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The cat chat continues even after Robby finds out, which, to be honest, does he really think would stop just because the cat is out of the bag? Jack chuckled to himself as his phone buzzed, and Robby gave him a warning look. Ever since that fateful day, the poor guy had been on edge every time someone's phone was out or buzzed. The chat had blown up with this new observation, and comparisons were being made of cats and laser pointers. He knew that Robby, while not deeply bothered by the whole thing, was a bit uncomfortable and wished that the kids would find a new pastime. So with this in mind, Jack launched Operation: Cats out of the closet a week after Robby found out. It wasn't like they were keeping the relationship a secret; they just didn't advertise their connection. So his plan was to leave little bread crumbs of information for the kids, leading them to only one conclusion. It was perfect and simple, nothing could go wrong.
1. Hunting Behavior
His first entry into the group was during their hike. Robby had been scanning the edge of the trail, looking for the blackberry plants they had found last time. Jack had slowed his pace, letting his partner wander ahead, and waited for the perfect moment to take a video. He knows this isn't technically revealing much about their relationship, but he is willing to play the long game and argues that this was a test later.
‘Cat chat’
Dr.MASH: [ The berry hunter.vid]
{Shakey video of Robby at least 30 ft ahead of the camera scanning the trail ahead, not noticing the nature documentary he was the star of.}
“ Here we see the attending cat out in the wild out of his natural habitat hunting for the elusive black berries,” snickered the narrator in an exaggerated English accent. “ He has yet to notice that in his hunt, he has left his partner alone. As the berries are more important than his fellow man.” At that, Robby turned around and flipped him off and then shouted, “ Well maybe his partner should get his ass moving instead!” Laughing and making his way back towards the other.}[End of Video]
Dr.MASH: My favorite berry hunter
Dr. Badass: OMG he's a fruity hunter lol (Dr.MASH likes message)
Nurse_Evans: That he is
Dr.House_Arrest: Hey what trail is that Harrison wants to go hiking.
Dr.Prodigy: Was he successful in his hunt Lol
Dr.Heather: Oh, the black berries are out, nice going to have to visit that trail this weekend!
Jack sent a private message to Cassie about the trail and some suggestions, as Robby and he found a spot to have lunch. The man was munching on his bounty while checking his phone distractedly. An evil grin came over his face, and he took a quick photo of the scene.
“What was that for?” Robby asked around a mouthful of berries
.
“You look cute, and I wanted to treasure it, you know, Kodak moment,” he replied innocently. Robby didn't look even slightly convinced and shook his head.
“ Yeah sure. It's for that group chat, isn't it? What trait this time?” the other asked exasperatedly.
“ Hunting”
“Hunting?”
“Yeah, you were searching for the black berries so determinedly that I couldn't resist,” Jack replied as he added the picture to the chat and then set his phone down.
‘Cat chat’
Dr.MASH:[Bountiful.Jpeg]
Dr.MASH: Yes, he did
Dr.Mel: Nice!
Dr.Mel: Hope you have a good time!
Jack and Robby enjoyed the rest of their hike, bringing home more berries. Arriving home, both men collapsed on the couch to watch a movie and eat takeout. Robby lay on Jack, his head pillowed on the shorter man's chest, lazily watching the movie.
“ So is this going to be a thing with you, too? You know it's not fair that for one, I’m not in this chat to defend my actions, and two, I don't have a chat to catalogue all of the weird shit you do too.” Robby said with a fake pout later in the second movie.
“Talk to Santos,” Jack mumbled into his hair.
Later that night, he gets a private DM from Trinity.
Dr. Badass: I know what you are
2. Head pets
The following entry by Jack to further make their relationship more obvious is actually not by him but by Dr. Santos. Jack is at the lockers, packing his bag, when he catches Dana's eye. She opens her mouth to speak, but is called away before she can. The nurse gave him a questioning look while walking away, promising to needle the answer out of him. All of that is forgotten when he sees Robby heading towards him, arms outstretched for a hug. Jack hugs him tight and runs his fingers through Robby’s hair, earning a happy sound and his head tilting toward where his hand is.
“ Hey, babe, how is the Pitt?”
“ The usual. Myrna is back; someone brought in their pet ferret, so that was on the loose for a bit. But not too much to report.”
“That's good, we got it from here. Go home, and I’ll see you in a few hours.” He ended with a kiss, “Love you.”
When she saw the photo opportunity, Trinity was on her way to the lockers. Slyly, she snapped the picture. She gave them privacy, checked the board, and uploaded the photo. Jack wouldn't see the upload until much later. Reading the chat made him lose some faith in the young doctor's cognitive skills because what the hell?
‘Cat chat’
Dr. Badass:[Head pets.Jpeg]
Dr. Badass: When your attending likes head pets from your other attending lol
Dr.Huckleberry: Lol, cute
Dr.Slomonomo: I think someone missed his bestie
Dr.Lang_done: Yeah, that's what I was thinking too…
Dr.Prodigy: Well, they have known each other for years. My mom said they have always been touchy.
Dr.Mel: Aw, that's sweet. I hope I have a friendship like theirs. Hey Ladies, wanna meet up for a movie night?
After that, plans for a girls' night are made, and no more discussion about the picture. They all chalked it up to friendship. Well, if what he and Robby did last night was friend behavior, then they are best friends. What would it take for them, even maybe to suggest it? It seemed Frank had a good idea, but he could just be sarcastic, maybe he will ask Robby later. And Shamsi said they were “touchy,” huh? Maybe more people know about them than he realized. Later that night, he gets another private DM from Trinity.
Dr. Badass: Wow, they are oblivious.
Dr.MASH: Apparently. Are you going to help them figure it out?
Dr. Badass: Oh no your misery is too entertaining ;)
She reminded the attending too much of a certain blonde nurse for comfort.
3. Sunbathing
If they miss this one entirely, Jack doesn't know what to do at this rate. He should probably post a clearer photo that implies their relationship, but the point still stands. Some might just come out, but Abbott was no quitter, and now he was also invested in this. So, while his wonderful human-shaped cat partner slept, he saw his next opportunity. Robby was asleep on the couch, stretched out with a ray of sun shining on him. Jack was coming home from his shift to the adorable sight, and would be ushering both of them to bed in a moment, but first, he needed to immortalize it. He snapped the picture and moved to wake his partner.
“Michael? Baby, I’m home, let's go to bed,” Jack urged, shaking the sleeping man's shoulder. With sleepy stumbles, the two make it into bed at 7 am, and before falling asleep, the night shift attending uploads the picture.
‘Cat chat’
Dr.MASH: [ Sunbather.jpeg]
Dr.MASH: Look who's sunbathing
Dr.Huckleberry: Why is Robby sleeping on your couch?
Dr.Prodigy: Maybe they’re roommates?
Dr.Slomonomo: Man, the cost of living is so bad that attendings must split rent.
Dr.Mel: I thought as an attending you would at least be able to own or live on your own in a decent place.
Dr. Badass: Oh my god, they were roommates! Lol
Dr.House_Arrest: Hey, maybe we shouldn't speculate on this without knowing the full context.
After reading McKay's reply, Jack decided that it was time for bed and muted the chat. So close, yet so far. He sighs before turning over and spooning behind Robby.
4. Gift giving
Jack loved his partner; he really did. He appreciated Michael and all of his quirks; however, he was beyond words right now. After sleeping off his night shift, Abbott went to join Robby in the living room, officially beginning their time off for the next three days. When the other man excitedly told him to wait there, as he had a present for him.
“Michael I mean this with all of the love in the world but what the fuck?” Ok, so maybe he wasn't beyond words. But the love of his life was standing before him, hands outstretched, holding a preserved human eye.
“I know you can see what it is, hun,” The weirdo replied innocently, then chuckled at his joke.
“That was horrible. But why do you have a human eye in a jar?”
“Oh, you know how Brennan down in pathology is retiring? Well, she was cleaning out her office and let me have this,” he said, gesturing with the jar for emphasis.”I grabbed it for you. I remember you saying how cool it was,” Handing it to Jack to look at.
“I love you.” Abbott blurted out a little breathlessly. Knowing the context of the gift, who else would think of getting this for him? The morbid love of his life, that's who.
“ I know, I love you too,” Robby replied, a little smug, but mostly fond.
The rest of the day was spent doing household tasks and lazing around, enjoying the others' company. Only once Robby begins dinner does Jack think about posting about his new gift.
‘Cat chat’
Dr.MASH: [ Cats gift.jpeg]
Dr.MASH: Look, he brought me dead things!
Nurse_Evans: God, you two are weird. I won't come over if you have that thing out.
Dr.Mel: Is that a human eye!!!
Dr.MASH: It is! Robby grabbed it from pathology as she was cleaning out her office.
Dr.Slomonomo: That is soo cool you have to bring it next shift!
Dr.Lang_done: You know, normal couples get each other flowers or chocolate
Dr.Heather: When have they ever been normal?
Dr.Lang_done: True
After that exchange, Jack held his breath. Yes, they were close; it was out in the open, someone said it. Put it together, it would be so much more fun if they figure it out themselves…
Dr.Prodigy: Wait, Doctor Abbott is it your birthday?
Dr.MASH: No, Robby remembered me mentioning that I thought it was cool and brought it home for me.
Dr.House_Arrest: Aw that was nice of him!
Dr. Badass: That is cool! It must be nice having someone who remembers stuff like that.
Oh that little shit! But hey, at least she was kind of helping, and it seemed that Heather and Frank knew. Come on, guys, you're doctors, you're supposed to pick up this stuff! He was going to give it one more chance, and then, if that didn’t work, he and Robby would tell them about it at the dinner they were having. He had one week before the dinner, so time was of the essence. Jack came into the kitchen and came up behind Robby, embracing him from behind and tucking his face into the other's neck.
“Hey, Jack, you good baby?”
“Your children are so oblivious,” he groaned.
“What are you talking about?” Robby asked, amused.
Jack told him everything and even showed him some of the chat, with Robby laughing long and hard at his predicament. He was so caught up in showing off the Cat Chat that Jack nearly ended up burning the food, much to Robby’s amusement and Jack’s subsequent disgruntlement.
5.“If I fits I sits”
This time, he enlisted Dana in this final try. The plan was for Jack to take Robby's desk chair and goad him into sitting on his lap. Then Dana would post it—a simple, foolproof plan. He didn't want to include Robby, as the whole thing needed to appear natural, and he could not act to save his life.
Everything was set. Jack sat at the other attending's workstation about half an hour before shift change. When the man in question made his way over to update his charts, Robby looked amused as he approached.
“Dr.Abbott, you're here early. To what does the day shift owe for this pleasure?” he asks while leaning on the workstation wall.
“I just wanted to see your pretty face and what mess you guys were handing over,” Jack replies cheekily.
“ Well, you have seen my face, could you get up so I can do my charts?”
“ Nah, I’m pretty comfortable right here,” sprawling out dramatically in the desk chair.
“Jack.”
“Michael.”
“ I will sit on you, don't think I won’t. Move it,” Robby warned the other.
“ I dare ya.”
With one final challenging look, Robby sat down on Jack and immediately logged in to start his charts. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw his partner in crime take the photo and disappear. Mission accomplished! Unlike what he thought would happen, where Robby would get up after a minute or so, he was still typing with no indication of moving.
“Robby?”
“Jack?”
“ Are you going to let me up?”
“Nah, I’m pretty comfortable.” Wiggling his hips as if he were getting more comfortable. Oh that little shit! “Well, as long as you're comfortable, Sweetie,” Jack purred as he encircled his arms around the other's waist, squeezed, and then drifted down. Robby turned his head toward Jack and shot him a dirty look before standing up and then leaning down. “You are so paying for that!” he hissed.
The nightshift doctor got up and relinquished the chair to the other man. Before leaving to meet Dana, he gave one final cheeky smile that said, ‘Gladly.’ Jack found Dana by the lockers, looking at her phone, confused.
“ The chats are gone, " the other informed, confused. Jack pulled his phone out and found that the chat was gone. He shot a quick text to Trinity.
“What happened? It was there this morning.”
“Maybe someone deleted it? Sorry, Jack. I’ll send you the photo, though. Maybe the kids will figure out what happened.” Dana offered to do a handover with the other nurses before leaving.
Damn it! He had it this time. Well, now they would have to do it the boring way. He hopes the kids will figure out the issue before Saturday; he has to wait for now. Eventually, Trinity gets back to him and says that the app archived the messages by mistake and that restoring the chat wouldn't be possible. But by then, Jack accepted that Robby and he should tell them at the dinner that weekend, so he sulked over this for the next three days.
+1 Bonded pair
Right now, Robby felt a little bad for asking Trinity to remove Jack from the chat and add him, but it was for a good cause! He needed their help with his proposal and could not risk the information leaking into that cursed chat. So he called the cat chat members for a quick meeting under the guise of a birthday surprise for Jack and recruited them. Oh, he knew about his partner and hopefully soon-to-be fiancée's game before his little breakdown last week, and he was going to win it!
So, now in Dana's backyard, he locked eyes with the nurse and nodded his head to signal that she should queue the music and start recording. The song was one that the newbies showed them and he loved it. Robby gets Jack's attention and moves closer so they can get the others' attention.
“ Hey, everybody, Robby and I would like to tell you something, so if we could get your attention,” Jack said. With that announcement, the music started catching everybody's attention, and Robby got down on one knee. “ Jack?” he called quietly for the others' attention. The guests gasp, which brings Jack's attention to Robby.
“ Jack Abbott, will you marry me?”
To say he was stunned would be an understatement. But then he realized that he hadn't answered his fiancée and choked out.
“Yes! Yes, oh my god, I will marry you!”
After that, Robby slips the ring on his finger and kisses him hard, and shouts and cheers fill the air. Later, he feels his phone buzz as he is talking with Dana’s husband, and [New Message from: Cat Chat: Dr.Cat: [Bonded pair. Jpeg]] fills the screen. Oh that scheming ass, he had something to do with the chat disappearing. But he couldn't care less. This was one helluva way to come out. Then another message came through.
‘Cat chat’
Dr.Cat: [Bonded pair. Jpeg]
Dr.Cat: I win
Dr.MASH: By cheating! But I love you despite your underhanded ways ;)
A voice broke through the noise, “ Not in the chat! Go get your own chat to be lovey-dovey in!” That broke the engaged couple as they both started to laugh, much to the confusion of those not in the know. Now, the engagement party is winding down, and the couple is swaying to the song that played when Robby asked (Ordinary wedding version by Alex Warren).
“ I can't believe you planned all of this,” Jack comments in an astonished tone. Robby spins them before replying. “ You must underestimate how much these people love you,” he says lightly before pecking him on the lips.
“ So did they know the whole time?”
“ You know what? I have no clue; I told them it was a surprise party for you. I didn't ask.” Chuckling at the absurdity of the whole thing.
Jack didn't care right now, he had Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch in his arms, the love of his life. Who sometimes acts like an overgrown house cat and the people he cares about right now. The truth can wait.
---------
Epilogue
After the proposal, cash exchanged multiple hands, and Frank Langdon and Trinity Santos of their respective cohorts went home a little richer. In reality, they all came to the conclusion that the two attendings were together after the second attempt and decided it was more fun to mess with Jack. Not that anyone was going to tell him this anytime soon. Maybe during the wedding speeches, but that is in the future.