “Thanks Robin.”
---
Usually any post-work shenanigans were planned out in advance, but when life gives you lemons - or in this case makes your best friend sick -, Robin shows up on their doorstep with soup.
“Hey Robs!” Eddie greeted her at the door and gave her a hug. “Come on in.”
Robin made her way to their kitchen, setting the small pot on the stove. She’d been to the apartment a handful of times, since they’d moved in together and was familiar with the layout.
“Where’s Steve?” She asked.
“He’s just taking a shower. He’ll be out soon. Go ahead make yourself comfortable.”
Eddie was out of his doctor gear and wearing grey sweatpants and a black tee. Robin leaned against their kitchen island as he turned on the stove to reheat the soup. “You want anything to drink, Birdie?”
Robins eyes got wide with excitement. “I mean if you’re offering… can you make me one of your famous mojitos? It’s been a day.”
Eddie laughed. “Absolutely.”
He’d been a bar tender on the side to help pay for med school back in the day, and by now, word had gotten around thanks to Steve.
The sound of a door opening came from down the hallway, followed by padded footsteps.
“AESSSH! TISSSH!”
Steve sneezed down into the collar of his shirt and stepped into the kitchen, hair damp. He was sporting pajama pants and a crewneck, looking a little worse for wear.
“Hey sick boy.”
“Hey Robin. Thanks for bringing me soup.”
He walked over to her and she wrapped an arm around his waist. “You act as if I haven’t been bringing you soup since middle school, ya dummy.”
She nudged him, smiling. Eddie turned around from where he was spooning soup into some bowls.
“Oh my god PLEASE tell me about Steve in Middle School!!”
A wicked grin spread across Robin’s face, “Well for starters he-”
The rest of the sentence was muffled as Steve had his arms wrapped around her mouth from behind. “No no no! We’re not doing this today!”
He let go when Robin started laughing. Eddie had set out bowls for them at the table. “Alright dinner is served. And for Miss Robin, a mojito.”
Eddie knelt down, offering her the mojito glass as if he were a knight offering Excalibur to King Arthur.
“Thank you good sir.” She responded in a fake British accent.
“M’lady.” He replied back.
Steve watched the display with eyebrows raised. “You know Robin, I had always hoped you’d get along with my future boyfriend, but you and Eddie together is way more chaotic than expected.”
Eddie grinned. “That’s exactly what we were going for, eh Robs?”
They fist bumped each other and laughed.
“Can we just eat the soup already? You’re making me feel worse.”
*****
Tuesday, October 18
Chrissy had just parked in the lot of Hawkins Medical. She tilted her head down slightly, checking her reflection in the rear view mirror as she tightened her high ponytail.
Her lavender scrubs complimented her well as she stepped out of her car and grabbed her things. She made her way through the back door, bell ringing above her. She placed an iced tea in the staff room fridge and turned around to be face to face with Robin, who had emerged from getting her desk set up.
“Do my eyes deceive me??? CHRISSY CUNNINGHAM IN MY OFFICE!!!”
Robin screeched and have Chrissy a hug, both girls jumping in excitement that they get to work together again.
“They sent me over here for a few days since we heard Steve isn’t feeling well. Thought you could use some backup?”
“Thank the lord for management and Steve’s shit immune system!”
“I heard that!” Came a stuffy call from the back room.
The girls walked towards the voice together. Steve was sat at his desk, scrubs looking a little frumpier than usual.
“Heh’IKTSCH!! TSSCH’IEW!”
“Bless you!” Chrissy offered.
“You look awful.” Robin took in his appearance.
“You flatter me, Buckley.” His voice was scratchy and he just sounded sick.
“Can’t you go home?” The blonde asked.
Steve had a tissue pressed against his nose as he shook his head. “We have so many patients. It’s gonna take all of us and then suhh some H’itssch! Isssh! Tisssh!”
“Bless you again!”
“He’s definitely on his sneeziest day.” Eddie mumbled as he sauntered in, rubbing the heel of his palm against his eyes. “Kept me up all night and then some...”
Steve felt his ears go red, “Said I was sorry…”
“I know baby, it’s not your fault.”
“Well, I’ve got the motivational cough drops at my desk for anyone who needs them.” Robin crossed her arms and pointed to her desk with her head.
“What do you mean motivational?” Chrissy asked.
“Oh the wrapper has messages on it. You know, ‘keep your head up’, ‘you got this’, crap like that.”
Chrissy nodded and set her stuff down in between Steve and Nancy’s desk, asking where she could help. Robin went back to her own area to start making the morning’s reminder phone calls.
She pulled up the list of names and punched in the phone number she’d left off on before Chrissy showed up.
The phone rang four times before it sent her to voicemail.
“Good morning! This is Robin from Hawkins Medical calling for Mrs.Zamora. I just wanted to-”
“ISSSH”
“Just wanted to remind you of your appointment on Thursday a-”
“TISSSSH’iew”
“Thursday at 11:30am. If you can’t make it, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance-”
“H’AESSSSH’ew!”
“Thank you, have a nice day.”
She dropped the phone back into place and went over to Steve’s desk where he was blowing his nose helplessly into another tissue.
“Do you mind?” There was no heat behind the question.
“Sorry Robs.”
“It’s all good Steve, Mrs.Zamora will just have a lovely voicemail of you sneezing your head off.”
She ruffled his hair and walked back to her desk, Chrissy and Nancy giggling quietly to themselves.
Steve turned to them with sarcasm, “Yes, ha ha, very funny isn’t it?”
“It really is,” Chrissy smiled.
---
The morning seemed to both drag on and move quickly. Patients were in and out in record time, but the clinic itself was slammed.
Eddie flopped into the second swivel chair by Robin, using his heels to kick himself closer to her.
“What’s up doc?” She asked over her shoulder as she typed follow up appointment notes into the schedule for her outpatient.
He leaned back and stretched, again rubbing at his eyes. “Ugh, I’m just so tired and it’s only Tuesday!”
“You’re telling me!” She handed the appointment card she was scribbling on to Mr.Whitmore and turned back to Eddie, “Anything interesting happen yet?”
Sometimes Eddie would bring her funny stories after the patients had left or when the waiting room was empty.
“You know Brenda?”
“Brenda Yates? Yeah.”
“Steve told me she’s been heckling him all morning about blowing his nose and going home to rest and drinking juice with vitamin C.” Eddie laughed.
“Ha! She’s not wrong though is she?” Robin asked.
“She’s absolutely correct! But Steve hates being fussed over so he just had to bite his tongue until she checked out.”
“I was wondering why she told me to keep an eye on him… I thought she meant like spying.”
Eddie laughed even harder at that. Despite their enjoyment of poking fun at Steve, they couldn’t disagree that he needed to rest.
All morning, Steve was back and forth between charts, exam rooms, and the bathroom to blow his nose. He really wanted to just stop and lie down, but some of the patients rolling through were a lot sicker than he was. on top of that, Billy was still giving him hell for getting sick in the first place.
“Jesus, Harrington. Medical isn’t a field for the weak. If you can’t keep it together, it screws shit up for everyone else.”
“Sorry Billy” was all he could muster.
Lunch couldn’t come soon enough. Everyone’s patience was running thin. As Steve sat at the table, leaning a heavy head against Eddie’s shoulder, he noticed Nancy staring at the older man.
“Are you not hungry Eddie?” The man in question was sort of picking apart his pasta salad. He looked up after Steve had judged him, unaware he was being spoken to.
“Oh sorry… um not really, no.”
What Eddie didn’t want to say openly was that swallowing really hurt his throat and that talking added to his headache.
“You’re not getting sick too are you?”
His reply was gruff and quick, “I don’t get sick.”
Robin snorted. “Oh yeah sure, just like how you didn’t get sick when we took that boat out last summer. Or how you didn’t get sick earlier this year…”
“That was allergies!”
“Steve can’t catch allergies off you, Eddie.”
Robin exchanged a skeptical glance with Nancy and Chrissy. He knew she was right, but he hated admitting to weakness in front of anyone, let alone his colleagues in this profession.
“I’m fine okay, just drop it!”
The snappy reply caught her off guard, even Nancy and Chrissy going silent. Robin went back to her lunch, mumbling under her breath.
“Okay! Geez! Doctors don’t get sick, I get it.”
---
The bass line of the song pounded lightly in the background of the restaurant the girls were sitting at.
“How is it,” Nancy took a sip of her wine, “That Billy is always the last one to show up and the first one to leave??”
“THANK YOU!” Robin said a little too loudly, setting down her peach mojito. “I simply don’t understand, I mean you and Eddie are clocking overtime every week!”
“I wonder why they don’t just let him go.” Chrissy stirred her dirty shirley and popped a pretzel in her mouth.
Nancy made a noise, “Well I mean we have to admit, he’s good at his job. Billy definitely knows what he’s doing…”
“He’s just a dick.” Robin added.
Chrissy choked on her drink, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.
“I’m sorry but he is a dick! And all his patients are equally as rude as he is arrogant!”
Nancy laughed. Every now and then, they would all get together for drinks and gossip. Seeing as Eddie was at home looking after Steve, it was a well overdue girls’ night.
“I dunno, we just want to help.” The blonde shrugged, sipping her drink and shifted to a sarcastic tone, “But I guess doctors can’t get sick or show weakness at all ever right? Must be like…Doctor law or something.”
“He’ll give in sooner or later.” Robin downed the rest of her mojito as the waiter arrived with their food.
“Oh,” Nancy said, “I’m sure of it.”
*****
Wednesday, October 19
The next morning, Robin was in the staff break room rummaging through the cabinets. She knew they kept a communal bottle of Tylenol somewhere in here.
She finally found one - second drawer from the left. Tapping two pills into her hand, she knocked them back and stood at the sink using her hand to sip some water to wash them down.
Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she caught a glimpse of herself in the microwave. She knew she looked run down. Her hair was messier than usual, she was pale and wearing sunglasses to both hide the rings under her eyes and to stop the headache that had been bothering her since last night.
Chrissy walked in, jumping slightly at her friend’s appearance and demeanor.
“Oh my gosh Robin, we didn’t drink that much last night!”
The girl in question turned around and took off the sunglasses. “M’not hungover.” She managed a small laugh, “My head is killing me though.”
“Well that’s not good! Did you-”
“Take Tylenol? Yeah. Just downed two.”
The bell on the back door rang, Steve trailing in slowly.
“HAESSSSSH! ISSSH! TSCHIEW! M’borni’g.” His consonants were rounded, voice thick with congestion.
“Morning…” Robin groaned.
Steve stopped in his tracks. “Aw Robs… n’dot you too.”
He had switched out his contacts for glasses today - a sure fire sign that he still wasn’t feeling well.
“Yes, me too. This is what I get for being nice and bringing you soup.” She half teased, pouting as Steve came over to give her a hug.
“I’b sorry.”
“Where’s Eddie?”
The brunette looked over his shoulder towards the back door, “He’ll be in soon, he’s in the car blowing his nose.”
Robin held up a hand as if to stop him, “But he’s not sick.” She said sarcastically.
Steve joined the joke, “No, definitely not.”
Just then, the bell above the back door chimed, the man himself walking in, scrubbing at his nose.
“Morning Ed-” Chrissy started.
Eddie turned to the side, collar of his doctors’ coat pulled over his face.
“Hih’NxxT! NxxxT! Ngtsch!! snlrff Morning…”
“Bless you.” The blonde offered softly.
Robin stared at him and then turned back to Chrissy and Steve, “Looks like I’m not the only one who feels like they got hit by a bus…”
Steve waited until Eddie had disappeared to his office, “Yeah, he wo’t admit it but he really isn’t feeli’g well today.”
“I can tell.” Chrissy frowned, concerned at the state of her friends.
Robin rubbed at her temples and glanced at the clock, “Ughhh… I gotta go open the front.”
She trudged off to unlock the door and turn on the tv, every small sound adding to her pounding headache.
In walked one Mrs.Holloway, an elderly woman whom everyone adored.
“Hello darling.” She greeted as she signed in on the sheet.
“Hi Mrs.Holloway!” Robin tried to be as faux energetic as she could. She grabbed the thermometer gun and held it up to the woman, “Just have to scan ya real quick! How are you?”
“Just peachy! Doctor Munson is going to make sure I’m A-OK for my operation next month!”
“Aw, lovely! I’m sure you’ll pass his tests with flying colors.” Robin smiled, scribbling the temperature reading on the top of the chart.
“I sure hope so, dear. Do I owe you anything for today?”
Robin looked at the chart and her insurance notes from yesterday, “Nope! Looks like your insurance covered everything today. Steve will be right with you.”
The woman smiled and went to sit down as Robin pushed herself up from her desk. When she brought back the chart, Nancy and Billy had arrived as well.
“Oooh, you don’t look good.” Nancy noted.
“Don’t feel good…” Robin mumbled back.
Billy scowled, “You and Harrington are sick?”
“And Eddie.” Robin said, holding a finger up.
“I’m not -” Eddie quickly brought a hand up, pinching his nose closed, “Nxxxt! HixxxT! Ixtsch’EW!! - n’dot sick!”
He sniffled soupily, wiping his hand on his pants. Billy watched the display in disgust.
“Very convincing argument, Munson. I hope you guys feel better soon-”
Robin almost thought Billy was going to say something nice, but then he kept talking.
“-because that’s was fucking disgusting.”
“Hey, behave Billy. He’s sick.” Nancy scolded.
“I’m not -! Never mind…” Eddie mumbled.
“Sick or not, your first patient is here.” Robin held up the chart and put it on Steve’s desk before retreating to her space.
Steve took the chart and smiled, he loved Mrs.Holloway as much as the next person. She was here checking a couple small things before Eddie could approve her for a surgery she was scheduled to get in the month to come.
Steve had opted for wearing a mask when he took her back, taking her vitals and setting her up in a room. He placed her chart in the hanging pouch on the door and flicked one of the plastic flags to let Eddie know she was ready for him.
---
Eddie had skimmed over the notes on Mrs.Holloway’s digital chart before he stood up to head into her exam room.
Steve came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, I know you’re not sick, but she’s pre-op and old. Maybe wear this?”
He was holding up a disposable mask, which Eddie took, looping it around his ears. “Thanks Stevie.”
The younger man nodded, and headed back to his desk, Eddie flicking a different flag outside exam room 1 and knocking gently before entering.
Eddie hated admitting to illness in front of his colleagues and friends, but behind closed doors with patients, he was okay being vulnerable. It showed them that he was human too and that they shouldn’t be scared.
“Hi Mrs.Holloway!” He sang, then gesturing to the mask, “I’m a little sick this week, I hope you don’t mind…”
The woman was sitting on the exam bed, “Oh heavens no, sweetheart. It happens to the best of us.”
Eddie smiled under his mask, opening her chart and pulling out some papers. He hopped up onto the counter to sit opposite her, something he liked to do with his more casual patients.
“So - snf - your tests look great! Steve did the EKG last week and it snFF came back totally normal. You passed the stress test with flying colors!” He raised up his left hand and moved it from right to left, for effect.
The woman smiled, pleased with the positive news.
“Your labs were also good.” Eddie started to feel a tickle building in his sinuses. Not now. “Your cholesterol was snff a little bit high again, but it is within range snfSNFF so I’m not too concerned…”
Even with the mask, he turned to the side, bringing his elbow up to shield himself.
“Heh’iNgxxT! NxxT! … H’iKSHh’IEW!”
“Bless you sweetie!”
The last sneeze had been more productive than he’d expected, and he could feel the mess trailing down his top lip under the mask.
He held a hand to his chest, “Excuse mbe! Umm as I was sayi’g before, everythi’g looks great. Unless you have any concer’ds, Steve will take a uri’de sambple and you’re free to go.”
Thankfully, she had no concerns at the moment. Eddie let her know that Steve would be in to walk her to the patient restroom shortly.
She thanked him and he left as casually as he could, but as soon as the door closed behind him he beelined for the staff restroom. His nose was still tingling and he felt disgusting.
Once he was in the bathroom, he unlooped one ear and removed his mask, two tendrils of mess connecting it still to his face.
He crumpled the mask and threw it away, reaching for toilet paper as the prickling intensified. He pressed the paper to his nose as he exploded with relief.
“Hi’TSSCHew! Hhh - eh’KSSH iKSSH!… Heh’iKSHh’IEW”
He paused for a moment, waiting to see if any more sneezes would come. When they didn’t, he sat on the closed toilet seat and pulled more toilet paper.
He folded it around his nose and blew softly, grimacing at how much mucus he produced anyways. Throwing away that one, he grabbed some more tissue and blew again.
Once he was sure his head was empty for the time being, he got up and washed his hands, unhappy with how red and chapped his nose already was.
This was going to be a really long day.
---
The rest of the morning was slow luckily. Robin leaned her head back into the file cubbies, closing her eyes in hope that it would relieve her headache.
“snlrff Hey Birdie.”
She lifted her head and cracked open one eye. Eddie was standing above her, rubbing his nose. He pulled up a chair next to her and straddled it.
“Hey Doc.” Her energy was sapped and he could tell.
“Sorry Steve got you sick.” He folded his arms atop the back of the chair and rested his head on them.
“I could say the same to you.” She joked.
“I-”
“Oh sorry sorry I forgot doctors don’t get sick.” She quickly backtracked, grinning slightly.
“No, I was just gonna say. snf you were right. This is…awful.”
He quickly turned to the side, burying his face in the crook of his elbow.
When his arm lingered in front of his face, Robin quickly grabbed the tissue box at her desk and held it out to him. He took a few and turned away to clean himself up, gurgling into the tissue before folding it over and blowing again. She noticed a slight sheen on his forehead when he went to grab a fresh tissue.
Beep.
“What the hell?” He looked up to see Robin holding the thermometer gun to his head.
“101° Doc, no wonder you’re sweating.” She held the thermometer as if it were a smoking gun and fake blew on it.
“Hey, gimme that.” He swiped it and turned it on her. Scanning her forehead as well.
Beep.
“100.2.” He whistled, smiling at her, indulging in this little joke of hers.
“Oh yeah, very mature, Doctor Rockstar…”
“AESSSSSH!! ISSSSH! TISSH! SNF What are you guys doing??” Steve asked, fixing his glasses. He had walked up as they were fighting over the thermometer gun.
Eddie and Robin both laughed. “Being chaotic again I guess.” He said as he stood up.
The long haired man grabbed a cough drop from the bowl on Robin’s desk. “I’m taking one of these.”
As Eddie went back to his office, Steve approached Robin with an outpatient chart. “Got him to admit it?”
“Yep! Turns out all it takes to get him to admit it is a thermometer gun and a few messy sneezes.”
Despite both of them being drained of energy, the two best friends high-fived before returning to their respective jobs.
*****
Thursday, October 20
Eddie woke up early, his shirt damp with sweat. He felt worse today - aches, chills, headache, the whole nine yards.
He started getting dressed for the day, swapping out his usual doctors coat for a long sleeve waffle knit shirt and scrubs.
“H’igkt’CHEW! Issh’EW! Tsch’IEW!”
“Bless you.” Steve emerged from the bathroom, dressed in his own scrubs.
“Than’gks. SNF.”
He watched as a shiver wracked Eddie’s body. The younger man approached and placed the back of his hand to Eddie’s forehead.
“You should call out today.”
“Mbe? What about you??”
“I feel a little better today.” Steve shrugged, “You on the other hand… you’re rocking that high fever, babe.”
Eddie held up the rock n roll hand.
“That’s,” Steve sighed, “that’s not what I meant.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll just take some Tylenol or something.” He stood up, pulling on his scrub pants and grabbing a jacket.
“You sure?”
“If anythi’g changes I’ll let you know. Promise.”
---
Thursday mornings were usually reserved for ten-minute staff meetings in the back room. They all arrived at the same time of 7:15 or earlier, and the clinic wouldn’t open until about 7:30.
When Eddie and Steve arrived, it was a sorry state to behold. Chrissy was sat at her spot between Nancy and Steve’s desk, with her head resting in her arms. Nancy was coughing into a tissue, and Robin was laying across Steve’s desk with her eyes closed.
“Jesus H Christ, what happened to all of you?”
Robin sat up, opening her eyes again, “Steve.”
Eddie turned to the man in question, who had blushed and suddenly looked very guilty.
“I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Lunch is on me tomorrow. I’ll order everyone soup.”
“Why don’t we just make it a sick person’s potluck?” Eddie asked, coughing into his shoulder.
“I can pick up teas for everyone tomorrow morning.” Chrissy offered, “My throat is killing me so I was going to go anyways.”
“My cough drops are still up for grabs too.” Robin noted, Nancy perking up a little.
“Sounds like a plan then.” Nancy smiled, “Are we all sick?”
“Everyone except Billy…” Robin rolled her eyes.
The bell in the back rang.
“Speak of the devil.” Eddie mumbled.
When he walked in, everyone stared. He was late for the meeting as usual.
“What??” He snapped.
“Nothing, just. Nice of you to join us.” Nancy bit the bullet.
“On a scale of one to ten - one being the worst and ten being great - how does everyone feel today?” Eddie asked.
There was a pause while everyone seemed to think about it.
Steve held up a 7, Nancy a 5, Chrissy a 4 and Robin a 3. Billy, rolling his eyes, held up a 10 to match Eddie’s 3.
Billy glanced at the numbers everyone else was holding up. “Seriously?? What do I always tell you Harrington?”
Steve didn’t like being roped into Billy’s shit belief system, but responded anyways. “You always say that this line of work isn’t for the weak.”
“Exactly!” Billy scoffed.
It was Eddie’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Maybe if we do a rotational so everyone gets one break to nap or relax today. Nance and I can cover for one another. Steve and Chrissy. Birdie, I know there’s only one of you but I’m certain Stevie can hold down the fort for half an hour.”
Steve nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“This is so stupid.” Billy grumbled as he walked off to his office.
---
For the most part, nap rotations went well. Almost everyone had gotten their 30-minute rest break in. Currently, Eddie was in his office on his break, resting in the couch.
Steve had come to tell Eddie they needed him back, but stopped when he realized Eddie was sweating again, bangs sticking slightly to his forehead.
The younger man approached and knelt down, resting a hand against his cheek. He felt warmer than this morning.
Without rousing Eddie, Steve stopped by Robin’s desk.
“Hey Robs, can I borrow that thermometer gun really quickly? I think Eddie’s taking a turn for the worse.”
“Yeah sure.” She handed the device over to Steve who made his way back to his partner’s office.
He held the device close to Eddie’s head and pressed the button. Beep. The little screen on the back lit up, a big 102° staring him in the face.
“Shit Eddie, wake up.” Steve started to gently shake him awake.
His eyes fluttered open, bright with fever. “Nap time over?” He asked.
“It was, but Eddie you have a crazy high fever. You gotta take something for that.”
Steve started opening Eddie’s desk drawers. He knew the man kept a personal stash of Tylenol in here.
“You’re asking me to do drugs?” Eddie attempted a joke. He held his hand out, palm-up, as Steve handed him two pills. “I’ll try anything at this point. I feel like garbage.”
“Geez Eddie. I have one more thing we can do that’ll hopefully get you through the next couple hours.”
Eddie nodded and leaned back against the couch again, closing his eyes. When Steve came back he had some supplies with him.
He rolled up Eddie’s long sleeve and snapped on some gloves. Opening an alcohol pad, he carefully cleaned the inner crook of Eddie’s left arm. He used a rubber strap to tie off above the elbow and waited for the vein to emerge.
“Don’t move.” He mumbled, starting an IV line for Eddie.
Once it was taped and the needle was out, Steve hung a banana bag on a mobile IV pole that they kept in storage.
“Got me the good stuff, did you?” Eddie stared vacantly as the bag dripped slowly.
“It’ll help you feel a little better. Give it a few minutes. I’ll let Nancy know. Maybe she can take your next patient.”
Steve threw away his gloves and went to go wash his hands. Eddie lay there, arm extended as the bag worked it’s magic. He must’ve fallen asleep again because he was next being woken up by the beeping of that damn thermometer gun.
“Steve? What time ‘sit.”
“It’s been an hour or so. Nancy took care of the last two patients. She said you needed to rest.”
Eddie rubbed a hand over his face. “Christ Stevie, you were supposed to wake me up so I could finish work.”
“It’s okay, you can take over now if you want. Nancy can take her break. It’s working though!” He flipped the thermometer gun around so he could see it.
Eddie squinted, trying to make out the numbers past his foggy head. “100.9°”
“Not great, but a lot better.” Steve offered a smile, happy that Eddie seemed to be feeling a little better after.
“Ughh, can you take this outta me Steve?” He gestures to the IV line.
Steve nodded, helping his boyfriend so they could finish up their shift.
*****
Friday, October 21
Chrissy waited at the pick-up counter of the local coffee shop. She’d ordered five hot teas with honey and lemon for everyone at the clinic.
“For Chrissy?” The barista called out.
Chrissy stepped forward, “Thank you so much!”
She picked up the drink tray that carefully balanced all five paper cups and coughed into her shoulder. She balanced the tray on the top of her car as she unlocked it and got the passenger seat ready.
Once she’d strapped the drinks in for the short five minute drive, she started the car and left for the clinic.
She was the last to arrive, but was still on time. Billy was tired of their antics and holed himself in his office, pricklier than normal.
She entered the staff break room and laughed. She gently set the tray down on the table that was host to Robin’s candy bowl of cough drops.
“Morning everyone! Tea is here!”
“Thanks Chrissy!”
They all grabbed a cup, Steve grabbing one for Eddie as well. Nancy especially, sipped greedily for relief.
Eddie was at the counter messing with something, he swiveled around holding up a hefty disposable plate like it was a serving tray. On it, he balanced five small paper cups that came from the water cooler.
“Who’s ready for shots?” He asked, jokingly. “It’s DayQuil - doctor’s orders.”
Robin was feeling much better than the last few days and swiped a small cup, handing one to Steve. Nancy and Chrissy both set down their teas and traded it for a little shot of DayQuil.
When there was only one cup left on the “tray”, Eddie set the plate down and took it.
“Alright, bottoms up.”
They all exchanged a glance and knocked back their respective shots of DayQuil, reaching for the tea to wash it down.
“This stuff always tastes awful.” Robin shuddered.
Eddie laughed, reaching out to fist bump her, “Let’s kick some ass today, yeah?”
Robin stood tall and jokingly saluted Eddie, making her way off to her desk. As usual, she unlocked the front door and made sure the tv was locked onto the cooking channel.
The door opened while she was still working on the tv. “Hi there Robin!”
“Hey Mr.Holloway! How are you this fine morning?”
“Doing well! Just here to go over my labs with Dr.Munson!” He made his way to the sign in sheet while Robin entered through the door to the back and resumed her spot at her desk.
He continued, “How are you all doing? Deborah said you were all pretty sick when she came in the other day.”
“Yeah,” Robin nodded, pulling out his chart and starting to scribble on it, “We’re doing much better now, thanks for asking! Think all of us are on the mend finally.”
“That’s what we like to hear.” He smiled.
“So your insurance covers everything today as well. Steve will come get ya soon alright?”
“Thanks Robin!” The man was so happy all the time.
She got up and brought his chart back to Steve. “Mr.Holloway is here. Super happy as usual!”
“Oh good! I’ve missed him.” Steve took the chart and started to write his own notes on it.
---
By 12:20, everyone was gathered in the staff break room again. Steve had just come back in carrying a large paper bag with six cups of soup. He bought one for Billy too just in case he decided to leave his lair and join them for once.
He unpacked the soups and passed them out, Chrissy setting out plastic silverware for everyone. Eddie loved this restaurant because the soup came with little packets of saltine crackers, which they piled in the middle of the table.
“Thanks for the soup Steve.” Chrissy said as she took a bite.
“No problem.” He pushed his glasses a little farther up the bridge of his nose. “Sorry for giving you all the flu.”
“Think we’re all mostly on the tail end of it except maybe Nance.” Robin noted.
Nancy shook her head as she finished chewing, “I’m okay, really. Just feels like a bit of a chest cold.”
“Say what you will, I’m just glad I can breathe through my nose again.” Eddie tossed his hands up in surrender.
“Hey why are there six soups?” Robin pointed at the sealed container in the middle.
“Oh,” Steve murmured, “I uh… got one for Billy in case he wanted it but I haven’t seen him since before lunch.”
“You’re too nice to him, Steven. He’s not in his office?” Eddie asked.
“Nope. I looked.”
“Maybe he’s in the bathroom. The door was closed but I just assumed it was one of you…” Chrissy added.
Eddie hummed thoughtfully and stood up, walking slightly down the hall to the closed staff bathroom door. He knocked gently, “Billy? You in there?”
There was a pause and then a very gruff, “Go…’Way.”
“Well are you decent??” Steve asked. He’d followed Eddie, the girls standing back, just in the doorway of the kitchen.
“…Yes.”
“I’m coming in.”
Eddie cautiously turned the door handle and was met with a sour smell. Billy was knelt on the floor, mullet sticking to his neck with sweat. He leaned over the toilet and retched.
Eddie gagged audibly and turned around, fist to his mouth, “STEVE!”
“Jesus Christ…” Steve sidestepped Eddie, who made his way back to the girls.
Eddie swallowed as Robin ushered him back into the kitchen, “Sorry, I don’t do vomit.” He whispered.
“I know. It’s okay.” Robin laughed at her superior’s visceral reaction.
Back in the restroom, Steve was awkwardly hovering over Billy, the man who bullied him daily.
“Are you…done? You should go home.”
Billy held up a hand and slowly pushed off his knees and stood up shakily, Steve steadying him with a gentle hand.
He was half expecting a gruff “don’t touch me” out of him, but if never came.
Steve knew Billy only lived about five minutes away. He stood there for a few minutes while Billy sat in his car.
“Can you drive?”
“Yes I can drive, Harrington.” He was trying to be mean, but it was hard to take him seriously when he had puke in his hair.
After a few more minutes, Steve felt comfortable letting him drive home. Once Billy was gone, he went back to the staff room where the girls were finishing their soup.
Eddie was a little pale and was holding a emesis bag just in case. Chrissy had one arm around him, rubbing his back.
“Don’t know how you guys can eat after that…” he mumbled.
“Because I’m hungry and there’s only five minutes left of lunch.” Robin downed the rest of her soup and then headed back to unlock the door and start checking in the afternoon patients. She’d have to rearrange the schedule a little bit since Billy left.
---
“This has to have been one of the worst weeks.” Eddie muttered as they all made their way out of the building at the end of the day.
“Yeah. I mean. Jesus. Thank goodness we had Chrissy with us though!” Robin have the blonde a squeezing hug from behind.
“I’m so sad to go back to my normal clinic next week! But it’s truly been an experience here, guys.” She chuckled, also thinking back on the hellish week.
“You guys wanna come over for drinks later?” Steve asked.
“I have a date with a bubble bath and a movie.” Nancy said, “Thank you though.”
“Yeah, I’ll have to pass unfortunately. Gonna get some extra sleep before next week.” Chrissy agreed.
“Robs?”
“Mmmmm yeah sure. I will be drinking my weight in Eddie’s mojitos though.”
Steve chuckled. “You can spend the night if you want. We have a very nice couch.”
“Hmm, deal! I’ll come over later.”
*****
Monday, October 24
Monday came way too soon for everyone. Chrissy was back at her usual clinic, which meant it was a little extra boring for Robin.
She’d spent her weekend third wheeling Steve and Eddie and then binge watching Bake Off at her own apartment on Sunday. Nancy and the boys had taken their free time and used it for some solid rest to sleep off whatever was left of the flu that had terrorized them.
Nancy was standing at her desk, typing at the computer before the doors opened when Steve and Eddie showed up. They were laughing about something silly Steve had said on the drive over from their place.
“Hey Nance!”
“Morning Nancy.”
“Hey guys!”
Robin heard them arrive and sauntered over. “Hello boys. Notice anything…different about today?”
“Ummm we’re not all dying?” Eddie asked.
“Nope!”
“Chrissy is gone and it’s boring again?” Steve tried.
“True. But wrong again.” She paused for effect before leaning in and telling them all, “Billy’s not here.”
“Billy’s always late.” Steve rolled his eyes.
“No no no. You misunderstood me.” She said.
Eddie’s eyes got hug with curiosity, as did Nancy’s.
“He called out. He’s still super sick.”
“Oh. My. God.” Steve tried to stop a smile from creeping on his face. He didn’t want to be happy that Billy was sick, but god did he have it coming.
“You’re joking.” Eddie accused.
“I’m not. He called me when I got here and said he’s not coming. He feels like… a lot of words I can’t say… and he’ll be back maybe Wednesday.”
“Well shit. He was right…” Steve began.
“Right about what?” Eddie asked.
Steve looked at Robin and Nancy who caught on right away. All at the same time they said,
Robin and Eddie had a unique friendship. Though she’d only met him through work, he was humorous, teased Steve with her, and answered her silly medical questions in their down time. Today, however, he was getting on her last nerve.
***
It started yesterday morning as a tickle, an incessant need to clear his throat, before building quickly into an irritable mood and achy body. Everyone in the office saw it coming from miles away… everyone except Eddie who refused to admit defeat.
By the afternoon, he was face down on his desk, that Steve decided to bite the bullet. The two of them had been much flirtier lately and if anyone could get through to Eddie it would be Steve.
The younger man came up behind him, rubbing his shoulders. “Hey Doc, you’re looking a little worse for wear. You should take the day off tomorrow.”
“Can’t.” Came a murmur from the motionless form at the desk.
“Why not?”
The older man sat up and swiveled his hair to face Steve. His face was much paler than normal. “Because doctors don’t get sick.”
Steve made a long skeptical noise.
“I just mean- patients are sick. I can’t get sick because who’s gonna take care of them??” He elaborated.
“We’ll call in Hargrove. I mean he’ll be pissed but when is he not?” He continued, “Plus if you’ve got the flu going around, you’ll only be putting them at risk.”
Eddie sighed and ran a hand through his hair, nodding. “Okay. If you can get Hargrove in, I’ll take a day. But I’m coming back Monday!”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
***
Robins phone was vibrating nonstop since 7:30am. She opened it quickly to see no less than 6 text messages from Eddie.
Can you make sure Hargrove gives the medicine instructions to both Mr AND Mrs.Norris? Hell forget if you only tell him.
Also don’t let Billy touch my charts.
Or mess up my desk.
I think I saw Mrs.Gregory on the schedule too, she likes to be in exam room 3 if possible…
Lollipops are in the top left cupboard of my desk but don’t tell Steve
Oh and also can you make sure to forward me any scans from the patients?”
She sighed and clicked the phone off only for the desk phone to ring.
“Thanks for calling Hawkins Medical, Robin speaking-”
“Robin I need you to listen very closely okay?”
“Eddie is that you?”
“Yeah, you weren’t answering my texts. I’m going to tell you something important, you might want paper to write it down so HNG’tsschiEW! G’tsch’IEW!”
Robin pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing. “Geez doc, warn me next time you’re about to blow out my ear drums.” She joked.
“That’s…ndot medically possible. Listen okay this is imbportant.”
“Eddie. We got it okay? I have all your notes. I’m not letting Billy close to my charts. Your patients are my patients, I know what they need, remember?”
There was silence on the other line as Eddie seemed to be thinking, “yeah okay. snFF But can you ask Steve to send me the-”
“Hold on.” Robin covered the mic end of the phone, “Hey Dingus! There’s a call for you at my desk!”
Steve padded over in his light blue scrubs, looking more confused than anything. “Make it fast or Hargrove is gonna kill me.” He mumbled.
She handed him the phone and he held it to his ear, “hello?”
“Steve-o! It’s Eddie. I need you to-”
“You’re at home for a reason you know. It’s so you can rest. So you know… do that. I’m sure Robin will protect your charts with her life - yes, she told me.”
Robin elbowed him as she typed at her computer, getting ready to verify insurance for Monday’s patients. She couldn’t hear Eddie, but could only guess by what Steve was saying.
“It’s called taking a sick day for a reason, Eds…. I know you want to be here…. Just. Try and get some rest okay? For me? …. Yes I’ll still bring you soup after work. Okay. Bye.”
Robin raised her eyebrows at Steve as he hung up her desk phone. “What?” He asked.
“Nothing…you’re bringing Doctor Rockstar some soup later?” she smirked.
Steve smirked back and went to call in the next patient for Doctor Hargrove, “wouldn’t you like to know.”
Robin tapped her converse against the linoleum floor, phone receiver to her ear as it rang. No answer.
“Hi, this message is for Mr.Johnson. This is Robin calling from Hawkins medical to remind me of your 10am appointment on Wednesday with Doctor Munson- ”
“HNG’tsssiEW!”
“-Umm if you need to reschedule, give me a call back at your earliest convenience and-”
“TSSShiEW! snFF! TisssshiEW!”
“-and uh be sure to come about ten minutes prior to your appointment time. Thank you.” Robin hung up the phone and got up from her desk, making her way to the back room.
She leaned up against Steves desk, the man in question looking up at her unamused, “What ndow Buckley?”
“Just checking if you were done sneezing for a few minutes. You’re interrupting the groove of my reminder calls.” She teased.
Eddie, who had been chuckling at his desk, got up and held out a box of tissues to Steve. The younger man looked his colleague up and down. “Take ‘em, they won’t bite.” He chuckled. “You sound like you’ve got that cold floating around.”
Steve shrugged and took a few tissues from Eddie’s box as Billy walked in. He was a lot blunter than the rest of them, but he knew how to do his job.
“Harrington! Where’s the chart for my next patient?”
“snF, sorry Billy it’s just heeehhhh here - AHK’tschi’EW!”
Steve sneezed towards his arm that was extended out to Billy, holding the latest chart.
“Ugh great! Now I have your germs all over me. Whatever you’ve got: I don’t want it.” Billy swiped the chart and walked off to go wash his hands.
Steve just dropped his head into his folded arms. Eddie patted the younger man on the shoulder, dropping the whole box of tissues on his desk. He leaned in close and whispered, “I’ll just leave these here for you. Sounds like you need them.”
Robin looked at Eddie and shook her head as they both laughed, “Try and keep him quiet, will ya doc? I’ve still got like 7 more reminder calls to make.”
No one asked for this but enjoy 1.6k of sick Doctor!Eddie and caring Nurse!Steve.
Summary: Eddie isn’t feeling too hot but refuses to admit that doctors can get sick too. Enter caring!steve stage left when he catches Eddie trying to strep test himself in the staff bathroom.
CW: mentions of nausea/gagging - No actual throwing up
Eddie pushed the rotini around the plate with his fork.
“Earth to Eddie…”
“Hmm? Oh sorry.” He looked up when he realized Steve was talking to him. “What did you say?”
“I asked if you’re okay. You seem off. I thought chicken parm was your favorite.” Steve nodded at the plate.
“It is. And it’s great! I’m just not very hungry tonight.”
Steve let the silence marinate for a minute until Eddie elaborated, “I’m pretty tired I guess.”
“I’m sorry. We could call it a night early. Let you sleep a little more.” Steve offered.
“That sounds nice.” Eddie murmured. He looked up at Steve, “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Promise.”
The two had begun hanging out outside of work recently, usually dinner and a movie or tv show on certain days. Eddie felt bad ending this one early. He was looking forward to this all week.
As Steve cleared the plates, Eddie pulled on his jacket and slipped on his shoes. “Sorry again. Next week at mine?”
“You got it, doc.” Steve smiled, letting his counterpart out of his apartment. He was a little disappointed that the evening didn’t go exactly to plan but he really just hoped Eddie was back to himself soon.
What Eddie didn’t tell Steve is that he wasn’t just tired. He was exhausted. He’d felt off all day but now he just felt bad. His whole body ached down to his bones, limbs felt heavy, and within the last hour or so he’d developed chills.
When he got back to his place, he all but collapsed into bed after changing clothes. He pulled the blankets right around himself trying to get warm, eventually falling into a restless sleep.
---
When his alarm went off at 5:30am, Eddie tried to groan, immediately regretting the decision. He winced in pain and grabbed at his throat. It felt like he’d swallowed hot knives. Grimacing, he got up and headed to the bathroom.
He pulled his thermometer out of his medicine cabinet and popped it in his mouth while he took in his reflection in the mirror - pale, flushed, pained. After a minute or so, he huffed a sigh at the thermometer reading and turned on his shower, colder than normal to try and bring his temp down a bit.
When he got out, he gripped the edges of the sink and hovered for a moment, hit by a sudden wave of nausea. He swallowed, but even that hurt. Instead of his usual jeans and button up, he opted for comfy green scrubs today. At least he could be somewhat comfortable.
A quick glance at his phone told him he was running behind schedule - he’d have to forgo his morning coffee - a decision he was okay with since he couldn’t swallow anyways.
A fifteen minute drive later, he was pulling up to the clinic, up and running already courtesy of Robin. The bell chimed above his head as he walked in and made his way to his office. He sat at his desk and powered on his computer, taking a brief moment to rest his head on the table.
“Hey doc, drug rep is wondering if you could sign this really fast-” Robin walked through the open door holding an iPad.
Eddie looked up from his folded arms. “Are you…okay?” She asked, approaching him cautiously. “I can uh…I’ll just ask Nancy, it’s fine.”
“No no,” he winced, “I’ll sign it, give it here.”
Eddie held his hand out and Robin hesitantly handed him the iPad explaining which drug he was signing for.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem look really pale.” She reached out a hand to his forehead, but he brushed it away quickly.
“Don’t worry about me, birdie. Doctors don’t get sick remember?” He offered a weak excuse of a smile to reassure her.
“Whatever you say.” She shrugged and headed back to her desk, Eddie dropping the ‘I’m Fine’ gimmick immediately.
It was only a few minutes later that Steve was telling him the first patient was ready for him. He squeezed his eyes shut as he stood and composed himself before entering the exam room.
---
The hours moved like molasses. He’d seen five patients already, but they all seemed like a blur. His throat was killing him. The pain was almost blinding. He could feel that his tonsils were swollen, and was surprised no one had really commented on it except Nancy, who had questioned why he was talking so quietly.
Finally it was noon, Nancy always took lunch in her car, and Robin and Steve had just left the building to pick up sandwiches, asking if Eddie wanted anything. He had said no, just to get them out for a while.
Once he was sure they’d left the building he went into exam room 3 and pulled out a rapid strep test, taking it into the staff bathroom. He set the testing cassette and dropper on the counter before peeling open the swab.
Looking closely in the mirror, he stuck his tongue out and opened his mouth, hesitating. Even as a child he hated these stupid tests. He moved the swab closer to the back of his throat and gagged, coughing.
The coughing tore at his throat and he grimaced as he went to try again. He resumed his position in front of the mirror trying again, faster this time, but gagged still, pulling the swab out without getting a good sample.
A knock on the door startled him, “Fuck!”
“Eddie? Are you throwing up??” It was Steve.
“No I’m-” he gagged again.
“I’m coming in okay.” The door handle twisted and Steve stepped inside, “Forgot my wallet and then I heard you.”
Steve took in the sight in front of him, Eddie holding the swab in one hand, wrist in front of his mouth with the other. His gaze shifted to the counter where he saw the rapid strep test.
“I knew you seemed off last night! You think you have strep?”
“Pretty sure but have to do the test.” He whispered.
Steve pouted his lips and smiled, “Here, let me help you, dummy.”
Steve took a step forward, carefully taking the swab from Eddie, only touching the stick end of it. He pulled out his phones flashlight and turned it on with his other hand.
“Back up against the wall, I don’t want you to pull away.” Steve hummed.
“Pinning me against the staff bathroom wall? Kinky even for you Steve.”
Steve blushed intensely, “Open wide and say ahhh, Munson.”
Eddie did as told and Steve shined the flashlight in Eddie’s throat as he quickly and methodically swabbed both of Eddie’s tonsils, pulling the swab out quickly as the older man gagged again.
Steve unscrewed the vial of liquid with one hand, clearly having done this before. He squeezed three drops into the cassette and then placed the cotton end of the swab into the hole of the cassette as well.
“Gonna take about ten minutes, but I’m pretty sure it’s gonna come back positive.” Steve said, washing his hands, “I should take your temperature too, you probably have a fever.”
“Was a little over 101 this morning.” He rubbed at his throat.
“Eddie…”
“I know, I know.”
“Go lay down in the sicky sick room, you’re probably contagious anyways. I’ll wait for your test results and tell Robin to get sandwiches without me.”
“M’kay.” Eddie was a lot of things but Steve had never seen him look so defeated as he trudged off to their quarantine room.
Steve ran out the back door up to Robin’s car. She rolled down the window. “How long does it take one Dingus to find his wallet?” She asked, pointing at her watch.
“Sorry Robin, pretty sure Eddie’s got strep. You can grab lunch without me, I’m waiting for his rapid test.”
“I knew he was sick! Medical shows have taught me well.” She exclaimed. “I’ll bring you back your usual. Take good care of your boy!”
“He’s not my- whatever.”
Robin reversed as Steve headed back inside looking at his watch. It was just about time. As expected, the cassette revealed two lines, control and test, meaning Eddie was in fact positive for strep. Steve sighed and disposed of the test in their bio waste bin, washing his hands again.
When he poked his head into the quarantine exam room, Eddie was laying on the exam table, one arm draped over his eyes. “Bad news Eds…”
“It’s positive?” Came a mumbled response.
“It is. I’ll have Nance send you some penicillin and I’ll tell Robin to reschedule your patients for tomorrow and the rest of today.”
“That’s so much work for her!” Eddie protested. He sat up and buried his face in his hands.
“It’s okay, they’ll understand! Doctors may not get sick but rockstars do. If it were Billy’s patients on the other hand….” He teased, nudging Eddie’s shoulder.
That got a small smile out of the older of the two. Steve helped him off the table and walked with him towards the back door. “Get some rest today. Take your pills. I’ll swing by tomorrow with some special tea for you, hmm?”
Eddie nodded, “Okay. Thanks Steve.”
Before he could stop himself, Eddie was leaning in for a hug, forgetting he was still contagious. For a moment, Steve hugged him back, not caring at all.
Doctor Eddie coming in sick, just diagnosing himself with a common cold and being sure to wear a mask + use hand sanitizer loads? Well, it was ok until he almost faints from his harsh sneezing. He still has a cold, but is now laying down in his office with Steve holding a wrapped ice pack to his head and tissues in hand, ready for the next fit. Steve was the first to offer to take care of him until he was able to go home even with Robin offering. Steve actually insisted, saying that he was less busy and “the man for the job”. Robin didn’t argue and just let the two future lovebirds bond.
Pairing with this ask:
Doctor Eddie coming into work with a messy cold but self diagnosing himself, saying he’s fine and not that bad.
***
If there’s one thing Robin loved about her job at Hawkins Medical, it was the friendly banter and chemistry between herself and her colleagues. They loved to playfully give each other shit for different things, making the day go by faster.
In the case of today, it was blessing Eddie. He’d come in with what sounded like the start of a bad cold and everyone could hear the muffled sneezes coming from his office.
Every time, like clockwork, Robin, Steve, and Nancy would all turn around and yell, “Bless you, Doctor Rockstar!!”
They knew it annoyed him to not be at his best - whether it be allergies or a headache or now a cold. A disgruntled and mumbled “thanks” was often all they got in return.
This running joke was the highlight of the morning, but after several hours, it was getting old and they were getting concerned.
“H’tsschiEW! ItschEW! … HNG’TschiEW!”
Robin turned around at her desk and called over her shoulder in harmony with Nancy and Steve, “Bless you, Doctor Rockstar!!”
Steve appeared at Robin’s desk holding an outpatient chart for her, “He sound like he’s getting worse to you?”
“Aww is Stevie worried about his special guy?” Robin teased.
Steve flipped her the bird, “Do you still have the thermometer gun from last years flu season? I’m gonna bite the bullet for us.”
“Mmm yeah I think so…” Robin rummaged through her desk drawers before opening a cabinet above her and pulling out the old forehead thermometer, “Good luck. He’s going to hate it.”
“Yeah I know.” Steve sighed, taking the thermometer with him as Robin swiveled around to face the patient waiting to be checked out at her window.
***
Eddie was sitting at his desk scribbling a note on a chart, tissues littering his desk.
“Knock knock.” Steve said as he entered.
The older man looked up, “Hey Steve. SnF What’s up?”
“Just wanted to check on you since-”
Eddie held up a finger to pause him as he ducked into his elbow, “HEH’shiEW! Isssh! TssCHEW!”
“-since you keep doing that…”
As Eddie blew his nose, Steve took a step forward and scanned his forehead with the thermometer. It beeped to let him know the reading was done.
“What are you doi’g??” Eddie asked.
Steve flipped the thermometer to show him, “It’s 99.8 Eds, you should go home.”
Eddie waved a hand dismissively, “Technically it’s not a fever unless it’s over 100.4, you know that. Plus I don’t get sick.”
Steve scoffed, “Okay.” He knew it wasn’t worth arguing. Eddie could be stubborn when he wanted to be, especially when it came to asking for help.
***
A few hours later, Eddie was regretting being so dismissive to Steve. His throat hurt, his head hurt, and he’d sneezed so many times in the last hour he felt dizzy.
He was finishing up with a patient, bringing the chart back to Steve’s desk where he was typing away with Nancy. Robin was leaning up against Steve’s desk asking about a work notice letter for a different patient.
“Here’s the next chhhaa chart- H’itsch! Issh! Tissssh! SnfSNFF”
“Bless you Doctor Ro-”
Eddie had one hand on Steve’s desk as he doubled over, breath hitching.
“H’tsCH! HMPtchEW! Heh- TSSSCHIEW!!”
“Jesus Christ Eddie-” Steve stood up placing a hand on the small of his back as Eddie tried to stand up straight, swaying a little on his feet. Black spots blurred his vision.
“Is he okay??” Robin asked Nancy, who had gone wide eyed with concern, taking a couple steps closer.
The older man’s eyes lolled as he went partially limp, Steve just barely grabbing hold of him before he crumpled to the floor.
“Shit.” Robin mumbled, not really sure what to do.
Steve was now kneeled on the floor, Eddie laying against his chest. Just as quickly as he’d gone down, his eyes fluttered open, darting around the room.
“What..?”
“Hey hey,” Steve placed a hand on his chest to calm him down, “You really just sneezed so much you fainted.”
“Here Eddie.” Nancy knelt down with a small paper cup of water for him to sip on.
Now that he was alert again, Robin and Steve exchanged a glance and laughed.
“Only you could pass out from sneezing, doc.” Robin smirked. “Can you stand? I can sit with you in your office.”
“It’s okay birdie, I got him. I’m less busy right now anyways, I think that chart he had was for you.” Steve nodded at the folder that barely made it to his desk.
“Okay! I’ll take care of it.” Robin took the chart and headed back to her desk.
Nancy helped Steve to haul Eddie off the ground and get him to his office chair. Nancy went to finish seeing the last couple of patients while Steve grabbed a bag of ice from the lunchroom freezer.
Eddie was sat with his head down by his knees, snuffling into a tissue. Steve pulled up a chair and sat next to him, holding the bag of ice to the back of his neck.
“How you doing Eds?” The younger man asked, leaning down to meet eyes with the doctor.
“Ngh… okay I guess.” He sat up and leaned a head against Steve’s shoulder. “You guys are never letting me live this down are you?”
