Kix finally peeled off his ID badge, tucking it into his coat pocket with a sigh. Another shift done. It was a long one, but manageable. A few codes but most importantly, no loss. A win by ER standards. His feet ached, and the stiffness in his shoulders reminded him of years crouched behind cover with only seconds to stop the bleeding. Civilian life was supposed to be quieter, but chaos didn’t change- it just wore a different uniform now.

He stepped through the double doors into the main lobby, scrubbing a hand over his face before noticing the familiar shape in the waiting room. There they were, head bowed over their phone, legs tucked up in the corner chair like they’d claimed it hours ago. A tired smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. Of course, they’d wait.

His shift was supposed to end a while ago. Running late wasn’t ideal, but he’d stayed an extra hour to monitor a kid with a seizure who came in during the last stretch of his shift. Stable now, thanks to the team, and able to be moved.

He paused for a second, letting himself breathe. The hospital had been his battlefield for the last few years, and while the life or death stakes were the same, the rhythm was different. No gunshots, no orders barked over the radio. Just the beeping of monitors and the sharp call of someone needing help. Different alarms, but similar. Honestly, he missed his brothers more than he let on, but this place, this work- it gave him purpose. Gave him peace outside of the military.

Kix ran a hand over his shaved head as he approached, offering a small smile as he stopped beside the chair. He nudged their shoulder with a small knock of his knuckles. "Hey. Sorry- ran over a bit. Thanks for waiting."