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“Oh, come on,” Dennis mutters under his breath as he scowls down at himself, feeling like he wants to kick something but he manages to refrain. He bites back an annoyed groan, not wanting to make this patient feel worse, so he forces his expression and shoulders to relax and keeps working on stitching her up.
He can remain professional and calm.
He can make Doctor Robby proud about his choice of actions.
At least it’s only blood this time.
He’d had a bit of a streak going, almost a month of not needing to change his scrubs multiple times during a shift.
During his first few weeks of his ER rotation he couldn’t manage to go a day without changing, but Dennis liked to believe he’d gotten better at distinguishing possible scenarios and was able to strategically avoid them.
Apparently not.
Now he’s once again covered in blood.
He can feel it in his hair, dripping down the curves of his face and all over his once clean scrubs.
Thankfully it doesn't take him long until he’s fixed her up and is able to scuttle out the room, cheeks burning red.
Dennis makes it into the men's bathroom, a stroke of luck meaning he’s able to avoid anyone seeing him.
Looking in the mirror he sighs, head tilting back, but he shakes it off.
No point wallowing in past accidents, he can get changed and it will be like it never happened.
Besides, a whole month is a pretty good streak and even the best like Robby and Abott have times where they need to change scrubs.
That's why there’s a whole scrub vending machine.
One last glance in the mirror shows that the blood has at least only stained his top, his pants thankfully going unscathed.
First thing he does is awkwardly wrangle his top off, heaving slightly when it finally falls into his hands. His hair is all mussed up and his cheeks are still flushed underneath the spray of blood.
Dennis grabs a handful of paper towels and turns the tap on, soaking them until they're completely wet. He squeezes the excess water into his hair, tilting his head over the skin and watching the white turn pink.
He massages his fingers into his hair and scrubs at his scalp trying to remove the blood as best as he can without a shower.
When the water runs clear he straightens up and cringes.
He looks like a drowned rat, hair limp and dripping, his pants now darker with the water.
Using some dry paper towel, he quickly rubs them through his hair trying to remove the water to leave his hair damp.
Dennis has never been more grateful that the hospital supplies thick, durable paper towels. Otherwise his hair would be full of pilled, white pieces of wet paper towel right now.
It’s not much better, but at least his hair is more curly and textured rather than laying flat like he’d just jumped in a pool fully dressed.
He uses the wet paper towel and begins scrubbing his face, neck and chest.
The blood has already begun to dry and flake, so it starts coming off and smearing around with the water. He manages to get the worst of it, but he can still see a red tinge to his skin that doesn’t want to come off.
The door opening behind him startles him so bad he drops his ruined top in the sink and nearly smashes into the porcelain in his attempt to cover himself up.
Blinking rapidly as he tries to slow his racing heart, his eyes meet Robby’s across the room. The man looks like he knew exactly what he was about to walk in and if Dennis wasn’t deep in his own delusional feelings for the man then he’d almost say that Doctor Robby was just checking him out.
Robby’s eyebrow is raised, hip cocked slightly as he looks at where Dennis is cowered in the corner half naked.
“Fuck,” Dennis cursed quietly, hand over his heart, “you can’t do that to me.”
“And what exactly have I done that I can't do again, Whitaker?” His tone is humorous and slightly sarcastic.
Dennis freezes, realising exactly who he’s talking to, face paling.
“I- um, well, you know. I just wasn't expecting anyone else to come in here,” he tries to say.
Robby nods, chuckling slightly. “Listen, you’ve been gone for too long, kid. Get dressed and meet me near bay 1, I need you with me.”
He can’t help but notice that Robby takes another look at his naked chest, eyes still lingering as he looks him over before glancing at his hair with a weird look in his eyes. He must look miserable and horrible if Doctor Robby is looking at him like that.
He’s never going to get the man to want him back at this point, is he?
Robby doesn’t wait for his response, letting the door swing shut behind him.
Dennis stares at the empty doorway before closing his eyes and cursing himself. Why is he like this?
He rushes to throw the paper towel in the bin and grabs his scrub top, awkwardly jogging over the scrub machine and placing his old clothes in.
The machine buzzes before stopping, the screen flashing a red sign that says there’s no clean scrubs left inside.
Apparently the night shift must have been a rough one then.
Dennis stares blankly at it.
He looks around, swallowing roughly. He’d literally take anything, even if it meant wearing scrubs a size too small.
He can see Doctor Robby a few meters away, looking over a tablet as he clearly waits for Dennis to finally start working again.
Face beat red and ducked in shame, he walks over, still shirtless as he tries his best to cover up.
“Doctor Robby?” he mutters softly.
A hand suddenly grips his shoulder and he is forced to look up to where Robby is watching him. "What's wrong?”
“Can I- I mean, I need to go up stairs to get some new scrubs, our machine is currently out of all sizes.”
Robby shakes his head and Dennis almost wilts before he’s being tugged along, Robby's large, warm, calloused hand never leaving his bare skin.
“We don’t have time for you to go on a wayward mission, kid. I’ve got a spare hoodie in my locker, you can just borrow that today.”
Dennis' eyes widen and his heart speeds up at the mere thought. The idea of wearing Robby’s clothes, clothes that have touched his skin and followed him everywhere.
He’s always wanted to steal one of Robby’s oversized hoodies. They always look so warm and comfy and he knows that he could happily snuggle into the warmth and lingering smell of Robby.
It’s almost too much.
Robby unlocks his locker, not caring if Dennis sees his code be entered before pulling out a spare hoodie and Dennis recognises it as the one he was wearing that morning.
His eyes widen and he can feel his pants tighten slightly.
Oh god.
Just the knowledge that he’s about to wear something that Robby had worn that morning is nearly enough to make him come in his pants like some teenage boy.
“Here, it may be a bit big,” Robby eyes him once more, “but it should be okay for today.”
“Thank you,” Dennis says, taking the clothes, their hands brushing slightly.
He pulls away as if zapped, quickly slipping his arms through the sleeves and zipping it up.
He can feel the fabric swallow him, the hoodie a few sizes too big as it hangs off his thin body, his collarbones exposed.
Robby clears his throat loudly, looking away quickly before turning and walking off. “Come on, kid. We don’t have all day.”
Dennis quickly follows behind him and then it’s back to normal, and Dennis is able to finally breathe again.
* * * * * * * *
It doesn’t take long for Dennis to notice the whispers and lingering looks.
All the staff have either done a double take or smirked at him before looking away or whispering to their coworkers. Even Doctor Robby had been caught multiple times staring at him, eyes roaming over his body for a moment before he snaps himself back to work.
But no one says anything to him, they don't bring it up, or ask questions. Dennis is left in the dark about something that somehow involves him.
At first he couldn’t figure out what they were gossiping about but Santos was quick to alleviate that for him.
“Why is everyone staring at me,” he asks under his breath, sliding up towards where Trinity was looking at the board for her next patient. He’d been searching for her all day, knowing she’d be straight with him and tell him outright.
She looks him over with a raised eyebrow and gestures towards his whole body as if that should answer his question.
“What?” he frowns slightly.
He’s becoming a bit self-conscious about all of this now.
“Hucklberry,” she starts, looking incredulous, “how the hell do you not know?”
He glances down at himself, wondering if he’s got a hole in his pants or something. But no, there’s nothing there.
He shrugs helplessly.
She sighs, slinging her arm over his shoulders and pulling him down forcefully until he’s nearly squatting into her. “Oh my poor, naive, little huckleberry.”
Tsking to herself she uses her free hand to pull at the collar of the hoodie and lets it snap back against his skin.
“What, and answer me this honestly, in the world did you expect everyone to do when you show up here wearing Doctor Robby, our boss’, hoodie?”
Realisations strike him and he freezes, swallowing roughly.
Oh shit.
“Paints a pretty picture doesn’t it, huckleberry?” She whispers to him, still smirking. “I wonder where you could have got that, huh?”
Dennis can feel the way his face is burning, even the tips of his ears and tries to duck down and hide. But that just makes it worse when he remembers what he’s wearing and how it must look for him to be essentially hiding in his attending’s hoodie.
Trinity is still smirking at him, arms crossed as she doesn’t even try to hide her laughter.
“Shut up,” he hisses under his breath but it only makes her laugh harder. “Oh my god.”
“Now, now,” she denies teasingly, “don’t be like that. So what if you’re fucking our boss? Get on that, huckleberry”
Dennis retches himself out of her arms and tries to school his face sternly. “I’m not-,” he lowers his voice when he gains even more attention on himself, “I’m not fucking him, Trin.”
“No,” she agrees easily, “but you sure want to, don’t you Huckleberry?”
Dennis fights the urge to stop his foot and shakes his head insistingly. “No, I mean, is he attractive and like unfairly hot? Of course. Does that mean I want to fuck him? No!”
“Keep telling yourself that, buddy.”
Dennis pouts, knowing nothing he says will alleviate her, not when deep down they both know it’s true. “I ruined my scrubs and Doctor Robby was kind enough to lend me his spare clothes, that’s all. Nothing else happened.”
Dennis just huffs at her look and stomps off, leaving Trinity laughing behind him.
Without even meaning to, he unconsciously makes his way to where Robby is standing.
He can see the man working, brow furrowed as he reads over a patient’s chart, silently mouthing the words to himself.
He slows his steps, taking a deep breath and forcing himself forward.
“Hi, Doctor Robby,” he says softly, making Robby glance up over the top of his glasses.
“Hey, kiddo,” he greets, eyebrow raised, “what’s up?”
“I, um-” Dennis closes his eyes and cringes. “I’m sorry.”
Robby tilts his head and blinks, “what’d you do now?”
“I’m not sure if you’ve maybe noticed, but there’s been talk about something going around today,” he starts and Robby nods encouragingly at him, neither confirming nor denying.
“People have started to spread some rumour about us because I am, well, because I’m wearing your hoodie. I’m so sorry, sir. I promise that was never my intent and I apologise for being responsible for running your name through the mud with me, all because I couldn't keep my scrubs clean. I promise I’ll set everyone straight and tell them nothing is happening, because someone like you would never want someone like me-”
He cuts himself off, eyes widening when he realises what he’d just blurted out.
Robby is smiling slightly at him, looking fond at his awkward rambling.
“I keep making this worse,” he says, wincing.
“Listen, Whitaker,” Robby finally says, “I can't say I've been blinded to the commission this has caused or the gossip going around. We work in a place full of people who talk and spread everything they see. It happens, kid.”
His words are soothing and help to melt Dennis panic and worry, leaving him feeling calm and able to breathe easier.
Dennis nods along before pausing, “wait-”
Robby nods at him, almost like he knows what Dennis is going to say.
“But- why would you make me wear your hoodie if you knew what it would do? If you knew the gossip and drama it would cause you? Cause me?”
Raising his eyebrow, Robby gives him this look, one that makes his stomach warm and his insides feel like they are invaded with butterflies.
Realisation strikes again, but that can’t be right.
There’s no way Robby wants him back.
Not in the same way.
That sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life, not to Dennis.
Why would a man of Robby’s power and age and status go for Dennis, some new student who is half his age and can’t go a day without ruining his scrubs at work?
“But you, do you really mean it?” he questions softly.
Robby seems to soften, his gaze warm as he steps closer and takes Dennis by the shoulder to lead him into a quieter, more secluded area.
“Dennis, there’s no way you haven’t noticed the way I'm constantly touching you, like I can't keep my hands off you. I’m always pulling you aside and asking your opinion and checking up on you. Do you really think I don’t want this? I’ve been trying to send you hints and leave it in your hands, knowing that our dynamic is questionable and that it needs to be you who initiates anything.”
The words have Dennis biting back a smile, knowing he has some affect on Robby too.
“Well I mean, I just thought you were a touchy person, and like a really good boss who cares about his workers,” Dennis admits. “I didn’t think anything else was possible.”
He can see now why that's not quite true, how it meant more. Robby is never like that with anyone else, Dennis doesn't think he’s even seen him touch anyone else before.
“Well now you know,” Robby says, a silent question behind his expression. Yet again he’s leaving it up to Dennis, allowing the cards to fall into his hands.
He thinks back to the bathroom, remembering the dark, almost hot look that Robby had given him when he’d noticed the position Dennis was in. They way he’d eyed him, his eyes lingering on Dennis naked chest as if unable to stop himself.
Maybe the signs really had been there all along, he thinks, he was just too blind to see it.
Dennis doesn’t hesitate to dive in, not caring about the consequences as he basically jumps the man.
His boss.
He crashes their lips together messily, panting into Robby’s mouth as he closes his eyes and kisses him with everything he has.
Dennis can’t say he’s the most experienced in this department, there weren’t exactly many openly gay people where he grew up. But he wants this, surely that has to make up for something.
He feels more then hears Robby laugh into the kiss but before he can second guess or run away in humiliation, Robby is pulling him in closer and taking control. He gentles the kiss and leads them into something softer and more.
Dennis sighs happily and allows Robby to take control.
Robby pulls back eventually, placing one last kiss on Dennis’ lips before moving backwards so their eyes meet. “We’re at work, honey. Let’s not get too carried away.”
Dennis almost melts at the pet name, eyes fluttering happily.
He wants to pout and fight, but he knows Robby is right. “But that means we can do this again?”
Robby smirks, “as if I’m letting you go now that I’ve got you.”
Dennis reluctantly moves further away from Robby’s touch, knowing he won’t let him go if he keeps holding him. “Wait, does that mean you made me wear your hoodie on purpose?”
Robby eyes him up and down, eyes dark as he takes in Dennis almost drowning in his clothes again. “You needed clothes and I had some, but I won’t deny that I liked the possible outcome and that I’d get to see you in my clothes. Besides, I had to find a way to see if you wanted this too, what better way then to start a rumour mill?”
Blushing again he rolls his eyes playfully. “Next time you could just ask me instead of making me panic and think I’d ruined everything.”
At this point he feels like he must have a fever with how much he’s blushed today.
“Just needed a little shove in the right direction,” Robby shrugs, looking pleased.
Someone calling Robby’s name has them wilting and sharing one last look, hidden promises of more in it.
Even without saying anything Dennis knows that they’ll be back to this after work. Now he needs to somehow avoid Trin because it will take her one look at him to realise what happened.
And there's no way Dennis will make it though the day with her teasing him the whole shift.
Robby leaves and Dennis stares after him, this time happily allowing himself to duck into the hoodie.
Who cares what people say anyway?
They wouldn’t exactly be wrong about it now would they?