I just got here

Hi

Dennis finds a way to get Robby to come back from his sabbatical sooner rather than later.

Robby has no reason to complain

My to do lists are out of control.

TW: deadnaming, the name itself and the event isn’t described, just mentioned.

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Jack and Robby both start growing out their beards while working the same shift. Robby’s quietly proud—it’s the first time since starting t that his beard actually started to look like a “real” beard.

However, after admins make a whole deal out of being professional and looking presentable. Adamson tells them one of them has to shave—“Not running a biker gang on day shift. Patients and upstairs prefer clean-shaven doctors, gentlemen.”

and somehow Robby’s and Jack’s already fragile dynamic grows a little more tense as neither of them wants to shave.

They bet on it, the person who works on the most patient in a month won’t have to shave his beard. As time passes, their stupid bet over who has to shave their beard continues—both of them putting in longer hours sometimes to catch up with the other one.

Jack is just doing this to piss robby off and show him that he’s better than him, blissfully unaware of the fact that the beard represents something more important to robby

After a confrontation with a patient, out of nowhere Robby spirals, staggers back into the hub and finds Jack. Stoic Mr. Robinavitch seems to be lost, his face pale as he asks Jack to take over his patient for him.

Jack could do nothing but nod due to the man’s demeanor all shaken up. When Jack got over to check the patient, she seemed like a regular old patient, nothing out of the ordinary. So he had no idea why Robby passed the patient to him and looked like he was about to puke his guts out.

Later on, as the hours pass by, he tries to ask Robby what actually went down with the patient.

“What, did she flirt with you or something? What got your panties all tied up?” Jack says as he tries to lighten the mood and figure out what actually happened.

He somehow finds himself worried about Robby.

However, Robby isn't having any of it. He snaps at Jack, clearly overwhelmed, tears and frustration brimming in his eyes and his face ashy like the chalk they use on blackboards—his pale face a stark contrast to his brown beard.

Jack thinks, screw this, we aren’t really friends anyway, so why should he care, anyway? But Jack can’t still forget the look in Robby’s eyes.

Robby takes rest of the day off.

The next day, Robby shows up clean-shaven, eyes puffy, his face sunken.

Jack doesn’t fully understand why the man shaved and admitted defeat this early.

Also, why did a beard matter so much in the first place anyway?

Then one day, he overhears Robby whispering to Dana about being deadnamed in his medical records and how he feels like he doesn’t ‘look’ masculine anymore, and yeah, Jack feels like the biggest asshole.

While Jack never clocked that Robby was trans, but he was still able to understand why Robby might feel like he wasn’t ‘enough’.

To jack he was more than enough. He was Robinavitch fo g-d’s sake. A man who could do everything, an unwavering force.

Even though Jack had no idea what went down with that patient months ago, he was now somewhat sure that it must have been something related to Robby being trans, Especially since the poor guy shaved his beard the day right after that encounter.

Next shift, Jack shows up clean-shaven.

He doesn’t make a big deal out of it—just hands Robby a small bottle of beard oil and shrugs — “You should grow it back, brother. Looks better on you anyway.”

Robby’s beard grows faster this time around and jack never stops buying him that brand of expensive beard oil.

Whitaker arrives at Robby's. He puts his bag on the floor and throws himself on the couch. He mumbles, face burries between the cushions, "I'm exhausted.."

He then sits straight up, looking at his own reflection on the TV screen in front of him. "Fuck Robby's plants, I'm fucking exhausted,".

He ends up doing the chores while ranting to the plants about how hard his day was.

"Drink up, plants! Do you know how tired I am today? Yet here I am, giving you water so you stay alive while Robby's gone. I sacrifice myself for you, you know.."

"That one med student straight up jinxed everything. If Robby was there, he would kill him on the spot,"

"What is Robby doing, now? Plants, should I text him? It's been a while since we communicate.."

Little did Whitaker know, Robby is home. He decided to wrap his trip way earlier than the plan. He's been home 3 hours before Whitaker arrived. And he's been listening to Whitaker's rants behind his bedroom door. He smiles and let out little laughs hearing the boy talks to his plants.

Heard Whitaker might text him, silly idea comes to his mind. He wears earpods and hides in the closet. He giggles, thinking about excecuting his idea.

After he waters all the plants, Whitaker takes pictures of it. He is thinking about giving Robby updates about his plants to open the conversation. The phone rings before he sends the pictures. Robby is calling!

"Hi, Dr Robby.."

"Hi, kid. Just Robby, please,"

"Yeah, Robby. How you doing?"

"I'm doing good, Whitaker. And how about you? Are you home already? Or the ER still holding you hostage?"

"Just Dennis, please. I'm already home, Robby. Mmm, at your place, by the way. I just finished water your plants,"

"Are they alive? My plants, they are pretty much needing extra care.."

"Oh Robby, I dilligently taking care of them. And you are right about them needing extra care. Surprise me there, actually, knowing taking care of plants as part of your life besides healing people and riding motorcycle,"

"Well, the more you know about me.."

Whitaker cozies himself on the couch. "Where are you right now, Robby?"

"In my room,"

"What state to be exact?"

Robby pause, letting seconds passed before he answers. "You don't need to know, Dennis. Just know that I'm doing good, and I'll be back soon,"

"Okay, Robby. Thank you for letting me know that you are doing good, out there, wherever you are.."

"Yeah,"

"Yeah.."

"Tell me about your day, Den,"

"Well, today is... just like another day."

"Your voice telling it doesn't sound just like another day."

"It is, Robby. Just like every bad thing from another days compile in one day. The shift started off smooth, until one of the med student said 'Why is it so quiet, eh? I always think ER is all about chaos' and boom, the chaos came almost immediately. Cars pile-up and fire victims at the same time. Fuck, Robby. At that time I wish you were there to kick his ass. In the middle of the chaos, we got code hula-hoop. That mf being uncooperative, he grabbed the hair of one of the nurse and threw her to the ground. Oh, and also I need to changed my scrub three times, just like my first day in ER,"

"That sounds... hell,"

"Yeah, it is!"

"And, how do you feel, Dennis?"

"How do I feel? I feel like beers before bed. Good thing tomorrow is my day off,"

"Wait, is there any beer left in the fridge?"

"Wait, I'll check... and no, there is no beer left in your fridge,"

"Let's grab a beer, then,"

"Okay.. wait, wha-"

Thud. Robby ends the call and rushes out from his room.

"Let's grab a beer, Dennis!"

lol. lmao even.

There is nuance and conflict. Odysseys' characterisation is complex and his different motivations are at odds with each other.

The story is easily digestible and loses the value of the original literary source.

lol. lmao even.