Peter & Austin (Chapter 3)

Austin

I'll admit it, I was pained walking down the front steps of Peter's apartment.  His fumbling, and subsequent dropping of the keys made it apparent that he was hurting a bit too.  The cold air swirled bitterly in the dark, quiet of dawn, but I felt oblivious to the freezing temperature.  My body was thoroughly warmed.  We were full of excitement, and we talked about not going in at all, steam escaping each of our mouths as we spoke.
"...I mean....I don't know if I can concentrate," Peter was saying to the door, his keys jingling as he was finally able to secure the lock.  Watching him, I was suddenly struck with who he reminded me of...the guy from Garden State.  It was probably because he wore scrubs, but I amused myself with the revelation, having finally put a finger on it.  But Peter was way more sincere and unrestricted...and I was no Natalie Portman.

We walked side by side to the driveway with our heads down, crunching on snow as we went.
"Ah, I said, squinting at the breeze, "I think you'll be okay...It's me I'm worried about."  I joked with a grin, glancing at him sideways.  His profile was alluring.  Clean cut, with very short, dark brown hair that made me want to touch his head with it's softness, a strong nose, and defined cheek bones that suited him very well in the cold...and the heat.  He had a runner's build under his little indie, hooded coat, and I remembered he'd mentioned that he jogged most every morning...even in cold like this.
"You didn't jog this morning."  I commented to make conversation, and maybe more-so to hear his voice.
"I didn't...actually...I think maybe I've found a new way of getting all the energy out of my system..."  He said, and I sensed a playfulness about him.
"God, I hope not..." I retorted in an overtly playful tone, nudging him off of the walkway with my shoulder.
And suddenly with that he'd tackled me.  The balance we lost sent us stumbling into the snow.
"Pete!" I yelled in surprised laughter, and we finally regained balance, bumping against each other in the middle of the yard, "Jerk!" I pushed him playfully.
"Hey, you started it," he grinned as he pulled me to him, brushing some snow off of my coat, "I think...I've got all the energy in the world for you."  He looked at me, a bit of shyness falling over his lashes.
My eyebrows softened.
"Aw...That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," I admitted, not even considering or caring how premature it might have sounded to anyone else, given the short four and half hours we'd allowed ourselves to share with each other.
That smile spread across his face, and he brushed snow from my collar amusedly.
"Sorry" he said.
It was the cutest apology I've ever heard.

Peter

I'd just dropped a test tube, and it shattered with a dull crash on the floor at my feet.
"Damnit!" I groaned, reaching for the broom and dust pan to sweep it up with.
"Up late?"  Jess asked with a smirk, not looking up from the figures she was recording at the machine in front of her.
"Kind of...but these new gloves...they're killing me..." I muttered, throwing the glass into the designated bin, and I carefully set a new test tube into the rack at my station.
"Mmhmm...so...is it someone I know?  'Cause a guy like you has only one reason to be all up late and droppin' stuff so uncharacteristically..."  She grinned and looked at me expectantly, "Come on, kid!  I won't tell."

I hesitated, carefully dropping solution into the tube with an eyedropper, and then looked at her with a faux-pondering expression on my face, "Yeah...I guess it could be...someone you know."
Her eyes went wide with surprise and her mouth fell open as she stopped writing and looked up at me.
"Oh baby, I know you ain't talkin' about that blondie out in reception!  Oh Lord!" She laughed and laughed, continuing once she caught her breath, "I've seen the way he's been lookin' at you in the mornings...all grinnin' and googly-eyed.  Mhm, he's a looker, alright!"
The southern roots came out of her as she got animated.  I stood blinking at her in horror, the heat on my face was surely giving me away despite the huge goggles concealing a good portion of my face.
"Jess! Shush!  God, I think whole hospital's heard you!"  I scolded, halfway joking and halfway horrified.
"Oh my God!" She squawked, enunciating each word as she'd taken that as affirmation.  Her tone lowered, and she said in all seriousness,
"Peter, baby, be careful with these things.  Some people are nasty...oooh they're nasty!  Don't go getting hurt, and Lord, keep that boy out of trouble!"  Her eyes were intent as she spoke pointedly.
"Yeah--no--yeah...of course.  I..I...I do...I realize that.  But he's great, Jess.  Seriously, we've spent only like, four hours together and--"
She cut me off in the midst of my stuttering, waving away my words.
"Baby, what you do in your bedroom is none of my business!  I don't need to hear all that!"
"No...no!  I just meant..." I started, as she interrupted me again.
"Peter.  I love you, baby!  Don't get me wrong...I want you both having what you really want...just watch out for those spiteful people out there.  We need you in here!"  And with that, she patted me on the shoulder and walked away to put her results into the computer.

I hung up my lab coat before leaving the lab, and put the badge in my pocket as I walked towards the reception foyer, several of the nurses calling goodnight as I passed.  I paused as I pulled my coat on, looking at Austin's empty desk, and remembered that it was nearing 4 o'clock already.  Jess's sentiments had stayed with me all day, and I jumped a little when one of the evening receptionists spoke from behind me.
"He left a while ago." She said in a slow, bored manner, looking over her bifocals at me, "He sure was trying to look busy though."  She lifted her eyebrows.
"And wearing blue jeans."  She added, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Oh?  Uh...well...have a good night." I said, with a smile, and kept walking.

I checked my phone, and sure enough, there was a message from Austin sent almost an hour ago.
"Was waiting to take work home w/me...call me?"