Chapter Text
Johnny was discharged a few hours just after morning, the only thing taken from the hospital being his cast and a scribbled phone number on a ripped paper, and Simon couldn’t believe that he gave the Scott his number- let alone used the man’s own discharge papers as the delivery method. He’s sure that Laswell won’t be pleased to find a torn corner of paperwork in the pile she works through every night, but he can’t find it in himself to really care about the impending storm brewing in the nurse’s station. And when he gets a text message from an unknown number letting him know that ‘it’s John, or Johnny, I guess, to you <3’, well, consider all thoughts of consequences blown out of the damn water.
He ends up saving Johnny’s number under “Johnny I Guess” (hopefully he thinks it’s as funny as Simon thinks it is too).
It’s been a few days and his ass had gotten fairly chewed out by Laswell for the ripped paper once she discovered what happened, but otherwise nothing major happened.
Price would argue otherwise.
Now, Simon didn’t usually get on his phone (on or off the clock), and typically he’s never taken his breaks unless forced by Price or, God forbid, Shepherd, but nowadays, he’ll take them happily and mess around on his phone to respond back to Johnny. It was almost like a magnet. Every “ding” from his phone has him immediately glancing at his watch to see what Johnny’s saying, to see what the other responded to from his joke, to see updates about the man’s time at the grocery store for the first time in the sun in months. Not even his own mother could get him to look at his phone like this when she called or, on the right occasions, texted.
In hindsight, it looks pathetically clingy. If he saw his coworker acting like this, he might be tempted to call them desperate. He should really stop or turn his phone on silent- “ding!”. His head swivels to look at his phone without even thinking. It’s a meme Johnny sent him about paramedics, it’s actually quite funny and relatable. And very sweet. No it’s not- totally not, Simon isn’t falling that hard for a man he just met! He’s absolutely not smitten with this Scottish hunk who’s funny, caring, and smart. No sir, he isn’t!
“It’s like you’re a blind man seeing for the first time in years with how many times ya look at your phone, son.” He and Price are sitting across from one another in the break room, the first time they’ve gotten to relax tonight, and of course the man wants to spend some of this limited time teasing Simon. “Like a damn toddler seeing the coolest toy on the shelf when ya get a text from the lad.” He chuckles before taking a sip of coffee from his thermos, lazily scrolling through his Facebook feed, thin reading glasses sitting on the tip of his nose. “Your eyes just light up like Christmas lights when that phone of yours goes off."
“I do not-.” His phone buzzing in his hand has him snapping to attention. Johnny had said he was going to the pub he worked at to catch his team up on how he’s been doing since some don’t have his number yet. It’s apparently becoming quite hectic. Some drunks climbing on tables and dancing and said drunks being forcefully escorted out for disorderly conduct and attempting to drink other patrons’ drinks. There’s a picture sent a few moments later, it’s low quality due to the low lighting, but it’s Johnny posing with a fellow security guard, a woman with dark bobbed hair- Val, if he remembers correctly from a story Johnny’s rambled about.
He didn’t save the picture and put it in it’s own folder on his phone- nope, not at all. That’d be a strange thing to do.
“See?” Price gestures to Simon’s phone. “The boy texts you and you get like a puppy beggin’ for a treat.” He takes a sip from his thermos. “It’s quite adorable, honestly. It’s nice to see you happy, son. ‘S a good change for you.”
A rush of blood warms the tips of his ears. It’s embarrassing enough for his mom to call him “adorable”- it’s even worse when it’s Price.
“Price…” He growls. All it gets him is poorly muffled chuckling, the teasing smirk still present on the man’s lips as he continues to scroll on his phone, as if Simon wouldn’t try anything against him (he wouldn’t, but still).
“Now, now. No need to get so grumpy. Don’t make me tell your boyfriend to get you sorted out.” Price fully laughs this time, an abrupt snort and chuckle escaping him. But before the man can continue to tease their radios call them back to work, their 15-minute break cut short into a six-minute break. He manages to send a quick message to Johnny before running to the ambulance to rush Price and him to the address given- a 20 minute drive to an apartment just shy of the city limit. “Ding!” Driving doesn’t allow him to look at his watch or his phone, so Johnny will have to wait until the situation is dealt with- even if it takes an hour or more.
The ride there was filled with the radio calling out emergency calls, Price voicing off the directions to their own call, and Simon’s phone dinging a few times and once or twice ringing if Simon’s recollection could be counted on. The calls were unusual coming from Johnny, they had agreed early on that if the other were at work or asleep- no calling out of respect for the other’s sanity and occupation. Simon tried his best to not become overly concerned with the calls, tried not to think the worst or let his mind wander to what could have possibly warranted a phone call- it definitely didn’t help that Price kept sending concerned glances his way each time the phone rang in his jacket pocket.
They both jump out as he shifts into park and jump onto the sidewalk leading up to the front door of the complex (12- 12- 12- ah, there) and knock and wait for an answer.
And wait.
And wait…
And wait…?
He looks to Price for guidance and when the man’s face doesn’t change from the mixture of concern and confusion he decides to act on his own- he knocks loudly one more time before kicking the door at the base of the knob and flinging the door open and denting the wall adjacent it.
“Paramedics coming in! If you need assistance, please yell out!” The flat is decorated in stiff lace and vacant-eyed dolls and a flat pink wall that clashes with the muddy green carpet that blankets the floor.
“Paramedics! If you can hear us, and are able to, please, yell out!” Price calls from behind him as he crosses the threshold. “Go through the rooms on the left, I’ll take the ones on the right.”
There are only two doors on his side and one central door at the end of the hallway. The first room looks to be the person’s bathroom, a simple assembly of toilet, sink, and shower within. Behind the shower curtain is just tile, a shower seat, and the soaps that looked to be recently bought and placed with purpose behind the almost empty bottles in front of them.
The second door contains a bedroom.
The room has no windows and, since neither he nor Price had turned on the lights in the entrance, is blanketed in darkness. “Paramedic, going to try and find the light if you’re in here. Sorry for the intrusion.” Only the darkness is there to talk to, it seems, as there’s no answer given out. His hand fumbles and molests the wall for the light switch hoping, and close to praying, that he won’t have to try and find a lamp in the corner or some other method of light. (Of course, he just had to leave his phone in the ambulance after taking it out to turn it to do not disturb). Eventually his hand stumbles on the switch and blinds himself with the LED light in the room. This room’s theme appears to be yellow, but it works with the green carpet instead of against like the living room. Yellow flowers in an intricate milk vase, yellow sunflower bed spread, and a handsome number of stuffed bears adorned with yellow ribbons and bows. A very well-kept and loved room.
*
And there, in the middle of it all, lay their patient.
An elderly woman dressed in a sunflower-yellow nightgown face down on the green carpeting, long flowing hair splaying like a chaotically crafted halo, and a heart monitor pendant blinking red and chirping faintly (the batteries were dying, very close to dying).
“Ma’am!” He rushes forward, her thin wrist feels similar to his own mother’s- frail and paper-thin and cold. But unlike his mother, this woman has no pulse. They were too late. “Price,” He calls out. “Call morgue. Elderly patient dead with heart monitor pendant chiming. Presumed cardiac arrest due to medical alert pendant.”
**
Morgue team arrives 30 minutes later and takes over the scene. Simon is the one they request to fill out the paperwork involving time of death and signing off as the one to have discovered the body, but after it was all in order, they were released. The drive back is quiet between them. A terse silence between them as Price, as silent as possible in the enclosed space, relays to dispatch the update on their patient’s status and their return time to the hospital’s ambulance bay.
This isn’t the first time they’ve came to an elderly patient that couldn’t hold on to life; Simon has even held many hands of dying patients on the job- but this, this seems to have hit far too close to home and his mind races as it overthinks all the ways that they could have gotten there faster (if only he drove faster or took a better back road!)- all the ways that they could have revived her if they’d gotten through the door quicker (he should have kicked it down in one not three!).
Losing a patient isn’t easy, even less so if you work consistently side-by-side with that patient. It’s one major reason Simon didn’t go into being a nurse practitioner or anything to do with staying in the hospital.
It would break him, he’s sure.
It’s hard to imagine that this is what the nurses and doctors he works alongside go through. He can picture tender-hearted Gaz, who regularly sneaks his long-term cancer care kids gifts and treats, comforting patients and parents alike through the end of their loved one’s life while keeping a soft smile on, and Rudy, so careful and caring, who tends to the elderly with so much tenderness and love in his eyes that they eventually pseudo-adopt him and begin to call him “son” or “sonny” sometimes even “mijo” (which he knows from Alejandro, Rudy absolutely adores) having to see his patients slowly fade with tears in his eyes but comfort in his hand. Is this how they feel when one of their many patients passes away in their care? How do they make it through the rest of their shift without their smile dimming?
When they silently pull back into the hospital, Simon finds he has a newfound respect for all the nurses it employs.
“You know what,” Price slowly breathes in before slowly exhaling. “Go ahead and head home for the night Simon. It’s close enough to end of shift for you anyways. Go spend some time with that boy of yours, hell, maybe even your mom, if you feel like it.” Price leads him to the locker room. “What a shit storm…” He mutters.
His phone vibrates in his jacket pocket. He almost chucks his phone into the nearest locker. Instead, he leans fully against the wall and holds the weight of his head in his hands, rubbing the palm of his hand furiously into his closed eyes. He wants to answer the phone only so he can tell the other person on the line to fuck off. Seeing that poor woman, a woman that closely resembled his own aging mother, just broke something in him tonight. The buzzing stops before picking up again in a quick staccato rhythm. He rips it out, heated skin and an even hotter attitude singing deep into his psyche and infecting him with its rage. The buzzing stops as soon as the face of his phone lights up (fortunate for the other person calling).
There are a few missed texts from Johnny (only two that say, “good luck” and to “be safe”), one missed call from his mom with a text to “call her when he can”, one missed call from Shepherd (like he’d answer that call in the first place), and three texts and five missed calls from an unknown number.
Johnny first.
Simon: Back at the station. Price is letting us leave early. Rough night.
Johnny I Guess: ☹ oh no, is everything okay? do you need to talk about it? I’m here if you need anything, can even have a movie night if you want?? not that you have to! just an option ya know.
Simon: Wouldn’t mind that. Don’t think you’d like the details, pretty depressing. Disney night?
Johnny I Guess: I’ve been in an active war zone Si, think I can handle anything you can throw at me lol 😊
Johnny I Guess: But only talk about it if you want to, stuff like that can be pretty hard to just put out into words and I get it. took me years to talk to a therapist about the stuff I’ve seen lol. How about that new Little Mermaid movie? Looks pretty good to me 😊
Johnny I Guess: I’ll even include hot chocolate!!!
Simon: No need to try and tempt me further Johnny, I’m already packing my stuff and heading your way.
Johnny I Guess: Oh shit! Ya gotta give me a bit more warning there Si, do you even realize how dirty my apartment is right now?! It’s gunna take hours to get this place in shape for you with this cast on my arm ☹☹☹
Simon can’t help but chuckle at the exaggerated dismay (as if Johnny’s apartment was ever spotless).
Simon: Guess you better figure it out weakling. All I’m hearing is that our physical therapist we assigned you is doing a piss poor job.
He shoulders his duffle and makes his way out the automatic exit doors.
Johnny I Guess: König is doing a great job! >:( Don’t talk bad about the baby!
Simon: The baby? König? What? Did you adopt him or something? It’s only been a week? Six days? You really must be a magnet for the strange and lonely.
Johnny I Guess: Yes I have, he’s my son and I won’t have you bad mouthing him lol.
Johnny I Guess: If I’m a magnet for the strange and lonely how did I manage to attract you? You’re far from strange and I bet you have a ton of people begging to be near you. You’re just too cool not to be close to! 😉
Simon honestly doesn’t know how to respond to that, but he can feel flush burn his cheeks at just the thought of Johnny saying something so earnest and naïve about him (was it embarrassment or something more?). He decides not to answer as he starts his car and dials his mom for the drive to Johnny’s, it shouldn’t be too urgent of a topic. Usually about him picking up groceries for her when he visits next or a question about her medication (which he has told her multiple times that he isn’t qualified to answer).
Instead of his mother’s sweet voice, he hears the deep baritone of his mother’s husband, Samson, on the other end answering and sighs; this is going to be a long conversation, he’d place bets on it.
“What did mom call me for? I was on a call so I couldn’t answer.”
“Well, I can’t say for sure, but I think it has something to do with dinner.”
Leave it to Samson to give the best details. He huffs.
“Is that all? She knows she can text me about that stuff. I can’t exactly answer phone calls on duty.”
“Yeah.” He drawls.
Then silence.
He huffs and waits a moment before glancing at his phone, did he lose the connection or is Samson just being weird again?
Nope.
Just Samson.
“So.” He drawls. “Are you gunna get her, or do I need to wait till tomorrow morning to get an answer?” He snaps.
“Yeah, I’ll go get her.” He rolls his eyes as he hears Samson grunt and distantly call out, “Amanda, Simon’s on the phone for ya.” God, what a charmer.
Better than the last dickwad at least.
He’s around half-way to Johnny’s so the conversation can’t take too long, he’ll come up with some excuse like sleep or something to get out of the conversation early if need be. He knows how much his mom likes to talk. She’ll carry on for hours if he let her.
“Simon?”
“Hey, what’d you call for?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to have called you so late sweetie, I just needed to talk to you, but I know how unpredictable your schedule can be and I just couldn’t take a chance on missing a moment.”
“What do you mean? I always visit on Saturdays; this couldn’t wait till then?”
He doesn’t mean for it to sound as gruff as it comes across, doesn’t mean to sound like he doesn’t appreciate having a chat with his mom, but he can’t help how the annoyed his voice sounds (he blames it on the lack of sleep and the absence of endorphins or caffeine rushing through his veins).
“I know, but it really couldn’t. Tommy’s going to be in town, I told you that last week, right?” He hums in affirmation. He really doesn’t want to have this conversation. “Well, he wants to reconnect with you dear. I gave him your number and he asked for you to come by for the dinner Sunday if you could. He’s been doing wonderful with therapy and Beth is so happy with his progress, I’m sure Jo-Jo would love to have his favorite uncle in the same room as his father too!”
His blood runs cold and ringing in his ears begins to deafen him.
“What?” He chokes out.
“Tommy’s in town and wants to see all of us. Is… Is there something wrong hun?”
He breathes in and out shakily. He hasn’t talked to Tommy since…
What would he even say to him? Last time they spoke he…
“I need to go.” He interrupts her and, with an abrupt goodbye in the midst of her loud questioning, ends the call and pulls into the Elderwoods Apartment complex. His hands grip the steering wheel to the point of white knuckles, his breathing is short and punctual, and the ringing in his ears just won’t stop. He’s desperate for it to just…
Stop.
The back of his head hits the headrest and tries his best to breathe through the anxiety coursing through him. His hands are shaking and weak as his fumbles the door handle, but he manages to escape the tight confines of his car and out into the cool air of pre-dawn morning air. It settles the burning anxiety pushing at his chest; it cools his blood from boiling. The wind rustles his hair, a tender caress that soothes the ache and dries his teary eyes.
He's not sure he can face Johnny now. Not with his brother on his mind.
The universe seems to have it out for him though.
“Si? Si, are ye alright?” He puts out his cigarette before coming closer, concern turning up his eyebrows and putting a frown on his face. “C’mon, le’s get ye inside for hot chocolate, yeah?”
If it wasn’t for Johnny leading him by an arm across his shoulders, Simon isn’t sure he would’ve made it up the stairs. His stomach roils and rumbles, the lack of lunch and anxiety mixing for a toxic concoction that’s sure to lead to misery. His body shivers from the cold and slowly dimming panic, Johnny smells like citrus, the new cologne Alex recommended, and Johnny raved to Simon about two nights ago. It’s bright, it’s new, it’s a punch to the senses, it’s exactly what Simon needs to clean out of the funk clogging his mind.
As soon as Johnny unlocks and opens the door, Daisy, Johnny’s Maine Coon, tries to bolt pass their legs. Her plan is foiled by Johnny’s legs snapping closed around her body. She howls and mewls at the indignity of being caught, as if she would last long outside on her own.
“Damn it Daisy! You’re not a lady of the night, we’ve talked about this.”
Simon can’t help but chuckle at his boyfriend’s antics. Johnny is a perfect distraction from his problems. Johnny whips his head up to look at Simon, as if he wasn’t supposed to witness him scolding his cat; a soft pink blush adorns his cheeks and spreads to his ears.
“Ah- ye weren’t supposed to hear that. She’s got a boyfriend outside but Ah don’ let ‘er see him often cause she’s- ya know? Ah can’t afford kittens, rent would be sky high, and I should really get ‘er spayed Ah know but Ah jus’ havenae the time for it, and Ah guess Ah could with being off work, but Ah can’t really drive to the vet on the meds and carrying ‘er on the bus is a hassle with how much of a fight she puts up while she’s in the cage. Ya know, the vet has to sedate ‘er just to see ‘er, and I’d hate to make strangers put up with her prissy ass-.”
He smirks and covers Johnny’s rambling mouth.
“I think it’s cute.” He leans down and picks up Daisy from between Johnny’s ankles. “It’s really cute.” He mumbles before walking in.
His arms are loose around Johnny’s princess, but she makes no move to escape his arms and gentle petting. If anything, she purrs the loudest he’s heard her make since his arrival. Johnny stumbles through the door just as Simon presses a gentle kiss to the top of her head and he coos at the sight, his heart melting at the two loves of his life.
“Ah’ve got the hot chocolate on the stove, should be close to ready by now.”
Simon has only been to Johnny’s apartment once before to help the man move around a few things he couldn’t with the cast on. It’s a small living arrangement. The kitchen and living room only separated by a small one-person-sized entrance hall with one bedroom and bathroom at the end of that same hall. Despite its size, Johnny has made it warm and comfortable instead of dark and claustrophobic as he’s sure it was before Johnny moved in.
Family pictures hang on the walls (he can clearly make out a little Johnny surrounded by other smiling children and proud parents in the center of them all), a line of keys hang on a set of hooks (an adorable cartoon charm of a green suited and helmeted person hanging off one of the sets), and the television softly plays music to a movie- most likely the closest to The Little Mermaid that Johnny could “find.”
“Make yerself comfortable Si, I’ve got the movie ready and blankets layin’ on the couch for ya. I’ll be there with cups soon.” He ducks into the kitchen and Simon makes his way to the living room.
It’s a mixture of browns, warm oranges, and a spotting of greens. The couch is old, it creaks under Simon’s weight, but holds firm and hugs him. The blankets are fuzzy and warm and wrap around him and Daisy perfectly in their couch cocoon. In the corner, he can see a plant in the only window of the room; a small wilting thing that seems to need more water and care. The heater is gently humming in the corner. The movie plays picture previews of the old little mermaid, the classic “Part of That World” orchestrating loudly in the background.
“Hope ye don’t mind a bit of sprinkles with yours.” Johnny hands him a warm mug decorated with rainbows and a dollop of heavy whip and grunts as he falls onto the couch next to Simon. “Ye seemed like ye could use a pick-me-up.” Johnny winks before grabbing the remote and taking a sip of his own mug.
While the multicolored sprinkles are small and bleeding into the cream, the act itself means the world to Simon. The hot chocolate is rich, warmed to perfection, and filled with care one hundred times over. The movie begins playing, and Simon can’t help but lean back into the warmth that Johnny’s arm gives. His heart can’t help but flutter as that same strong arm attempts to slyly move further across his shoulders. He wants to give Johnny the same warm feeling he feels now and decides, in a moment of possible insanity, to place his hand on Johnny’s thigh. He feels it jump before relaxing into his touch. Sneaking a peak leads him to seeing the most beautiful sight Simon thinks he will ever be able to see in his life.
Johnny is illuminated by blue light from the movie, but the red blush is obvious. He’s unsure how far is too far though so, keeps his hand near Johnny’s knee stationary, not a single finger allowed to move from where they originally touched. He can tell that Johnny’s attention is mostly on him rather than the movie, and, like a moth to light, Daisy makes her displeasure of being ignored loudly known.
“Yes, yes, how dare I not give you my undivided attention m’lady.” Johnny sneaks his arm under his and scratches Daisy’s cheek. Daisy’s tail curls and her purrs rival the movie’s sound effects. She quickly makes her way to Johnny’s lap to get more scritches.
“You spoil her, Johnny.”
“She deserves it- don’t you pretty girl, yes you do!” Johnny’s voice pitches high when he looks at Daisy, and her satisfaction of having all of Johnny’s attention on her echoes loudly above the soft singing in the background. With Johnny’s attention on Daisy, and less on him, he decides to be a bit bold with his hand and rub circles with his thumb on Johnny’s knee. He hears Johnny’s breath hitch and can see out of the corner of his eye how Johnny glances his way, licks his lips, and distractedly tries to watch the movie.
The rest of the movie is much the same. The both of them hardly make any further moves on the other, but both watch the other out of their peripherals and wait for the other to progress what they’ve got going on. The most torturous game of chicken Simon has ever played, if he had to say. Soon, the movie’s credits begin to scroll up the screen and they’re left with songs from the movie replaying between their silence, and, with nothing to keep their eyes on, they end up looking to each other.
Simon has never been one to date, never could when he was a teenager with his father around, so he’s out of his depths- all he knows is what books have described and what the movies his mother watches have shown. All of them directing him to lean into Johnny and kiss him, but would the other man even want that? They’ve only been dating for a week. Wouldn’t it be too soon to do that? Simon’s face heats up at just the thought. What would it be like to kiss Johnny? To lean into firm muscle and know that his heavy body can be easily supported by the other man. He almost wants to test it.
“So, how’d ye like the movie Si? Was the hot chocolate okay? Ye hardly touched it.”
Johnny looks nervous. His eyes are wide, brows upturned, and bottom lip occasionally gnawed by his own teeth. His hands burrow into Daisy and constantly stroke down the cat’s back.
“Movie was nice, Johnny. Forgot the chocolate was even there, but I had something even sweeter to enjoy.”
The embarrassingly truthful words are worth it to see Johnny’s face light up with a crookedly beautiful smile, and to have Johnny playfully smacking his arm is an even better reward.
“Quit it, ya charming bastard! I already like ye enough, ye don’t havetae try any harder than ye have.”
He wants to keep that smile on Johnny’s face, and so, he decides to push his luck a bit more. He leans in closer where he can feel the heat radiating off of Johnny and moves his hand to cup against Johnny’s face.
“I’d rather you know I care deeply for you than have you second guessing Johnny.”
Simon was never a gambler, but maybe he should be with how lucky he’s been getting with Johnny. The tender gaze Johnny gifts him is the best reward Simon has ever been given, and he would suffer a thousand embarrassments just to see it again. Even better is how Johnny leans in closer to Simon to now be nose-to-nose with one another. Those baby blues up close are like a gloriously clear sky with no cloud in sight, warming him to his very core. He would drown himself in them just so that he could forever see them if he could.
“How the hell did I get so lucky to meet you?” Johnny whispers. “All the shit I’ve done and now I get to have a wonderful man like you in my life? You don’t even know how much just knowing you has helped me.” The arm around his shoulders scoots to fully wrap around him. “Can I kiss you?” They’re so close together that he can taste the want on Johnny’s breath.
“Please.”
It’s nothing like what the books describe, nothing like what the movies portray. It’s so much more than any word could ever describe. It’s strange but it’s right, their lips slot together nicely, and their worlds collide into a kaleidoscope of color, feeling, and love- so, so much love that it overwhelms Simon and has him closing his eyes so he doesn’t fall into the pit; although, this is a pit he would gladly dive into time and time again if given the chance.
It was just meant to be a peck, and Johnny assumes that’s all Simon would be comfortable with, but Simon returns to him with a passion, and he moans against the assault. It’s almost like a starving beast has been released as Simon chases his lips, bites, and pulls for more-more-more. And who is Johnny to deny him this simple pleasure. Air is necessary though and, sooner than Simon would have liked, they part with a gasp.
They’re both flushed red and panting into one another. Somehow their hands travelled, Simon’s to Johnny’s waist and Johnny’s around Simon’s jaw, holding him in place.
“Fuck.” Johnny breathes. His hands migrate to the nape of Simon’s neck and interlocks his fingers. “God, I love you.” Johnny’s head bows and lands on Simon’s collar.
He wants to respond, but Johnny’s words have his throat contracting and his eyes blurring. Instead, he wraps his arms around the rest of Johnny and holds him; lowers his head to breath in Johnny’s cologne and just to be closer. His heart pounds and flutters. He wants Johnny for as long as he can keep him.
The shrill sound of his phone ringing ruins the moment, and he begrudgingly lets Johnny go to answer it. He immediately turns it off though at the sight of the unknown number and is rudely reminded of his mother’s words. All the worry and anxiety that he pushed to the side to deal with by himself is abruptly brought back and his heart thuds against his chest for the worst of reasons now.
Johnny must have realized something was wrong and is immediately by his side.
“Si? C’mon, breath with me love.” He can feel Johnny move his hands to land on the man’s chest, he can feel Johnny’s chest rise and fall steadily, and he can hear Johnny humming a strange tune full of lilts and trills. He does his best to match Johnny, tries his best to listen more to Johnny than his overreacting mind. This is the worst ending to a date Johnny has probably ever had and Simon hates that he might not get a second chance after this mess.
The phone rings again, but this time, it’s the ringtone he set for his mother.
“A-answer-Johnny.” His voice stutters and he feels embarrassment crawl down his spine. How much more pathetic can he get in under a minute? He expects Johnny to hand him the phone, but instead Johnny brings the receiver up to his own ear.
“Hello? Simon is here, yes. No ma’am, I’m sorry, he’s not really in a state to answer calls. No! No! I- we, I’m so sorry ma’am I didnae mean it like- no! I um. He’s just nae feeling well is all I meant, I swear!”
Johnny stands to pace, and he watches as the man worries his bottom lip between his teeth. He can hear his mother yelling on the other end of the line.
“Yes’m, yes. Mmhmm. I will.” Johnny stops his pacing. “I will. Sorry for the misunderstanding we didn-. Of course ma’am. I will. Okay. Goodbye ma’am.”
The good news is that Simon is no longer panicking, the sight of Johnny trying to talk to his mom being enough of a distraction to keep his mind off the mess that lies ahead of him. The bad news, Johnny delivers with as much grace a man can after being berated by the man he dating’s mother.
“Your mother wants ta meet me and is upset that ye didnae answer yer brother’s call.”