Dennis 🤝 Me

Later that shift, Robby stands next to him at the board, staring up at it as he casually asks, “Do you like keeping pins on your bag?”

Dennis nods. “I’ve never received one before, but I like it. Makes it feel more like mine rather than just some backpack I thrifted.”

Robby hums and stuffs his hands in his pockets lingering for a few moments until Dana calls him away.

Dennis thinks that’s the end of that conversation until the end of his next shift, when Robby hands him another mesh gift bag, this time with a buffalo pin inside. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like when I was gone, so I got more than one pin.”

“Thank you,” Dennis manages to say, trying and failing not to romanticize the moment. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to,” Robby replies earnestly, briefly holding eye contact with Dennis before reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. “Good job today, Whitaker.”

Dennis thanks him again, and as soon as Robby leaves, he pins the buffalo next to his maple leaf. He smiles at the pair. They belong together.

When Trinity spots the new addition, she laughs and jokes, “Next time, I’m asking where my pin is.”

Dennis rolls his eyes and shoves her. “There isn’t going to be a next time,” he insists.

He’s wrong.

Over the next few weeks, Robby brings in pin after pin, slowly but surely filling up the entire left strap of Dennis backpack.

It’s only when Dennis has to start on the right strap that he finally laughs and asks Robby, “Are you buying these online or something?”

The older man blushes and shakes his head. “No, these are all from my trip.”

Dennis pins his newest souvenir - a simple white flower - on his right strap and smiles. “You couldn’t have been thinking about me that often,” he jokes, but the words get caught up in his throat, too full of hope to come out clearly.

Robby still manages to understand. He takes a step forward, glancing around the empty ambulance bay before confessing, “I did.”

Dennis glances over the pins, physical representations of every time Robby thought about him while he was gone. “Every stop?” Dennis breathes out.

“Every stop and in between.”

“I thought about you, too,” Dennis confesses, finger tracing over the maple leaf pin. “I don’t have anything to show for it, except Trinity, who will gladly complain about how often I talked about missing you.”

Robby chuckles. “You don’t have to lie to make me feel better, Whitaker.”

“I’m not,” he insists, hand reaching out to latch onto his boss’s arm. “Every day I wanted to know where you were and what you were doing. It’s a miracle I didn’t abuse your number.”

Robby ducks his head. “I wish you would have.” He glances up, eyes crinkling as he says, “Then, maybe I could’ve asked what you’d like instead of getting a pin from every souvenir stand I saw.”

Dennis frowns down at his backpack. “How many more pins do you have?”

“Let’s just say, I see you getting a few new backpacks in your future.”

Dennis laughs loudly, throwing his head back and letting the sound carry through the night. As his laughter dies down, he finds Robby staring at him fondly. His hand reaches out and hooks around the bare strap of Dennis’ backpack, thumb running over the newest pin. “I missed you, too.”

Butterflies spring to life in Dennis' stomach. He ducks his head, trying to hide his blush. "As a resident?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I didn't get any of my other residents souvenirs."

"Trinity noticed," Dennis can't help but say, making Robby laugh.

When it dies down, he asks Dennis, "Did you miss me as a boss?"

Dennis nods. "Yes," he replies honestly, then stutters, "B-but also as... you know."

"I know what?" Robby teases, still fidgeting with the strap of Dennis' bag, tugging lightly to draw the younger man toward him. "Hm?" he prompts when Dennis stares up at him, face red.

"You know I missed you beyond a resident missing their boss."

Robby tilts his head. "Did I? Last I checked, you had nothing to show for missing me."

Dennis huffs out a laugh of disbelief. "Really?"

Robby just smiles and shrugs at him.

"How about this then?" Dennis asks, looping his hands around the back of Robby's neck and rising onto his toes as he pulls him into a kiss. It's quick and chaste, only because Dennis pulls back to ask, "Is that proof enough?"

"I might need more proof," Robby replies against his lips.

Dennis laughs and kisses him again, aiming to deepen the kiss when the sound of sirens approaches.

Robby reluctantly breaks away and pulls Dennis away from the bay, trying to find a corner with some privacy so they're not pulled back into work after their shift has ended. "My pins suddenly seem much lamer in comparison," he jokes.

Dennis shakes his head, staring down at his backpack. "I love them. They show how much you missed me."

"I didn't get nearly enough to show that."

"How many did you get?"

Robby shrugs and scratches his beard. "I lost track after the first week. You should've seen me try to explain the bag to the Canada Border Patrol. Had to lie that my partner has a thing for pins and wouldn't forgive me if I didn't get him one at every stop I took."

Dennis grins. "Well, that doesn't have to be a lie anymore."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he replies, leaning forward again, only to be cut off by the sound of someone obnoxiously clearing their throat.

Dennis' head snaps to the left, filled with relief and dread when his eyes land on Trinity.

"This is a hospital," she says flatly as she approaches them. Her eyes trail over Dennis' backpack, taking in the new pin. She turns to Robby and crosses her arms. "Where's my pin, huh?"

Robby turns red and scratches the back of his neck. "Taken by border patrol?" he offers.

"Uh huh," Trinity replies, fighting to conceal her grin. "Well, I'm done with charting, and I'm heading home. I'm glad you finally pinned him down, Dr. Robby, but I don't want to hear any details about that from you," she says, giving Dennis a piercing stare.

He flushes red, opening and closing his mouth a few times, but nothing comes out.

"Text me if you're not coming home tonight," she says, saluting Dennis and fully grinning at her ability to make him squirm. "And I expect a pin!"

Dennis shakes his head as she walks away. "You don't have to actually get her a pin."

"Don't worry, I know I do," Robby says, taking Dennis' hand. "Want to see the rest of your collection?"

"Yes, please."

Dennis ends up staying the night after Robby brings out five full bags of pins, and Dennis insists that he tells him where he got every one of them. Robby agrees, as long as Dennis gives him a kiss for every pin. He more than happily obliges.

“Oh, fuck. I- shit. I didn’t…” Dennis shoves the card away, dragging his hands over his face when Robby takes it. “I got my wires crossed between Father’s Day and your name and my attraction and-” he clamps his mouth shut quickly, but he’s already dug his grave.

Robby only smiles at Dennis and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “So, you don’t see me as a father figure?”

“God, no. I tried my hardest not to sign that card, and look where that got me.”

The older man chuckles and squeezes him. “So, you’d be interested in having dinner with me?”

Dennis’ breath hitches. He answers on an exhale, “As long as it’s not tonight. I really don’t want anyone mistaking you for my father.”

“Oh, baby,” Robby chuckles lowly, his hand dragging up his neck to cup his jaw. “Trust me when I say no one will ever make that mistake.” Dennis nearly blacks out until Robby jokes, “Unless you want to take advantage of the Father’s Day discounts tonight, then I can pretend.”

Dennis laughs loudly and shakes his head. “I don’t think I can pretend any longer.”

“Good, because I can’t either,” Robby answers, closing the distance between them.

“What?”

Trinity sighs and makes room for Dennis to join the group. “Smash or pass. It’s a game where you decide if you’d want to fuck the person or not.”

The tips of Dennis’ ears turn red. “I don’t think that’s-”

“Come on, Huckleberry, it’s fun. Look.”

He glances down at the screen, noticing a picture of a man probably taken in the 90s. He’s… cute, but Dennis doesn’t know if he’d want to sleep with him.

“Smash,” Samira says.

“Young Leonardo DiCaprio is always a smash,” Victoria agrees.

The girls glance at Dennis who shrugs. “I-I don’t know. I’d have to talk to him first. See what he’s like.”

Trinity coos and pinches his cheek. “Such a Huckleberry.”

Dennis waves her off, and she continues swiping through photos with a laugh.

Every person that pops up has Dennis frowning, unsure of what to really consider a “smashable” quality. He throws out a noncommittal, “He’s attractive, but… I don’t know,” for most answers, much to the girls’ disappointment.

Until Trinity swipes to an older photo of a clean shaven man with kind brown eyes, fluffy brown hair, and sweet smile that immediately has Dennis rather loudly declaring, “Smash!”

Samira and Victoria turn to stare at him with their jaws dropped as Trinity bursts into a fit of laughter. That’s when Dennis knows he’s somehow been pranked again.

“What?” He asks, reaching toward Trinity’s phone, only for her to pull it away. “Who is that?”

He manages to latch onto the device, and the pair get caught in a bit of a tussle, resulting in her phone being tossed across central, landing and sliding a few feet until it’s stopped by Dr. Robby’s shoe.

The older man glances up at them, unimpressed. Dennis straightens up, ready to apologize when Dr. Robby bends down, groaning as he picks up the phone. He frowns down at the photo, tugging his glasses on as he approaches them. He stops in front of them and turns the screen around asking, “How’d you get this photo of me?”

Dennis can feel himself turn a concerningly dark shade of red as Trinity explains, “I asked Dr. Abbot to show me a picture of your glory days.”

“Why?” He asks, tilting his head as he hands the phone back to her.

Trinity smirks and nudges Dennis. “No reason.”

Dr. Robby doesn’t look convinced, especially when he sees the flush that’s threatening to consume Dennis’ entire body. Robby’s hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing as he asks, “Are you alright, Dr. Whitaker?”

Dennis doesn’t trust himself to get words out so he only nods.

Dr. Robby luckily doesn’t press him for anything more. He releases him with one last squeeze and addresses the group. “Okay, then go back to work and clear some beds. Don’t give me a reason to not pay you or approve your hours.”

“Yes, sir,” Dennis mutters, scurrying away so he doesn’t get caught up staring into the man’s eyes.

Trinity follows after him, smugly grinning.

“Shut up.”

She raises her hands in surrender. “I didn’t say anything.”

Dennis only glares at her. But a few moments later, he whispers, “Can you send me that photo?”

Trinity laughs, but she sends it his way.

It’s not even two hours later that Dr. Robby catches Dennis staring at his photo, thumb caressing the screen.

“That had to have been taken over two decades ago,” Robby says, suddenly appearing over Dennis’ shoulder.

Dennis jumps and drops his phone on the counter in front of him, that same blush rising to his face. “I…” he starts but doesn’t know what to say. “Sorry,” he settles on, turning back to the board. He’s so getting written up.

“It’s alright. I’d be shocked too if I knew then what I’d look like now,” Robby comments, self deprecatingly.

Dennis frowns at him, grabbing his phone and holding up the photo beside Robby, comparing the two. He isn’t sure how he didn’t recognize the man when he first saw the photo. Or maybe he subconsciously did and that’s why he responded so quickly. “You don’t look that much different.”

Robby’s hand pats his back. “Sure, kid.”

“I’m serious,” Dennis insists, turning the screen his way. “You’re just older and have more facial hair.” He turns the photo back to himself, staring at it. “If anything, I’d say you aged like fine wine,” he comments without meaning to.

His eyes dart to his boss and he finds that they’re sharing a similar blush on their cheeks. “Sorry, that was-”

“I have more photos like than in an old photo album at my house. You’re more than welcome to take a look at it.” Robby glances at the board causally, scratching his beard. “I’m free after our shift.”

Dennis’ smile widens, stretching across his face until his cheeks hurt. “Y-yeah. That’d be amazing. Thank you.”

Robby gives him a small smile and pushes away from the central hub. “It’s a date,” he comments, walking away.

It’s a miracle Dennis doesn’t faint on the spot.

Robby doubles back and adds on, “One question though, why did you want to smash Trinity’s phone when you saw my photo?”

Trinity cackles loudly, making her presence known at the monitor near them. “Sorry,” she chokes out through fits of laughter.

“Uh, no reason,” Dennis comments and looks up at the board. “Look at that. Patient with lower back pain and nausea. Great case.” He turns on his heels and nearly sprints away.

At the end of their shift, Trinity informs him that this has got to be her best prank to date, and Dennis reluctantly agrees although there’s still that look in her eyes. He doesn’t have to wait long to find out what that’s about, because, as she walks away, she calls out, “By the way, I filled in Dr. Robby on what ‘smash or pass’ is, so have fun on your date.”

Dennis would’ve reasoned that Abbot used Dr. Robby’s personal email, but Robby’s wide eyes guiltily snap to him, giving away his secret.

He manages to corner Robby about it and ask if he received every email. When it’s confirmed that he did, Dennis turns bright red, remembering the drunken one he sent talking through some very explicit ideas he had involving his boss.

But instead of firing him like Dennis expects, Robby lays a hand on his shoulder and asks, “Did you mean any of it?”

And Dennis throws caution to the wind and answers, “Every word.”

Robby smiles to himself, nodding while scratching the back of his neck. Eventually he works up the courage to say, “Well, I liked the idea you had in one email about us getting dinner together to get to know each other better. Would you still like to do that?”

Dennis immediately answers yes, and they schedule a date for immediately after their shift.

During their date, Robby shows him all his unsent drafts in response to each and every one of his emails. And Dennis makes him promise that anytime he sends an email in the future, he’ll send a response.

Robby agrees as long as Dennis promises to continue emailing him. Which he does.

Eventually, when Robby retires, they do officially deactivate his email account. But they’ve long since stopped using their work emails. Instead, they use their new Mr and Mister Robinavitch personal emails