Work Text:
Dennis is pretty sure he’s been cursed. As if he wasn’t already exhausted from dealing with trying to catch himself up to everything Collins was doing before she left, he arrives at the theater today to find that he forgot to plug in the ghost light before leaving the night before. He very swiftly pays for this mistake by tripping over a pile of thick lighting cables piled up next to the backstage door and falling forward on his wrists. He’ll chew Langdon out for leaving them there later, right now he’s deciding whether or not 8am is too early for his first cry of the day. (He would’ve been here even earlier but the bus was delayed by an accident. It feels wrong to spend much time in Trinity's apartment without her there, even though she told him to make himself at home. Dennis still isn’t sure how permanent it is yet and while his promotion came with a decent pay raise, he isn’t too keen on having to find his own apartment when he still has loans to pay back. If she noticed that he left his sad blanket and lumpy pillow hidden in his office at the theater when he moved in, he’s grateful she had the courtesy not to mention it.)
When Dennis finally makes it to his office and logs into his computer to check his email, he finds a new email from the current sound designer, Doug Driscoll, in his inbox.
Hello Dennis, I apologize for the late notice but I’ve been offered an Artist in Residence position in New York and had to leave early this morning to…
For a brief moment Dennis loses his ability to breathe. Their sound designer is gone without warning the day before their preview performance for the press. Their sound designer is gone. OK, this should be fine right? Dennis knows how to use a sound board and he used sound design software briefly once upon a time in college. He’ll just cover for Doug today and tomorrow their board op will be here for the performances. Surely it’ll all be fine, right? Except when Dennis goes to DropBox to quickly skim Doug’s paperwork, most of the documents are still titled “[DRAFT],” and the folder labeled “Sound Files” only contains two thirds of what his cue sheet says is in the show.
Shit. What has Doug been doing in the booth for the last week then? Dennis has an awful feeling that this was his job to follow up on, but he was so busy familiarizing himself with the budgeting, season calendars, the rest of the theater staff (who he was now in-charge of, not just working with), and more, that he never thought to follow up with the designers of the show they were actively working on.
But he doesn’t have any time to worry about that now because the actors and the rest of the staff should have arrived by now and he has to get their last day of tech started. Dennis makes sure he has all of his keys, his laptop, and his wrench before leaving his office for the theater. (He hasn’t really needed to carry a wrench around in a while, but it’s been routine to him for so long that it’s a comforting weight in the pocket of his cargos.)
When he makes it onstage he finds the majority of the technical staff milling around doing routine upkeep tasks before tech begins again. Langdon is on a lift adjusting the focus of a light, Mel and Jack are touching up the paint details on some of the scenic pieces, Jessie is dropping off costumes that needed alterations, Cassie is greasing a wheel that was squeaking obnoxiously the night before on another set piece, and Robby is sweeping the stage. Dennis wants to go over and tell him that it's not his job to sweep, but he knows the answer he’ll get in response: “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be done.” (That’s part of what first made Dennis fall for Robby, his desire to help no matter the task, but he’s starting to recognize it for the toxic work mindset that it actually is instead of a quirk.) He’s also been kind of… avoiding Jack and Robby recently… They went out for their first date two weekends ago and Dennis hasn’t really spoken to them since. Not that he doesn’t want to! The date was perfect and there’s actually nothing he’d like to do more than to spend more time with the two. It’s just that Collins left the day after their date and he’s been in the theater til absurd hours every night attempting to teach himself the ins and outs to the job Collins couldn’t. So yeah… he hasn’t had a moment alone with or, really any non-work conversation with either of them in almost two weeks. He knows that it would be so easy to explain it to them and that they would absolutely understand, but now that he’s accidentally been silent for this long he’s too afraid to bridge the gap. They didn’t deserve to be ghosted, even if Dennis didn’t mean to. Focus, Dennis, you’re at work!
Dennis turns and breathes a sigh of relief as he sees Dana and the stage manager, Vivi, talking to the cast in the audience. The Pitt is only a 750 seat theater which means it doesn’t require a massive staff to maintain, so it’s easy for Dennis to scan the space and put his eyes on everyone who should be here. Besides Doug and Trinity (who’s got a new freelance gig in La Jolla), nobody else is missing.
Dennis heads to the edge of the stage to make the morning announcements, “Good morning everyone,” he projects with a false bravado. The company starts to gather around where Dennis is standing but Dana is rushing towards him before he can begin to speak again.
“Jesus, kid, what did you do?” Dana is hovering in Dennis’s space but not looking up at him from where she’s standing on the ground as he stands at the edge of the stage.
“What?” Dennis follows her gaze to his knee, which it turns out is scraped up and bleeding from his fall this morning. “Shit, I didn’t even notice.”
“Vivi, get me the first aid kit from backstage will ya?”
“No, no, Dana, that's not necessary! I’m fine, I just tripped on some cables when I arrived this morning because I forgot to plug the ghost light in last night,” he desperately wants Dana to move on. Whether it be out of embarrassment at not noticing the injury and drawing attention to it or from the stress he’s under doesn’t matter. Some members of the company laugh at Dennis’s forgetfulness and there are amused smiles all around as Vivi returns with the first aid kit. Dana directs Dennis to sit down with a stern look and Dennis reluctantly lowers himself to the edge of the stage.
“I know we’re doing the Scottish play Whitaker but I think we’ve already got the whole ghost thing covered. No need to invite them to hang out by ‘forgetting’ the light,” Langdon teases. Jack reaches over and lightly smacks him upside the head and Dennis suppresses a laugh at Langdon’s following indignation.
“Well I didn’t trip on nothing, it was your cables that were where they shouldn’t be.” Jack laughs at Langdon's reaction to Dennis’s reprimand and Dennis suppresses a wince as Dana uses an alcohol pad to clean the blood off his knee and shin. “But it doesn’t matter. Just pay more attention to where you’re putting things at the end of the night alright?” He remembers what they’re actually supposed to be doing here and moves on with the announcements. (Dennis convinces himself it’s only a little humiliating to lead the morning meeting from the floor while being treated for a childish injury.)
“Anyway, you all know what you’re supposed to be doing today, what has to get done before 10pm. Everyone needs to be set for the top of the show by 9:30am. Actors, that means full costume, hair, and makeup. Vivi will call you to the stage for fight call as needed, you all know the drill. We’re finishing the show today.” He notices that people are starting to drift away to start their pre-show tasks and rushes to call them back. “Hold up, there’s one more thing!”
Dennis sighs, “Doug Driscoll is no longer available to work on our production. I’ll be covering for him today so if something sounds off about the sound cues during the run of the show, please ignore them and keep going. I’ll be doing my best to work up there and still be available to anyone who needs me,” he directs the last part towards the technical staff and looks past Jack and Robby’s concerned looks as soon as he catches them. There’s no time to think about his personal life yet. Luckily that’s when Dana finishes patching up his knee so he stands and gets them all moving. “Alright, let’s get to it!”
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Dennis must look insane with the amount of times he’s run his hands through his hair in frustration. It’s only 2pm and he’s had to bite back tears far more than feels appropriate. (But one time is already too much for Dennis. He’s always been too much of a crybaby, especially when he’s frustrated.) Vivi just released the company for their lunch break so Dennis is taking a quick breather (re: laying his head down) at the desk in the booth while he waits for everyone to leave. He knows that union rules don't look too kindly on working through meal breaks but he doesn't really have a choice, does he? Plus, they’re not an entirely union protected production. So what if the Production Manager works through their break? No one has to know.
Dennis’s phone begins buzzing with a phone call in his pocket and he answers without checking the caller ID.
“This is Dennis,” he answers, not bothering to hide the exhaustion in his voice.
“Hey,” Dennis sucks in a breath at the sound of Robby’s voice, “D’you want to come out to lunch with Jack and I? We were going to try the new deli down the block.” Jack must take the phone from Robby because there’s a static filled pause before Dennis hears his voice. “Lunch is on us, we figured we could treat you since it’s… it’s been a minute… and you’re dealing with more than normal today.”
“I’m sorry,“ Dennis’s throat feels tight, “Doug left too much work unfinished for me to take a break, unfortunately. I’ve still got a few sounds to source and edit, and I need to check levels…” He can practically hear their disappointment through the phone and bites his bottom lip. Collins left right after their first date, leaving Dennis no time to follow up with Jack and Robby afterwards. He didn’t mean to ghost them on purpose but the guilt burns the same. He stands from the desk so he can see through the booth window better and waves at Jack and Robby where he sees them standing onstage. They perk up when they notice him. “Y’all go without me though. Enjoy your meal break and not hearing your name called every 2 seconds.”
Dennis’s guilt eases at the sound of Jack’s chuckle on the other end of the line, "Alright then Mouse, don’t let Dana hear that you’re staying,” he definitely doesn’t blush at the nickname, no thank you, "Just so you know, this is incredibly unprofessional of Doug and if you need help, Robby and I are happy to provide it,” Jack’s voice turns soft.” Please make sure you get something to eat and actually take some time for yourself before break is over.”
“Will do,” the lie is weak even to Dennis. “See y’all later,” he hangs up.
Dennis falls back into his chair with a tired sigh before getting back to work.
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It’s approximately 8:30pm and Dennis is watching Robby and Jack work from a distance. Robby is on the ground looking up at where Jack is at the top of the Genie lift messing with the pulleys on one of the mid-travelers that was moving slower than the rest in a scenic transition earlier. Dennis has never been the biggest fan of heights so seeing someone he cares about, even someone as comfortable with heights as Jack is, so high in the air is just making his stomach swoop uncomfortably on top of the distress of his already racing mind. Dennis clears his throat and hopes that he’s projecting an image that looks more put together than he feels.
“Can one of you come with me,” Dennis asks with a sort of false authority in his tone, attempting to avoid eye contact with anyone without looking like that’s what he’s doing. “Please.”
Robby responds without giving him more than a glance, “Sure, just one second,” but is quick to do a double take. Dennis looks so panicked where he stands at the edge of the wing that Robby calls the name of the first crew member he sees to be Jack's ground spotter on the Genie so he can step out with Dennis. As soon as the new spotter is close enough Robby is guiding Dennis out the nearest side door of the theater with a hand on the middle of his back.
When they finally step out the door and Dennis gets his first lungful of the fresh evening air in the alley next to the theater he feels dizzy for a moment, and only marginally better.
“What’s up?”
Robby is trying not to crowd him because Dennis looks so unsettled that a breeze could send him falling to pieces but he can’t help it. His boy (technically not yet, you’ve only taken him out on one date so slow down) needs help and he wants so badly to provide it. He just needs to know how.
Dennis’s voice is unsteady when he finally speaks and holds his hands out to Robby, "I need you,” Dennis stutters, “I need you to squeeze my hands,” he swallows and meets Robby's eyes for the first time since asking for one of the Technical Directors, “Please.”
Robby steps into his personal space and takes Dennis's hands in his, squeezing lightly. It’s a strange request but not entirely out of the question if that’s what Dennis needs.
“Harder please,” Dennis squeezes his eyes shut and lets his head fall forward when Robby complies, more concerned for Dennis than confused by the request. Everywhere that Robby isn’t touching Dennis is crawling, hyperaware of the lack of contact with anything but his clothes and the air around him. “I can’t feel anything,” his words are embarrassed and strained. “I need to feel something because if I can't I'm,” he gasps, “I’m going to start slamming my arms into the corners of walls to feel something.”
Robby tries not to react to the statement, in spite of how startling it is, out of fear that it might scare Dennis away when he clearly needs whatever is happening right now.
“Ok,” he begins slowly, still squeezing Dennis's fingers between his own, “Is there anything else I can do?” He wants so badly to ask Dennis what is distressing him but knows he needs to wait to avoid making his current condition worse in case it’s too soon. Jack better be on his way out here.
“I’m fine, it’s just, uh, just stuff in the booth because Doug is gone.”
“This doesn’t seem like ‘fine’ to me but sure,” Robby attempts to joke.
It’s that moment that Jack then slams open the door they came out just moments before, making Dennis flinch and almost pull away from Robby’s hands. Robby doesn’t let him run.
“What’s wrong,” Jack’s eyebrows crease and he’s immediately in ‘concerned husband’ mode, which amuses Robby since they've only been on one date with Dennis. Dennis seems to have lost his voice in the shock and, likely, embarrassment of Jack’s arrival so Robby speaks for him.
“Dennis needed some help getting fresh air and grounding himself,” he answers simply.
“Well that can certainly be arranged,” Jack eyes the pair’s hands and steps behind Dennis, “Are you alright with me putting my hands on your shoulders Mouse?”
Dennis nods, his mouth twisted with a complicated emotion, and Jack brings his palms down on Dennis's shoulders, trying to cover as much as possible. Dennis’s head falls down further this time, so far he’s almost leaned against Robby's chest.
“He likes pressure I think,” Robby supplies in an attempt to be helpful. Jack squeezes Dennis's shoulders and begins essentially giving a massage. The breath Dennis lets out is watery and relieved and he finally leans forward to actually rest the top of his head against Robby's chest, their hands still squeezed between them. He feels safe where he’s basically trapped between them. Their presence is calming and helping Dennis slow his breathing, but Robby is unable to turn off the Technical Director™ part of his brain that says there are people waiting for them inside. Robby makes concerned eye contact with Jack over Dennis’s head and his husband raises a confused and equally concerned eyebrow back. Robby sighs.
Unsure if it’s still too soon to broach the subject but not knowing exactly what to do next, Robby asks, “So Den… when you said you needed this,” he brings their hands up to help Jack, “or you would start…slamming your arms into things…”
Dennis tenses up and feels Jack press harder into the muscles under his hands in an attempt to convince Dennis to relax. (And possibly also to help him process the information he’s just heard. Dennis is physically ok and Jack can feel that he’s physically ok… right?)
Robby continues, “What did you mean by that?”
“Um,” Dennis shrinks in on himself and starts to wiggle away from them now, “It’s like you said. I just needed some fresh air.”
Jack and Robby’s hands feel cold and empty as soon as he escapes them. Dennis starts heading towards the theater door but Jack doesn’t let him get too far.
“Nuh-uh Mouse, we’re only going to let that extremely concerning comment slide if you tell us what you need,” Jack says, grabbing Dennis's shoulders again and manhandling him until he and Robby are between Dennis and the door. “What’s going on?” Robby balks at his directness but doesn’t raise a finger to disagree with Jack’s actions.
“I don’t need anything from y’all, you’re already busy doing your own jobs! I just needed-”
“Bullshit,” Jack crosses his arms over his chest and looks every bit the Army Veteran that he is.
Dennis sighs, “Fine,” he shuffles in places and looks everywhere except at the two men in front of him, feeling more like a teenager being scolded than his grown age of 25. “I’m just… freaking out a little bit because I'm having to make a lot of decisions up there in the booth that I shouldn't be. This isn’t my design, these aren’t my decisions to be making, but I have to because Doug didn’t do his job before he left and won’t respond to any of my calls and emails and the show has to be ready for the preview tomorrow. What kind of designer doesn’t even have all of their sound files found the night before previews?!” Dennis knows he’s talking too fast but now that he has even the briefest of chances to get it all out he can’t stop.
“And I went to a small college, we didn’t all have Macbooks so we couldn’t all learn how to use QLabs very well, we all had to share the two Macs in the theaters but there were always productions using them and sound wasn’t really my thing, and-and I’m also still learning how to do my first fucking job,” he laughs (he’s pretty sure it only sounds a little hysterical) and runs a shaking hand through his hair, “Because Collins also dipped without much warning, I mean there’s no way Oregon needed her so urgently that I couldn’t get some more training or a new PM could be hired because now I’m responsible for than I know what to do with and I can’t, I don’t, I’m just an assistant!”
He’s working himself up again so he finally just bites his tongue to stop himself and rubs his face with his hands which slide down to hold himself tightly. The back of his arms are tingling with numbness again so he squeezes his elbows to keep himself from dragging his nails down the uncomfortable skin. “There’s just a lot of pressure on me in there right now and things haven’t exactly been easy going outside of work recently so… yeah. I promise I won't let it affect the show anymore. I just need to go back inside and get back to it,” Dennis internally laughs to himself because until a few days ago his “outside of work” life was still confined to the building.
In the silence that follows his rant Dennis’s instincts scream at him to man up and take it all back but instead he just stands there and tries to blink back the frustrated tears building in his eyes. You’re a grown man pursuing your childish dream career, and it’s actually working out for you so suck it up and get back to work. Stop being so ungrateful for the opportunity that’s practically fallen into your lap. How many people as green as you get to be the Production Manager two months into working at a professional theater?
“So first,” Robby starts speaking and reaches out to pry Dennis’s hands away from where they’ve got a vice grip on his elbows, "Everything that you have had to deal with on this production in the last week and a half is incredibly abnormal,” he starts squeezing Dennis’s hands again, “but you’ve handled it all so well and you have no idea.” Dennis releases a shaky breath.
Jack steps forward to take one of Dennis’s hands from Robby and kisses his knuckles. “And second,” Robby continues, “everybody here wants to see you succeed. Why haven’t you reached out to Santos for some help if Doug isn’t answering? Or me? I may not be a designer but I can certainly help you with the program,” he suggests softly.
“You know Trinity is busy in La Jolla, this is her first gig that’s reached out to request her specifically as a designer, I can’t interrupt that. And I can see that you’re busy here. I’ve never seen a scenic design this ambitious, don’t forget I was in those production meetings too. I know what all y’all are having to deal with onstage! You’re being worked to the last minute just like I am. Plus, there are plenty of resources on the internet,” Dennis tries to ignore the feeling in his chest that’s screaming that he’s bothering them when he’s just so clearly stated why he doesn’t need help. “I can do it. It all just… was too much… for a second,” he finishes with a tired whisper.
“It’s ok, nobody said you couldn’t,” Jack says gently. Dennis has never seen him look so earnest. “We understand that you’ve got a handle on it. We just wanted to make sure that you know we are all resources here, even if we already have other jobs. Robby and I will lend a hand, you just have to ask,” Jack runs a hand through Dennis’s hair and pulls him into his chest, seemingly unable to keep his hands off of the man.
“At least you knew you could come to us at all,” Robby smiles and feels truly thankful for that. Dennis shies under their loving attention.
Fearful of keeping them all from their work any longer or appearing ungrateful, Dennis thanks them. “We’ve only been on one date,” he blushes at the reminder, “I know I asked you to but y’all didn’t have to stop what you were doing to help me. Thank you.”
Robby surrounds Dennis on his other side and presses a short kiss to the top of his head, “Don’t worry about it, we’d drop anything to do so.”
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Dennis is going to be the last to leave the theater and he knows it. It’s part of the job, leaving alone at the end of the night. Or so he thought. He’s double checking a few auto-follow cues that didn’t play correctly earlier when the door to the booth opens. Dennis doesn’t need to turn around to see who it is because there are only two people who would willingly be here as late as he is right now. A pair of increasingly familiar hands find a home on his shoulders and begin to squeeze lightly.
“I promise I’m going to leave soon, I just need to make sure,” he trails off as he hits go on a sound cue without calling it out. He knows it’s bad theater etiquette but there’s no one in the theater for it to startle and there hasn’t been for almost an hour.
Robby takes the empty seat next to him and leans into his space. “We know, but we just need to make sure that you do,” he reassures. They all listen to the music playing in the theater fade into a thunderstorm. Dennis sighs and his shoulders relax a fraction. Finally.
He stops the sound cue and moves onto the next when Jack finally speaks up from behind him, “Come home with us.”
Dennis’s brain short circuits and he forgets what he’s doing but Robby is quick to step in and amend Jack’s statement.
“Not like that,” Jack receives a look from Robby. Dennis doesn’t catch it but he can feel the unspoken reprimand. “We care about you and, probably selfishly, want to make sure that even just for one night, someone else has their eyes on you.” Dennis shamefully leans away from the computer and into the back of his chair, letting his arms come to rest in a loose hug around his midsection. “We want to take care of you.”
“I’m sorry I scared you earlier,” he swallows around the lump in his throat. “It wasn’t fair of me to dump that on you out of the blue.”
“Den that’s not what this is about,” Dennis feels Jack’s hands twitch ever so slightly on his shoulders. Robby rolls his eyes at whatever look Dennis assumes Jack sent him, “Ok, maybe it is, but you know we’re not ones to judge. You’ve seen us climb up to the roof plenty of nights and drag the other back down in one piece. Let us do the same for you?” Robby’s hand comes to rest on Dennis’s knee and squeezes when he can’t catch his eyes.
Dennis finally looks at Robby and sees the concern in his gaze. “I’m not going to hurt myself if you leave me alone tonight,” he promises.
Jack sighs frustratedly and drops his head to rest on top of Dennis's, nuzzling his curls. It’s clear that all the contact is more for his benefit than Dennis’s now, which is oddly comforting. “You know that, and we’re trying to know that, so why don’t you just let us take you home and know for sure? Let us coddle you for one night. Please?”
Dennis wants to tell them that doesn’t need it. But he kind of desperately wants it a lot more than he wants to tell them no. He’s far from home, from a home that doesn’t want anything to do with him, and he can’t remember the last time someone looked at him the way that Jack and Robby do. In another life Dennis is a much stronger man, but that other life probably hasn’t put Dennis through as much as this one has.
In a shoddy attempt to cover up the disgustingly sweet protected feeling building in his chest and gracefully acquiesce to Jack and Robby’s blatant need to mother-hen him right now, Dennis throws out the first joke that comes to mind, “The three date rule was overrated anyway.”
Robby flushes bright red and Jack snorts. Dennis tries and fails not to beam with pride at Jack’s amusement.
Jack then reaches over Dennis’s shoulder (and he doesn’t shiver at the feeling of Jack’s breath on his neck, thank you very much) to save the QLabs file on the monitor. “C’mon, let's get out of here before the ghosts report us to Dana.”
Dennis groans, “Don’t remind me.”
Robby tugs Dennis up from the chair and into a hug as Jack finishes shutting down the sound system. They all flinch at the loud pop that comes out of the speakers when he does it in the wrong order. Robby and Dennis raise their eyebrows at Jack who throws his hands up, “There’s not enough manual labor in sound, you know I don’t know how to do this shit!”
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The trio makes their way out of the theater slowly, Robby and Jack trailing behind Dennis as he completes all of his lock up tasks. Dennis doesn’t think he’ll ever forget to plug in the ghost light again after today. As soon as Dennis steps away from the last door he has to lock up, Jack slings an arm around his shoulders and holds him close. Conversation flows easy, if slowed a little by tired minds. When they get to Robby’s truck Jack insists on Dennis taking the passenger seat. Dennis wants to protest but Jack is already in the truck and propping his sore leg up on the seat before he can.
“You alright?” Dennis asks, turning around in his seat and looking shyly around the headrest.
“Don’t worry about me Mouse, just been a longer day than normal. Hell, long week,” Jack sighs.
Robby’s free hand finds its way back to Dennis’s knee as he makes eye contact with Jack through the rearview mirror. “I can give you a massage when we get home Yankel,” Robby says softly.
“That would be perfect.”
Dennis’s stomach interrupts by growling loudly from the front seat.
“Dennis, when was the last time you ate?”
“Uh… I had a bagel on the way in this morning,” Dennis cringes at the way his own statement goes up at the end to form a question.
“Alright, we need to pick up something really greasy and unhealthy then,” Jack pipes up from the backseat. “Nothing but the best for our boy.”
“Are-are you guys sure? You don’t have to do that, the stress has sort of stolen my appetite anyway. I’m not really hungry.”
“Nonsense,” Robby’s hand squeezes his knee.
“Yeah Mouse don’t worry. Something tells me you’re not the only one who’s forgotten he’s human,” Jack jokes with a pointed look at Robby who rolls his eyes.
“So what’ll be? I can drive through anywhere, just let me know.”
“You can just go wherever you guys normally go. I’m not picky,” Dennis tries not to squirm in his seat from the discomfort. He’s not particularly fond of others spending money on him.
With a quick glance in his direction, Robby concedes easily. “Alright then.”
The rest of the night in Jack and Robby’s home passes in a sort of soft and sleepy daze for Dennis. He feels like his body is relaxing out of survival mode under Robby and Jack’s careful attention. By the time their night is winding down he’s had a shower, been fed, and received more gentle kisses to his temple and hands than he cares to count. After a long period of silence Dennis speaks up from where he’s being cuddled between the two men on the couch. Robby’s got an arm around his shoulders, Jack’s hand is on his thigh, and he’s pressed snuggly against both of their sides. Jack’s leg is propped up on a pillow on the ottoman and his crutches rest next to the couch. A low effort movie plays quietly on the television. Dennis isn’t really sure if now is the time to ask his burning question but he doesn’t want to wait any longer. When is there ever a good time for anything anyway?
“I know we’ve only been on one date,” he clears his throat and does his best not to shrink under the twin gazes that basically snap in his direction, “and-and I’m sorry I kind of ghosted you guys because everything got weird at work after our date… but can we put some sort of label on this now maybe? I just want to be sure I know where we’re going because I would, uh, like it to go somewhere.”
Dennis feels Robby tense against him but his question seems to please Jack whose hand squeezes his thigh as he chuckles.
“We forgive you. We did a while ago,” Jack says softly. “And don’t pay attention to him Dennis, Robby’s still getting over his guilt for falling for such a pretty young thing,” he teases.
“But he’s the one who asked me out!”
“He can speak for himself, and yes, he is,” Robby mumbles from behind the hand covering his blush. He glares at Jack over Dennis’s head. “Some of us just have more reservations about robbing the cradle than others.”
“I’m not that much younger than you guys! I’m 25,” Dennis balks.
Jack barks out a laugh as Robby detaches from Dennis to rub both hands over his face with a groan. Jack swiftly takes his place by throwing an arm around Dennis. “Sweetheart, I don’t know if you remember but that’s half our age,” Jack teases. “That’s why he asked you out alone,” he laughs. “I told Robby he didn’t deserve to have you if he couldn’t even ask you out. I refused to do it for him. Trust that you would’ve been out with us a week or two sooner otherwise.”
Dennis flushes a deep red. “But still, we’re all adults here,” he tries to tug Robby back towards their cuddle pile semi-successfully. “And it’s not like you guys are in some position of power over me, right? I’m technically your boss. I mean, can you imagine if it was the other way around? That would be an HR nightmare.”
They all share a laugh with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
“So… are we dating? Going out…? I don’t think we’re quite at… ‘boyfriends’ yet,” he emphasizes with air quotes. “If-if that’s what y’all also want, I mean.”
“Dating sounds great Mouse,” Jack presses a kiss to Dennis’s temple as Robby settles back into his space.
“And another thing,” Dennis tries really hard not to pout as he fidgets with his fingers in his lap. “Can I finally get a real kiss from you two?”
Dennis takes great pleasure in the blush he wasn’t expecting to see rise on both of their cheeks.
Dennis’s face is then turned towards Robby by a gentle hand coming up to cradle his cheek. “Of course.” The kiss is incredibly sweet and… shy on Robby’s part. Dennis presses into him and forces Robby to deepen it, to match his need. When they separate Dennis feels like he’s tingling all over.
Jack turns Dennis’s face the other way, “My turn,” Jack breathes out, his eyes flitting between Dennis’s eyes and lips. When he leans in the kiss is hungrier than Robby’s but no less sweet. It’s filled with a sort of reverence Dennis is happy to try to match until Jack pulls away.
“Looking like the cat that got the cream there, Den,” Robby says, laughing at him. Dennis then feels the dopey expression his face has fallen into and tries to school himself into something cooler.
He relaxes and stretches out between Robby and Jack, trying to get as much physical contact from both of them as possible. “You have no idea.”
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The next day the three of them make the mistake of all walking into the theater together as Dana’s coming out of the front office. Dennis runs away as soon as he sees her knowing expression and leaves Robby and Jack behind to deal with whatever lecture she has prepared. He’ll apologize for that later… probably. Dennis survives the rest of the day and all of the issues thrown his and the production team’s way. The sound file gets finalized and the preview performance receives a standing ovation. Nothing bad happens and for the first time in two months, Dennis feels he can finally breathe easy. (And if Doug Driscoll’s new employer, an old friend it turns out, receives a phone call from Robby inquiring about Doug’s hiring, Dennis will never know.)