Chapter Text
For the first time in a long time Dennis Whitaker was in a good place: he lived with his roommate Trinity Santos, whom he worked with at PTMC, he was making a decent sum of money, enough to live comfortably (not that Trinity made him pay rent), and, he was finally okay with the fact that he liked men. All was good, well, minus one thing. Dennis was madly in love with his attending Michael Robinavitch (or Robby as he had asked to be called.) The problem? Dennis was barely 30 and Robby was 50, for one, the age gap was problematic, the other thing being that Robby was his boss. It would never happen.
Until, Dennis Whitaker was sat in the Emergency Departments small staff room, it was a hot day, and the forth of July, He was taking a break, when Robby walked in.
''Really great work earlier today, Doctor.'' Robby smiled, his little eyes wrinkling over as he did. God Dennis wished that he was always the reason Robby smiled like that
''Huh--Oh wow...You can just call me Whitaker you know.''
''Not a chance, you earned that...I'm proud of you'' Robby said. Dennis blushed at his words, it seemed so paternal, exactly what he craved from the older man.
''We all are...''
''Thanks...'' Was all that Dennis could muster up, deflated that Robby's personal praise had turned out to be an error in speech.
''Busy day.'' Robby said absentmindedly, ''Oh--Yeah...'' Dennis replied, Robby breaking him out of his chain of thought.
''So, you're a very empathetic soul.'' Robby started ''Yeah I'd like to think--'' ''I'm not finished yet. And you want to be there for all of your patients.''
''Don't you?''
''Shh.''
''Sorry.''
''And this 'relationship' that you're having with this woman-- Uh, the widow of the burn victim who died last year--''
''Amy. Santos tell you?''
''I understand you're helping her out.'' Robby ignored the question
''Yeah, on the farm.''
''I grew up on one, and Amy's-- Mrs. Miller is getting pressure to sell, so I'm just helping out.''
''What about her friends and family?''
''Yeah, they're around.''
''Supporting her?''
''Yeah, I think they try to, but, mostly, she's just leaning on... me.'' Dennis said coming to the slow realization that Amy may see him as a romantic partner.
''I'm sure she's really grateful for everything that you do, but it's important to have boundaries.''
''Yeah.''
''Hey, you want to do me a favor?''
''Yeah?''
''You want to house-sit for me while I'm gone? You'd actually be helping me out, and you could save some money on rent.''
''Are you being serious?''
''No smoking, no parties, no pets, no babies, yours or anybody else's.''
''I don't have a baby.''
''No, but she does.''
''I was going to ask Abbot, but he does nude yoga at sunrise, and I don't think some of my elderly neighbors would survive seeing that.''
Dennis laughed softly with Robby ''Yeah. Yeah, t-that would be amazing--'' He paused blushing slightly ''--the house-sitting, not seeing Abbot's naked yoga.''
''If I don't come back, you got a swinging bachelor pad.'' Robby said feigning nonchalance. Dennis froze looking up at Robby with his deep set tired puppy eyes.
''Okay.'' Robby said pushing up with an old man groan that admittedly turned Dennis on a lot more than it should of, ''Come find me before you leave. I'll give you my keys and the security code.''
''Okay.'' Dennis peeped out
''Who's the joker that did this?'' Said Doctor Al-Hashimi as she stepped into the breakroom as Robby slipped passed her.
Dennis didn't respond.
The rest of the shift was pure chaos, Samira had a panic attack which really riled Robby up, the hospital systems were hacked forcing them to go offline, and to top it all off, there was a waterslide crash, where a woman lost her leg and Ogilvie being the idiot ass face he is was not in any way comforting. As always though, end of shift came, and Dennis jogged after Robby as he was leaving the building.
''H-hey Doctor Robby! Wait up!'' Dennis said his shortness of breath making him stutter (Damn his Asthma)
Robby turned with a smile, ''Still decided you wanted to do this huh?'' He asked and he fished out his motorcycle keys from his coffee brown old leather jacket
Whitaker smiled ''Uh-- Yes I guess so?''
As Robby started to hand over his house keys and write down his phone number on Dennis' phone, Dennis thought back to the conversation many hours before:
''If I don't come back, you've got yourself a swinging bachelor pad''
''Hey Doctor Robby?'' Dennis asked
''Outside of work it's just Robby, what's up'' Robby said nonchalantly making the correction, not that Dennis noticed, he was too busy being concerned
''Well Robby, earlier you said ''If I don't come back'' and-- I just want you to know that there are a lot of people here that need you, who care about you, and who love you'' He let that last one slip ''What I'm getting at his just please...Don't hurt yourself, or do anything permanent?'' Dennis said looking up at Robby with his deep onset sad eyes
Robby's usual demeanor changed almost instantaneously, he looked at Dennis with gentle and kind eyes, like he was going to tell a child everything would be okay, ''Whitaker, you know-- I'm old'' He sighed out ''I don't have much life left in me anyways, I'd much rather go out on my own terms than let god choose when I do.''
Whitaker frowned ''I'm not one for religion Robby, but I do believe death is a sacred time we all take for granted, I understand wanting to go out on your own terms, but I also firmly believe that god will take you when he's ready.'' He said with a furrow of his eyebrow.
Robby's eyes wrinkled as he smiled, he looked at Dennis ''Sometimes life doesn't feel worth living knowing that I love someone and they'll never love me back'' he said eyeing Whitaker up and down. ''Yeah I get that one'' Dennis laughed out ''But hey-- If we never find love, we could just date each other...That would solve my problem'' He said the last thought never leaving his head.
Robby turned an unexpectant shade of pink, t was beautiful though Dennis would never admit to it, ''Right!'' Robby coughed out as Dennis watched him with concerned though he didn't verbally confirm it just held up a worried thumbs up to which Robby mimicked. Dennis sighed eyes locking on Robby's for a moment—a moment that felt too long for comfort—Robby cleared his throat looking away and Dennis followed suit.
''I-- Need a ride home. . .'' Dennis said hopefully
''Hop on kid'' Robby replied, tossing him the large sleek black helmet to which Whitaker fumbled but caught, ''Don't you need one--'' Dennis started until Robby cut him off ''Don't worry kid! Hop on!'' Robby said patting the area behind where he straddled near the front, Dennis felt his heart in his stomach, and he just knew his face was beet red.
Dennis struggled but eventually with the help of Robby's strong guiding hands got onto the motorcycle, and off the two rode, Dennis' hands wrapped perfectly around Robby's waist, as if they were made to be there.