Chapter Text
Dennis always got to the hospital before sunrise.
Not because he liked mornings.
Not because he was one of those people who “thrived” on early shifts.
No — Dennis got there early because he needed at least twenty minutes to sit in the break room and stare at the wall until his brain caught up with his body.
Today was no different.
He trudged through the automatic doors, badge clipped to his scrubs, hair still damp from a rushed shower, and dropped into his usual chair at the small table with a sigh that felt like it came from his soul.
He was halfway through convincing himself to stand up and get coffee when a cup slid into his peripheral vision.
“Morning,” Robby said, setting it down in front of him.
Dennis blinked.
Then blinked again.
“You… got me coffee?”
Robby shrugged, casual in that way that meant he’d thought about this for at least an hour.
“I was already there,” he said. “And I know you like the caramel one.”
Dennis stared at the cup.
Then at Robby.
Then back at the cup with a chuckle.
“Jesus… you remembered that?”
“You only told me last week,” Robby said, like it was obvious. “Hard to forget when you talk about how the vanilla one tastes like shit for a solid 5-minutes.”
Dennis snorted. “It does taste like shit.”
Robby smiled — small, warm, the kind that made Dennis’s stomach do something weird.
“Well,” Robby said, “this one shouldn’t.”
Dennis took a sip.
It was perfect.
Of course it was.
“Thanks,” he said, softer than he meant to.
“Anytime,” Robby replied, and then he walked off to start his shift.
It kept happening.
Not every day.
Not enough to be weird.
Just… often.
Every other morning, like clockwork, Robby would appear with two coffees — one for himself, one for Dennis — and hand it over with a simple:
“Long night?”
or
“You look like you need this.”
or
“They were out of caramel, so I got you hazelnut, don’t be mad.”
Dennis didn’t think much of it.
People brought coworkers coffee all the time.
It was normal.
Friendly.
Nice.
Totally normal.
Except—
Except Robby always remembered exactly how Dennis liked it.
Except Robby always handed it to him before Dennis even asked.
Except Robby always smiled like giving Dennis things made his day better.
Dennis tried not to think about that part too hard.
One morning, Dennis was rummaging through his locker, muttering under his breath.
Robby walked in. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Dennis said, even though it wasn’t. “Just… I forgot to grab coffee on the way in. Again. I keep telling myself I’m gonna make it at home, but I always sleep in too late and I don’t have one of those to‑go mugs, so I just end up buying it here and wasting money.”
Dennis paused, then half turned to Robby, “Or my boss brings me a coffee… but that’s not exactly… sustainable.”
Robby hummed thoughtfully.
Dennis didn’t notice the way he filed that information away.
The next morning, Dennis opened his locker and froze.
Sitting on the top shelf was a brand‑new stainless steel to‑go mug.
Sleek.
Sturdy.
Really nice.
A sticky note was attached:
Thought this might help. —R
Dennis stared at it for a full thirty seconds.
Then he smiled.
A real one.
The kind that reached his eyes.
He held the mug like it was something fragile and warm and important.
Robby walked in a moment later.
“Oh,” Dennis said, turning toward him. “You didn’t have to do this.”
Robby shrugged, cheeks a little pink.
“It’s nothing. Just… figured it’d save you some money.”
Dennis’s chest tightened.
In a good way.
In a way he didn’t have a name for yet.
“Well,” Dennis said, “thank you. Really.”
Robby’s smile was small but bright.
“Anytime.”
And Dennis believed him.
The rest of the week felt lighter.
Easier.
Like someone had quietly placed a hand on Dennis’s back and said, I’ve got you.
Dennis didn’t think too hard about that either.
Not yet.
But the pattern had begun.