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When Dennis walked out of his world history course, he felt an enormous weight lifted. He had finished all of his classes, he had completed all his coursework and the next classes he would be taking would be for his degree in the medical field. At med school! He could hardly believe it. He was done! He walked home feeling lighter than air and let himself into the apartment-
“SURPRISE!” A loud road accosted him as he stepped into the house. He dropped everything he was holding and covered his ears.
“Oh, fuck.” Robbie was the first voice Dennis heard. That relaxed him. Anywhere Robbie was was usually a safe place. He dropped his hands. “Baby? You okay?”
Dennis looked around. There were far more people in his little apartment than he had expected- it was supposed to just be him and Victoria because Robbie had to work- “You- you were supposed to be at work.” He mentioned. Trinity and Yolanda were right behind him, each wearing party hats. Victoria was standing right next to Robbie, holding a posterboard sign.
“Yeah, that was strategy.” Trinity explained.
“I told Robbie when you left for your exam and they came over.” Victoria explained. “He wanted to-”
Robbie stepped up to Dennis and leaned down. “You okay baby?”
Dennis nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. A surprise party?” He looked up at Robbie and took a deep breath. “For me?”
Robbie held his face. “Yeah. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No, no. It’s not your fault. I just got- you know, startled. I wasn’t expecting to see you guys.” He pushed his face into Robbie’s shirt. He steadied himself and pulled his face away to look at the other party guests. “This is so sweet guys. Thank you for coming over- you knew I was finishing school today?”
Yolanda leaned against the wall. “Yes. Robbie hasn’t shut up about it- ‘did you know next week he’s done, in august he starts MS1-’ it’s insufferable.”
“Mid trauma, mind you.” Trinity intoned. “Come on. No more hallway time.” She pulled Yolanda to the living room. Victoria watched them go, eyes trained on their hands.
Robbie looked down at Dennis. “Sorry for scaring you. Really. I didn’t know loud noises bothered you- I wouldn’t have done that.”
“No, no. You’re fine. I just-” his eyes burned. “I got uh- scared. That it was my mom.”
“Would she- would she do that?’ Robbie asked, eyebrows raised. “Show up and act like it was a good thing?”
Victoria and Dennis shared a look. “Everything involving her is a good thing.” Victoria explained.
“Well, I’m sorry. I hate that it scares you to think of her.” Robbie said, tipping his chin up. “Do you feel like partying or should I send them home?”
“Is it really a party?” Dennis asked, looking down the hall. “You did this for me?”
“Of course baby. I’m so proud of you.” Robbie kissed his temple.
“I want to party. I’m excited.” Dennis said. He leaned down and picked up his phone and his keys and hung them up. “Wow. I’ve never had a surprise party.”
Robbie nodded. “Let’s go then. Party on.”
Dennis turned to Victoria. “Did you help them? That’s so sweet, Vic. I thought we were just playing Minecraft tonight-”
Victoria giggled. “Go see what’s on the tv.”
Dennis reached back for Robbie’s hand and pulled him to the living room. It was decorated with pictures of Whitaker in doctor outfits, doing medical things, definitions of medical terms coming out of his mouth. There was bunting that said ‘countdown to doctor dennis’ and his teddy bear sat on the couch with a party hat on. The tv had his and Victoria’s split screen Minecraft loaded up. It was absolutely precious. Dennis felt his jaw drop.
Trinity held up a party cup. “Garcia made cranberry party punch too. Very good.”
Dennis hugged his arm around his chest. “This is so nice, guys. I- Thank you.”
Robbie pulled him over to the couch and into his lap. He scooped up his teddy bear and offered it to Dennis. “You’re so welcome, baby. You should be proud of yourself.”
“And I’m so excited that you have an open availability for shooting.” Trinity shot back.
“Shooting? Do you guys like- make youtube videos?” Victoria asked, walking in from the kitchen with two cups of punch. She gave one to Dennis and sat down on the floor next to Trinity.
Trinity snorted. “Yeah. Something like that.”
Victoria’s eyebrows went up. “What is it?”
Dennis cleared his throat. “We make different kinds of things. It’s how I met them.” He glanced at Trinity and shook his head minutely.
“Like, games? Do you stream games?” Victoria asked.
“I thought Huckleberry didn’t play video games.” Trinity replied.
“Well, he doesn’t usually. I’m showing him how to play Minecraft.” Victoria explained. “He usually just watches me.”
“I was trying to teach him how to play a rogue like, the only part he was good at was resource management.” Trinity said. Yolanda came in from the kitchen and sat down next to her, quickly laying down to put her head in Trinity’s lap. Trinity lit up at that, which made Dennis’ stomach warm. It was nice to see a big smile like that on Trinity.
“Which one? We tried Hades and Terraria but he didn’t like the art style in that one-”
Dennis leaned against Robbie’s neck and kissed his cheek. “This is so sweet. I had no idea- I was so sad you were at work.”
Robbie smiled down at him. “You were. I almost cancelled the surprise like four times just so we could hang out but I got Jack to switch with me so I have tomorrow off too.”
Dennis’ ears went red. “You switched shifts for me?”
“Baby, I’d do anything for you.” Robbie promised. “You’ll understand that soon enough, I think, but I’ll keep telling you. If you want to come over tonight you can. I brought my truck so we can stay late and you can sleep on the way home.”
Dennis nodded. “Yes. Yes. I think I was starting to formulate a plan of coming over when Victoria and I got done playing Minecraft because I wanted to be there when you got home.”
“How were you gonna get there?” Robbie asked.
“I was gonna take the bus-” Dennis started.
“By yourself, at night? No.” Robbie said. “No. You can’t do that.”
Dennis blushed. “I can. It doesn’t even get dark until like 9 now.”
Robbie looked at him seriously. “I’m not kidding. I don’t want you going by yourself at night. You know that.”
“It’s not fair to drag anybody out with me-”
“So use my card and uber to me.” Robbie insisted. “I put it on your phone already, you don’t need to worry about anything. You can ask for women and non-binary drivers if that makes you more comfortable-”
“I don’t like ubers. I feel guilty about the whole gig economy.” Dennis insisted. “I can take the bus for like 2 dollars and they’re city employees so they can have benefits and stuff.”
Robbie sighed and nodded. “Yeah. I understand, baby. We have to get you your license.”
Dennis laughed. “I have my license. I’ve had my license since I was 15.”
“What? Why are we even- Dennis.” Robbie laughed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Uh- because having a license doesn’t get my car out here or give me low enough insurance rates to even have it.” Dennis explained. “I’ve checked.”
“Oh my- I could shake you. Baby- I can pay for your insurance.” Robbie insisted. “I would so much rather have you on my insurance than ever have to worry about you on the bus, in the uber- anything.”
Dennis squinted at him. “Are you joking right now? My insurance would be like 600 dollars.”
“What? No it wouldn’t. You’ve never had a car accident, you have excellent grades- what are you talking about?” Robbie asked.
Dennis frowned. “My mom said it was too expensive because I’m ‘mentally unstable’.”
Robbie’s face flushed red. “She said what?”
“I mean- it was a while ago- it’s not that important, she just- she told one of my friends that I was mentally unstable and- well, she used a bunch of slurs to explain why I couldn’t go to college the way we had originally planned, she said I couldn’t take care of myself, that I couldn’t live alone- she just didn’t want me to go.” Dennis sighed and laid his head down on his shoulder.
“What is she talking about?” Robbie asked. “You live alone now. I mean- Victoria’s here, but you- What?”
Dennis felt embarrassed. “I used to have really really bad anxiety. I still have some, obviously but I was a lot sicker then. I’d get worked up and she’d have to come get me from school.”
“College?”
“No, like, middle school. It had eased up when I was in eleventh grade and then by senior year I was way better. It- Once I figured out who I was, what I was so anxious about- when I stopped going to church with them every Wednesday.” He recounted. “It was hard for a while but- you know. I got better.”
Robbie squeezed. “I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry that happened and I’m sorry it was used against you. I think you do a great job.”
Dennis nodded. He didn’t want to mention how hungry he used to get or how he’d squandered all his meal dollars on simple groceries because he hadn’t known how to navigate the bus line when he first moved here. He did take good care of himself now. And it would’ve been easier if he had been able to ask for help. But he had learned not to, as least in the case of his mother. He took a deep breath and kissed Robbie’s cheek. “I think you do a great job helping me.”
“Dennis, do you want to play now?” Victoria asked. She had two xbox controllers. He nodded and took his icy blue one. It was a recent acquisition from Victoria’s mother- technically, they were supposed to be ankh remotes, and Victoria absolutely used hers for that. But she had also constructed a scale replica of Kali in Minecraft with her astral purple controller.
“Watch how good I am.” Dennis said.
Robbie nodded and turned his attention to the tv. Victoria entered the world and loaded up Dennis’ screen. The tv split and Dennis immediately took off. “Okay, look at my mushroom house. Victoria built it for me in like- 20 minutes.” He said. “And then she put a beehive by it so I could feed them and pet them.”
“Dennis is trying to build a farm.” Victoria explained. She was constructing another model, quickly collecting materials and clearing a portion of their world.
“I mean. Not a farm. Maybe like a petting zoo.” Dennis insisted.
“I’d love to see your petting zoo.” Robbie assuaged. “You miss your farm?” He asked.
Dennis nodded just once. “Yeah. Getting in the dirt was never my favorite part but- you probably know. In Judaism, you’re supposed to feed your animals before you feed yourself. It’s part of the Talmud.” He said simply. “I thought that was special- it makes them sacred, worthy of care.”
Robbie nodded. “It’s a mitzvah. If you’re starving, you come first. And you can drink water. But the Talmud does say that it’s cruel to eat while the animals that depend on us for care are hungry.”
Dennis nodded. “Exactly. I think if- I think the ‘we live by our laws, not die by them’ is my favorite of the Jewish understandings. What about you?”
Robbie looked away from Dennis for a moment and he heard a deep breath leave his mouth. “I think the way they value children is- it’s important. It’s said that if your child has a hard time going away to learn the Torah, to bring him home and for you to go and learn it, so that you can come home and teach it to him.” When Robbie looked back at him, Dennis could see tears in his eyes.
“I think that’s beautiful.” Dennis agreed. “It really is.”
Robbie nodded and kissed his temple. “Me too. Let me get you something to eat, yeah?” He didn’t wait for Dennis to answer, he just scooted Dennis over to sit next to Victoria. She was still sculpting, her eyes focused on the screen. Robbie went into the kitchen and Dennis heard him making noise. Dennis moved his character around on the screen, waving at Victoria as she hovered above him in creative mode.
“Trinity, who’s Jack?” Dennis asked casually.
Trinity swallowed her punch. “Night shift attending. He’s probably Robbie’s best friend.”
“So he works with you guys?” Dennis asked. He was slowly building a rolodex of people Robbie knew and might mention.
“Yeah. Mostly we see him during shift hand off but he and Robbie have known each other forever.” She explained.
Dennis nodded. “Cool. So if Robbie switches shifts with him, Robbie’ll work a night?”
“That’s how that works.” Trinity replied. She scrunched her nose at Yolanda and looked at Dennis.
“Does he do that sometimes?” Dennis asked. He walked his character around his house and placed flowers along the edge.
“Not really. He usually handles day shift, Jack does nights and then most residents and interns float around. A couple seniors get to pick their shifts, very cool for them. But that’s only in ED. Other departments don’t have to do nights or weekends. Lucky us.”
Yolanda raised her eyebrows. “Should’ve been born earlier and you could have taken my residency spot.” She glanced to Victoria. “Surgery.”
Victoria immediately nodded. “But you like emergency, right?” She asked Trinity.
Trinity nodded. “Yeah. My favorite place. I did obgyn- yikes, no thanks. And pedes. I did not care for either of those.”
“Those are the ones I have next.” Victoria piped up. “Why didn’t you like them?”
Dennis sat back on the couch and started collecting materials to build a house for Robbie. Or, for anyone that wanted to play. He wondered if he could get Minecraft on Robbie’s playstation? Dennis worked on the house structure, copying what Victoria did mindlessly. They had a whole grove sectioned off for construction materials and she had given him a gold axe so he could cut down trees even faster.
He felt his heart skip a beat as Robbie walked back in with a plate. It was laden with party food- tiny burgers, sunchips and even a tiny blue cupcake and Dennis felt his stomach twist. He hadn’t even been to a party since his last one at home. “Thank you.”
Robbie sat next to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Of course. I had a lot of fun making these this morning. Open up.”
Dennis did so, biting the edge of the slider. “You made all the food?”
“Not all of it. Victoria helped, Trinity supervised and Garcia did a lot of it.” Robbie explained. “I got the cupcakes right when you went in for your last exam. You finished it so fast, how do you think you did?’
Dennis scrunched his nose. “Yeah, I think I did okay. I knew all the answers to the multiple choice and my essays usually get high grades, so I feel all right.”
Robbie squeezed his hip. “I’m so happy for you baby boy. Are you looking forward to relaxing this summer?”
Dennis laughed. “Relaxing? I have to get buff for top surgery.”
Robbie smiled. “Yeah? Did you have your appointment?
“Right now I’m going to Planned Parenthood for gender affirming care. It’s really-” Dennis felt his eyes burn. “It’s exciting. That’s what I want to do.”
Robbie held his face. “You’re gonna do amazing. It’s going well?”
Dennis nodded. “Yes. Yes. I get to go in for actual testosterone in June.” He kicked his feet excitedly. “Which should help with muscle growth.”
“You know what else helps with muscle growth?” Robbie asked, holding the plate up for him.
“I think having a lot of rough sex at your boyfriend’s house.” Dennis whispered, holding Robbie’s gaze as he said it just under his breath.
Robbie’s breath hitched. “Babe.”
“I think it’s true. I think a lot can be gained from-”
Robbie smushed the top of the icing to Dennis’ lips. “Shh.”
Dennis giggled, licking it off. “We can do that too.”
“Yeah? We’ll do everything.” Robbie promised.