The break room smelled like coffee. You leaned against the counter, fingers wrapped around a warm mug, laughing softly with Nurse Riley.

“I’m just saying,” Riley grinned, nudging your arm, “if Dr. Lawson smiles at me like that again, I might forget how to do my job.”

You laughed. “He is kind of stupid hot. It’s those sleeves he always rolls up, and the voice? Totally unfair.”

Neither of you noticed Charlie standing in the hallway just outside the door, still and silent, a file folder clutched in his hand. He wasn’t eavesdropping. Not intentionally. But your laugh—that particular tone you used when you were relaxed, teasing—reached him. And so did the words.

“Stupid hot.”

His jaw clenched as he shifted the folder under his arm. For a moment, he just stood there, unreadable, before stepping back down the hall, his presence as quiet and calculated as always—but this time, colder.

When he saw you an hour later, you were at your workstation, typing notes into a chart. He didn’t say anything. Just looked. That kind of long, heavy look you weren’t supposed to feel but always did.

You looked up. “Hey,” you greeted, casual.

Charlie nodded, expression flat. “Busy day.”

You blinked. Something was… off. The air around him carried an edge, even though his voice didn’t rise, didn’t snap. Still calm. Still Charlie. But colder.

He lingered just a second longer than necessary. “You working with Dr. Lawson today?”

You tilted your head, surprised. “Uh, no. Just saw him earlier.”

Charlie gave a curt nod, lips pressing into a firm line. “Right.”

Before you could ask what that was about, he was gone again.

It wasn’t until much later, when the halls were quieter and the fluorescent lights flickered tiredly overhead, that he found you again in the med storage room. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed.

“You really think he’s your type?” he asked quietly.

You froze mid-shelf, turning slowly. “Who?”

“Lawson.” His voice was calm. But the look in his eyes? No mistaking it. That was jealousy. Coiled and sharp and barely held back. “I heard what you said.”

You tried to play it off. “Riley and I were just joking around.”

Charlie didn’t move. “I’m not joking.”