#♡ ˙ ˖ ✧ — Verse : 911 / Hawaii 5 0 Crossover

[kepnerisms]

  𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘 𝑽𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒏 @wachtraeumen

𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. They're barely even friends. He is just a guy who comes in sometimes because work hurts ; and they flirt. They banter. But they are not friends. Not even if she texts sometimes to check in. Not even if he returns the favor. He's dating someone now ; a journalist. Who is she to say anything about it ? His life is his life - not her concern. And yet she knows that this woman has a reputation.

❝ I'm not sure what you want me to say. Other than I'm not surprised you went for a redhead ; you seem to have a taste.❞ she happens to say with distaste.

❝ Though an officer of the law dating a journalist -- that seems like a bad idea but as we know you're great at those. ❞ she tried to not sound so bitter but...

April is not good at hiding her emotions.

[kepnerisms]

𝑯𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 , and that stings more than the words that left her own mouth. She thought ... doesn't matter. She was wrong. ❝ You're right. We're not close. We're not...❞ there is a pause as she has to look away ; the sadness hard to ignore in her eyes. ❝ You're just my patient. And we should keep it professional. So I will not give you unsolicited advice on your life and you...will only see me the next time you need something patched.❞

It hurts, those words, now hanging heavy on her heart. It shouldn't, but damn, she thought that they were at least friends with their banter and flirting but he's made it clear that they're nothing aside from doctor and patient but maybe they shouldn't even be that.

❝ You know what? Maybe it's better if you just get a whole other doctor all together. Next time you come in ask for anyone else. That way you don't have to worry about me interfering with you at all. ❞

𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔 even more as he listens to April's attempt to backpedal. Despite the biting words exchanged, there is a part of him that understands the impulse behind her concerns—even if they feel invasive. His stance relaxed slightly, but his tone still carries the distinctive sharpness of a man pushed to his limits.

❝ It’s all I want, April. Is it really that hard to just leave it be ? ❞ the Jersey grit in his voice unmistakable as he responds, the irritation clear but controlled. ❝ We ain’t exactly close, you know ? Sure, we've flirted a bit, and yeah, you've seen me laid out here more than I’d like—. But that don’t give you, or anyone else for that matter, the right to get all up in my business about who I'm seeing. ❞ He pauses, his gaze searching hers for a moment, trying to decipher the concern that seems so out of place. ❝ I thought you were just being a good doctor, but this ? It's more than that, isn't it ? But listen, if you're saying you'll back off from here on out... good. That’s all I’m asking for. Let's keep it that way. I don’t need to hear anything more from you. ❞

[kepnerisms]

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚, 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 but it's how it came out and she knows it. And she's sorry it came out that way. A deep breath taken as he returns the favor in his words. She is sorry, so very sorry that she said what she said but she can't take it back now. "I didn't mean that, Matt..." she tries to reassure, but she knows that since it's out there it's going to add the layer of armor he's already worn around everyone else.

❝ I don't think you're a kid who doesn't know jack, Matt. I just ...I know your heart and I know women like her. She's just going to hurt you. ❞ but how can she tell, how can she prove it to him other than let him make this mistake. But she doesn't want to see him hurt. Truth is she cares too much about him to let that happen -- and she realizes she shouldn't care this much. He's a patient, not a friend. Even if she sees him more than her own friends and he knows enough about her at this point. It doesn't matter, he was never hers to begin with. And he's right, she shouldn't worry about him that way.

❝ But if you want us to butt-out of your relationship, consider it done. You won't hear from me about it again. ❞

𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒓, suggesting he is too broken to help anyone, not least himself, Matthew came to a dead stop. His expression hardens, eyebrows drawing together, jaw clenching visibly as he to process the sting of her comment. The remark feels like an attack, an undeserved one, even if part of him whispered that maybe there is truth in her harshness. Yet, what irked him more is the presumptuous shade cast on Taylor by mere assumptions. All they are tossing his way are guesses about her, just assumptions. He can't lay out all the answers about Taylor, but really, do they have the right to throw around those opinions when they don't even know her like he thinks he does ?

Shaking his head, his hands find their familiar perch on his hips, a defensive gesture as familiar to him as his own reflection. ❝ You know, I don't need your worry, ❞ he shoots back, his voice thick with frustration. ❝ For someone who says they don't wanna see me backslide into my old ways, you're doing one hell of a job keeping me stuck right there. Here I am, trying to pull something—anything—together, and all you and Danny do is shoot down every damn choice I make. It's like you think I'm some kid who doesn't know jack about life. I've had enough of that my whole life, one damn failure after another. I’m trying to pull myself up, but it feels like you're there to remind me of how I could fall. I'm trying to get up from this, not be dragged down by more doubt. ❞

[kepnerisms]

𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒅 and not judge him based on his choice of girlfriend. Maybe it's jealousy talking but she can just feel it in her bones that Taylor is not good for him. That yes, she has her own baggage but Matt has more than enough of his own. ❝ Oh, please. You can't even fix yourself how are you going to fix her ? ❞

Though as soon as that leaves her mouth she pauses and covers her mouth quickly. ❝ I didn't mean that, Matt, I am so sorry... I just ... ❞ she takes a deep, steady breath as she tries to draw back from what she just said.

❝ We just want you to be happy, but Taylor ... when it comes down to it is she really going to be there for you or is she going to be there for her own interests ..? ❞ She's glad that Danny also feels the same about her as April does, but she can see why that would also feel like an attack on Matt so she needs to say something, do something so this doesn't end with both of them saying something they'll both regret. Though she already has and it's written on her face.

❝ I just worry about you, I've seen your worst. I don't want to see you there again...❞

𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘, his lips press into a thin line, the tension more than obvious. Like the air could crackle with his frustration, hands set firmly on his hips as he shakes his head, the gesture sharp, almost dismissive. ❝ Wow, ❞ he starts, his voice tinged with that familiar edge of irritation. ❝ Sure, I've had my... flings. And yeah, maybe I don't know exactly what I've got with Tailor yet. She's a redhead, alright, and I've never made a secret of my... preferences. But what’s it to you ? ❞ His frustration seems to peak, his voice rising just a notch as he addresses her bitterness. His eyes darting away for a moment, perhaps recalling the times he and April have flirted endlessly, though he never crossed that line with her. That's just it. They flirted, nothing more. And maybe he did hold back with her because she’s not like others.

❝ To you, it looks like a mess waiting to happen, but she's not how you or anyone else sees her. ❞ there his voice softens slightly, his demeanor shifting as he tries to explain the unexplainable. ❝ She's got her own baggage, stuff with her dad... and maybe that's what draws me to her. Maybe I'm trying to fix something there—God knows why. ❞ ❝ I don't even know why I bother talking about this with you or Danny. Hell, maybe you two should get together and have a good whine about all my bad choices. I really don't get why you sound so bitter, even more than Danny does. ❞