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JULIUS
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“Who is that?!”
“That is Doctor Julius Jupiter, head of the emergency department.” Julius didn’t mean to eavesdrop, really, he didn’t. He had simply been looking for some more boxes of gloves when he had heard his name being mentioned and had ducked into the storeroom, door slightly ajar, curious as to what staff were saying about him now. The staff that Julius worked with at the London Metropolitan Hospital were in no way vindictive, they were simply curious, and if Julius had been in their shoes, he would likely be the same.
“Mm-hmm, I wouldn’t mind playing doctors and nurses with him.” Julius blushed at the woman's tone. There was only one woman he worked with, who he would ever consider playing doctors and nurses with, but it would never happen, not with his secret in any case.
“Wouldn’t we all! Seriously though, don’t waste your time.”
“Oh.” The voice sounded deflated. “Gay?” Curiosity coloured the word.
“All I know is that in the five years he has worked here, he has never dated, not even once. Apparently, his wife died in a car accident, just before he moved here, and he never got over her death.”
“You two had better not be standing here gossiping about Doctor Jupiter,” the brisque voice Julius recognised as Zoe Withers cut into the conversation, “Mister Johnson in room three requires his dressings changed, and there are beds to be made up. And even if there weren’t, there is never a time to stand idly by gossiping about a co-worker, is that understood?”
“Yes ma’am,” the voices chorused in unison.
“If I catch it happening again, you’ll be written up, now go.”
Julius could see why Zoe was both respected and feared in equal amounts by all staff, doctors included. As head nurse, she was fierce, and always had her staff’s backs, but step out of line, and she would be the first to reprimand you. She had no tolerance for putting her patients at risk. Zoe treated everyone equally, it made no difference to her if you were a doctor, nurse, or janitor; she treated everyone as she expected to be treated.
Julius and Zoe had been friends at first sight, and it wasn’t long before Julius had fallen completely in love with her, not that he would ever tell her that of course. As much as he loved her, enough to turn down several job offers, unwilling to move away from her, he still hadn’t managed to confide in her about his biggest secret of all, certain that even Zoe wouldn’t be able to accept it.
Instead, he had loved her quietly, secretly, from afar, and had endured in silence as she dated douche after douche, until five years ago when she had shown up at his door, black eye and gashed lip. She had never explained, and he had never asked, he just held her as she cried herself to sleep.
The following day Zoe had announced that she was done with dating, and that was that, her entire life was now working and sleeping, and the very rare hospital fundraiser that Julius was able to drag her to. Like tonight. Julius had convinced Zoe to attend the hospital fundraising ball with him, to make matters more interesting, it was a costume party, and Julius knew exactly how he was going. He only hoped Zoe liked what she saw.
When his shift finally ended, he hurried back to his staff accommodation and changed quickly, not wanting to be late in collecting Zoe. He pulled up just as Zoe was coming out of her apartment complex, and his mouth gaped open at her costume.
“What’s wrong? Is it too much? Should I change?” Zoe misunderstood his stare.
“No! You look breathtaking!” Julius finally found his voice. He stole another look at Zoe as she got into his car. Dressed as a sexy space cadet, with a dress that barely covered her bottom, thigh-high boots, weird arm cuffs, and a headband, she was by far the hottest looking space cadet he had ever seen.
“Well,” she sounded dubious, “at least we match.” The irony was not lost on Julius, currently driving around looking like an alien, the only thing covering his lime green iridescent scales a pair of white linen pants and his dress shoes.
Julius loved the hospital ball, it was the one time of the year that he felt he could honestly be himself, warts and all, that he could truly express his true nature without it affecting his working life. The ball was in full swing by the time they arrived, and Zoe attracted a number of wolf whistles as Julius helped her from his low-slung car. While Zoe shrugged them off good-naturedly, Julius found the whistles grating and hurried to steer her away somewhere quieter.
“You’re right, Julius, this is fun.” Zoe laughed as she swayed in his arms. It wasn’t unusual for Julius to dance with Zoe, they were best friends after all, but being like this with her tonight was freeing, and Julius found his head swimming with possibilities. As the last note died, Julius took Zoe’s hand and led her outside, suddenly in need of fresh air. They wandered through the grounds of the rose garden, lit up with hundreds of fairy lights, talking of nothing, yet everything at once. As Zoe paused to stare up at the stars, a wistful, faraway look in her eyes, Julius found he couldn’t breathe.
“Julius?” At the sound of Zoe speaking his name, Julius looked at her, before lowering his head slowly, breathing in her scent, watching the way her eyes dilated with lust for him. He had dreamt of this for five long years. One kiss, he told himself, that was all it would be, just one single kiss, just to taste her, just to get her out of his head. Nothing else, nothing more, a single kiss is all it could ever be, a single kiss to tide him over for eternity.
