it's meant to be pop!

Robby opened the front door and called out in a sing-song voice, "Honey, I'm home!"

He had done everything in his power to get out of work on time to take his beautiful bisexual badass wife on a nice anniversary dinner. Eight years of marriage wasn't particularly special in the grand scheme of things, but every day with Jackie was a gift, so Robby wanted to make sure the official day to celebrate and remember their wedding was a damn good one. They had missed most of their anniversaries over the years while Jackie was overseas, and the last two were both spent in the hospital thanks to a missed case of sepsis at the VA and the following amputation and recovery and physical therapy. Besides all that, they were both doctors now, which made scheduling infinitely more difficult.

But this year was different. Robby had begged and pleaded, literally on his knees a few times, to make damn sure everything would go smoothly. Being the department chief's favorite had a few perks, like negotiating for his wife, who was technically still a medical intern, to get the day off and getting permission to head out early on the same day.

If it wasn't already clear, he was abundantly excited. Unfortunately for him, the atmosphere of his house was less than stellar when he made it inside.

Upon entering the living room, he didn't see his loving wife ready to greet him with a steamy kiss. Instead, he saw what seemed to be a stranger on first glance.

Jackie was sitting on the couch, kind of hunched over a piece of paper, gripping it like her life depended on it. Her smile was gone. Her skin was pale. Like a ghost.

"Jackie?" Robby asked, cautiously walking closer. "Jack, baby, what's the matter?"

Jackie sniffled and rubbed at her tearful eyes. "I need to tell you something."

That was when he realized her wedding ring was sitting on the coffee table. Oh fuck.

On their anniversary? Of all days? That was uncharacteristically cruel.

Robby sighed in preemptive defeat as he sat on the other side of the couch. He wanted to ask what he did wrong. If there was any way to get her to stay. What his name was. Or her name. Maybe that's what it was. Maybe she wasn't bi after all and was finally done pretending to be attracted to him. Maybe Bubbe was right that Jackie wasn't just androgynous and really was confused.

Robby looked over at her guilty expression. He was more than ready and willing to forgive whatever transgression she was about to admit to, but it seemed she was already determined to walk out.

"What is that?" he asked, gesturing to the paper in her hands.

"A letter," she answered simply.

"From who?"

"Me."

"You?"

She unfolded it and stared at it. "Doctor Rhys said writing it down first might make it easier."

"Well, can I see it?" Robby asked.

"I need to explain it first," Jackie said defensively, holding the paper to her chest. She wiped her eyes again. "I love you so much, Mikey. You know I love you, don't you?"

"I love you too, baby," he replied, turning towards her. He tried to stay calm, but his anxiety got the better of him. He started speaking frantically. "You're scaring me... Please tell me what's going on. Are you leaving me? Are you sick? Did something happen? You can tell me, honey. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Jackie hadn't been the same since her time in the military, which Robby knew. Even so, she still managed to stay pretty stable and confident in most cases whereas Robby was the jittery one who needed constant reassurance. So to see her so distraught was not only heart-breaking but also terrifying. She was shaking like a leaf and starting to cry.

"I tried so hard to be the wife you wanted, and needed, and deserved," she said through a choked-back sob, slowly pushing her letter towards him with unsteady hands. "I just can't keep up the facade anymore. I'm so sorry, Mikey. Please don't hate me."

He took the letter from her and held her hand as he read it.

I've never felt at home in my own body. I could never understand, let alone explain, why until Doctor Rhys introduced me to the term 'transsexual'. After learning more, I realized this describes the feelings I had been pushing down my whole life. You deserve someone better. Someone who isn't broken.

There was more to read, but Robby felt he got the gist of it from the first few sentences. His hand kept holding Jackie's tightly. He met her eyes again.

No, not her eyes. His eyes.

His beautiful eyes. The redness of strain from tears would compliment the green hue of the irises pretty nicely if it wasn't so sad.

"You are not broken, Jack," Robby said softly. He picked up the wedding ring from the table and held it between his fingers. "I would put this back on you, but I'm guessing you want something a little more masculine now?"

Jack gave him a bewildered look. "What? That's it?" he asked. He looked down at their joined hands and then back up at Robby's ever-adoring eyes. "You do understand what it says, right?"

Robby couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, I understand it," he said. He shrugged. "When I vowed to love you til death do us part, did you think I was just kidding?"

Jack laughed too, more nervous than amused. "I don't... I don't understand. You're not surprised? At all?"

"Not really," Robby admitted. "I mean, should I be? You've always been pretty butch. People mistake you for a man already. Just last week, someone on the T called us slurs because they thought we were a gay couple. And you know everyone at work jokes that I'm the wife in the relationship."

Jack turned away in consideration. "Yeah, but..."

"I think you're forgetting I'm also bi, baby," Robby reminded him. "It doesn't bother me that you'd rather be my husband. It just means we found a loophole to the ban on gay marriage."

Jack put his head in his hands and groaned. "And here I thought I was so being so secretive..."

Robby laughed again and rubbed Jack's back, scooting closer and pulling him in. "No offense, sweetheart, but you were about as subtle as train wreck," Robby teased. He gestured to the portrait of them smooching hanging above the mantle. "For fuck's sake, Jack, you wore a suit to our wedding."

"A women's suit," Jack replied, furrowing his brows. "With lace panties on underneath. Which, if I'm remembering correctly, you loved."

"I did love that," Robby nodded, a fond smile on his face. "But I love you in boxers, too. And naked, or in cargo pants and a tee shirt, or basketball shorts and that LSU tank top, or sweats, or scrubs, or fucking anything, baby. If you're trying to convince me to stop having a big fat crush on you, you're going to fail. Miserably."

Jack leaned up and connected their lips, holding Robby's face in his hands. A thumb brushed over stubble, and he leaned their foreheads together. "Thank you, Mikey... I love you, baby, so much."

"I love you too, Jack," Robby replied in a whisper, wrapping long, lanky arms around his much more muscular frame. He checked his watch behind Jack's head. "We still have a couple hours before our reservation. We can talk this through some more if you want?"

"Tomorrow," Jack said as he laid his head on Robby's shoulder. "Tonight, I just want to enjoy being your w– your husband."

Robby rubbed Jack's back and kissed his head again. "In that case, I should probably prep for the strap, shouldn't I?"

They both burst out laughing.

That went a lot better than either of them walked into it expecting.

Dummies.

“...binavitch…bed and we haven’t..rules yet. Don’t think your ass is getting out of this scot-free.”

Jack’s whispered threat slid off Dennis’s brain as it tried to latch onto them. He was curled up around a pillow, a large hand in his hair petting lightly. 

“Jack, he just wanted to be close, that’s all. I wasn’t going to let anything else happen.” Robby’s voice rumbled through him at the same time Dennis registered the pillow under him was, in fact, Robby. Dennis had his hand thrown across his torso and loosely hooked into the fabric of Robby’s shirt, with his head resting on his chest. For a moment, Dennis debated going back to sleep- sleeping in blissful ignorance and saving himself the embarrassment. 

“Good morning, mouse! You’re just a little snuggle bug, huh?” Shit.

Dennis went to sit up, an apology sitting just on the tip of his tongue before Robby gently rolled Dennis over to Jack. 

“It’s alright, I was just going to go make coffee for everyone. You stay here with Jack a little longer.” Robby swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, grunting as his back cracked before making his way downstairs. 

He was only gone a couple beats before Dennis tried to sit up again. “I should go help-”

“-nah, let him. It’s his love language or whatever.” Jack rasped, stretching his back as well with a soft groan. It took a herculean amount of willpower for Dennis not to stare at the bit of shirt that rode up over his stomach. “Relax, kid, I don’t bite.” 

“Is..” Dennis hesitated. “Is Robby in trouble? I didn’t mean to get him in trouble, can we- I can take some of the punishment-” The word pricked Jack’s ears like a dog, prompting him to sit up and prop himself up on his elbow. 

“What punishment, Dennis?” Jack’s face was carefully open, receptive for Dennis to keep going. 

“You… I heard you say Robby wasn’t getting out of this scot-free. And since I participated in it too, I.. I dunno. I didn’t want just Robby being in trouble.” Dennis finished, absently picking at his arm. With Robby, Jack would have been asking for eye contact, could feel that pull to ground and soothe, but Dennis wasn’t theirs. Not yet. Jack cleared his throat. 

“...right, okay. Well, first of all, you’re not getting punished for anything, Den. You didn’t know our rules, you didn’t know that I wanted to wait and talk through things today before we did anything together. Second of all this is, like, minor infraction shit. Robby’s just going to have to do the stuff we’re been procrastinating on around the house like sealing the leaky window or something.” Jack explained patiently, letting Dennis absorb his words before continuing. “Did you get in trouble for things like that? Not knowing the rules?” 

Dennis was sat up at this point, legs crossed and hunched in on himself while he looked steadfastly at his hands. “... they were common sense. I should have known them.” 

Jack was about to answer when the creaking of the floorboards announced Robby’s arrival. 

“Dennis, this one’s yours, and here’s Jack’s.” Warm mugs were passed down to the members of the bed before Robby climbed back in, settling in the fading warmth of his spot. Dennis thanked him softly and took it, thankful for the diversion from Jack’s attention. 

“But you bring up a good point, Dennis. We can go over it when we fill out the paperwork.” 

Dennis looked between the two of them. “Paperwork?” 

“Yeah, you know- consent checklist, kink list, aftercare, all the good things.” Dennis wrinkled his nose a little at the thought. “That’s your homework for today. Before we do anything. And then… probably just talking through our expectations. Your expectations.” 

Jack wasn’t kidding. On the coffee table when Dennis was done with his shower was a neat little stack of checklists to go through. Robby sat a glass of water by the stack when Dennis sat down and told him he wasn’t to move until he got it all filled out.

It was… weird. When he was a kid it wasn’t this thoroughly discussed, and he guessed that it made sense now that he was an adult, but- they should be the one telling him what they were going to do. They knew what was best for him as a dom and switch, and all of this felt like Dennis was in charge. 

Dennis nestled himself further into the arm of the couch and looked over the list, rolling the pen between his fingers absentmindedly. Most of it was stuff he could handle- he winced as he saw the option for lashings/belt, but he had gotten plenty of that when he was a kid. He knew what to expect. He was actually pretty proud of himself for how quickly he got through the list. 

The aftercare stumped him a little more. He supposed a wipe down or a shower would be nice after, but the things on there- can we touch you? Is there a snack you’d like to have nearby for after? Is a bath or shower easier for you?- just seemed like a little much. Nevertheless, Jack had told him to mark down what he liked, and he checked most of the boxes and scribbled down simple answers. 

The last paper was just a list of rules- No dynamics at work, use safewords the second you don’t like what’s going on, this was an ongoing dynamic with room for negotiation, and communication. Simple enough. 

At some point Jack had come downstairs from his own shower, curls still damp, loping by on his forearm crutches and into the kitchen to talk to Robby quietly. Finally, he presented the papers to the two of them sitting at the kitchen table, watching Robby put on his glasses and read through. It made Dennis oddly shy watching them read through, watching Jack’s brow furrow before looking up and asking, “some of this stuff is a little… hardcore, Dennis. Is this what you like?” 

Dennis blinked at him. “It’s… what I’m okay with? I thought that was the point?” 

“Sure, but what’s your definition of ‘okay with it’?” 

Dennis stood there for a minute, planted, his brow slightly drawn down as he thought through his reply. Was this a test? “Like… we can do it for a scene. And I won’t freak out or anything.” 

“I think Jack’s trying to ask if these are all things that you’re attracted to. It’s totally okay if it is, mouse, we just want to make sure.” Robby interjected gently. “You aren’t in trouble, we’re just trying to understand.” 

Jack leaned over into Robby’s space and grabbed an empty sheet. “Go ahead and fill it out again. This time, I’m looking for things that turn you on, not what you can handle.” 

“But I just-” Dennis started, feeling the ridiculous urge to stomp his foot like he was a kid again. 

“-if you really like those things then you can just fill it out the same way as before. But I still want you to follow what I told you. Alright?” Jack stated firmly, holding Dennis’s eye contact. Dennis looked back until he couldn’t, letting out a soft huff of air. “Yessir.” 

“Good. It won’t take long.” Jack promised. This time Dennis stayed in the kitchen- he only asked about a couple of things, but it was still nice to have them explain it in technical terms to avoid searching them up on his own. The green checks were more sparse- lighter things, shying away from whips and chains and leaning into the softer side. This copy he was a little more shameful of turning in, it made his inexperience seem all that more blatant. Still, Jack and Robby seemed nothing but supportive as they read through.

“That’s a bit more like it. That seems to match up with our boy a little better.” Robby hummed, giving Dennis a smile.

“I think so too. I think we can start with a little something as a treat for Dennis being so honest with us.” Jack agreed. That made Dennis perk up a little bit. “Come on, mouse, to the living room. I want you to go grab a couch cushion and place it on the floor in front of the couch. Me and Robby need a sec to move our old man bodies.” Robby scoffed as Dennis let out a light huff of laughter and followed. 

Dennis’s thoughts raced with what they could be doing as he settled on the cushion, sitting on it as he watched Robby and Jack follow soon after. 

“Ah-ah, kneeling, Dennis.” Robby emphasized, and Dennis quickly moved so he was kneeling on the cushion. He heard Robby walk up behind him, and his hand came down to push gently against Dennis’s lower back until it was straight. “Good, just like that.” 

“Do you want to take the wheel on this one? He was so worried about you this morning, thinking I was going to give you lashes or something because you let him up on the bed like a puppy.” Jack teased, moving to sit on the couch to Dennis’s right. Dennis huffed.

“I didn’t think you’d give him lashes-” He started, only to be cut off by Robby sitting on his left and holding a hand up. 

“Don’t talk back, Den. Scooch your cushion over here- yup, closer, there you go. We’re just going to sit here for a little bit, try and ease you into this. What are your rules for stopping?” Robby asked. Kneeling like this made him seem just that much in charge, more looming, and Dennis found himself gravitating towards him. 

“Um- yellow for slow down, red for stop?” Dennis recited. 

“Good, exactly. I’m going to have you kneel here while me and Jack watch some TV. You can lean your body against my leg, but not the couch unless I’ve said you can. If you want something, just tell me. Okay?” 

How the hell was kneeling supposed to do anything for him? Dennis was doubtful, but Robby was a switch, so maybe it was something that helped him out? “Yeah, okay.” 

“We’ll have to assign some titles once you get comfortable with it.” Jack commented, offering nothing else as he picked up the remote and turned on the TV. 

It was fucking boring. Dennis tried not to fidget or slump in on himself, as every time he got a little too interested in picking at his hangnails or slouched in his posture Robby could give him a soft correction. Time seemed to drag by, and the only altered mindset seemed to be when Dennis zoned out and let his mind wander. 

“Dennis? Do you need to say something?” Robby asked after the fifth or sixth time he shuffled around to reposition himself. 

“I don’t- I dunno if this is doing anything for me, I’m just sitting here. It feels like I’m just sitting, and bored.” Dennis admitted, clenching his hands on top of his knees and waiting for the ‘well this worked on other subs’ or for Robby to switch gears into something less gentle. Maybe if he just had Dennis kneel on the hardwood, or on rice like his parents did, give him something to focus on-

“Good boy, Dennis. Thank you for telling us.” Robby praised, giving him a warm smile. “How about… if you’re comfortable, do you want to sit here?” And he pointed between his feet, between his legs. He would be bracketed by his legs, something to lean against and maybe occupy his mind a bit more. 

“I think- if that’s okay, that sounds good.” Dennis looked over at Jack, waiting for his encouraging nod before picking up his pillow and shuffling over to between Robby’s legs. He hesitated a little, trying to decide if he should lean against Robby. “Can I…?” 

“Can you what, mouse?” Robby asked gently, patiently waiting out the nervous pause as Dennis gathered his words. 

“Can I lean against you? Please?” Dennis asked, his face flushing hot as the words left his mouth. 

“Good manners, mouse.” Jack praised gently, his sentiment mirrored by Robby as he raised a hand to gently guide Dennis to lean against his leg and cushion his head on Robby’s thigh. Dennis’s shoulders gently bumped up against Robby’s knees, caging the boy in a way that didn’t feel sexual, necessarily, just… intimate. Sheltered. Dennis blinked as the hand on his head moved to his cheek, Robby’s thumb gently tugging Dennis’s bottom lip away from where his teeth had been biting it. 

“Need something to keep this occupied, huh?” Robby muttered, almost to himself. “Open your mouth, sweetheart.” 

The words sent a fizzle of heat down Dennis’s spine as he opened his mouth, small and hesitant, and Robby slipped his thumb inside before settling back against the couch like this was perfectly mundane. Dennis’s mouth was still open and slack in surprise, staring up at Robby until he gently reminded Dennis to close his mouth. 

It was a steady weight on his tongue, tasting like skin and salt. He could almost feel the grooves of his thumbprint on his tongue, but when he tried to move his tongue back a touch Robby just gently pressed down. It fit in his mouth perfectly. 

Dennis didn’t know what happened- one moment he was swallowing down surprise at the new development and trying to settle, and at some point things just… shifted. He was grounded by Robby’s closeness, the thumb on his tongue, the hand on his cheek trapped between Dennis’s skin and Robby’s leg. And the world around him got softer, farther away and fuzzy like a dream. He felt his eyelids drooping slightly, and maybe there was a little spit on the corner of his mouth but he couldn’t find it in himself to worry about it. He just had to focus on Robby, and being good. 

“Look at you, mouse, so good. Feeling so nice, huh?” Jack’s tenor cooed, coercing Dennis to drag his eyes up to look at Jack. Had he gotten closer? He was almost leaning against Robby’s shoulder- and then Jack’s hand carding through his hair made those thoughts drift away. It was like… right before you fall asleep. Drifting and soft where time slipped out from under you. 

“Dennis, can you open your eyes for me sweetheart?” Robby’s voice pulled him from his haze slightly, and Dennis let out a soft whine when Robby’s thumb slid from his lips. 

“Oh, isn’t that the saddest noise you’ve ever heard?” Jack’s voice was so sweet and a touch cruel, it made Dennis blush and tuck his nose against Robby’s thigh to hide away from the gentle teasing. 

“Eyes on me, Den.” Dennis peaked them open to look up at Robby, wishing he would let him just go back to wherever his mind had wandered. “Good boy, Dennis, thank you. Can you sit up straight?” It was borderline herculean, but Dennis managed. 

“I want you to roll your head back a bit, just like that. Can you move your knees a little and tell me how they feel?” The small exercises slowly brought Dennis back down into his body, taking note of how his neck felt, how his knees and back had a little twinge that meant his body wanted to move positions, and clarity fell slowly around him again. 

“What the fuck?” Dennis asked groggily, prompting chuckles from the men he was kneeling for. 

“Yeah, beats being alone, doesn’t it?” 

“You weren’t kidding.” Dennis agreed, feeling a kind of settled contentment in his body he hadn’t felt in a minute. A glass of water was pressed into his hand that he happily drank from. 

“And if you want, it can just be this. If this is all you need, then we can do this for you when you need it. Just give us a text.” Jack explained, making room for Dennis to sit up on the couch.

“Yes, please, this was… I feel great.” Dennis hoped he didn’t sound too eager. He really did want to go back to whatever that space was, and hopefully soon if they would let him. 

“Of course, kid, you’re a natural. You were so… yeah. You were great.” Robby finished a little awkwardly, prompting Jack to lean over Dennis’s legs and give Robby a pat on the thigh. 

“You were great, Robby. Dennis, how about you go to the bathroom and freshen up a little while me and Robby figure out what to do for dinner?” 

They watched Dennis make his way upstairs, waiting for the closing of the bathroom door before Robby leaned forward on his knees and covered his face with his hands.

“Fuck, man, did you see- he went under so fast-” Robby groaned, a blush tinting his ears bright red. 

“I got to see my boy treat our mouse so well, being so gentle and good with him. I was fighting not to jump your bones as soon as you told him to open his mouth, brother.” Jack agreed. “We have to get him there more often- he really needed it.” 

“Earlier, about the lashes..?” Robby lifted his head up to look at Jack, watching his smile fade a little as he recalled the boy’s flightiness. 

“He wanted to be your whipping boy, Mike. Thought that since you didn’t listen that you were going to get some big punishment and he wanted to split it between the two of you.”

The silence sat there for a moment before Robby rubbed the back of his neck. 

“I don’t know what kind of doms he’s used to having, but… shit, the fact that he was so ready to take the blame-” 

“I know, I know. What matters now is that he’s got two people who want to take care of him.” Jack stated firmly, rubbing his hand over his partner’s shoulders. “He’ll tell us when he’s ready, and if he isn’t… well, it isn’t really our business. It was in the past.” 

“I really hope so.” 

.

.

.

The week scraped by. Dennis felt like he was in high school all over again.

Minus the setting. And the fact that he was going over to their house on a regular basis. And honestly everything except the fact that seeing his attendings made his heart gallop in his chest and made him kind of blushy and stupid.

If he thought things were bad before, it’s worse now. Now he knows how Robby takes his coffee. What his voice sounds like early in the morning. How Jack likes to sit in the same chair when he cooks meals. How soft he is with his husband. How Robby's a switch, which means there’s a side of him that he hasn’t seen all sweet and pliant for Jack Abbot. Oh my god, he was fucked. Severly fucked. And not even in a fun way.

Robby’s handsiness skyrocketted, or maybe Dennis was just hyperaware of it now. Every little bump in the arm and hand on his nape, the claps on his shoulder, and most daringly a hand along Dennis’s lower back while he was rushing over to a coding patient.

“You’re like a girl in a Jane Austen novel freaking out over hand holding. Wait, did you read Austen? You seem like you came from a Grace Livingston Hill kinda family.” Trinity had teased while Dennis hung around the nurses station.

“Can I at least be a man in a Jane Austen novel?”

“I dunno, are you going to get the balls to ask them out properly?” She responded smugly. Dennis scowled, wanting so badly to tell her that actually, he had the two of them waiting for a response from him, but that didn’t help the allegations being made against him.

“Should I ask why we’re talking about Dennis’s balls?” Dennis nearly jumped out of his skin as Robby placed a hand on his shoulder, stepping close enough for Dennis to smell the fig and scandalwood cologne he was wearing. Freshy and woodsy. Someone take him out back and shoot him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy-”

“-it’s nothing, Dr. Robby, just messing around. Was there something you wanted help with?” Dennis only hoped his voice didn’t sound as strained as it felt coming out of him

Robby looked between the two of them, an eyebrow raised before he shrugged. “Just wanted to make sure it was nothing Gloria needed to know about. As you were.” Dennis felt the gentle squeeze on his shoulder before Robby was walking down the hall again. The two of them were silent until Trinity let out the giggle she had been holding in.

“Of course we summoned him by talking about your balls-”

“Trin, stop-”

“-’of course not, Doctor Robby, can I help you with anything Doctor Robby?’ Girl stand up-”

Dennis lobbed a crumpled up sticky note at her head, his face flushed so red he looked sunburnt.

The shift handoff wasn’t much better. That is to say, it went as smoothly as it could in an ER- it was just that he did it while being stuck between his two attendings. The ones who had offered to dom him. The ones he needed to give an answer to by tomorrow.

“-and a nine year old girl who fell out of a tree and broke her arm. She’s stable, we got her on a IV drip and tomorrow she should be good to send to Peds.” Dennis finished, looking between the two of them.

“Well done, mouse! Very succinct. And what about you?” Jack asked, plucking the clipboard from Dennis’s grip.

“I- pardon?”

“Did you eat anything today that wasn’t from a vending machine? Water intake?”

“I- I thought…I had time to answer you by Sunday?” Dennis cast his eyes over to Robby, who held up his hands in a ‘you’re on your own’ gesture that was thoroughly unhelpful.

“Okay, one; we keep that stuff separate from work unless we’ve talked about it thoroughly. And two, taking care of yourself isn’t reserved just for scenes, kid. It’s necessary upkeep. So, how much?” Jack’s eyebrows were raised expectantly, letting the silence stretch on until Dennis caved.

“Um- I had a sandwich for lunch. And a bottle of water.”

“Good, okay. Tomorrow I want it to be two bottles and some more snacks peppered in there, yeah? Can’t have you passing out during a triage.”

“Yessir.”

“Good- good. Alright, I’ll let you go- looks like Santos is ready to go before you both get sucked back in. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow, mouse." Dennis ducked his gaze away from Jack's warm smile with a quick glance behind him, where Trinity was leaning against the wall and tapping her wrist with an expectant look on her face.

The two of them clamored into her car, the engine letting out a pained whine before grumbling to life. Trinity patted the dashboard like it was a beloved pet before plugging in her phone.

“Heads up, Garcia is coming over tonight.”

Dennis groaned, letting his head hit the car headrest dramatically.

“It’s a Saturday night, Den, you have to expect this by now.”

“Can you give me, like, at least a day’s advance before bringing someone over?”

“Why? I’m not making you leave, I’m just giving you a heads up.”

“Not everyone wants to hear their best friend get railed in the room next to theirs, Trin, has that thought ever occurred to you?”

“You’re being so homophobic right now, you know that?”

“Hey, being a homophobe implies my judgement is for all gay people. I’m just judging you.” Dennis clarified, already pulling up Robby’s contact on his phone.

‘Can I come over tonight and ask some more questions about what you and Dr. Abbot offered?’

The answer was quick, barely a few minutes before he got a response.

‘Of course. Just let me know when you’re on your way.’

.

.

.

.

It was easier talking to Robby one-on-one. Not in the sense that Jack was hard to talk to, but in the sense that he felt like he was on more equal footing. The two of them were a force of nature when they were together. Where Jack let silences stretch on while Dennis floundered with his words, Robby was happy to patiently fill in the gaps in Dennis’s sentences. Maybe it was something about subbing solidarity.

They were sitting on the couch, tilted towards each other like sunflowers; Dennis curled up while Robby had his legs sprawled lazily on the footrest by the coffee table. He was grateful for the small glass of whiskey Robby had poured him, about a half serving of his own.

“I, um… I’ve never really had someone help me down. Growing up I was just constantly given new tasks to do if I got restless. I didn’t get time to rest unless it was time for bed. I think my parents thought it was good for me- they weren’t bad people, they just…” Dennis trailed off, staring into the woven designs of the rug under the sofa.

“...didn’t know how to parent that?” Robby finished, to Dennis’s nod.

“And then college, and then med school, and now it's like ‘oh, I never learned how to do this.’ And it seems so easy for everyone else.” Dennis continued. “And now I’m here. And…you guys know so much.”

“Well, we didn’t start by knowing a bunch. It took a long time to learn, and there’s…not really a time where you’re supposed to know these things by. Jack had to teach me that too.”

“What is it…supposed to feel like?” Dennis asked softly.

“What, subspace?” Robby asked, shifting to look at Dennis a little easier. “It’s…warm. Kind of like when you’re drunk. Your inhibitions kinda just float away for a little bit. You feel settled. If you have the right person, you just feel safe because you have someone who can take care of you.”

Dennis nodded slowly, musing over the information. It seemed to line up with what he’d read. “That sounds nice.”

“It is.”

“How did you and Jack get together?”

Robby’s face softened at the question, his eyes growing impossibly fond.

“Mmm, medical school. We both had a lot of the same classes and… being a sub or switch in the medical field wasn’t the easiest. He was someone I could trust not to be a bigot.” Robby inhaled deeply and let out a big sigh, like an old content dog. “Well, he went on to be an army medic. I furthered my career with the PTMC. It was a good handful of years before I saw him again- put some things into perspective. He started working at the PTMC for night shifts and…helped me when, uh, I was having a bit of a crisis.” Robby shifted a little, clearing his throat before continuing. “And he told me right then and there.”

Dennis thought back to that time in Peds, during Pittfest, the cold lighting on the bright murals of animals, seeing Robby curled up on the floor. Did Jack witness something similar? That sinking feeling in his chest?

“I’m… nervous. About-” Dennis cut himself off, trying to think through his words. The alcohol made them flow from his mouth if he wasn’t careful. “-at the farm, if I went off for the weekend to visit friends or family in the city, I would come back and it…would be harder for me to lift the bales for a day or two. I had to carry them continuously, or else it was like my body forgot how to lift them up again.” The words felt safer, the confession flowed out of him easier talking about something so simple at surface level. Dennis’s throat clicked as he swallowed before continuing.

“And if- if I got used to not carrying them, then… if I needed to carry it by myself, I was scared I couldn’t.” Dennis let his eyes flick over to Robby, baleful and shining with emotion. Do you understand? Please don’t make me say it.

There was silence, save for the muffled noise of the street and the creaking of the house. Robby sighed again, more weathered, a palm coming up to rub the back of his neck.

“Shit, Dennis, I… I think you’re going to be surprised at how familiar we are with that.”

The relief made Dennis feel like Jello, letting his shoulders fall from his ears.

They got ready for bed. Not a lot of words were spoken, but as Robby and Dennis separated to go to their respective rooms, Dennis looked back- just a moment’s hesitation and saw Robby looking at him too. Twin huffs of laughter, Dennis’s face already flush from what little alcohol he had that evening, but then Robby opened his door wider.

“I mean, you might as well.” Was all he said. It would have been gruff if Dennis didn’t know better.

That was all it took. Dennis padded along behind him, trying not to look like he was staring as he looked around the room he and Jack shared. The low lighting made it hard to make everything out, but he caught little glimpses of photos and knick knacks stacked on the cluttered bookshelves. A little collection of sleek glass bottles Dennis guessed was cologne on the dresser off to the side.

Robby climbed into bed with a grunt, laying down and patting the bed next to him when he caught Dennis’s wandering eye. Maybe it was the whiskey, but it felt like the most natural thing in the world to curl up next to him and throw the blankets over the both of them. Everything smelled like JackandRobby in a way that made him inhale deeply and sigh. Robby had his glasses on, reading a little paperback, and when he caught Dennis’s stare he dragged one of his hands over Dennis’s face, prompting a giggle. “Stop staring and go to sleep already, you little creep.”

He couldn’t have ignored it if he tried.

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.

It was so warm.

It was one of the first thoughts that gently tore the veil of sleep from his mind.

He was curled up around a pillow, his face smushed between the pillow clutched to his chest and the one his head rested on, and covered in a thick duvet. The low groan he let out was borderline pornographic, sleepily nestling himself further into the cozy bedding around him before his body started making its demands known.

He needed to pee. And he could feel the godawful subdrop aftermath settling into his bones.

‘Lethargy, muscle soreness, trembling and shaking, abdominal discomfort, angina, feelings of loneliness and dread.’ Textbook Subdrop hangover.

Looking at his phone revealed a barrage of text notifications from Trinity, ranging from asking where he was, if he was getting home safely, to numerous texts asking why Jack had just texted Trinity letting her know he was staying the night at their place. After that it was just lewd remarks about “giving her all the details” when he got back that made him scoff.

(He did end up sending her texts telling her he was fine, well-rested, and no he did not sleep with his attendings, thank you very much, to which Trinity responded with a thumbs down reaction on the text bubble.)

Dennis slowly freed himself from the warm cocoon and padded over to the door. It took a moment of careful exploration, but he eventually found the bathroom. The guest bathroom was carefully impersonal, all deep green towels and white tiles. The unscented Dial soap and warm water running over his hands almost made him fall back asleep.

The sun was still tinted in that golden glow that suggested early morning. It was a habit he never really shook from his childhood of waking up before dawn. He loved how the light bathed everything in a gentler, warmer light- like a dream or a memory. He let himself linger in the hallway just a moment; he could see high school photos, what looked like framed pictures of Jack’s army days, Robby’s graduation, lined in well-loved wooden frames. Underneath the window was a small table with an antique stained-glass lamp on a lace doily that stood out from the rest of the decor. The air had that old house smell, musty in a way that tickled a memory of childhood, in a way that suggested this place was well loved and well lived in.

Dennis took one more long gaze before making his way downstairs quietly. His bag was slung over the banister rail, his shoes by the door- a quiet, clean getaway. He gently took the bag and slipped it over his shoulder, sliding his worn down sneakers over his heels and patting down the bag’s outer pockets for his keys-

Dennis paused and opened the front pocket.

Then the main pocket.

Double checked his sweatpants and swore under his breath.

Where were his house keys?

“Looking for these?” Dennis jolted at the sleep-rough timber accompanied by the metallic jangle of Dennis’s keys. Robby looked at him in gentle amusement, holding them from his spot in the living room doorway. Wearing his glasses, a graphic t-shirt and sleep pants, with a worn coffee mug in his other hand, deliciously rumpled and warm looking.

“Oh, yeah- yes, thank you sir, um, I’ll just grab those and be out of your hair.” Dennis tripped over his words, walking up to Robby with his hand out expectantly only for Robby to tuck them into the pocket of his pajamas.

“Nope. Go ahead and toe off your shoes by the door. I’ve got shitty coffee in the kitchen and a plate of food with your name on it.” Easy as breathing, like this was their routine. Like any of this was normal. Dennis just stared at him, mouth slightly agape, until Robby raised an eyebrow expectantly.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you you’d catch flies doing that?”

It kicked his body into gear, reluctantly setting down his bag and toeing off his shoes to sit neatly next to the front door. He followed Robby deeper into the belly of the house, feeling like a prey animal crawling into a predator’s den. Robby didn’t even check to see if he was following him, like he knew Dennis would follow at his heel. So much for a clean getaway.

Dennis seated himself at the island, watching Robby pour a cup of coffee for him and sliding it to him. “Any cream or sugar?”

“Uh, half and half? If you have it?” Dennis asked tentatively. Robby snorted and reached for the fridge.

“Yeah, Jack’s the same. Can’t stand the stuff in my coffee, it tastes like cheese.”

“You lack the refined palette to enjoy the simple things in life, Robinavitch.” Dennis jumped for the second time today as Jack closed the door to what looked to be the sunroom, one arm using a forearm crutch to get by and the other handing Robby his mug wordlessly for him to fill. And he was shirtless. Lord help him. “How are you feeling, kid? Subdrops can take a lot out of you.”

“Good! Good, sir, really, I can’t thank you enough.” Robby poured a well-practiced dollop of half and half into the mug and handed it back to Jack, who murmured a thanks before sitting down.

“Good. So!-” Jack patted his knee with one hand. “-what can we do so that I never find you violently dropping in my ER again- well, Dana’s ER, but still.”

Dennis wonders if this was how deer felt facing his headlights on those backcountry roads.

“I have a dom I’m in contact with, I’ve just been busy with the ER and staying on top of things, that’s all.” Dennis replied, tracing his thumb along the worn handle of his coffee mug. “I can reach out in a couple of days, but I should be good until then.”

“You wanna try that again?” Jack asked, his chipper tone betrayed by the way his eyes seemed to pin Dennis to his chair.

“I-um, sorry?”

“Oh, I only meant if you wanted to tell me the truth this time.”

Dennis felt his stomach turn cold. How did he know? When he tried to look at the other attending, Robby reached up and rubbed the back of his neck in a way that made eye contact difficult.

“I am telling the truth.” Dennis replied firmly, looking Jack in the eyes despite how it made him want to shrink into himself.

“Mmm. I think we would have heard something from Santos if that was true. Plus,” he chose to pause, taking a leisurely sip from his coffee before continuing. “-this is really good Robby- plus, you talk smoother when you’re lying. Practiced. So, I want to give you the chance to tell me the truth.” He said it so simply, like he was talking about the weather. Like this conversation wasn’t making Dennis feel flayed open.

“I just- I’m trying to find someone, it’s just hard.” It was close enough to the truth. Enough that Jack nodded slowly.

“I’m assuming the PTMC doesn’t know?”

“No. I- no, they don’t.”

Jack nodded to himself, bringing a hand up to rub against his jaw absentmindedly.

“Okay. I’m going to offer something you can absolutely turn down, and if you do I promise not to be weird about it after.” Jack looked at him until Dennis nodded before he continued. “You let us help. Me and Robby. I know I’m a bit more of a stranger to you than Robby is, so if it’s easier for you to go down for him than me I would get it. But that way you get a contact to put down on your paperwork, we sleep better at night knowing you aren’t teetering on the edge all of the time, and all of us win.”

Did Dennis die? That’s the only way he could explain the attendings he’s admired in every sense offering to give him the comfort his body had been craving for years.

“I…why? I mean, I’m so- I’m grateful for the offer, but…what do you get out of this?” Dennis stuttered, his cheeks warm at how awkward he was getting his words out.

“I just said- we know you’re safe and sound and that’s enough for us. It doesn’t need to progress past that if you don’t want it to. Besides…” and here, Jack paused to look at Robby, a silent conversation taking place before Robby nodded. “...this isn’t exactly my first rodeo in dealing with someone letting their sub side fall on the back burner. We get it, maybe more than most.”

Dennis felt his mouth fall open again. “You’re-?”

Robby shrugged, giving Dennis a little self-depricating smile. “A switch. Not every dom is looking to take care of a 6 foot sub. Jack’s… good. He’s patient. Safe. Five stars from me.”

Dennis nodded slowly, still turning the information over in his head. “Would… I don’t know a lot about this stuff. My family didn’t really encourage that kind of thing. I just wanted to tell you before we agreed to anything.” Before you take me on.

“That’s alright. We won’t go balls to the walls right away; I’ll have you fill out a list, ask some questions, lay out some clear expectations. Nothing continues if you aren’t comfortable with it.”

The last bit of Dennis’s coffee was cool when he sipped it, buying himself those precious seconds. Maybe it was something in his demeanor, but Robby spoke up soothingly.

“Think about it. Just let us know by the end of the week if you’re interested. If you don’t want it to be us…well, we’d be happy to get you in touch with some folks in our circles. We know some good doms, good people.”

“I can do that.”

“Good job talking to us, Den, I know this can be hard.”

Dennis nodded, praying to god his face getting warm was only in his imagination. Robby’s watch beeped, prompting the start of breakfast clean up as he stood up and cleared away his and Jack’s mugs.

“Our shift starts in 2 hours- I can drop you off at home so you can shower and get ready if you’d like.”

“That would be good, thank you. Wait, Dr- Jack, don’t you work nights?”

“Dana was able to call someone in- she cares about you too, you know. She wanted to make sure you were alright so I skipped out. If nothing else it was a great excuse for a night in.” Jack grinned, standing up with the help of the forearm crutch and the table. “And don’t apologize- I don’t get to wake up slow with my husband a lot, it’s nice.”

His husband. As if Dennis could forget he was talking about starting a dom/sub relationship with two married men. It made the soft ease curdle in his stomach.

“Subs are nothing but wild horses sent by the Lord to be tamed.”

“Dennis?”

Dennis blinked, and seeing Robby’s outstretched hand wet and soapy with dish soap handed him his coffee mug.

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.

The ride back to the apartment wasn’t as stilted and awkward as he thought it would be. Robby was good at filling the silence, asking about Trinity, asking about his patients from yesterday and how his body was feeling. Making Dennis actually take stock of his body instead of letting the little aches and twinges fall into the background of movement.

Robby pulled into an unloading zone and turned on his hazards. “Alright. I’ll see you in a few, Dennis- you better get something solid in you or else I’m telling Jack.”

“Wouldn’t you tattle to Trinity?”

“Oh yeah, sure. If Garcia’s to be believed you’re both tied for ‘who can run on the least amount of gas’. You kids and your youthful bodies.” Robby made his voice sound more decrepit at that, pulling a huff of laughter from Dennis.

“Fine, fine, I’ll eat.” Dennis gathered his bag and opened the car door.

“Good boy. See you at work.” Dennis felt his steps stutter before he slammed the car door shut, giving Robby a little wave before making his way up the apartment steps. “Good boy.” Shit.

Dennis didn’t even get his key in the lock before it clicked open and Trinity was standing in front of him, hands on her hips. Dennis winced away from the scowl on her face.

“No note. No text. I had to have Jack Abbot tell me you were in their dungeon-”

“-I wasn’t in a dungeon!-”

“-after dropping at the Pitt!”

“I’m sorry, Trin, I wasn’t expecting it to happen or I swear I would have told you.”

For a second it looked like Trinity wasn’t going to let him in, standing there with her arms crossed before she side stepped with a grunt. “You’re making me brownies. And I get dibs on the bathroom first thing in the morning. For a week.”

“It would be what I deserve.” Dennis agreed solemnly, setting his bag down and toeing off his shoes.

Trinity sat down on the couch with a huff before turning around to look at him over the back of the couch. “How ripped is Dr. Abbot?”

Dennis groaned and covered his face with his hands. “So ripped, Trinity, oh my god, I thought I was going to combust. He walked into the kitchen shirtless.”

“Oh my god, what a whore.” Trinity guffawed. “They want that cookie so bad.”

“Eww, Trinity!”

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“- just hold your hand riiight here on your nape, and I always go down, like, super easy! Plus if you take my Sub-Pliment Plus pills it lowers your cortisol levels-”

Skip.

“Kneel and just breathe nice and even, in and out, and clear your mind-”

Skip.

“Here’s how to dom yourself out of a subdrop, but first a word from today’s sponsor-”

“Fucking, come on-”

Dennis’s phone dropped to the hospital floor from his shaky grip. It didn’t have long to drop, thankfully, but that was because Dennis was already slumped on his knees against a bare hospital bed frame.

The air smelled stale- it was clear Dennis was the first person to seek refuge here in a long time. It still smelled faintly of old bleach and artificial cherry handsoap. His bookbag leaned against the leg of the bed frame so he could rummage his hand inside for his hoodie. He didn’t care if he was cold, but he knew his knees would not be happy with him in the next couple of hours if he didn’t shove something under them.

His other hand was kneading his neck where youtube tutorials and Redditors swore there was a spot that helped keep a sub from dropping, but really it was probably the bruising grip that kept Dennis's mind from being swept away in the sharp cold of a drop. He squeezed his eyes shut and took in a shaky breath.

He knew this wouldn’t work, but he needed it to work this time. More than when he was in Nebraska, more than when he was homeless, because otherwise Trinity and his friends and Jack and Robby would know. They would find him in this cold, dark room and realize how weak he was. There was no way they would let him continue his ER shifts if they found out his designation.

Salty iron and adrenaline painted his teeth and tongue where he bit his lip, swallowing a whimper down. He needed to stand up. He needed to get to his feet and go to the bus stop, because he told Trinity that he was just going to take the bus since he had something to do before heading back. He just needed to get his body to get with the program, because his limbs felt like they were made of lead.

His hand squeezed at the already raw skin of his neck again. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he could pretend that it was someone else’s. Maybe he could pretend it was one of the two people he wishes were willing to take care of him. He let his mind wander to how he thought Robby or Jack’s domming style would be; Robby seemed like the kind to be sweet and soft, all gentle praise and a grounding hand on Dennis’s neck or shoulder. Yeah, that gentle rumbly voice? It’s like he was made to soothe a frazzled sub into that- supposedly- honeyed subspace. He hopes Jack still had that snarky charm that seemed to follow him everywhere like a yummy cologne. He would have a sub following him to the T. There’s no way they didn’t have a sub, that they didn’t have someone at home that would curl up between their legs or over their knee after a long hospital shift.

The cold dread plagued him down to his bones, the icy gnaw of panic and the buzzing of anxiety under his skin. His subspace never felt like people online said it did. Maybe something in Broken Bow chewed him up and spat him out, maybe he was just born like this. Maybe it was a punishment from God for straying.

Far off, down the hall, something whined, high and wobbly like a squeaky crash cart wheel. Like the sustained note of a flatline. Maybe it was something in Dennis giving out. What did he do to deserve this?

The sob scraped out of his throat painfully, choked and tight. He squeezed until his nails dug into the skin, his body falling forward until his forehead rested against the gritty linoleum. God, please just make it stop. There was no use now, the drop lapped at his brain like icy cold waves on a desolate beach. The idea of letting go of his abused neck felt like letting go of a liferaft, like maybe if he drew blood he could bloodlet whatever poison was slithering through his brain matter.

His body was drawn tight like a mousetrap, so when a warm hand gingerly touched his spine it snapped into action.

Startled and panicked, scrambling backward until he physically couldn’t, until his body collided with hard iron and a clattering screech of metal across the tile His arms fluttered like alarmed birds before settling in a defensive hold over his head.

“M’sorry, m’sorry, m’sorry-” He could make out the words that dribbled from his mouth, expelled like vomit, over the ringing in his ears.

“Dennis.” Warm and weary, a familiar voice. In his limited field of vision, he saw scrub-clad knees and scarred, tan hands hovering by Dennis’s calves. Another wretched noise left him, reaching out one hand to clutch at the offered extremity, a lighthouse in the dark shores.

He felt his body be maneuvered to lay down, his head cushioned by warm scrubs and a hand gingerly petting over his sore neck. Petting the hairs- no, parting the hairs, slowly and methodically, surveying the damage Dennis no doubt did to his skin. He didn’t know when he started whimpering again until the hand migrated to his back, rubbing soothing circles into his cold body.

“the….come on, Den….iiiig breath, you can do it, sweetheart, you gotta breathe. It's really good for you.” Low and soothing, tense with something Dennis didn’t have the brain power to name as he drew in a shaky gasp. He wanted to be good, he wanted to be good so bad. “I know you do, baby, you are, can you be good for me and take another big breath?”

It took a couple of tries, but finally he inhaled enough to stretch out his lungs and whoosh it out again in a weepy sigh. Over and over, until Dennis’s vision wasn’t fuzzy with stars and black spots. Until he could see the legs his head was cushioned on, two sets of worn-in sneakers, one human ankle and one silver metal joint. Fuck.

“Fuck indeed, kid. Where’s Trinity? Can she take you home?” Jack asked, watching Dennis carefully as he sat up. His whole body fucking hurt.

“No, I- she’s on a date. I’m gonna get the bus home.” Dennis mumbled, looking around muzzily for his bookbag. “Dr. Abbot, I- please, you can’t tell anyone, I-”

“-Jack, Dennis, just call me Jack. Jesus, you just hardcore dropped in an abandoned hospital wing and want me to act like this is routine for you?” He asked, the veneer of snark thin over his worry. “This isn’t routine, right?”

“No, I’m- I can keep a lid on it here, today was just hard. I’ll go home, I won’t bother you-”

“Yeah, no. Dropping as hard as you did without a dom is exhausting on your...everything, frankly. Plus the chance of it reappearing the next morning. Unless you have some really good reasons why not, I’m taking you home to be monitored by me and Robby.”

Dennis really shot up then, ignoring the lights that spun lazily in the corners of his vision.

“No, no, that’s not necessary, Jack-”

Jack’s phone was already to his ear, looking at Dennis and holding up a finger, the audacity.

“Hey brother- I’m bringing home a doggy bag from the pitt….yeah, mousy, blue-eyed, issues with taking care of himself. Nasty drop in the abandoned 8th wing. Ia the guest room passible?....I’d appreciate it. We’ll be there soon. Love ya.”

“Jack!” Dennis called, dread giving way to exasperation as Jack took hold of his bag with a quick movement of his hand.

“You’ve yet to give me any reasons why you should stay here, Dennis. Come on, truck’s outside.”

“I’m not letting you take me home-!”

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.

The inside of Jack and Robby's car smelled like leather and stale cigarettes in a way that made it cozy, somehow. The AC that gently blew on his face carried the scent of petrichor and wet asphalt lingering from the rain. The radio station softly played classic rock, and the dust on the top of the dial suggested it hasn’t been tuned into anything else in a long time. Dark and dimly lit by the light green of the console lights.

The rumble of the tires on the road vibrated through Dennis’s head where it rested against the glass of the passenger side window, watching the reflection of the street lights bleed into the rainwater on the road. Blissfully, Jack had let him sit in his silence, sensing Dennis wouldn’t be the best conversational partner at the moment.

The brownstone house made a cocktail of dread and relief churn in his stomach.

“Whelp, here she is! C’mon, Robby’s probably just watching TV, we won’t be intruding.” Jack chirped, turning the key to the ignition and stepping out. Being inside would be less weird than just begging to sleep out in the car instead, so Dennis gathered his bag and stepped out into the driveway.

He was careful to toe off his sneakers once he was inside- he knew real hardwood when he saw it, and the last thing he wanted to do was sully any part of their house.

True to Jack’s prediction, Robby was settled on the broken-in leather couch. His familiar green jacket slung over the arm of the sofa, wearing grey sweats and a band t-shirt that was probably older than Dennis was. He paused the TV as Jack came over, murmuring something and craning his neck up to kiss him. When his eyes found Dennis’s, they crinkled up in that smile that made Dennis’s heart do dangerous things.

“I think a stray followed you home, brother.” He chuckled, watching Jack walk into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, sir, I really meant to just go home.” Dennis offered weakly.

“Mm, it’s a Jack thing- you didn’t have a chance from the start. I was a stray too, but he domesticated me a long time ago.” He chuckled, smooth and rumbly (Dennis wanted to feel it with his ear pressed to Robby’s sternum.) “His heart’s too big, I think. He likes to take care of people.”

He’d seen Robby fond before, little glimpses during the shift handoff, but in his home is spilled out of his seams.

“Anyhow, Jack told me, ah, you had a bit of a hiccup at the hospital. You want to talk about that now or in the morning?” It wasn’t a question of if but when, and Robby’s tone left little room for argument.

“Um- in the morning? Please?” Dennis asked hesitantly. He’d been expecting an interrogation- who his dom was, if they needed to get HR involved, if Dennis needed intervention- and maybe it was still coming. At least tomorrow morning he will have a full night’s sleep. Robby nodded like he had picked the right answer.

“The guest bedroom is upstairs and to the left, end of the hall. Do you need a change of clothes?” God, the thought of wearing something belonging to the attendings made something in his belly squirm in delight.

"Oh! Ah, no, no I’m good, thank you though.” Dennis was quick to make his escape, padding up the old stairs and to the promised guest room. As soon as he closed the door and locked it behind him, he leaned his back against the wood and covered his face with his hands.

God, he was fucked.