RP LOG with seeuincourt | Look but don't touch
With the end of May came Liam's next practical rotation for his studies. This time, he was based in London's largest public hospital and it was his first time actually on a surgical rotation. He had survived through the ER, Paeds, Maternity and Rehab, and whilst they were all fine areas of medicine, Surgical was where he wanted to be. This was his third day into it, and he was still thriving on the rush of learning new things and being in the environment he hoped to one day be permanently. He was spending his days basically in a nursing role, though assisting in surgeries to give him the chance to experience them. He hadn't missed a beat and it just confirmed the fact he had known all along... he really did want to be a surgeon.
But it was only part time, still needing to keep up his theory for the rest of his schedule. That would have to wait for the moment, though. He had something else to think about that day, and he wasn't going to settle until he did something about it. Without actually waiting for an invite or waiting for some secretary to give him the go ahead, Liam sauntered into Tom's office, still adorned in his light blue scrubs, and smirked at the very familiar lawyer sitting at the desk. Luckily there were no clients, but Tom seemed to be on a conference call of some sort, so Liam just went over and perched on the edge of his desk, picking up a pair of scissors from his stationary cup and started to twirl them over and over his finger as he whistled softly, watching the skyline of London out the large floor to ceiling windows of Tom's trendy and expensive office.
Tom hadn't missed Liam walking in, and had shot the younger man a smirk as he leaned back in his chair and tried not to yawn halfway through a sentence. The night before had been spent having rather hot ninja sex with his fiancé. With Jules still crashing at their place, Tom wasn't exactly willing to get too loud. He didn't want to rub in the sex after understanding more about her situation with Gus. It had to be hard loving someone that much, and not being able to touch them.
He turned his chair to watch Liam through his glasses, his blue eyes shining. Last night had also involved a rather saucy dream involving the blond, himself, and Stuart. He couldn't deny the idea of a Liam sandwich still got his dick stirring even if he was a taken man now. His legs spread a little more widely and he adjusted himself as he cleared his throat. "Look, that's all very fascinating, Mr Harris, but that's not really going to help your case right now. My three o'clock's just shown up so I'm going to have to leave it there. Yes, yes... thank you. Goodbye." Tom ended the call and sighed. "Sometimes I really wish I didn't have such rich idiots for clients. How are you, Liam?"
"Your three o'clock? What am I? Dr McHooker?" Liam asked with a snort of amusement, watching Tom over the top of the scissors blades flipping around his finger. He knew Tom was well taken, but he was still a gay guy... and a single gay guy. He still had the luxury of being allowed to enjoy any view that took his fancy, and his blue eyes dipped slowly down Tom's body, lingering at his groin, before they swept back up again. He quirked an eyebrow appreciatively and shrugged. "You know how it goes. You gotta work to be able to play. Sophie thinks Ethan is keeping pussy secrets. I want you to tell him to get his head out of his arse or I'll shove it further up there for him, free of charge."
Tom waited for Liam to stop taking in the view before he shifted to pull his chair closer to the desk and picked up the rest of a sandwich he'd started eating two hours ago. He'd promised Stuart he'd take care of himself, not to mention Liam's sister, but that didn't mean he was sticking to a set timetable. "Is that who you'd like to be? I just wanted the phone call over. Heaven forbid I admit to getting visitors that aren't work related. People might start thinking I have a life." Tom's eyebrows went up before he took a bite of the sandwich. "They're not pussy secrets as such. It's one secret, and I already bloody told him to tell her. Has he still not fucking done it?"
"Funny time for lunch," Liam noted, raising his eyebrows questioningly. He might not be a fully qualified doctor yet, but he was a student doctor and he had also read Tom's medical record in the wake of the accident. It was more than important at this juncture for him to look after himself or he would find himself losing strength, perhaps getting ill. It wasn't like he had just suffered a minor bump to the head. In fact, the scar had to be pretty impressive, but it wasn't like Liam would have the luxury of seeing that naked body anymore. Not unless he wanted a raging Scot copper on his arse ready for vengeance. "No, he hasn't. Now I wanna know what it's all about, because you clearly have the details, sweetheart. He better not be fucking around on her. I don't care how much money he has. All the more headlines for his funeral, if you get my drift."
Tom arched an eyebrow. "Didn't realise you cared, love. My lunch is an ongoing thing. It starts at twelve and finishes whenever I manage to get my sandwich eaten. Jess has yet to master how to keep me from getting interrupted for half an hour at least. Then again, she's not my secretary and the one I have has become incredibly useless since she got pregnant. Not that I begrudge her, it would just be nice if she took messages rather than sat there and complained about being fat while eating a block of chocolate." He huffed out a breath. "I've lost my patience. He's not fucking around on her. One of his exes was on the cruise, and tried to hit on him. He felt ashamed, and he didn't want to bother Sophie with it. I don't approve of him keeping it from her, but he's a grown lad."
Liam shot Tom an annoyed look, his blue eyes flashing just a little. "Of course I care. Or does the whole ex-fuck affection just cease when you off and get yourself a ball and chain?" he asked with a smirk. He put his foot up on the edge of Tom's chair and then leant back, bracing his weight on his hand resting on Tom's desk. "The joys of het sex and female employees. Get a gay secretary and all your worries will be over. Why was he ashamed? Sounds like guilt to me. Not to completely castrate him prematurely, though. Soph's at fault, too, for being pussy suspicious and not talking to him about it. Seriously, five fucking months in, they've gotta realise it's unhealthy to be secret-keeping about nothing."
"A ball and chain? I'd hardly describe Stuart as that. I'm sorry, Liam. I'm just getting hungry and tired and cranky. I'm like a giant gay baby." He took two bites of his sandwich and chewed eagerly before swallowing. He watched Liam quietly for a moment. "I can't fire her just because she's pregnant. Although once she goes on maternity leave I'll definitely get a gay secretary. Preferably one that's not jealous of me, or my lover. I don't need another murderous encounter. I don't know, because he's Ethan and he's conscious about hurting your sister. I don't think they're quite doing it consciously. She probably didn't say anything because she doesn't want Ethan thinking she was suspicious. Personally I don't get it. Just fucking say something and get it over with."
"Fiance," Liam corrected in amusement and then had to laugh, shaking his head as he dropped it, his blond hair falling into his face. "I can't believe you're fucking getting married. Lucky I've stepped up ranks to keep the awesomeness of gay promiscuity alive. Not that I can blame you, though. Fuck, how much would I love a six way with every single Evans brother? And I mean that with all the love in the world. Seriously wish the blond paramedic with the more-than-healthy handful of a package was gay. He looks very tasty," he decided, licking his lips with a smirk. "You should be taking the time to eat, you know. Probably something better than a random sandwich, too. You stop, eat, digest. It's better for the part of your gut that got injured and operated on." He paused and then soon snorted cynically. "Friggin heterosexuals. They always seem to screw everything up, and are quick to whine about it too. Ethan needs to realise that even though he's married, he's going to attract pussy, all the ones that think they can steal him from Soph. It's not a standard relationship. He needs to reassure her it's not gonna happen. Probably like you might need to do once in awhile with Stuey baby."
Tom gave a nod. "Fiance." He looked at the ring on his finger and smiled softly. "Trust me, neither can I, but I tell you it's the best fucking thing I've ever done. Once you find that person... It's worth stopping for. I haven't changed, I'm just channelling my mojo into fucking one person. It's the best sex I've ever had. Present company excluded. You really were something, Dr Morgan. Oh, you're hot for Braden as well, are you? Tough luck. He's got it bad for a pregnant chick. The redhead from the party." Tom finished his sandwich and then opened the drawer of his desk to pull out a yoghurt. "I'm stopping now, I'm eating, I'm digesting. See? My three o'clock really does come in handy. You're going to make a good doctor." Tom smirked. "He can't help his dick got wired that way, and you can't blame women for wanting men either. We are so lovely. Oh, I will. Trust me. Stuart can have all the reassurance he needs. My dick stops at him. Ethan's isn't going to stray from Soph."
Liam fell silent and sighed, nodding as he traced a pattern with his fingertip along the seam of his scrubs pants. "I know he's not, and that's really not why I'm pissed. I'm pissed because he's inadvertently making her think something is wrong, whether it's with her or him. That's bothering her, that's why I'm pissed off. They're newlyweds! They should be all happy and blissful and whatever the eff else comes with marriage. Not that I know, I'm not professing to. That's way, wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy off for me. No offense. I think it's cool you're tying the knot with Stuart. There's not enough happiness in the world, so you gotta take it when it comes. The redhead, seriously?" He whistled softly. "She's got one hell of a figure that's about to go down the pan there. I think. There were two redheads at that party... but come to think of it, they were both hot, in a straight chick sort of way. I might be gay, but I can appreciate a fine female body when I see one. Three o'clock is a fucked time for lunch. I should belt you with your stapler for punishment."
"And injure a recovering sick person? That's not very nice of you, you know. I thought you were training to be a doctor?" Tom chuckled a little before ripping the top off his yoghurt and licking the lid. He picked up a spoon from in the drawer too and dug in. He'd never been one for yoghurt, but soft foods still went down a lot easier than half of what he used to eat. "They'll still be happy and blissful. Just not every relationship flows smoothly. Not all the time. It's just the way of things. I'll give Ethan another kick up the arse. They have to talk some time. He's just not used to sharing his feelings. I'm not trying to justify his actions, but there is a history behind them." Tom snorted in amusement before he tapped Liam's leg with the spoon. "The smaller redhead. Lighter and longer hair, carrying the tissues. The darker one's Angus'. Or would be if he wasn't going through a divorce. He's fit to pop with how badly he wants to shag her. He's just trying to be honourable. Jules, Gus' girl, is staying with us. Kenzie's holed up in a hotel with Brades."
"They better be, or I really will kill him. That's not what I meant. I just mean she deserves better than to be spending time trying to wonder why her husband is acting like a knob. If he really had something to be acting like a knob about, fair enough. But this is fucked up and she's worrying for no reason. How would you feel if Stuart abruptly started acting weirdly and you got worried he was, I dunno, making eyes at his cop partner? He's done her in the past, right? He married her, he better get used to sharing his feelings quick smart. He didn't even tell her he was bordering on a break down. Maybe if he had, it wouldn't have felt so bad for him." Liam's head still spun with everyone he had met at that party the other night, still trying to connect all the dots in his extended family that suddenly felt like it had exploded from all angles. He cleared his throat, and leant forward so Tom couldn't break the eye contact if he tried. "How are you? Really. I don't mean your love life, I mean your health."
Tom could only nod his head as he listened to Liam. He couldn't argue with it. In fact, he knew for a fact he'd act exactly like Sophie if he was worried about Stuart making eyes at Gee. Of course, he'd probably also slap Stuart out of it. He stopped eating as he held Liam's gaze. "I still get tired easily. I'm usually ready to go home by eleven, and my attention span is pretty much zero. My stomach still hurts. Unless I have to be here at my desk, I actually spend most of the time reading on the couch in the corner. And then there's the nightmares."
Liam was frowning slightly in concern at him now and he leaned forward to tuck his fingers into Tom's shirt between the bottom two visible buttons. "Then maybe you should go home at eleven, have a two hour lunch break, take a nap, and then come back at one. You'd be surprised how much it helps breaking up your day. You're still recovering. I thought for a minute there you were going to tell me you spend most of the time reading on the toilet," he said with a smirk and tugged on Tom's shirt, seeking permission give Tom's gut a quick examination. "Can I? The nightmares. Do you want to talk about them? You don't have to. I just know that sometimes talking to the people closest to you is hard with things like this. You don't want to worry them, make them think you aren't really coping when you are... just probably on a go slow."
Tom leaned back, giving Liam permission to do his worst. He was getting used to the prodding and poking now, it was just strange having his ex-fuck do it. Still, he was probably a little more compliant with Liam than most doctors - even Stuart's brother's lay. He undid his belt buckle and pulled his shirt out for him. "My only trouble is that I'm worried I won't want to come back at one if I do that. I thought it would be easier to stay. The nightmares are just... I don't know what they are. I didn't die. Stuart wasn't even involved past the questioning, past the investigation. Still, I keep thinking about what might have happened if my driver hadn't taken a shining to my former paralegal, but my fiance. Or what if the crash had gone the other way? It's stupid. What's done is done and we're alive."
Liam pushed off the desk, leaning over to unbutton Tom's shirt from the bottom. Luckily he was one of those doctors who actually got gifted with warm hands, it was rare for them to be cold. He pushed the shirt out of the way and started to have a close look at the scar, trying to see if there was any sign there might be complications. Tom didn't seem ill, so there was unlikely to be any dormant infections. It was impossible to tell much from just looking, though, so he knelt down in front of Tom and then glanced up at him. "Just tell me if I hurt, alright? No matter how little," he told him with a small nod for emphasis, but he held his gaze for a moment longer. "It's not stupid. It's grief. It's as far from stupid as you can get. You went through a massive physical and emotional trauma, and the subconscious mind pushes that to the forefront when you're in a subdued state of sleep. You're not stupid, Tom. You're normal." He rested his tongue between his lips in concentration and started to gently press his fingers across Tom's lower abdomen, trying to feel for anything amiss. It wouldn't be too surprising. Abdominal surgery was complicated, it could often leave a patient feeling ill or uncomfortable for a long time.
Tom's nostrils flared, and he was tempted to hiss despite the fact that Liam had warm hands. He was still getting used to anyone besides Stuart touching his middle. It wasn't even that there was pain, it was just that he still felt sensitive about the scar, and about the time in hospital. "Normal? I always preferred to think I was above average." He watched Liam, tilting his head as he saw the look of concentration. "You really love this, don't you?"
Liam had paused at the hiss and looked up to make sure Tom was okay. A hint of a smirk appeared on his lips and he shrugged. "It's not about loving it. It's about knowing you're just made to do something. I'm sure that's something you understand more than most." He cleared his throat softly and rested his hands on Tom's hips. "You've lost a lot of weight. You should be thinking about having more than yoghurt and a sandwich for lunch. And to get back to that point for a minute, if you go home for lunch and feel like staying there, stay. Your body could be trying to tell you to take it easy, you know. If you're getting belly pain, it could be anything from stress to overdoing it on the sex front," he added pointedly, smirking again before his fingers edged just a little closer to the op site, albeit hesitantly.
Tom arched an eyebrow. "I've never known you to hesitate you about anything. Don't start now," he murmured. "And alright, so I'll start going home for lunch. What should I be eating though if it's not a sandwich and yoghurt? I still just like easy to digest things. Nothing that scratches my throat. I go back to the big gay baby comment... Overdoing it on the sex front? You wash your mouth out, love."
"I'm not here to blow you, sweetheart. I don't want to hurt you. You've not been very forthcoming about your pain levels, so I'm just being careful. For all I know, you're in agony... I know how good those masks of yours are," Liam pointed out, but leaned forward, pressing his fingers just a little firmer against Tom's stomach. "And yes, overdoing it on the sex front. Thrusting and sexual exertion are mostly controlled by the abdominal muscles, especially when you're going at it hard and fast."
Jess was stressed out beyond belief. She had just been abused by one of Tom's clients on the phone who she hadn't even clapped eyes on, only to be told she was a stupid slut incapable of wiping her arse with a case file let alone fighting in court. She was hot and bothered, and feeling more than a little inadequate. Any other time she would have knocked before going into Tom's office when the door was shut, or called him from her desk to make sure he was free. But this was important, she needed some back up and support before she took the experience and used it to squash her confidence into a bloody mess. She burst into his office, forgetting to pause and knock. "There's no way I can-" But her words cut off with a shocked gasp and a squeak when her eyes landed on the sight of her brother knelt on the floor between Tom's legs.
Tom's gaze flicked up to see Jess in the doorway and he shifted in the chair to sit up straight too quickly, causing a bolt of pain to shoot through him and make him groan in protest. He gripped Liam's shoulder in response and puffed out his cheeks. "Jess--" he choked out, the explanation dying on his lips as the pain ebbed through him. He wasn't even sure what had happened other than he hadn't been able to move very quickly lately, and he suddenly remembered why.
Liam had whipped his head around as soon as he heard the voice, but it all happened like it was on fast-forward. With Tom having a now firm and almost painful grip on his shoulder, it made it impossible for Liam to jump up at the abrupt appearance at his sister. Before he could even wrestle his way out from under Tom's hand and stand up, she had gone, slamming the door in her wake. "Oh shit! Oh fuck!" he panicked and took off after her, yanking Tom's office door open again and bolting up the hall. But she had made it into the elevator, the doors swinging closed in her wake before he could make it there and he just stood, frozen in shock for a moment.
He rubbed a hand roughly over his face and then back up, spinning around to run back to Tom's office, appearing back at his side and leaning over him. "Hey... hey, hey. Are you okay, love?" he asked in concern, noting how dramatically Tom had paled.
Tom gave a shake of his head, the fact that Jess' point of view would not have been a good one was slowly sinking in along with the pain. "Hurts," was all he could manage in a grunt before he started to curse. "I can't... she has to know that nothing was--Jesus fucking Christ!" He couldn't even begin to know how to process what the hell had just happened with Liam's sister when all he could think about was the pain in his abdomen. "I think I should go home."
Liam held Tom's shoulders again, crouching down in front of him, despite what had just gone down. "Tom, wait," he said quietly. "I know it's easier said than done, but relax, okay? Take some slow breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth. You don't look good, sweetheart. Just stop for a minute, okay? You're going to make yourself sick. I'll talk to Jess, it's fine. She doesn't know about us before. No one does."
Tom nodded before he took a deep breath in through his nose, and out through his mouth. Then he did it again, and tried to resist the urge to run his fingers through his hair. "It really is easier said than bloody done. I fucking hate this. I hate not being able to move like a normal person. I'm not normal, I'm damaged."
"You're injured," Liam corrected as he began to gently massage Tom stomach with his finger tips, trying to ease the tension he could feel there. "It's the attitude like this that's going to set you right back to square one. You can't tell me you've forgotten how crap you felt right out of hospital. Don't let that get too far from your mind right now. It'll help keep you on a wise course for your recovery. You should only be here part time, you know that? You should be graduating your return to work. You should be talking to a dietitian about the best things for you to eat to encourage your recovery. You should be doing low level exercise. You should be resting more than you're on the go." He paused, pressing his lips together with a small sigh as his shoulders slumped a little. "She thinks I was blowing you."
Tom fell quiet, his head resting against the back of the seat as he let Liam do his thing. He really was going to make a good doctor. He even had the firm advice down pat. The kind that sounded like a suggestion, but always held a hidden threat. He closed his eyes briefly before he nodded. "Alright, alright... Shit. I really don't want to wind up in hospital again. I've had quite enough of that for now." Then his eyes snapped open again. "What?"
"Yeah, I know, and don't worry, I'm pissed off too that my own sister thinks I don't have some self-control and would fuck around with another bloke's property," Liam mumbled as he rose up and sat perched on the edge of Tom's desk again. The sight this time was much heavier and he paused to rub his fingers against his eyes as he tried to process everything that had just happened. He had been too worried about Tom in the initial panic for the penny to really drop, but now that it had, and the way Jess had bolted, it was obvious, and could be about to get really messy. "Shit. I'll drive you home, alright? I'll deal with Jess. You should be lying down, maybe with some heat on that wound site."
Tom rubbed his fingers against his forehead and frowned deeply. "Fucking hell. I have to talk to Stuart. Not that I think Jess would talk to him, I mean, she should... If she really thinks that something is wrong, she has every right to. I'd just rather do it myself. Jesus, the one time I'm genuinely not fucking about and this happens. I need it like I need a fucking hole in the head. No offence, mate. But thanks for... ah, the check up. And the advice. It was actually what I really needed. Maybe not the last few moments, but you know."
Liam had folded his arms tightly across his chest and he gave a small nod. "Don't mention it," he murmured, suddenly feeling about as out of place as a vagina on a drag queen. He felt like he had overstepped the mark, knowing now that he really was nothing but just one of Tom's ex fucks. It was probably lucky he wasn't in a body bag right now. "This is my fault. I shouldn't even be here. I'll make sure you get home okay and then I'll steer clear."
Tom looked up at Liam and blinked. "What? No, no. Liam, please. Just ignore me, okay? My head's still fucked and if the shit coming out of my mouth is making you think you need to steer clear that's not what I meant. You're my friend. You're just going to have to be a little patient with my mentalness."
Liam shook his head and stood up. "It's alright, you know. You'd be surprised how honest a fucked head can be." He took his keys out of his pocket and took a step out of Tom's personal space. "It's okay, too. You should be doing all you can to preserve a new relationship. Life's fickle. Some people go through their whole lives and never find anything remotely like what you've got with Stuart. You'd also be surprised how little innocent mistakes can fuck everything up in a heartbeat. Like letting an ex-fuck touch you intimately, even if it wasn't sexual. I apologise. I should've just told you to go see your own doctor, which I think you should do, by the way," he added, still unable to pull completely back from making sure Tom took care of himself. If nothing else, he was still the best mate of his brother-in-law.
Tom did his shirt back up and stood slowly as he cleared his throat. He was cautious about any movement and felt like an old man as he finally straightened but only after letting out a few grunts and groans. "We'll just sort this sudden tornado out, and then we'll see what happens. I think you and Stuart would actually get on. Not all of my old life is something I want to get rid of. There are parts of it I want to keep. I'll make an appointment with my doctor once I get home." He reached up to give Liam's shoulder a squeeze. "Thank you."
Liam suddenly needed a large stiff drink and a large stiff cock to suck on. He also had a tension headache threatening behind his eyeballs, the stress which was now trying to reach its way through the rest of his body too. He needed stress relief. He gave Tom a hint of a smile and then gestured for the door. "I should get you home. Maybe a call to your fiance before the doctor is in order. He should know you don't feel great. I've got to study anyway. Punishment for not hitting the books straight away." He didn't wait for Tom to answer before he was heading to the door of his office. If only he could shake the unsettled feeling of apprehension that had suddenly appeared in his gut.
Word Count | 5,046
But it was only part time, still needing to keep up his theory for the rest of his schedule. That would have to wait for the moment, though. He had something else to think about that day, and he wasn't going to settle until he did something about it. Without actually waiting for an invite or waiting for some secretary to give him the go ahead, Liam sauntered into Tom's office, still adorned in his light blue scrubs, and smirked at the very familiar lawyer sitting at the desk. Luckily there were no clients, but Tom seemed to be on a conference call of some sort, so Liam just went over and perched on the edge of his desk, picking up a pair of scissors from his stationary cup and started to twirl them over and over his finger as he whistled softly, watching the skyline of London out the large floor to ceiling windows of Tom's trendy and expensive office.
Tom hadn't missed Liam walking in, and had shot the younger man a smirk as he leaned back in his chair and tried not to yawn halfway through a sentence. The night before had been spent having rather hot ninja sex with his fiancé. With Jules still crashing at their place, Tom wasn't exactly willing to get too loud. He didn't want to rub in the sex after understanding more about her situation with Gus. It had to be hard loving someone that much, and not being able to touch them.
He turned his chair to watch Liam through his glasses, his blue eyes shining. Last night had also involved a rather saucy dream involving the blond, himself, and Stuart. He couldn't deny the idea of a Liam sandwich still got his dick stirring even if he was a taken man now. His legs spread a little more widely and he adjusted himself as he cleared his throat. "Look, that's all very fascinating, Mr Harris, but that's not really going to help your case right now. My three o'clock's just shown up so I'm going to have to leave it there. Yes, yes... thank you. Goodbye." Tom ended the call and sighed. "Sometimes I really wish I didn't have such rich idiots for clients. How are you, Liam?"
"Your three o'clock? What am I? Dr McHooker?" Liam asked with a snort of amusement, watching Tom over the top of the scissors blades flipping around his finger. He knew Tom was well taken, but he was still a gay guy... and a single gay guy. He still had the luxury of being allowed to enjoy any view that took his fancy, and his blue eyes dipped slowly down Tom's body, lingering at his groin, before they swept back up again. He quirked an eyebrow appreciatively and shrugged. "You know how it goes. You gotta work to be able to play. Sophie thinks Ethan is keeping pussy secrets. I want you to tell him to get his head out of his arse or I'll shove it further up there for him, free of charge."
Tom waited for Liam to stop taking in the view before he shifted to pull his chair closer to the desk and picked up the rest of a sandwich he'd started eating two hours ago. He'd promised Stuart he'd take care of himself, not to mention Liam's sister, but that didn't mean he was sticking to a set timetable. "Is that who you'd like to be? I just wanted the phone call over. Heaven forbid I admit to getting visitors that aren't work related. People might start thinking I have a life." Tom's eyebrows went up before he took a bite of the sandwich. "They're not pussy secrets as such. It's one secret, and I already bloody told him to tell her. Has he still not fucking done it?"
"Funny time for lunch," Liam noted, raising his eyebrows questioningly. He might not be a fully qualified doctor yet, but he was a student doctor and he had also read Tom's medical record in the wake of the accident. It was more than important at this juncture for him to look after himself or he would find himself losing strength, perhaps getting ill. It wasn't like he had just suffered a minor bump to the head. In fact, the scar had to be pretty impressive, but it wasn't like Liam would have the luxury of seeing that naked body anymore. Not unless he wanted a raging Scot copper on his arse ready for vengeance. "No, he hasn't. Now I wanna know what it's all about, because you clearly have the details, sweetheart. He better not be fucking around on her. I don't care how much money he has. All the more headlines for his funeral, if you get my drift."
Tom arched an eyebrow. "Didn't realise you cared, love. My lunch is an ongoing thing. It starts at twelve and finishes whenever I manage to get my sandwich eaten. Jess has yet to master how to keep me from getting interrupted for half an hour at least. Then again, she's not my secretary and the one I have has become incredibly useless since she got pregnant. Not that I begrudge her, it would just be nice if she took messages rather than sat there and complained about being fat while eating a block of chocolate." He huffed out a breath. "I've lost my patience. He's not fucking around on her. One of his exes was on the cruise, and tried to hit on him. He felt ashamed, and he didn't want to bother Sophie with it. I don't approve of him keeping it from her, but he's a grown lad."
Liam shot Tom an annoyed look, his blue eyes flashing just a little. "Of course I care. Or does the whole ex-fuck affection just cease when you off and get yourself a ball and chain?" he asked with a smirk. He put his foot up on the edge of Tom's chair and then leant back, bracing his weight on his hand resting on Tom's desk. "The joys of het sex and female employees. Get a gay secretary and all your worries will be over. Why was he ashamed? Sounds like guilt to me. Not to completely castrate him prematurely, though. Soph's at fault, too, for being pussy suspicious and not talking to him about it. Seriously, five fucking months in, they've gotta realise it's unhealthy to be secret-keeping about nothing."
"A ball and chain? I'd hardly describe Stuart as that. I'm sorry, Liam. I'm just getting hungry and tired and cranky. I'm like a giant gay baby." He took two bites of his sandwich and chewed eagerly before swallowing. He watched Liam quietly for a moment. "I can't fire her just because she's pregnant. Although once she goes on maternity leave I'll definitely get a gay secretary. Preferably one that's not jealous of me, or my lover. I don't need another murderous encounter. I don't know, because he's Ethan and he's conscious about hurting your sister. I don't think they're quite doing it consciously. She probably didn't say anything because she doesn't want Ethan thinking she was suspicious. Personally I don't get it. Just fucking say something and get it over with."
"Fiance," Liam corrected in amusement and then had to laugh, shaking his head as he dropped it, his blond hair falling into his face. "I can't believe you're fucking getting married. Lucky I've stepped up ranks to keep the awesomeness of gay promiscuity alive. Not that I can blame you, though. Fuck, how much would I love a six way with every single Evans brother? And I mean that with all the love in the world. Seriously wish the blond paramedic with the more-than-healthy handful of a package was gay. He looks very tasty," he decided, licking his lips with a smirk. "You should be taking the time to eat, you know. Probably something better than a random sandwich, too. You stop, eat, digest. It's better for the part of your gut that got injured and operated on." He paused and then soon snorted cynically. "Friggin heterosexuals. They always seem to screw everything up, and are quick to whine about it too. Ethan needs to realise that even though he's married, he's going to attract pussy, all the ones that think they can steal him from Soph. It's not a standard relationship. He needs to reassure her it's not gonna happen. Probably like you might need to do once in awhile with Stuey baby."
Tom gave a nod. "Fiance." He looked at the ring on his finger and smiled softly. "Trust me, neither can I, but I tell you it's the best fucking thing I've ever done. Once you find that person... It's worth stopping for. I haven't changed, I'm just channelling my mojo into fucking one person. It's the best sex I've ever had. Present company excluded. You really were something, Dr Morgan. Oh, you're hot for Braden as well, are you? Tough luck. He's got it bad for a pregnant chick. The redhead from the party." Tom finished his sandwich and then opened the drawer of his desk to pull out a yoghurt. "I'm stopping now, I'm eating, I'm digesting. See? My three o'clock really does come in handy. You're going to make a good doctor." Tom smirked. "He can't help his dick got wired that way, and you can't blame women for wanting men either. We are so lovely. Oh, I will. Trust me. Stuart can have all the reassurance he needs. My dick stops at him. Ethan's isn't going to stray from Soph."
Liam fell silent and sighed, nodding as he traced a pattern with his fingertip along the seam of his scrubs pants. "I know he's not, and that's really not why I'm pissed. I'm pissed because he's inadvertently making her think something is wrong, whether it's with her or him. That's bothering her, that's why I'm pissed off. They're newlyweds! They should be all happy and blissful and whatever the eff else comes with marriage. Not that I know, I'm not professing to. That's way, wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy off for me. No offense. I think it's cool you're tying the knot with Stuart. There's not enough happiness in the world, so you gotta take it when it comes. The redhead, seriously?" He whistled softly. "She's got one hell of a figure that's about to go down the pan there. I think. There were two redheads at that party... but come to think of it, they were both hot, in a straight chick sort of way. I might be gay, but I can appreciate a fine female body when I see one. Three o'clock is a fucked time for lunch. I should belt you with your stapler for punishment."
"And injure a recovering sick person? That's not very nice of you, you know. I thought you were training to be a doctor?" Tom chuckled a little before ripping the top off his yoghurt and licking the lid. He picked up a spoon from in the drawer too and dug in. He'd never been one for yoghurt, but soft foods still went down a lot easier than half of what he used to eat. "They'll still be happy and blissful. Just not every relationship flows smoothly. Not all the time. It's just the way of things. I'll give Ethan another kick up the arse. They have to talk some time. He's just not used to sharing his feelings. I'm not trying to justify his actions, but there is a history behind them." Tom snorted in amusement before he tapped Liam's leg with the spoon. "The smaller redhead. Lighter and longer hair, carrying the tissues. The darker one's Angus'. Or would be if he wasn't going through a divorce. He's fit to pop with how badly he wants to shag her. He's just trying to be honourable. Jules, Gus' girl, is staying with us. Kenzie's holed up in a hotel with Brades."
"They better be, or I really will kill him. That's not what I meant. I just mean she deserves better than to be spending time trying to wonder why her husband is acting like a knob. If he really had something to be acting like a knob about, fair enough. But this is fucked up and she's worrying for no reason. How would you feel if Stuart abruptly started acting weirdly and you got worried he was, I dunno, making eyes at his cop partner? He's done her in the past, right? He married her, he better get used to sharing his feelings quick smart. He didn't even tell her he was bordering on a break down. Maybe if he had, it wouldn't have felt so bad for him." Liam's head still spun with everyone he had met at that party the other night, still trying to connect all the dots in his extended family that suddenly felt like it had exploded from all angles. He cleared his throat, and leant forward so Tom couldn't break the eye contact if he tried. "How are you? Really. I don't mean your love life, I mean your health."
Tom could only nod his head as he listened to Liam. He couldn't argue with it. In fact, he knew for a fact he'd act exactly like Sophie if he was worried about Stuart making eyes at Gee. Of course, he'd probably also slap Stuart out of it. He stopped eating as he held Liam's gaze. "I still get tired easily. I'm usually ready to go home by eleven, and my attention span is pretty much zero. My stomach still hurts. Unless I have to be here at my desk, I actually spend most of the time reading on the couch in the corner. And then there's the nightmares."
Liam was frowning slightly in concern at him now and he leaned forward to tuck his fingers into Tom's shirt between the bottom two visible buttons. "Then maybe you should go home at eleven, have a two hour lunch break, take a nap, and then come back at one. You'd be surprised how much it helps breaking up your day. You're still recovering. I thought for a minute there you were going to tell me you spend most of the time reading on the toilet," he said with a smirk and tugged on Tom's shirt, seeking permission give Tom's gut a quick examination. "Can I? The nightmares. Do you want to talk about them? You don't have to. I just know that sometimes talking to the people closest to you is hard with things like this. You don't want to worry them, make them think you aren't really coping when you are... just probably on a go slow."
Tom leaned back, giving Liam permission to do his worst. He was getting used to the prodding and poking now, it was just strange having his ex-fuck do it. Still, he was probably a little more compliant with Liam than most doctors - even Stuart's brother's lay. He undid his belt buckle and pulled his shirt out for him. "My only trouble is that I'm worried I won't want to come back at one if I do that. I thought it would be easier to stay. The nightmares are just... I don't know what they are. I didn't die. Stuart wasn't even involved past the questioning, past the investigation. Still, I keep thinking about what might have happened if my driver hadn't taken a shining to my former paralegal, but my fiance. Or what if the crash had gone the other way? It's stupid. What's done is done and we're alive."
Liam pushed off the desk, leaning over to unbutton Tom's shirt from the bottom. Luckily he was one of those doctors who actually got gifted with warm hands, it was rare for them to be cold. He pushed the shirt out of the way and started to have a close look at the scar, trying to see if there was any sign there might be complications. Tom didn't seem ill, so there was unlikely to be any dormant infections. It was impossible to tell much from just looking, though, so he knelt down in front of Tom and then glanced up at him. "Just tell me if I hurt, alright? No matter how little," he told him with a small nod for emphasis, but he held his gaze for a moment longer. "It's not stupid. It's grief. It's as far from stupid as you can get. You went through a massive physical and emotional trauma, and the subconscious mind pushes that to the forefront when you're in a subdued state of sleep. You're not stupid, Tom. You're normal." He rested his tongue between his lips in concentration and started to gently press his fingers across Tom's lower abdomen, trying to feel for anything amiss. It wouldn't be too surprising. Abdominal surgery was complicated, it could often leave a patient feeling ill or uncomfortable for a long time.
Tom's nostrils flared, and he was tempted to hiss despite the fact that Liam had warm hands. He was still getting used to anyone besides Stuart touching his middle. It wasn't even that there was pain, it was just that he still felt sensitive about the scar, and about the time in hospital. "Normal? I always preferred to think I was above average." He watched Liam, tilting his head as he saw the look of concentration. "You really love this, don't you?"
Liam had paused at the hiss and looked up to make sure Tom was okay. A hint of a smirk appeared on his lips and he shrugged. "It's not about loving it. It's about knowing you're just made to do something. I'm sure that's something you understand more than most." He cleared his throat softly and rested his hands on Tom's hips. "You've lost a lot of weight. You should be thinking about having more than yoghurt and a sandwich for lunch. And to get back to that point for a minute, if you go home for lunch and feel like staying there, stay. Your body could be trying to tell you to take it easy, you know. If you're getting belly pain, it could be anything from stress to overdoing it on the sex front," he added pointedly, smirking again before his fingers edged just a little closer to the op site, albeit hesitantly.
Tom arched an eyebrow. "I've never known you to hesitate you about anything. Don't start now," he murmured. "And alright, so I'll start going home for lunch. What should I be eating though if it's not a sandwich and yoghurt? I still just like easy to digest things. Nothing that scratches my throat. I go back to the big gay baby comment... Overdoing it on the sex front? You wash your mouth out, love."
"I'm not here to blow you, sweetheart. I don't want to hurt you. You've not been very forthcoming about your pain levels, so I'm just being careful. For all I know, you're in agony... I know how good those masks of yours are," Liam pointed out, but leaned forward, pressing his fingers just a little firmer against Tom's stomach. "And yes, overdoing it on the sex front. Thrusting and sexual exertion are mostly controlled by the abdominal muscles, especially when you're going at it hard and fast."
Jess was stressed out beyond belief. She had just been abused by one of Tom's clients on the phone who she hadn't even clapped eyes on, only to be told she was a stupid slut incapable of wiping her arse with a case file let alone fighting in court. She was hot and bothered, and feeling more than a little inadequate. Any other time she would have knocked before going into Tom's office when the door was shut, or called him from her desk to make sure he was free. But this was important, she needed some back up and support before she took the experience and used it to squash her confidence into a bloody mess. She burst into his office, forgetting to pause and knock. "There's no way I can-" But her words cut off with a shocked gasp and a squeak when her eyes landed on the sight of her brother knelt on the floor between Tom's legs.
Tom's gaze flicked up to see Jess in the doorway and he shifted in the chair to sit up straight too quickly, causing a bolt of pain to shoot through him and make him groan in protest. He gripped Liam's shoulder in response and puffed out his cheeks. "Jess--" he choked out, the explanation dying on his lips as the pain ebbed through him. He wasn't even sure what had happened other than he hadn't been able to move very quickly lately, and he suddenly remembered why.
Liam had whipped his head around as soon as he heard the voice, but it all happened like it was on fast-forward. With Tom having a now firm and almost painful grip on his shoulder, it made it impossible for Liam to jump up at the abrupt appearance at his sister. Before he could even wrestle his way out from under Tom's hand and stand up, she had gone, slamming the door in her wake. "Oh shit! Oh fuck!" he panicked and took off after her, yanking Tom's office door open again and bolting up the hall. But she had made it into the elevator, the doors swinging closed in her wake before he could make it there and he just stood, frozen in shock for a moment.
He rubbed a hand roughly over his face and then back up, spinning around to run back to Tom's office, appearing back at his side and leaning over him. "Hey... hey, hey. Are you okay, love?" he asked in concern, noting how dramatically Tom had paled.
Tom gave a shake of his head, the fact that Jess' point of view would not have been a good one was slowly sinking in along with the pain. "Hurts," was all he could manage in a grunt before he started to curse. "I can't... she has to know that nothing was--Jesus fucking Christ!" He couldn't even begin to know how to process what the hell had just happened with Liam's sister when all he could think about was the pain in his abdomen. "I think I should go home."
Liam held Tom's shoulders again, crouching down in front of him, despite what had just gone down. "Tom, wait," he said quietly. "I know it's easier said than done, but relax, okay? Take some slow breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth. You don't look good, sweetheart. Just stop for a minute, okay? You're going to make yourself sick. I'll talk to Jess, it's fine. She doesn't know about us before. No one does."
Tom nodded before he took a deep breath in through his nose, and out through his mouth. Then he did it again, and tried to resist the urge to run his fingers through his hair. "It really is easier said than bloody done. I fucking hate this. I hate not being able to move like a normal person. I'm not normal, I'm damaged."
"You're injured," Liam corrected as he began to gently massage Tom stomach with his finger tips, trying to ease the tension he could feel there. "It's the attitude like this that's going to set you right back to square one. You can't tell me you've forgotten how crap you felt right out of hospital. Don't let that get too far from your mind right now. It'll help keep you on a wise course for your recovery. You should only be here part time, you know that? You should be graduating your return to work. You should be talking to a dietitian about the best things for you to eat to encourage your recovery. You should be doing low level exercise. You should be resting more than you're on the go." He paused, pressing his lips together with a small sigh as his shoulders slumped a little. "She thinks I was blowing you."
Tom fell quiet, his head resting against the back of the seat as he let Liam do his thing. He really was going to make a good doctor. He even had the firm advice down pat. The kind that sounded like a suggestion, but always held a hidden threat. He closed his eyes briefly before he nodded. "Alright, alright... Shit. I really don't want to wind up in hospital again. I've had quite enough of that for now." Then his eyes snapped open again. "What?"
"Yeah, I know, and don't worry, I'm pissed off too that my own sister thinks I don't have some self-control and would fuck around with another bloke's property," Liam mumbled as he rose up and sat perched on the edge of Tom's desk again. The sight this time was much heavier and he paused to rub his fingers against his eyes as he tried to process everything that had just happened. He had been too worried about Tom in the initial panic for the penny to really drop, but now that it had, and the way Jess had bolted, it was obvious, and could be about to get really messy. "Shit. I'll drive you home, alright? I'll deal with Jess. You should be lying down, maybe with some heat on that wound site."
Tom rubbed his fingers against his forehead and frowned deeply. "Fucking hell. I have to talk to Stuart. Not that I think Jess would talk to him, I mean, she should... If she really thinks that something is wrong, she has every right to. I'd just rather do it myself. Jesus, the one time I'm genuinely not fucking about and this happens. I need it like I need a fucking hole in the head. No offence, mate. But thanks for... ah, the check up. And the advice. It was actually what I really needed. Maybe not the last few moments, but you know."
Liam had folded his arms tightly across his chest and he gave a small nod. "Don't mention it," he murmured, suddenly feeling about as out of place as a vagina on a drag queen. He felt like he had overstepped the mark, knowing now that he really was nothing but just one of Tom's ex fucks. It was probably lucky he wasn't in a body bag right now. "This is my fault. I shouldn't even be here. I'll make sure you get home okay and then I'll steer clear."
Tom looked up at Liam and blinked. "What? No, no. Liam, please. Just ignore me, okay? My head's still fucked and if the shit coming out of my mouth is making you think you need to steer clear that's not what I meant. You're my friend. You're just going to have to be a little patient with my mentalness."
Liam shook his head and stood up. "It's alright, you know. You'd be surprised how honest a fucked head can be." He took his keys out of his pocket and took a step out of Tom's personal space. "It's okay, too. You should be doing all you can to preserve a new relationship. Life's fickle. Some people go through their whole lives and never find anything remotely like what you've got with Stuart. You'd also be surprised how little innocent mistakes can fuck everything up in a heartbeat. Like letting an ex-fuck touch you intimately, even if it wasn't sexual. I apologise. I should've just told you to go see your own doctor, which I think you should do, by the way," he added, still unable to pull completely back from making sure Tom took care of himself. If nothing else, he was still the best mate of his brother-in-law.
Tom did his shirt back up and stood slowly as he cleared his throat. He was cautious about any movement and felt like an old man as he finally straightened but only after letting out a few grunts and groans. "We'll just sort this sudden tornado out, and then we'll see what happens. I think you and Stuart would actually get on. Not all of my old life is something I want to get rid of. There are parts of it I want to keep. I'll make an appointment with my doctor once I get home." He reached up to give Liam's shoulder a squeeze. "Thank you."
Liam suddenly needed a large stiff drink and a large stiff cock to suck on. He also had a tension headache threatening behind his eyeballs, the stress which was now trying to reach its way through the rest of his body too. He needed stress relief. He gave Tom a hint of a smile and then gestured for the door. "I should get you home. Maybe a call to your fiance before the doctor is in order. He should know you don't feel great. I've got to study anyway. Punishment for not hitting the books straight away." He didn't wait for Tom to answer before he was heading to the door of his office. If only he could shake the unsettled feeling of apprehension that had suddenly appeared in his gut.
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