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Title: Commiserate
Fandom: 9-1-1
Characters/Pairings: Hen, Chimney, Sal, Tommy
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with 9-1-1. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Pre Season 1. Hen and Tommy talk about DADT getting repealed.
Commiserate:
When she hears footsteps approach Hen stops talking excitedly with Chimney about DADT being repealed as they restock the ambulance. Chimney takes her pause as an opportunity to state, “Karen must be so thrilled.”
Sal steps around into their line of sight and for a moment Hen thinks he's going to ask what they're talking about or join in the conversation. Instead he rubs the back of his neck and asks, “Do either of you know what's up with Tommy?”
Hen glances at Chimney eyebrows raised, clearly asking if he's seen Tommy today and Chimney's small frown means he hasn't. Normally Tommy greets them at the start of shift, but today he hadn't. That’s weird, but not something to worry about, right? Hen shakes her head. “Haven't seen him.”
Sal grumbles under his breath.
“Do you think he's hurt physically or emotionally?” Chimney asks.
Sal groans then shrugs. “I don't know his face is doing that thing where he's trying to look neutral but he just looks annoyed?”
“His ‘I want every to think I’m fine even though I’m not’ face?” Chimney asks.
“Yeah,” Sal agrees. “Haven’t seen him live in that look since before we got rid of Gerrard.”
“He’s not living in it yet,” Hen reminds. “Everyone is allowed to have a bad day.”
“Yeah, but then we bitch about it to each other and feel better,” Sal grumbles. “I swore at him in Italian and got nothing in return!”
“Oh, this is very serious,” Chimney mock intones.
“Fuck off,” Sal tells him, then grins.
Chimney laughs, then shakes his head, before saying, “Do you think this has anything to do with your cousin breaking up with him and then getting married three months later.”
“I think if he had a problem with it he wouldn’t have been Bea’s best man or maid of honor, what do they call that at a lesbian wedding?” Sal frowns as if he’s going to take a moment to figure it out.
“Whatever your cousin wanted to call it?” Hen suggests.
“I didn’t know he’d been the best man,” Chimney comments, then shakes his head. “I’m warning you I’m going to give Tommy shit for keeping secrets from me.”
“Wait,” Sal tells him, before circling a hand over his face. “Till he’s not doing the face.”
“Obviously,” Chimney agrees. “So it’s not your cousin.”
“No, they’re friends. The three of them are even talking about having a kid together,” Sal informs them.
Hen tries to picture Tommy with a kid and yeah she can see that. Sighing she broaches, “Maybe he’s worried about being a dad?”
“They’re just in the talking stage,” Sal defends. “He said he’s going to therapy so he doesn’t fuck up the kid the way his parents did him, so I don’t think he’s thinking about backing out. Wait, you don’t think he’s backing out do you?”
“Maybe he’s having second thoughts about being related to you,” Chimney puts in.
Sal snorts. “No. He’s stuck with us. Grandma DeLuca would have something to say about that. One of my cousin’s ‘forgot’ to invite him to a barbecue while Bea and Emily were on their honeymoon and got chewed out. And then she called him and got him to come over.”
“Your cousin just forgetful?” Hen asks.
“You could’ve invited him,” Chimney puts in at the same time.
“It was in the middle of my littlest one getting that cold we thought was whooping cough for a bit,” Sal grimaces. “Gina and I didn’t even go, didn’t want to risk spreading it.”
“And your cousin?” Hen pushes.
“Is a forgetful ass?” Sal shrugs. “This is getting us nowhere. You think I should cuss him out again?”
“Or I could just go ask,” Chimney volunteers.
“I got it,” Hen decides as she stands and shoves the box of gauze she’s been restocking at Chimney. She jumps out of the ambulance and watches as Sal gets in to help Chimney.
“He’s in the bunk room,” Sal informs her. Hen nods and heads that way. She pauses in the doorway to the bunk room trying to determine if the lump that is Tommy is actually asleep. She can’t tell so she crosses the room and leans against the wall to look at him. He glances at her and then goes back to staring ahead. Hen sighs and lets herself slide down to sit on the floor by him. They’re the only two in the bunk room.
She waits for him to tell her to leave or try to say he’s fine, but he doesn’t. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust to the low lighting. He’s not crying, but he looks incredibly sad. She leans her head against the wall. She thinks about how many tears Karen had the night before, between bouts of being ecstatic and wonders if Tommy’s going through the same thing. She considers the conversation she just had about his ex-girlfriend getting married and how he’d seemed to expect it.
“I want you to know I had to arm wrestle Chimney to decide who got to come in here and figure out what's going on with you,” Hen jokes.
Tommy huffs, almost smiles, but it's just a lifting of his lips, his eyes don't even crinkle. His voice, when he speaks is rough, but soft, “I'm fine.”
“Really?” Hen prods. “Because according to Sal you didn't even cuss him out.”
Tommy sighs and closes his eyes. “Maybe I'm just tired.”
She waits till he opens his eyes before reaching out slowly, watching to see if he flinches or tries to avoid her hand, but he doesn’t. She runs her fingers through his hair and feels him relax under her touch. Tommy’s tactile, but not great about being the first one to reach out. She went through a period where she wasn’t great at it either. She keeps her hand running through his hair. “When I was just starting to come out my cousin graduated from high school. We’d been close growing up and at her graduation party she was excited to introduce me to some of her friends. She grabbed my hand and didn’t let go for a while. It was normal for us, but then my mom pulled me aside. She told me to be careful about not leading my cousin down the wrong path as if being gay is catching and not just something you are. Except then for a while I didn’t know if I was allowed to touch someone, I’d hesitate or second guess.”
Tommy glances at her. Their eyes meet. “That’s fucked up.”
Hen shrugs. “Took me a long time to get over it. Took me longer to talk with my mom about it. She apologized, but I don’t think that cousin and I will ever be that close again.”
For a moment she thinks he’s going to say something, but then he just huffs and closes his eyes. She keeps her fingers moving through his hair. “I’ll always wonder about the friendship my cousin and I could've had, the missed opportunities. I think that’s where Karen was last night.”
“She wasn’t happy it got repealed?” Tommy asks.
“Oh, she was. Still is, but that doesn’t change that she’s sad about all the things she might have done if it’d been repealed sooner.”
“Or the lives it destroyed,” Tommy comments. “Had a friend who got discharged because of it. And then every one of us who’d been friends with him suddenly felt like we were being scrutinized and so we just stopped talking to him. What kind of person drops someone when they’re going through the worst thing they can imagine?
“You were protecting yourself,” Hen tells him bluntly.
“Still doesn’t make me less of an asshole,” Tommy grumbles.
“Do you know where he is now?” Hen asks.
“He works at Harbor. We get a beer occasionally.”
“Has he forgiven you?” she broaches.
“Didn’t deserve it, but yeah.”
“Are you in here beating yourself up over something you’ve been forgiven for?” Hen pushes.
“No, just,” he pauses then and sighs. “I keep getting caught up in what could’ve been better earlier if it’d just been repealed sooner.”
“Yeah,” Hen agrees. “That’s where Karen ended up.”
“I’m not going to let it ruin my whole day,” Tommy tells her. “I just need to sit in it for a bit.”
Hen lets her fingers still. “So you’re fine?”
“I will be, after a nap. I’m going to try for a nap,” Tommy reassures.
Hen nods. “Alright. I’ll reassure Sal that you’re not in here wallowing.”
Tommy smiles at her, an actual smile this time. “Thanks Hen. Want to know Sal’s favorite swear?”
Hen grins and leans in. “Yes.”
Fandom: 9-1-1
Characters/Pairings: Hen, Chimney, Sal, Tommy
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with 9-1-1. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Pre Season 1. Hen and Tommy talk about DADT getting repealed.
Commiserate:
When she hears footsteps approach Hen stops talking excitedly with Chimney about DADT being repealed as they restock the ambulance. Chimney takes her pause as an opportunity to state, “Karen must be so thrilled.”
Sal steps around into their line of sight and for a moment Hen thinks he's going to ask what they're talking about or join in the conversation. Instead he rubs the back of his neck and asks, “Do either of you know what's up with Tommy?”
Hen glances at Chimney eyebrows raised, clearly asking if he's seen Tommy today and Chimney's small frown means he hasn't. Normally Tommy greets them at the start of shift, but today he hadn't. That’s weird, but not something to worry about, right? Hen shakes her head. “Haven't seen him.”
Sal grumbles under his breath.
“Do you think he's hurt physically or emotionally?” Chimney asks.
Sal groans then shrugs. “I don't know his face is doing that thing where he's trying to look neutral but he just looks annoyed?”
“His ‘I want every to think I’m fine even though I’m not’ face?” Chimney asks.
“Yeah,” Sal agrees. “Haven’t seen him live in that look since before we got rid of Gerrard.”
“He’s not living in it yet,” Hen reminds. “Everyone is allowed to have a bad day.”
“Yeah, but then we bitch about it to each other and feel better,” Sal grumbles. “I swore at him in Italian and got nothing in return!”
“Oh, this is very serious,” Chimney mock intones.
“Fuck off,” Sal tells him, then grins.
Chimney laughs, then shakes his head, before saying, “Do you think this has anything to do with your cousin breaking up with him and then getting married three months later.”
“I think if he had a problem with it he wouldn’t have been Bea’s best man or maid of honor, what do they call that at a lesbian wedding?” Sal frowns as if he’s going to take a moment to figure it out.
“Whatever your cousin wanted to call it?” Hen suggests.
“I didn’t know he’d been the best man,” Chimney comments, then shakes his head. “I’m warning you I’m going to give Tommy shit for keeping secrets from me.”
“Wait,” Sal tells him, before circling a hand over his face. “Till he’s not doing the face.”
“Obviously,” Chimney agrees. “So it’s not your cousin.”
“No, they’re friends. The three of them are even talking about having a kid together,” Sal informs them.
Hen tries to picture Tommy with a kid and yeah she can see that. Sighing she broaches, “Maybe he’s worried about being a dad?”
“They’re just in the talking stage,” Sal defends. “He said he’s going to therapy so he doesn’t fuck up the kid the way his parents did him, so I don’t think he’s thinking about backing out. Wait, you don’t think he’s backing out do you?”
“Maybe he’s having second thoughts about being related to you,” Chimney puts in.
Sal snorts. “No. He’s stuck with us. Grandma DeLuca would have something to say about that. One of my cousin’s ‘forgot’ to invite him to a barbecue while Bea and Emily were on their honeymoon and got chewed out. And then she called him and got him to come over.”
“Your cousin just forgetful?” Hen asks.
“You could’ve invited him,” Chimney puts in at the same time.
“It was in the middle of my littlest one getting that cold we thought was whooping cough for a bit,” Sal grimaces. “Gina and I didn’t even go, didn’t want to risk spreading it.”
“And your cousin?” Hen pushes.
“Is a forgetful ass?” Sal shrugs. “This is getting us nowhere. You think I should cuss him out again?”
“Or I could just go ask,” Chimney volunteers.
“I got it,” Hen decides as she stands and shoves the box of gauze she’s been restocking at Chimney. She jumps out of the ambulance and watches as Sal gets in to help Chimney.
“He’s in the bunk room,” Sal informs her. Hen nods and heads that way. She pauses in the doorway to the bunk room trying to determine if the lump that is Tommy is actually asleep. She can’t tell so she crosses the room and leans against the wall to look at him. He glances at her and then goes back to staring ahead. Hen sighs and lets herself slide down to sit on the floor by him. They’re the only two in the bunk room.
She waits for him to tell her to leave or try to say he’s fine, but he doesn’t. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust to the low lighting. He’s not crying, but he looks incredibly sad. She leans her head against the wall. She thinks about how many tears Karen had the night before, between bouts of being ecstatic and wonders if Tommy’s going through the same thing. She considers the conversation she just had about his ex-girlfriend getting married and how he’d seemed to expect it.
“I want you to know I had to arm wrestle Chimney to decide who got to come in here and figure out what's going on with you,” Hen jokes.
Tommy huffs, almost smiles, but it's just a lifting of his lips, his eyes don't even crinkle. His voice, when he speaks is rough, but soft, “I'm fine.”
“Really?” Hen prods. “Because according to Sal you didn't even cuss him out.”
Tommy sighs and closes his eyes. “Maybe I'm just tired.”
She waits till he opens his eyes before reaching out slowly, watching to see if he flinches or tries to avoid her hand, but he doesn’t. She runs her fingers through his hair and feels him relax under her touch. Tommy’s tactile, but not great about being the first one to reach out. She went through a period where she wasn’t great at it either. She keeps her hand running through his hair. “When I was just starting to come out my cousin graduated from high school. We’d been close growing up and at her graduation party she was excited to introduce me to some of her friends. She grabbed my hand and didn’t let go for a while. It was normal for us, but then my mom pulled me aside. She told me to be careful about not leading my cousin down the wrong path as if being gay is catching and not just something you are. Except then for a while I didn’t know if I was allowed to touch someone, I’d hesitate or second guess.”
Tommy glances at her. Their eyes meet. “That’s fucked up.”
Hen shrugs. “Took me a long time to get over it. Took me longer to talk with my mom about it. She apologized, but I don’t think that cousin and I will ever be that close again.”
For a moment she thinks he’s going to say something, but then he just huffs and closes his eyes. She keeps her fingers moving through his hair. “I’ll always wonder about the friendship my cousin and I could've had, the missed opportunities. I think that’s where Karen was last night.”
“She wasn’t happy it got repealed?” Tommy asks.
“Oh, she was. Still is, but that doesn’t change that she’s sad about all the things she might have done if it’d been repealed sooner.”
“Or the lives it destroyed,” Tommy comments. “Had a friend who got discharged because of it. And then every one of us who’d been friends with him suddenly felt like we were being scrutinized and so we just stopped talking to him. What kind of person drops someone when they’re going through the worst thing they can imagine?
“You were protecting yourself,” Hen tells him bluntly.
“Still doesn’t make me less of an asshole,” Tommy grumbles.
“Do you know where he is now?” Hen asks.
“He works at Harbor. We get a beer occasionally.”
“Has he forgiven you?” she broaches.
“Didn’t deserve it, but yeah.”
“Are you in here beating yourself up over something you’ve been forgiven for?” Hen pushes.
“No, just,” he pauses then and sighs. “I keep getting caught up in what could’ve been better earlier if it’d just been repealed sooner.”
“Yeah,” Hen agrees. “That’s where Karen ended up.”
“I’m not going to let it ruin my whole day,” Tommy tells her. “I just need to sit in it for a bit.”
Hen lets her fingers still. “So you’re fine?”
“I will be, after a nap. I’m going to try for a nap,” Tommy reassures.
Hen nods. “Alright. I’ll reassure Sal that you’re not in here wallowing.”
Tommy smiles at her, an actual smile this time. “Thanks Hen. Want to know Sal’s favorite swear?”
Hen grins and leans in. “Yes.”