Work Text:
Five times Trinity used bad pick-up lines.
Baran had only been at PTMC for six and a half months. Every month without fail, she was presented with a pick up line from her grumpiest resident. The very resident who seemed to be prickly to everyone. Everyone but her. At first, she didn't know what was different about her. But Trinity treated her with more respect on her first day than anyone else did, save for Doctors Mohan and King. It started after Baran confided in Trinity about her epilepsy, but also felt completely unrelated.
The first time was four days into her tenure in the Pitt.
"Doctor Santos, what do you have for me?" Baran said walking towards Central 10.
Trinity turned on her stool before standing and matching her stride,“I had a smooth line ready, but then I saw you and my brain hit airplane mode.”
Baran looked at the resident over her iPad. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for Dr Santos to present her patient. Trinity gave her diagnosis and treatment plan and Baran signed off on it. Leaving the room with a shake of her head.
The second time, Baran was standing at the central hub going over the board with Dana. Trinity had just come from the vending machines. She was holding two cans of Monster and a sandwich when she stopped to lean on the desk next to her.
"If I were to rate my favorite person right now, you’d be a solid 11/10… and yes, I double-checked my math."
Dana looked at Trinity over her glasses, "Geez kid, you're breaking my heart."
Her eyes darted over to Baran, who was looking at Trinity, head tilted. "That's a lot of caffiene."
Trinity smiled as she popped the can, "I need to refuel for a long night. Would you like to join me?"
Baran did not answer. She could not possibly answer that question in the middle of the emergency department. Especially when Trinity was looking at her like that. In her silence, Trinity had unwrapped half of her sandwich and took a bite.
She was saved by Whitaker walking by, as her attention had shifted. Trinity whistled to get his attention and handed him the unopened can and the other half of her sandwich. "Go in the staff room, you got ten minutes."
Trinity took the iPad out of his hands before he scurried away. She finished her sandwich, "Still speechless?" She winked and walked away.
Baran took a deep breath, fighting the blush rising in her cheeks.
The third time it happened caught her completely off guard. She was signing off on a patient's discharge papers when she noticed Trinity pacing. She looked up with a raised eyebrow, "Can I help you, Doctor Santos?"
Trinity stopped pacing and looked at her with a dead serious expression, "Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I awkwardly walk by again and pretend that went better?"
Baran couldn't help it. She snorted out a laugh. She submitted the discharge papers and closed out the computer. "Don't you have patients to treat?"
"Well I am here to present, if you don't mind." Santos said, a mischievious look on her face as she pulled a origami flower out of nowhere. "For you, pretty lady."
"Doctor Santos." Baran did not take the flower. Trinity sat it in front of her anyway.
"Okay okay, fine," she let out an exaggerated sigh before actually presenting her patients.
If she took the flower home, that was nobody's business but hers.
The fourth time, they were leaving the hospital. She had nearly ran into Trinity as she was headed to her locker when she caught her arm.
"I must be bad at directions, because I just got completely lost in this moment with you."
Baran couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Why are you like this?"
"I sneezed five years ago and no one said bless you, so I got infected with whimsy."
A cackle from behind them saved Baran from answering.
"See you later, pretty lady." Trinity winked and walked out with Dennis and Frank.
Baran wasn't sure if she was confused or flattered. Probably both.
The fifth time was off the clock. They had exchanged numbers a few weeks ago, but Trinity had never actually texted her about anything not work related. They had a thread open, but it was mostly just their weekly schedules and shift change notifications.
That was it, until nearly 2 am on a Friday night. It just so happened that Trinity did not work Saturday morning, so Baran had assumed she was out drinking.
I was going to come up with something clever, but honestly… I’d rather just get to know you.
Baran had lost track of time reading, she hadn't noticed how late it was until her phone chimed. She smiled as she read the text, and sent back a quick
Are you drunk?
The response came back almost instantly.
Drunk on your beauty.
She was blushing. That was fine, she was in the privacy of her own home. If she readjusted herself on her sofa, nobody would know.
Who are you out with?
The responses were too quick. Like she was waiting on Baran to text back. Which, she guessed she was.
Farm Boy and History Nerd.
Baran had abandoned her book.
Why are you texting me instead of hanging out with your friends?
The text came almost instantly. She didn't understand how people texted so fast.
The bar is kind of lame but Dennis seems to be having fun.
[1 Photo Attachment]
Arms. That's the only thought going through Baran's mind. Trinity had sent a photo of her outfit. A loose fitting t-shirt with deep cutouts under the arms. She had a tattoo on her left flank that Baran couldn't quite make out. Another text came in.
Close your mouth, you'll catch flies.
Baran could practically hear the smirk. She only had one response.
I'm going to bed.
The reply was almost instant.
Think of me when you do.
If Baran opened her bedside drawer that night, No She Didn't.
The one time it worked.
14 February 2027
Valentine's day was a weird day in hospitals. Baran knew it all too well. The proposals gone wrong was only the first thing she was expecting today. What she was not expecting, was a card falling out of her locker when she opened it. Looking around, she found that she was in the locker room alone. She always was. Baran tended to come in earlier on the weekends to help out the night shift if they needed it.
Bending down, she picked up the card. She chuckled at the chicken scratch she found. A hand came to her mouth as she tried to stop a laugh. She put the card back into her locker and walked out of the locker room, failing to suppress her smile.
At 0645, Baran watched as day shift began to filter in. She could spot Samira and Mel walking in first. Frank and Cassie followed shortly after. The last doctors to come in were Dennis and Trinity. They were working without the med students, Sunday being the one day of the week they didn't work in the hospital.
They were nearly two hours in to their workday the first time they spoke. It didn't last, as another trauma came in shortly after. Baran never quite managed to bring up the main topic of conversation. She wasn't even sure if it was a great idea to bring it up at all.
Dana had been helping her manage the board all day, and when she finally caught Santos in the stairwell, she decided to bring up the earlier topic.
"Blood is red, cyanosis is blue"
But Santos turned to her with a smirk and finished the cheesy poem,
"I get tachycardia when I think of you."
Baran couldn't stop the blush gracing her features, "You should really get that checked out."
Trinity seemed to be impossibly close all of a sudden, breath hot in her ear. "Baby, you can check me out anytime."
Baran gasped as a soft kiss was placed just below her ear. She turned her head sharply, and their lips met. Her hand bunched into Trinity's scrub top as her lips traveled to the curve of Baran's jaw. A gasp left her throat before she could stop it. Hands found their way to Baran's waist, pulling her closer.
It took every ounce of her self control to push the resident away. "Wait… Trinity," she gasped, pushing Trinity back.
"I love the way you say my name," Trinity whispered as she met her eyes, her pupils blown wide.
"We have to stop." She had yet to let go of her scrubs.
"Let me take you out."
"Santos," Baran sighed, finally letting her go and bringing a hand to her forehead.
"Tell me you don't want me, and I will stop." When Baran didn't respond, Trinity smirked. "That's what I thought."
Baran watched as she left the stairwell, trying to slow her rapidly beating heart.
This girl was going to be the death of her.