Friends With Benefits

10

Jackson walked up to Ben with a playful grin. "You ready for the day?" he asked, clapping him on the back.

He glanced at the tablet in his hands, already aware of what lay ahead. "We've got a consult at 9, two reconstructions before lunch, a skin graft, and then that post-op follow-up. Sound about right?"

"Perfect, the plastics posse is on go mode."

"Plastics posse, really?"

Jackson laughed, giving him a light nudge. "Yeah, it's an acquired taste, man. You'll get used to it."

Ben shook his head, still unconvinced. "I don't think that's ever happening."

In the middle of surgery, the room was filled with the usual beeps of monitors and the quiet hum of focus. Ben was finishing up some precise stitching, his hands steady, each movement fluid and calculated. Jackson, standing across from him, watched with an impressed look.

"Where'd you learn to stitch like that? It's seamless,"

"Took a lot of time perfecting it in the skills labs. You've gotta get it down if you want things to go smoothly."

He thought for a moment about the countless times he and Miranda had stayed late, practicing different stitching techniques. They'd turn it into a sort of unspoken competition, seeing who could get it more precise, faster. It was one of those things that had strengthened their bond, though he kept that detail to himself.

"I can tell. You've got the finesse. Reminds me of my mentor, Mark. That man was a master with his hands. He could make even the most complex reconstructions look effortless."

Ben met Jackson's gaze, hearing the underlying emotion in his voice. He knew the story. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly

"Yeah, it was. A mentor is... something special. They don't just teach you technique. They show you how to carry yourself, push you to be better in ways you wouldn't think of on your own."

Ben finished his sutures, thinking over Jackson's words. He knew that kind of relationship well. "You're right," he said quietly. "A mentor makes all the difference."

As soon as they left the OR, Ben pulled out his phone. He couldn't help himself; Jackson's compliment had put a little extra swagger in his step. Without thinking too much about it, he quickly typed out a message to Miranda:

"Guess who just got complimented on their stitch work? Flawless technique."

He hit send and leaned against the wall, waiting for her response. It didn't take long before his phone buzzed.

"Please. I've been stitching perfectly since I was patching up my stuffed animals in grade school. Try harder, Warren."

Ben couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head at her playful jab. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, and he rejoined Jackson, who was already prepping for their next case.

"Good to go?"

"Yeah, let's keep the day rolling," Ben replied, still grinning.

During lunch, the attendings had gathered in the lounge. The conversation soon turned toward the residents, as it often did. Opinions flew around the room, each attending speculating on which resident would end up in which specialty.

"There's going to be a Neuro pick in there, Cardio, and I can't get a read on the others . " Arizona said, swirling her salad around on her plate.

"Agreed," Callie chimed in. "The rest just seem that they're going into General."

"Yeah, but Warren is leaning toward plastics," Jackson threw in from the other side of the table. "He's got that precision down, said he's been practicing in skills labs."