John and Alwyn

[petty_dabbler]

John had taken half the day off from cleaning to go to the children's ward to put on a magic show. He had his rings and handkerchiefs and disappearing balls and coins. Best of all, though, he had a tiny white bunny that was quite content in his pocket.

He started in the common room, then went from room to room to the kids that couldn't get out of bed.

"We appreciate you doing this, John," the head nurse told him.

"Don't mention it," he replied.

He was heading out to go home when he thought Alwyn might still be on the floor so he made a pass through neurology before catching the train.

Comments

[sweet_alwyn]

Alwyn was asleep in the breakroom. This was his third double in a week. They were painfully understaffed, it seemed, and there was no end in sight. At some point one of the nurses had tossed his coat over him to keep him warm, one foot hanging off the side of the sofa he'd claimed.

[petty_dabbler]

John watched him a moment before gently waking him.

"Let's go home to a real bed," he said softly.

[sweet_alwyn]

Alwyn stretched as he sat up.

"What time is it?" he asked.

Alwyn never wore a watch, and he was fairly sure his phone was in his locker.

[petty_dabbler]

"After six," he said. "Let's get a bite and call it a night, hh? Come on."

[sweet_alwyn]

Alwyn nodded, pulling himself together and grabbing his things from his locker.

"What should we have? Nothing heavy. Something healthy for a change, yes?" he suggested, falling into step with John.

[petty_dabbler]

John couldn't recall the last time he'd eaten something healthy.

An apple, maybe.

He racked his brain for a moment.

"Sushi?"

[sweet_alwyn]

"I was thinking salad, but sushi is better than burgers, I think," Alwyn agreed with a nod and a faint smile.

[petty_dabbler]

In John's mind, salad wasn't a meal. It was something you ate by accident.

"I honestly don't know where to get a salad," he chuckled. "But if that's what you'd like, let's find one."

[sweet_alwyn]

"There's a place down the road that only sells salads. Have you never been? It's good, it's organic, they work with nearby farms..." Alwyn said, happily chatting away about the healthy alternative.

[petty_dabbler]

John walked with him, listening closely. By the time they got there he was genuinely excited to give it a try.

"Are we eating here or going home?" John asked inside.

[sweet_alwyn]

"I don't have a strong preference," Alwyn admitted, looking over at him with a soft smile. "I really want avocado salad."

[petty_dabbler]

"Let's sit here and enjoy it," he decided.

He had Alwyn order first and John's choice was not adventurous. Something simple he'd seen someone eating once.

"It'll be nice to be out and awake for a bit. Like a real date," he said with a lopsided grin.

[sweet_alwyn]

"Is this what people do on dates?" Alwyn asked, starting in on his food right away.

[petty_dabbler]

"Sit down, relax, eat, chat...then go out and get into trouble," John chuckled. "It'll pass as a date."

He watched curiously as Alwyn took a bite.

"That's what avocados look like? I've only ever seen them mashed. Amazing."

[sweet_alwyn]

"Would you like to try it?" Alwyn offered, since he knew that's what people did. They shared food. ...Even if it was a little gross to him.

[petty_dabbler]

"Thank you, but no," he said, holding up his hand to stop that idea. He wasn't going to go that far in trying to see why Alwyn was so keen on this.

He poked at his salad.

"Mine has enough going on, I think."

John's salad had almost nothing going on.

[sweet_alwyn]

Alwyn only shrugged and continued eating.

"How was your day?" he asked after a long moment of comfortable silence.

[petty_dabbler]

"It was good. I spent the last half of the day in Children's giving them a little magic show," he said.

He pulled a red nose out of his pocket and popped it on.

"Shouldn't just be one day a year, hmm?"

[sweet_alwyn]

"That's really sweet of you," Alwyn said softly. "Truly."

[petty_dabbler]

"It makes them happy," he shrugged. "There's some that've been there for some time, or they keep coming back. I have to think up new tricks for those ones."

He tucked into his salad and decided it really wasn't that bad.

[sweet_alwyn]

"I don't tend to get invested in patients, I know it's a bad idea to get attached- But I still don't think I could work with children. It would be too hard. I did a rotation there, and it was... I nearly left," he admitted.

[petty_dabbler]

"The little ones are the hardest," John nodded in understanding. "You made it through, though. And now you're here."

[sweet_alwyn]

"True," Alwyn agreed with a slight nod.

[petty_dabbler]

John slipped his hand into his pocket to check on the kit. He was sure it was sleeping in the warm little nest in there.

"I got a new prop. I'll show you at home," he said.

[sweet_alwyn]

"A magic trick?" Alwyn asked, looking interested.