𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒, 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐲₁

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱. 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭

ODD MAN OUT
12x14

"I thought it'd be weird, you know, the small talk, the eye contact, the polite eating, but really, it wasn't. I mean, she was nice. It was nice," Jackson spoke to Matilda as he did a procedure on a little girl she'd been watching over.

"So you're getting back out there, huh?" A ghost of a smile crossed over Matilda's features.

"I don't know about that," Jackson's eyebrows lifted. "I mean, it was sudden, but yeah, it was a date."

"Does Kepner know about it?" Matilda asked after a beat of silence, looking over at him.

"No," Jackson answered a little too quickly. "No, and do not tell her, okay?"

"Sure," Matilda's eyes turn back to the patients arm.

"I mean, I'm not lying, you know?" Jackson defended. "I just don't want her to hear it from someone else. I mean, I'll tell her, you know, when the time is right."

"Mhm," Matilda hummed.

"Uh, we all hear the dogs, right?" Stephanie scratched her head as she entered the room. "There are dogs somewhere."

"Once a month, a rescue group brings in a bunch of puppies for the kids," Matilda gave her her best smile, but it didn't reach her eyes at all. "It's good for morale and healing and stuff? I'm not sure."

"No," Stephanie put a hand on her chest.

"What's the matter?" Jackson looked at the resident.

"Okay, I'm on peds today. No," Stephanie furrowed her brows.

"Hope you like dogs," Matilda tilted her head, pressing her lips together.

🌹

Matilda inhales deeply and sighs, she was mentally preparing herself for a long night, as Arizona and Alex were currently delivering  four pre-me babies.

She really didn't want to go home to Ryan and Jocelyn, who she'd been fighting with for days on end about the living situation.

And if she were being honest she's beginning to absolutely despise the on-call room beds.

Not to mention every time she saw Meredith coming her way she had steered clear of the dirty blonde.

Meredith didn't take Matilda's confession well—at least not in Matilda's eyes. She remembered it very clearly—too clearly—and she didn't like it.

The blonde had told her it was okay, really, and to tell her what she wanted to tell her originally. That they would still be friends no matter what. That a little miscommunication wouldn't put a dent in their friendship.

But who was she kidding? Of course it would. She'd liked the chief of general surgery ever since she saw the girl in her hospital room the day of the merge.

She was currently leaning her forearms down on the cool nurses station counter, her head resting in her hands.

A voice scared her, "I've had one long day."