Chapter Text
Dennis knew he was fucked by the end of his first month at PTMC. Robby was always going to be a problem, the man had a horrible habit of putting his hands on Dennis any chance he got and it was slowly driving him insane. But Abbot…Abbot was a problem Dennis hadn’t expected. He was hot, sure, anyone with eyes could see that. But the way he talked to Dennis during his first night shift was criminal. Oh, sure, he was nice to everyone. Dennis didn’t think he was imagining the way Abbot’s voice dipped into a lower register to talk to him though. Didn’t think he was imagining the way it softened just for him. He tried to shake it off. He really did. Ignore it and move on, just like he was trying to do with Robby. But dear lord, if they didn’t make it difficult.
The month after that, he found out they were married. He wasn’t supposed to. They were terribly private about it. (Dennis had a hunch it was mostly Robby, Abbot didn’t seem to mind nearly as much) It came about one day right after handoff. He had noticed the two men had disappeared but hadn’t thought much of it- that is, until he walked into a supply closet to grab a roll of paper towels and saw Robby pressed against a shelf, his wrists pinned by Abbot. Dennis thought he was going to die right there. He had never left a room faster, grateful it was the end of his shift and not the beginning. That night, Dennis had trouble sleeping, terribly occupied by the image engraved in his mind.
Robby cornered him next shift, despite Dennis’s efforts to stay out of his way. “So,” he started, crossing his arms. Dennis curls in on himself slightly, less than pleased about having this conversation. “So…” Dennis trails off. “You and Abbot.” Robby sighs. “Me and Abbot.” Robby lifts his hands, resting them on the back of his neck. “I suppose you have questions.” “A few.” “Well, you might as well know. Shoot.” Dennis runs his hands through his hair, noting, for the first time, the faint glimmer of gold on Robby’s finger. “Married?” he asked, trying to keep his cool. Robby nodded, idly spinning the ring. “For ten years.” There’s a slight pause, something unidentified flickering through Robby’s eyes. “Been together for twenty though,” he added quietly. Dennis took this in for a moment, slightly in awe of how long it’d been. “Wow.” Robby laughed slightly. “Yeah.” His voice was soft and fond in a way that only comes from loving someone for so long. “We don’t…really advertise it,” Robby added after a moment. “Especially not at work.” A wry smile pulled at his mouth. “Normally we’re more subtle.” Dennis laughed a bit, still surprised but getting used to the idea. “Does Dana know?” he asked suddenly, looking up at Robby curiously. Dana knew everything that happened in the Pitt, especially with Robby and Abbot as they’d been there longest. Robby snorted a laugh. “Of course. She knows everything I think.” Suddenly there’s a nurse poking her head in the breakroom door. “Incoming trauma, some guy got hit by a bus. Ten minutes.” And then she was gone and the two doctors sprang into action.
Dennis thought this would be the end of his little crush. The two men were married. And to each other even. It had to be over. And yet…and yet Dennis found himself thinking more and more about them, mind preoccupied by thoughts of them together. If anything, his crush only grew. Now, suddenly, both of them were a possibility. Both of them…together…with Dennis. He tried his best, he really does, but he can’t seem to get them out of his head. So, one shift, high on exhaustion and caffeine, he does something one can only describe as stupid as all hell. He flirts with Robby. It’s not even subtle. They’re in the break room right before handoff. Jack Abbot is scheduled to walk in the door any minute now. Dennis is getting a Monster energy drink to have on his way home when Robby walks in. He shoots Dennis a vaguely amused look. “An energy drink? This late?” Dennis shrugged. “Never seemed to work on me anyway. I drink it for the taste more than the caffeine.” Robby just shook his head slightly, still looking amused. Dennis sat down at the table next to him, briefly resting his forehead on the table. “Long shift?” Robby asked, faint teasing in his voice. Dennis just groaned in response before lifting his head to take a sip of his drink, a small smile on his lips. “Well, go home and rest. You deserve it.” Robby’s voice was softer now, more caring than Dennis would expect from a married man. Perhaps that’s why he said what came out of his mouth next, with exhaustion already loosening his tongue. “I’d get better rest if I went home with you.” He cringed as soon as he said it but it was too late, the words were out, hanging almost tangibly in the air. Robby just stared at him, a faint look of shock on his face as Dennis stuttered out an apology and nearly ran from the breakroom. He didn’t look at Robby for the remaining twenty or so minutes of the shift, not when a new patient came in, not during handoff, and not as he left the building. And so he didn’t notice how Robby watched him the whole time. Jack did, though. He didn’t comment on it yet, no, just filed it away in the drawer in his head that held all the things he noticed were important to his husband and moved on with his shift.