badly need a therapy

~~~

Robby first noticed Mel, it was only a small moment, an almost blink and you’d miss it moment. But Robby had clocked it.

“I’ve got us a booking at that dog café.” Mel said, excitedly running over to Dennis to show him.

She was so ecstatic about it that she’d gripped his bicep and given it a shake. Dennis grinned widely as he took the phone off her.

“Sweet! I haven’t snuggled with a dog since my days on the farm.” Robby had to smile over Dennis’s enthusiasm, he was practically bouncing on his feet over the thought of seeing some dogs. Not Robby’s vibe but each to their own he supposed.

“Some of them are even puppies!” Mel grinned, they were both clearly thrilled about this date. Was it a date? Judging by how close they were pressed together to look at photos of this café, Robby could only assume it was.

Robby thought they were a strange but cute couple, even if he was sure Mel had been making eyes at Frank. They were both sweet but unassuming so naturally they would have been drawn to each other. They were a very kind-hearted couple but he doubted they got very much done, they both needed someone with a little umph to push them forward.

“My sister wants to come, if that’s okay?” Mel questioned, pocketing her phone when she noticed Robby was still watching them.

“Sure, I love your sister.” Dennis reassured her, both of them walking across the ED to show their boss they could still be professional while planning their dates.

Robby supposed they must have been quite serious if Dennis was meeting the family, good for them. Sometimes you needed a little love in this harsh world.

~~~

Now Trinity, that one really took Robby by surprise. He was also surprised to see Dennis was still close with Mel, had they ended amicably and she was happy for his new relationship with Trinity? Or did she simply not know? Poor Mel so seduced by Dennis’s charisma she was blinded to his playing away.

“Hey, Huckleberry!” Trinity shouted, cornering him by the lockers. Clearly not ashamed of their relationship that she was happy to flaunt it and her pet names in front of her attending.

“What did I do now?” He sighed, closing his locker and handing Trinity a protein bar that he’d got out. Either a peace offering or a romantic gesture, Robby wasn’t sure. And if he was deliberately taking a long time to get what he needed who would know?

“You need to start cleaning up after yourself.” She said, some of her bark gone now she was eating. Dennis obviously knew his girlfriend well enough to tell when she was hangry.

“I do, I cleaned both bathrooms last night.” He defended. “You’re welcome by the way.”

“I tripped over your shirt making my morning coffee.” She hissed.

Robby groaned slightly, he did not need to hear how passionate his subordinates’ love life was that they couldn’t even make it out the kitchen to ravish each other.

“Oops.” He smirked, but he didn’t seem particularly sorry about it. He was probably hoping his cheeky, endearing smile combined with the reminder of what a great lover he is was enough for Trinity to drop the subject.

Robby shut his locker a little harder than intended, causing both Trinity and Dennis to jump, so wrapped up in their lover’s quarrel they didn’t realise they still had an audience. They continued their conversation in hushed voices as they scuttled back to the hub, no doubt to pick up a patient to prove their tiff didn’t affect their work.

Trinity and Dennis were a couple that genuinely confused him, she as far too loud and brash for someone as soft and gentle as Dennis. But how did that old saying go? Opposites attract. He must have been serious with Trinity in a way he wasn’t with Mel if they lived together. But he supposed, when someone like Trinity set their heart on something they got it.

Robby was sure he’d heard a rumour about Garcia and Trinity but he should have learnt long ago not to trust the rumours he heard in the pitt.

~~~

Then Victoria entered the mix, how was Dennis juggling a full-time job with ridiculously long shifts and three relationships? He didn’t even look tired or haggard, he looked as handsome as he ever did. Obviously, love was a good look on Dennis.

“I’m never drinking again.” Victoria whined.

She flopped down next to Dennis who laughed and affectionately petted her head as she rested it on his shoulder.

“No, don’t touch me.” She snapped, but made no effort to move away from him. “I’m mad at you.”

“What did I do?” He pouted. It should look ridiculous but Robby just thought it was cute, it was probably how he got out of trouble with all three of his girlfriends.

“Let me get that drunk.” She massaged her head, probably throbbing under the florescent lighting.

“Well, it backfired, didn’t it? Having to wash my bedsheets at four in the morning because you threw up on them was not on my bucket list.” He reached into his pocket and grabbed a blister packet of painkillers. Victoria was lucky to have such a thoughtful and considerate boyfriend.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, guiltily swallowing the pills down with a mouthful of Dennis’s Monster.

Had he snuck her in right under Trinity’s nose? She had a day off today so maybe she wasn’t home and Dennis decided while the cat’s away the mouse will play. Did it not bother Victoria to sleep in Dennis and Trinity’s bed? Maybe she’d been too drunk to care.

“Kids, don’t we have work to do?” Robby rose an eyebrow, not sure why he felt the need to break up their intimate moment but he couldn’t stop himself.

Victoria falling for Dennis made sense, he was older, already a doctor. Someone she could look up to and would take her out drinking apparently. Maybe she just batted her eyelashes at him and he’d happily cave to whatever she wanted.

Robby had definitely seen Victoria attempting to flirt with Mateo but maybe they had an open relationship. Dennis wasn’t exactly loyal to her so why should she be to him?

~~~

Finally, Samira had succumbed to Dennis’s charm. Robby understood it, really, he did. Dennis had a way of making you feel important when he was around you, that he honestly cared about everything you had to say and nothing mattered more to him in that moment than you. But, was it really worth it just to be another notch on his belt?

Robby almost felt sorry for Jack, Robby knew he had a soft spot for her and instead she was choosing to be one of four in Dennis’s harem.

“Movie night?” Samira asked, scooting a little too quickly on her wheelie chair that she collided into Dennis with a laugh.

“Thank you, Samira! I need a night in.” He said, effortlessly righting Samira as if touching her was second nature to him. It must be nice to have someone’s strong hands on you, guiding you. Robby tried not to dwell on the fact that that was how he’d been treating Dennis for the past year.

As much as Robby was surprised by yet another girl being interested in Dennis, he thought they did make a good couple. Power couple wasn’t it called? Strong, confident, skilled doctors together. He could understand why Dennis had fallen for Samira, she’d been kind and nurturing with him on his first day. No wonder he was drawn to her.

“Oh yeah, I heard about Vic’s deathly hangover.” She teased. She wasn’t even upset about the night he’s spent with the other woman.

Did they know he was dating all four of them and just accepted it? Maybe that’s just what kids did these days, he knew he was far too old to understand the dating rituals of the younger generation.

“Oh god.” Dennis shook his head fondly at the thought of the clingy girl who had used him as her personal pillow a few days back. “No alcohol tonight, please.”

“Nope, only popcorn. Toffee, just like you like.” She winked, clearly trying to prove she knew him well.

“Yum, love you!” He said and Robby frowned at the confession. Sure, he knew he was dating all these girls but was he actually in love? Were they something serious? Not just fooling around.

“Whitaker, I need you.” Robby nodded his head towards a patient’s room, effectively dragging Dennis away from Samira.

“Sure thing captain.” He smiled, running after Robby like an eager puppy.

~~~

Robby decided he had to intervene, normally he avoided getting involved in his co-worker's love lives but this situation could affect their work if they all found out Dennis is seeing them behind each other’s backs. And if it affects their work it affects the ED which in turn affects Robby. The last thing he needs when he’s trying to save lives is an all-out cat fight when they find out their boyfriend has been playing away, if there was a bet he’d put his money on Trinity – the girl was scrappy. So, yes, he needs to step in.

Seeing Dennis with his multiple girlfriends would sit heavy in Robby’s stomach, he was sure it was in sympathy for their naivety. Because he’s convinced they can’t know, not with the way they flock around him with stars in their eyes. They must have thought they were the only one because that is just how Dennis makes you feel. Special.

Robby catches sight of him in the breakroom, drinking his monster while looking at a patient’s notes. Robby slips in and sits opposite him, causing Dennis to smile as he spots him. It makes Robby feel warm inside, no wonder he’s charmed all four of them.

“Listen, I need to speak to you about something.” Robby said without any preamble, this conversation was going to awkward enough that he just needed to dive in head first.

“Sure.” Dennis nodded, placing his notes to one side and tilting his head. “What’s wrong?”

“What you do in your spare time is up to you but please don’t let it affect work.” Dennis’s blue eyes widened as he stared up at Robby in confusion, this would be a lot easier if the other man didn’t look so adorable all the time.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Your romantic entanglements with some of the other doctors.” He sighed. “As I said outside of work is your prerogative but I don’t want to deal with the fall out when they find out they aren’t your only girlfriend so please be subtle at work.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend!” Dennis denied.

“Whatever you kids are calling it these days then.”

“No… I mean… Robby I’m gay.”

“Oh, right.” Robby is instantly filled with relief at the confession, only because he won’t have to break up a fight.

“Yep, so definitely no girlfriend.”

“Do they all know?” He asked, nodding his towards the group of girls currently watching them through the door and gossiping at the hub. “Because they all seem very taken with you.”

“No, it’s not like that. I’m just one of the girls to them.” He shrugged.

“Okay, apologies Whitaker.” He said, awkwardly tapping his knuckles on the table.

“No worries.” He laughed as the other man stood and squeezed his shoulder before exiting the room. The gaggle of giggling girls quickly dispersing when he walked out.

~~~

So, maybe Dennis wasn’t a ladies’ man as Robby had previously assumed. But he was clearly a huge flirt. They way he was laughing at Ogilvie, looking up at him though his thick lashes, patting his arm in a way to feel his biceps but was disguised as a friendly gesture. Robby frowned at the whole display.

He could see why Ogilvie would like Dennis, the man had taken him under his wing almost the moment he’d stepped into the ED. And he’d heard that Dennis had comforted him his first day, having been on the receiving end of Dennis’s soothing care he knew it was like a bright, shining light at the end of a dark tunnel.

But Robby has sworn it was hero worship, a bit like the one Dana used to tease Robby about Dennis having for him. Although, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d misread a romantic situation involving Dennis.

When Ogilvie walked away from the hub Robby leant down beside him. He kept his voice low so that it wouldn’t be heard over the commotion of the ED, for Dennis’s ears only.

“I thought we’d already discussed keeping your romantic life out of work.”

“What? Ogilvie?” He asked, his nose adorably scrunching up at the accusation. “He is not my type.”

“What is your type?” The question slips out of Robby before he even has a chance to think about it, not even sure why he asked or how it was any of his business.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Dennis teased with a wink, Robby’s stomach swooping at the simple action.

Oh.

He sneaks up to the hub unnoticed, puts on his glasses and studies the patient board above him. Just a few steps away, Dana has to look twice to make sure she isn’t hallucinating.

“Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” She rushes over to him and gives him a tight squeeze. “Why didn’t ya let us know you were comin’ back today? You nearly scared me to death!” Regardless of her scolding tone, she is clearly relieved to see him. “You look good. Happier!”

Robby has indeed gained some weight and color. His eyes don’t look that sad anymore. His hair is longer, his beard fuller, and all in all it seems as if his sabbatical has worked wonders for him.

“Good to see you too,” he mutters, giving her a hearty pat on the back. “So, how’s everything? What did I miss?”

Dana gives him a rough run-down of the past few weeks, vents about rude patients and incompetent board members, praises Al-Hashimi’s rational leadership, and then, noticing Robby’s disapproving look, clarifies that Al-Hashimi “doesn’t do things better, just differently.”

Once she’s done with her summary, more and more colleagues begin to notice his return. He gets a lot of pats on the back, endures a lot of hugs and repeats his “My sabbatical was nice, but just too short” joke at least 20 times.

McKay, Perlah, Mel, Jesse, Ahmad — they all seem genuinely happy to see him. Santos jokes that she didn’t even notice he was gone. Even Langdon gives him a brief nod.

Only one person doesn’t show up to greet him: Dennis Whitaker. In fact, it seems as if he’s avoiding him on purpose.

When Robby watches him treat a patient, the young doctor doesn’t even spare him a glance. He pushes past him as he leaves the room and doesn’t even stop when Robby calls after him. Robby’s hand reaches into thin air as he tries to hold him back.

“Alright, what did ya do to our poor Farm Boy, Robby? Did ya yell at him for killin’ one of your plants?” Dana has also noticed the young man’s strange behavior. After all, he usually stuck to Robby like glue …

“No, I didn’t! No idea what’s wrong with him.” Robby says as he watches Whitaker disappear into the break room. He follows him without another thought.

Whitaker is standing with his back to him at the coffee machine when he enters the room. He watches him briefly from a safe distance, smiles to himself and closes the gap between them.

Whitaker startles when he feels Robby’s heavy hand on his shoulder.

“So, you’re ignoring me, huh?” He can almost feel Robby's breath on the back of his neck. His attending is standing close behind him. Too close.

“What? No, don’t be ridiculous,” Whitaker swallows hard as Robby’s hand glides down his back and comes to rest on his waist.

“You are, sweetheart,” Robby whispers against his temple, “people are noticing.”

“They are? Shit,” Whitaker replies, pressing himself against him. “I think I took the whole 'Let’s pretend nothing’s going on between us' rule a bit too seriously.”

Robby chuckles. “So you’ll finally say hi to me when we accidentally bump into each other in the hallway in a bit?”

“I will,” Whitaker says and gives him a quick peck on the lips before he turns to leave. “Ah, before I forget, our plans for tonight are still on, right?”

“Of course,” Robby replies with a grin. “Dinner, maybe a movie, definitely very hot and steamy sex. Just like in the past 1.5 months.”

He watches his boyfriend leave the break room and chuckles to himself.