Work Text:
The hospital cafeteria was buzzing with activity— clattering trays, beeping pagers, and the low hum of medical staff taking quick bites between emergencies. Dr. Samira Mohan and Dr. Heather Collins were seated at a corner table, enjoying one of the few shared lunch breaks they ever had. For once, the emergency department was not overwhelmed with cases, allowing them this brief moment of respite from their duties.
Samira stabbed at her kale salad with the resigned energy of someone who’d rather be eating fries. “So,” she said between bites, “you seeing anyone?”
Heather sipped her ginger ale slowly. “That’s… sudden.” She smiled coyly, knowing that her coworkers gossip about whether her and Robby were a thing.
Samira grinned. “What? We’ve danced around it long enough. I saw that little smile on your face earlier. You’re glowing.”
Heather chuckled, caught off guard. “Okay, fine. I’ve been seeing someone. It’s… still new, but not really. There’s a lot of history.”
Samira leaned in with a smirk. “History, huh? One of those ‘it’s complicated’ situations?”
“You could say that,” Heather said, dragging her fry through ketchup. “We used to date. Years ago. But things ended… messily. Unexpectedly.” She paused, cheeks warm from smiling. “And now we’re trying again. Carefully...”
Samira raised her brows, clearly intrigued. “Trying again with an ex? Bold move. Mine’s kind of the opposite. No history. Brand new.”
“Oh?” Heather tilted her head. “And how’s that going?”
“It’s good. Really good. He’s… intense. But loyal. Quiet, but thoughtful. Doesn’t do small talk unless it’s with a trauma bay. A bit gruff, honestly, but he’s opened up more.”
Heather blinked, narrowing her eyes like something was tickling the edge of her brain. “Wait. Dry sense of humor?”
Samira looked up. “Yeah.”
“Military background?”
Samira paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. “…Yes.”
Heather squinted. “You’re dating Abbot?”
Samira grinned and nodded slowly.
“Well… I’m kinda seeing someone at work, too.”
The sheepish look on Heather’s face, confirmed her suspicions.
“Are you—wait—are you dating Dr. Robby?” Samira asked, jaw dropping!
Heather covered her face with her hands. “Oh my God.”
Samira burst out laughing. “No freaking way. You’re dating Dr. Robinavitch ? I had a feeling! You were the only one to call him out on his bullshit and he allows it.”
Heather gave her another sheepish grin. “Guilty.”
Samira leaned back, cackling. “We’re dating the broodiest men in the hospital.”
Heather joined her laughter. “Abbot and Robby. We really know how to pick ‘em , huh?”
“I mean,” Samira said with a mock shrug, “he just gets me and you know how hard it is to date in this profession”
Heather snickered. “Don’t I know.”
Samira blinked. “Oh please…while that may be true, you get hit on almost everyday.”
Heather laughed as she recalled how jealous Robby becomes whenever someone hits on her at work.
“At least Jack works nights so you don’t have to deal with the logistics of your ex-now turn-boyfriend-again looming over every man that hits on you.”
They laughed again, two women caught in the absurdity of their situations—ER doctors in love with ER legends.
Heather picked up her ginger ale, raised it like a toast. “To bad decisions with good men.”
Samira clinked her water bottle to it. “And to hoping we don’t get fired.”
They drank, grinning like the co-conspirators they now were.