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Wolf bolted from the room, yes he realized he probably raised a lot of questions from his interns but he just needed a moment. Seeing the words “don’t leave me” resonated with Wolf in a way he wished they didn’t. It brought him back to young Oliver out with his dad. His dad who wasn’t in his right state of mind. His dad who needed help. His dad who left him alone. He knows all to well what it feels like to be left alone. Air, he needed air.
In his rush he didn’t notice Nichols and his look of concern as ran by. Nor did he fully register the surgeon calling his name. Wolf found the nearest door and sighed as he felt the cool night air against his skin. Sitting down on a bench with head in his hands, he thought back to that fateful camping trip. He knew his father had issues when off his meds but that was the day it really hit home for Oliver that something was very very wrong.
He was startled when he felt someone sit down next to him. Looking over at who thought to invade his private moment of reliving a haunting childhood moment, he saw freakishly large hands. Hands that really should be a liability.
“You ok, Wolf?” The voice confirmed it was indeed Nichols.
“Oh I’m fine. Just a little childhood trauma reignited by a patient desperately trying to communicate.” He looked to Nichols face now, and saw a mix of confusion and worry in his eyes. “No need to fret. I just needed a moment. Something our LIS patient communicated hit pretty close to home.”
“I…I’m sorry. Do you want me to leave?”
Wolf took a moment to consider, “No. I don’t think I do. Your presence is honestly calming. Grounding? I’d like you…to stay.”
“Alright. Wanna talk? Doesn’t have to be about…ya know.”
“What are your hobbies?”
Nichols was a bit stunned by the question, when wolf looked at his eyes he’d have called it deer in the headlights.
“For example, I enjoy tending to my ferns, listening to classical music, swimming, taking rides on my motorcycle. I doubt abs class is a hobby, so…?”
“Hobbies…right. Um, I don’t know I suppose cooking. I don’t often get to cook for anyone other than myself but it’s relaxing and always a challenge. Ah…soapy tv, but I’ll deny it if you tell anyone.” Wolf noticed his smile was almost an embarrassed one.
“Soapy tv?”
“Yeah you know very dramatic over the top shows. The most unrealistic things you’d ever see. Maybe you wouldn’t know.”
“I don’t but your secret is safe with me.” He smiled giving a soft laugh.
“Thanks.” He chuckled along with Wolf.
They continued rather mindless conversation until Wolf had regained his bearings. Later when Wolf was pondering what to do about JD he felt, for once, he could trust another doctor to have his back. Well, a doctor that wasn’t Carol. He hadn’t asked Nichols yet to perform the chip surgery but he wasn’t afraid to ask. Nichols was really starting to grow on him, much to Wolf’s surprise.
Later that evening he was considering what to bring Nichols, while he hadn’t done anything irritatingly against the rules in awhile it never hurt to go for a preemptive strike. Plus, he’d agreed to help him with JD, that at least earned a thank you. He’d brought him coffee just about every day, bagels on occasion, now he felt it was time for something a little more personal. He considered a fern but not everyone wants the responsibility to care for a plant. Perhaps he could start small, a coffee mug perhaps.
The next day he found the time to take a trip to the mall, well it took visiting two malls, finding a kiosk that would do custom mugs and glasses. Wolf could hear Carol telling him ordering something online would have been easier but Wolf still preferred shopping in a physical store. He left with a coffee mug that said Best Surgeon with a scalpel on one side and Best Chef with a chefs hat on the other. He can’t confirm he’s the best chef but he’s taking a leap of faith. He can’t imagine Nichols being bad at something. On his way out he saw a store with fake plants, and on impulse got him a fake fern. It looked pretty realistic and it required no caretaking responsibility.
He found Nichols in his office later that day. He peaked into the entryway, knocking on the door. “Hey, do you have a minute?”
Nichols looked up from his paperwork, “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”
Wolf, who had his hands behind his back, brought them forward as he entered the office, revealing the gifts. “Well I just wanted to say thank you. Maybe also a preemptive I’m sorry but mostly a thank you.”
“Wolf, you don’t have to keep –”
“Buying you things, I know. But I want to. And you can’t be saying your tiring of not-hospital coffee?”
Nichols laughed, “No, I very much appreciate the actually decent cup of coffee.”
“Okay, then moving on. I thought you might enjoy a fun mug to drink what I assume is decent coffee in your home. Now, I can vouch for your surgical abilities, I cannot for sure say you’re the best chef but based on an educated hypothesis….” He let the sentence trail off before continuing, “Also a faux fern as I was not sure on your interest level in real ferns.”
Wolf watched his crows feet do the adorable thing they do when he smiles as he set the gifts down on Nichols desk. It made something in Wolf’s chest flutter.
“This is…very sweet. You know you could always come over sometime and I’ll let you decide whether or not I deserve the left half of the mug. Or I could come to you. Either way, give you an opportunity to determine if your educated hypothesis is correct or not.”
“I think…I’d like that. But be warned I’m a harsh critic unless there’s Chardonnay.”
Nichols laughed again, Wolf noticed he really liked seeing the man laugh. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
The moment didn’t last, however, as Wolf was paged.
“Duty calls.” Nichols said to him, still smiling, Wolf noted.
Wolf nodded, leaving with a smile of his own.