Work Text:
The staff were halfway through the shift when the coffee machine started stuttering, and then entirely stopped working. They couldn't get a repair until after the shift, and everyone was starting to get unstable.
"So basically, we need you to go see if Sable's purring can up your sanity." Psychologist said
"Why am I doing it?" Intern asked, "Can't anyone else?"
"Well if Sable gets trigger happy, then we can't have someone like Surgeon getting hit." He shot back bluntly
So I'm a sacrifice? Intern wanted to reply, but even though they didn't, its smiling face must've conveyed the same message,
"They probably won't do anything," He reassured, "just go try it."
Intern huffed before heading off to look for Sable. When it found him, they awkwardly explained how Psych theorized that cat purring could have mental health, and thus, sanity benefits.
"That's ridiculous," Sable instantly retorted
"Yeah, but, the machine's broken, we don't have much of a choice-"
"Head Nurse is-"
"Not on shift today," Intern interrupted
There was a tense silence before Sable let out a long sigh,
"Fine. Let's try."
___
Sable was going to murder Psych after this shift for even suggesting the idea, and not having the courage to test it himself. He'd rather try a paw at fixing the coffee machine themself-
-That was until an unsure, gentle paw rested on his head, causing their ears to perk, cautiously brushing across their fur, and they instinctively leaned into the paw, eyes shutting and ears pressing flat against their head. A low rumble echoed from his throat, growing in volume with each soft pet.
He only opened his eyes when it stopped, staring at their near constant smiling face. His smile seemed to grow a bit brighter with a, "hey! It worked!" To the intern's credit, Sable themself felt a lot more sane, too.
Throughout the remaining hours of the shift, Sable begrudgingly let his coworkers draw purrs from them to stabilize their sanity, notably less begrudging when it was the yellow rabbit that asked.
___
The coffee maker was fixed by Intern's next shift, all of its coworkers were fine, and Sable didn't seem to mind at all! It was a win all around. They hummed to himself as it mopped up a spill of green slime, when it turned and nearly bumped into Sable.
"Intern," They greeted
"Sable, you really do walk silently," He remarked, remembering hearing Nurse talk about how often she'd been startled by Sable in their first few shifts together.
"So I've been told," he hummed in reply, seeming a bit fidgety
"...Did you need something?" It asked
"Last shift," They started, quickly trailing off as if trying to piece together the sentence
"The- uh- pets?" He guessed, "Sorry if it was-"
"Could you do it again?" They blurted out
"What?" Intern reflexively replied, noting as the cat looked away, ears prickling. "The- coffee machine is working, though?"
"I know," Sable replied, tensing, "I- nevermind, sorry," they turned to walk away
"I- I wouldn't mind?" Intern tried, making him stop in their tracks and turn back to it. "If you want..?"
"..Yeah- yes." They confirmed, tilting his head toward him.
Intern paused before awkwardly reaching a paw to his head, slipping it through black fur as they had done before. Soon enough Sable relaxed, shoulders dropping and eyes sliding shut. His arm reached to grab Intern's, and though a bit confused, it let them as he continued the gentle pets, listening to the cat's purring grow in volume. It felt a bit warm at the proximity, but if Sable seemed so relaxed, they didn't truly mind the heat.
"Intern, Sur- uhh..." The two simultaneously jolted a bit as Nurse's voice cut through the calm moment, separating after a beat of awkward tension
"What were you saying?" Intern spoke up in attempt to avoid talking about the very public affection
"Surgeon wanted your help in Room 8," She said after gathering himself.
"Right, I'll be right there," it said, infact immediately walking towards the aforementioned room. They paused long enough to spare a glance at the remaining pair.
Sable's eyes locked with theirs for only a brief moment, but even that was enough to tell that—despite the embarrassment in his expression and posture—it likely wouldn't be the last time they came to him with a similar ask.