Dennis Whitaker x Flirty Nurse Reader
Synopsis: When Y/N starts her shift in the emergency department, she doesn’t expect a routine day to turn into a slow-burning battle of teasing, stolen glances, and undeniable chemistry.
After a charming elderly patient takes one look at Y/N and Dr. Dennis Whitaker and decides they’re meant to be together, the two coworkers find themselves caught in a game of playful flirting and unspoken feelings. But while Y/N hides behind jokes and teasing, Dennis struggles to figure out whether she’s genuinely interested or simply enjoying watching him blush.
Between hectic ER shifts, unexpected moments of closeness, and a whole lot of mixed signals, the line between friendship and something more starts to blur.
Contains: workplace romance, slow burn, medical setting, nurse/doctor dynamic, playful flirting, teasing, forced proximity, mutual pining, mixed signals, emotional tension, shy/flustered Dennis, confident Y/N, and a little help from a matchmaking patient.
You stepped out of the supply room with a smile you couldn't seem to shake. The morning had been going surprisingly well, and judging by the amused looks you were getting, everyone else had noticed your unusually cheerful mood too.
"Very chipper today, aren't we, Y/N?" Dr. Robby teased as he watched you practically bounce down the hallway.
You flashed him a grin. "Very."
He chuckled, shaking his head as you ducked into Room 3.
Sliding open the supply drawer, you quickly restocked everything you'd grabbed before giving the room one last glance to make sure it was ready for the next patient. Satisfied, you headed toward triage to help Donnie with the growing rush.
Donnie looked up as he escorted an elderly woman through the doors. "Oh, there you are," he said with obvious relief. "Can you take Ms. Linda to a room and get her triaged? I've got to-"
"I've got her, Donnie. Don't worry," you interrupted with a reassuring smile, gently taking the woman's hand.
Turning your attention to her, you smiled warmly.
"My name's Y/N, and I'll be your nurse while you're here today."
"Oh, aren't you just the prettiest thing," the older woman said as you guided her toward Room 3, freshly cleaned and stocked. "Do you have a boyfriend? I've got a grandson about your age."
A laugh escaped you as you helped her onto the exam bed.
"Well, as flattering as that is, I don't think my love life has much to do with why you're here today." You smiled as you adjusted the bed rail. "And no, I don't have a boyfriend."
Ms. Linda gave you a knowing grin. "A beautiful girl like you? I find that hard to believe. You've probably got every young man in this hospital wrapped around your finger."
You laughed, shaking your head as you grabbed the vitals machine. "I promise you that's not the case."
You slipped the blood pressure cuff around her arm while clipping the pulse oximeter onto her finger. "Alright, let's get you checked out. Can you tell me what brought you into the emergency department today?"
"Oh, I've just been feeling weaker than usual," Ms. Linda admitted. "Been tired for a few days now. My daughter insisted I come in after I got dizzy trying to make breakfast this morning."
She shook her head. "No, sweetheart."
"Any chest pain? Shortness of breath?"
"Nausea? Vomiting? Fever?"
You nodded, noting her answers while the blood pressure cuff slowly deflated. "Any medical history I should know about? High blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems?"
"I've got high blood pressure and arthritis. Had them for years."
"Any allergies to medications?"
"And are you taking your medications as prescribed?"
"Every morning with my coffee."
"Good." You recorded her vital signs, pleased to see that while she looked tired, nothing immediately appeared alarming. "I'm just going to let the physician know you're here, and we'll get someone in to see you as soon as possible."
"You've been so sweet," Ms. Linda said, patting your hand. "You remind me of my granddaughter."
Your smile softened. "Thank you, Ms. Linda. I'll be right back."
After making sure she had her call light within reach and was comfortable, you stepped into the hallway.
Scanning the bustling emergency department, your eyes searched for the familiar face of Dennis Whitaker. Spotting him across the nurses' station reviewing a patient's chart, you made your way over.
"Hey, Dennis," you called. "I've got a new patient in Room 3, Ms. Linda. She's an elderly female complaining of generalized weakness and dizziness this morning. Vitals are stable, history of hypertension and arthritis, no chest pain, no shortness of breath, no falls."
Dennis looked up from the chart and nodded. "I'll go take a look at her."
"Perfect," you said. "She's adorable, by the way. Fair warning, she might try to set you up with her grandchildren too."
A laugh escaped Dennis as he closed the chart. "I'll keep that in mind."
You smiled to yourself as the two of you headed back toward Room 3.
Dennis pushed the curtain aside with an easy smile. "Good morning, Ms. Linda."
"Well, hello there," she greeted, her eyes immediately lighting up.
You glanced over from the computer where you were finishing your charting. "Ms. Linda, this is Dr. Whitaker. He's one of our emergency physicians, and he's going to ask you a few more questions."
Dennis stepped beside the bed, offering his hand. "I'm Dennis."
She accepted it with surprising strength. "Linda. Nice to meet you, handsome."
You pressed your lips together, trying not to laugh.
Dennis chuckled awkwardly. "Nice to meet you too."
He picked up the chart you'd started. "So, Y/N tells me you've been feeling weak and dizzy for the past few days?"
He nodded, listening carefully as she repeated what she'd already told you. He asked a few follow-up questions about when the dizziness started, whether she'd passed out, if she'd noticed any changes in her medications, and if she'd been eating and drinking normally.
You stood nearby, entering his orders into the computer as he spoke.
"Any headaches?" Dennis asked.
"Any numbness or weakness on one side?"
"Okay." Dennis gently listened to her heart and lungs before checking her legs for swelling.
"Your exam looks reassuring," he said, pulling the stethoscope from his ears. "I'd like to get some blood work, an EKG, and some fluids started. We just want to make sure there's nothing serious causing your symptoms."
"Whatever you think is best."
"I'll have Y/N get everything started." As Dennis finished documenting his findings, Ms. Linda looked between the two of you.
Dennis smiled politely. "Of course."
She pointed between the two of you. "Why haven't you asked this sweet girl out yet?"
Your eyes went wide. "Ms. Linda-"
"I'm serious!" she interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "I've been watching you two since he walked in."
Dennis blinked. "I... uh..."
She looked at him like he'd just confessed he couldn't tie his own shoes. "You smile every time you look at her."
Your cheeks immediately warmed.
"I do not," Dennis muttered.
"You absolutely do," Ms. Linda insisted.
She turned to you. "And honey, you light up every time he starts talking."
"I think you're reading way too much into this," you laughed nervously, grabbing a saline bag simply to give your hands something to do.
"No, I'm eighty-three. Reading people is one of the few hobbies I've got left."
Dennis rubbed the back of his neck, clearly wishing the floor would open beneath him. "We work together," he offered.
Ms. Linda frowned dramatically. "Well, that's disappointing."
You couldn't help but laugh. "Ms. Linda..."
"I'm just saying," she continued. "You'd make an adorable couple."
Dennis looked anywhere but at you. "I appreciate the vote of confidence."
She wagged a finger at him. "No, young man. You should appreciate her."
You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from smiling too hard. Dennis finally glanced your way. For just a second. Long enough to find you already looking at him. The two of you quickly looked away.
Ms. Linda let out a triumphant little laugh. "See? You both did it."
"The awkward eye contact." She folded her hands in satisfaction. "Classic crush behavior."
Dennis sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth despite himself. "I walked right into that one."
"You certainly did," Ms. Linda said proudly.
You shook your head as you wheeled the IV cart over. "Alright, enough matchmaking. Let's get that IV started before Dr. Whitaker decides to transfer himself to another department."
Dennis laughed under his breath. "I've definitely considered it."
"Oh, don't you dare," Ms. Linda said. "Someone around here has to ask this girl to dinner."
Your face burned as Dennis groaned quietly.
"I'm going to check on those orders." He escaped through the curtain to the sound of Ms. Linda's delighted laughter.
The moment he disappeared into the hallway, she leaned toward you with a conspiratorial smile. "He likes you."
You rolled your eyes, though you couldn't stop smiling. "You've known him all of five minutes."
"Five minutes is all I needed."
You laughed as you tied the tourniquet around her arm. "I think we'll stick to getting your blood work instead of diagnosing romances."
"Oh, sweetheart," Ms. Linda teased. "Sometimes they're the same thing, you just have to know what you're looking for."
You finished labeling the blood tubes before sending them off with one of the techs. Ms. Linda had settled comfortably beneath the warm blanket, still wearing the smug smile of someone who thought she'd uncovered the world's biggest secret.
"I'm going to grab those fluids," you said.
"And Dr. Handsome?" she asked innocently.
You couldn't help but laugh. "I'll see if Dr. Handsome needs anything else."
"There you go smiling again," Ms. Linda teased.
You shook your head, pointing a finger at her. "You are trouble."
Stepping into the hallway, you spotted Dennis standing at the nurses' station, scrolling through Ms. Linda's chart while waiting for her lab labels to print.
He looked up as you approached. "Everything okay?"
"She's convinced we're secretly in love."
Dennis pinched the bridge of his nose. "I was hoping she'd forgotten about that."
He sighed dramatically. "I don't think I've ever been interrogated by a patient quite like that."
You leaned against the counter beside him. "I don't know..." you mused. "I think she made some pretty compelling arguments."
Dennis looked over at you. "Oh?"
You shrugged, pretending to think. "I mean... she did say we'd look cute together."
He let out a quiet laugh. "So now you're taking dating advice from patients?"
"Only the ones with eighty-three years of life experience."
He smiled, shaking his head. "I feel like that's a dangerous precedent."
"It might be." You tilted your head. "But she does seem pretty confident."
Dennis met your eyes for a second before looking back down at the chart. "She's also known me for about... four minutes."
"Maybe that's all she needed."
He laughed again. "You're enjoying this way too much."
"I really am." You reached past him to grab a syringe from the supply bin, your shoulder brushing his just enough to make him glance over.
"Besides," you added casually, "it's kind of nice seeing you flustered."
"No." You raised an eyebrow.
"You turned three different shades of red."
He opened his mouth to argue before stopping himself. "...Maybe a little."
You grinned triumphantly. "I knew it."
Dennis gave you an amused look. "You know, I always thought you were the nice one."
"You've spent the last five minutes bullying me."
He chuckled, slipping his hands into his scrub pockets. "Well, for what it's worth..."
"You handled that a lot better than I did."
"Little old ladies love me."
"I can see why." The words slipped out before he seemed to realize he'd said them. His expression froze for the briefest moment.
"So that's your professional medical assessment?" you asked, a playful smile spreading across your face.
Dennis cleared his throat. "I... wasn't speaking professionally."
"No." You leaned in just a fraction, lowering your voice.
"I think I like compliments that aren't part of my employee evaluation."
A smile slowly spread across his face. "I'll keep that in mind."
For a moment, neither of you said anything. The bustling emergency department faded into the background as you simply looked at one another.
Then a voice rang out from Room 3. "I knew it!"
You both turned toward the curtain.
Ms. Linda was sitting up in bed, pointing triumphantly toward the doorway where the curtain had been left slightly open. "I said you two were flirting!"
You buried your face in your hands. "Oh my God."
Dennis laughed, unable to hide it this time. "You left the curtain open."
You peeked through your fingers, already laughing. "She's never going to let this go."
"No," Dennis agreed with a grin. "I don't think she is."
Before either of you could say anything else, Robby walked past the nurses' station, glanced between your matching smiles, then toward Ms. Linda, who looked positively delighted.
He smirked. "I don't know what happened over here," he said, "but I expect charting to be done before wedding planning."
"See?" Ms. Linda called from her room. "Even he sees it!"
Dennis looked at you with an expression somewhere between embarrassment and amusement. "This is never going away, is it?"
You smiled, unable to resist one last tease. "Depends."
"Whether you ever prove Ms. Linda wrong."
For the first time all morning, Dennis was the one left speechless, and you walked back into Room 3 wearing the most satisfied smile he'd seen all day.
By the time Ms. Linda's test results had come back, the source of her dizziness had turned out to be nothing more than mild dehydration. After a couple bags of fluids, a meal, and a stern lecture about drinking more water in the Pittsburgh heat, she looked like an entirely different woman.
You helped her into a wheelchair while Dennis finished her discharge paperwork.
"Now," Ms. Linda said, pointing at the both of you, "I'm leaving, so you don't have me around to keep you two honest."
You laughed. "I think we'll manage."
"I don't know." She narrowed her eyes at Dennis. "You're moving awfully slow for a young man."
Dennis smiled helplessly. "I'll try to do better."
She reached for your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You take care of yourself, sweetheart."
"And don't let him make you wait forever."
Your cheeks immediately warmed. "Ms. Linda..."
"What? I'm old. I'm allowed to meddle."
Dennis pushed the wheelchair toward the exit, chuckling under his breath. "I hope you have a wonderful afternoon."
"You too, Doctor." Then she leaned toward him just before the automatic doors opened. "And don't waste your chance."
Dennis blinked. "...I'll keep that in mind."
The emergency department didn't slow down after that.
If anything, it became busier.
But somehow, in between traumas, admissions, and endless call lights, you always seemed to find Dennis.
Sometimes completely by accident.
You caught him digging through the supply room.
He sighed dramatically. "If I say yes, are you actually going to help me?"
You folded your arms. "Depends how nicely you ask."
He looked at you for a moment before giving in. "...Please?"
A grin spread across your face. "See? Was that so hard?"
Later, he appeared beside you while you were charting.
"I need help interpreting an EKG."
You looked up suspiciously. "You've interpreted about fifty today."
"So you don't actually need help."
"I wanted an excuse to come talk to you."
"...Well." He smiled innocently. "It worked."
You stared at him for a second before shaking your head. "Careful, Whitaker."
"I might start thinking you like me."
He laughed. "I'll take that risk."
Near lunchtime, you caught him balancing three coffees and a stack of patient charts.
"You know," you said, falling into step beside him, "for a doctor, your life expectancy isn't looking great."
"You're carrying entirely too much."
Right on cue, one of the chart folders slipped.
You caught it before it hit the floor. "There."
You handed it back with an amused smile. "You literally walked into that."
Dennis accepted the chart. "I hate that your timing is always this good."
During a quieter moment, you passed each other in the hallway.
Without thinking, you straightened the slightly crooked ID badge hanging from his scrub top.
He looked down at it before looking back at you. "...Thanks."
"I think you're making excuses to touch me."
You raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
His confidence lasted all of three seconds. "...Was I wrong?"
You smiled sweetly. "I'm not confirming or denying anything."
Then you walked away before he could answer.
By late afternoon, Robby watched the two of you bicker over whose patient needed a CT first.
He looked at Collins. "Ten bucks."
"They're dating before Thanksgiving."
Collins didn't even look up from her chart. "I'll take that bet."
Patients came and went. Charts piled up before finally disappearing. Eventually, the overhead lights dimmed just enough to signal the end of another long shift.
You rubbed your tired eyes as you slung your bag over your shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow," you called to Donnie.
"No promises." You exchanged a few final goodbyes before heading toward the employee exit.
The hallway was noticeably quieter now, filled only with the distant hum of monitors and the squeak of an environmental services cart somewhere down the corridor.
You pushed through the exit doors-
Dennis stood a few steps behind you, one hand hooked around the strap of his backpack.
He nodded toward a quieter alcove just off the hallway. "Can I... steal you for a second?"
You tilted your head, curiosity replacing your teasing smile. "Sure."
You followed him over. For the first time all day, he seemed... nervous.
He rubbed the back of his neck before letting out a quiet laugh. "This is going to sound stupid."
"You always know exactly what to say."
He looked at the floor for a second before meeting your eyes again. "I've been thinking about everything that happened today."
You smiled immediately. "She was something."
A beat of silence settled between you.
Then he exhaled. "You were... joking."
It wasn't really a question. But it sounded like one.
Your smile softened. "The teasing."
"Oh. The comments." He shrugged awkwardly. "The whole... 'maybe she's right' thing."
You could hear the uncertainty in his voice now. "I just..." He laughed quietly at himself. "I guess I wanted to know if any of it meant anything."
You studied him for a long moment. The fluorescent lights reflected in his eyes as he waited.
You stepped a little closer. "I think..." you began slowly, "you're asking a very dangerous question."
He smiled nervously. "How so?"
"Because if I answer honestly..." You reached up, lightly smoothing the edge of his scrub collar where it had folded over.
"...then I lose all my leverage."
He laughed. "So that's a yes?"
You looked up at him through your lashes. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't say no either."
"You know," he said, "you're incredibly difficult to read."
"I've been told." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"So what am I supposed to do with that answer?"
You took a small step backward, slipping your bag higher onto your shoulder. "I guess you'll have to keep wondering."
He laughed, shaking his head. "You've been impossible all day."
"And yet..." you said with a playful shrug, "...you still walked me out."
Dennis opened his mouth, then closed it again, unable to argue.
You smiled to yourself. "Goodnight, Dennis."
You started toward the parking lot before he called after you.
You looked back over your shoulder.
"If I asked you to get coffee sometime..."
A grin slowly spread across your face. "I guess you'll have to find out whether I'm flirting."
Before he could respond, you turned and continued walking toward your car, leaving Dennis standing in the quiet hallway wearing the same hopeless smile he'd been trying to hide from Ms. Linda all day.
Behind you, he let out a soft laugh to himself. "...She's impossible."
And somehow, he was already looking forward to tomorrow.
The next morning, Dennis Whitaker arrived twenty minutes earlier than he normally did.
He told himself it was because he wanted time to finish charting before the department got busy. It had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation outside the employee exit the night before.
He looked up from the computer. "Oh. Morning."
Robby walked by carrying a coffee, immediately noticing Dennis's attention drifting toward the ambulance entrance every few seconds. "You waiting on someone?"
Robby took a sip. "You've looked toward those doors six times in the last minute."
"I've been... observing the department."
"They're part of the department."
Robby smirked. "If you say so."
Just then, the employee entrance swung open.
You stepped inside, backpack slung over one shoulder, hair still slightly damp from your shower, coffee balanced carefully in one hand.
You greeted everyone with your usual smile. Dennis couldn't stop himself from smiling back.
"There she is," Donnie muttered under his breath as he walked past Robby.
"I give him five seconds," Robby whispered. "...Four......Three..."
Dennis was already walking toward you. "Morning."
You looked up, pleasantly surprised. "Well, good morning, Doctor."
"You, uh..." He immediately lost his train of thought.
"I..." He laughed at himself. "I actually came to find you."
You took a sip of your coffee, clearly enjoying watching him struggle. "Should I be worried?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wanted to ask if..." He hesitated again.
"If you actually meant what you said yesterday."
You tilted your head. "I said a lot yesterday."
You smiled over the rim of your coffee. "I do."
You pretended to think. "Hmm..."
"TRAUMA ETA TWO MINUTES!"
The overhead speaker echoed through the department. The relaxed atmosphere disappeared instantly. Everyone moved.
Dennis sighed. "Guess that'll have to wait."
The trauma bay exploded into motion.
"Thirty-two-year-old male, MVC versus tree," EMS shouted as they rolled the stretcher through the doors. "Unrestrained driver. Positive LOC. Hypotensive en route."
Dennis was already pulling on gloves.
He didn't even have to look. You were beside him.
"Let's transfer on three."
The patient slid onto the trauma bed.
"Airway's patent," Dennis called.
"Sat's ninety-two," you answered, already placing oxygen.
"Let's get two large-bore IVs."
"I've got an eighteen in the left AC."
He blinked. "You already—"
You gave him a quick smile. "You're welcome."
He shook his head, trying not to smile while focusing on the patient. "Pressure?"
You were already spiking the unit. "Ready."
He reached his hand out without looking. The blood tubing landed in it.
He glanced sideways. "You read my mind?"
He couldn't help the tiny smile. "Chest ultrasound."
The probe was already in his hand. He looked at it. "...Seriously?"
"You always ask for it after hypotension."
"Huh." He pressed the probe to the patient's chest.
"FAST negative," you added before he could say it.
He looked at you. "You were watching?"
For reasons completely unrelated to the trauma, Dennis's ears turned pink. Robby noticed immediately.
He leaned toward Collins. "Is he blushing? In the middle of a trauma."
They were already in his hand.
Every single time Dennis reached for something- You were already there. It became almost comical. Halfway through, he stopped speaking altogether. He simply held out his hand. Without looking— You placed exactly what he needed into it.
Donnie folded his arms. "They've developed doctor-nurse telepathy."
After nearly forty minutes, the patient was stabilized and headed for CT. The room finally grew quiet.
Dennis pulled off his gloves with a tired sigh. "...Thank you."
You looked over. "For what?"
"I think you handed me half the trauma bay."
"I handed you all of it."
He laughed. "I didn't even have to ask."
"You were thinking too loudly."
"I don't think that's how thinking works."
He smiled despite himself. "I didn't realize I was that predictable."
"You just have very expressive eyebrows."
He blinked. "My eyebrows tell you what supplies I need?"
"They're surprisingly informative."
He laughed so hard he had to look away. "I can't believe you just said that."
He shook his head, still smiling. "You know..." He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice just enough that the others couldn't hear. "I've been trying to figure you out."
"And I've come to one conclusion."
"I think you enjoy making me nervous."
You gave him your sweetest smile. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
"I prefer 'strategically mysterious.'"
He laughed again. "You have an answer for everything."
"So..." He took a breath. "Were you ever planning on answering my question from yesterday?"
You pretended to consider it. "I was."
"We're not interrupted now."
You took one small step toward him. "So ask me again."
Robby stood at the nurses' station holding a chart. "I need you."
Dennis closed his eyes. "...You've got to be kidding me."
You bit your lip to hide a grin. "I think the universe is against us."
He sighed dramatically. "I think the universe is you."
You laughed. "Go save lives, Doctor."
As he turned to leave, you gently caught the sleeve of his scrub top. He looked back.
Your voice softened just enough that only he could hear. "For what it's worth..."
"I haven't been flirting because Ms. Linda told me to."
His breath caught. Before he could say anything-
You let go of his sleeve and walked away toward your next patient, leaving Dennis standing in the middle of the trauma bay with pink cheeks and absolutely no idea how he was supposed to concentrate for the rest of the shift.
Behind the nurses' station, Robby looked at Collins. "I'm changing my prediction."
"They're not making it to Thanksgiving."
Collins smirked. "How long?"
Robby watched Dennis stare after you for another second before finally remembering he was supposed to be walking.
Collins laughed. "I'll take the under."
The rest of the morning blurred into the familiar rhythm of the emergency department.
Monitors beeped. Phones rang. Stretchers rolled through the halls.
No matter how busy things became, you and Dennis always seemed to cross paths.
You were stocking the airway cart when someone reached over your shoulder for a pack of ET tubes.
There was a pause. "...How did you know it was me?"
"You clear your throat before you ask for anything."
You slowly turned to face him. Right on cue, he cleared his throat. You raised an eyebrow.
A grin tugged at your lips. "Case closed."
Dennis was digging through the medication drawer with an increasingly frustrated expression.
"What are you looking for?" you asked, appearing beside him.
"I swear there was another vial of lidocaine."
You reached into the drawer without even glancing down and pulled it out from behind another medication. "Here."
He stared at it. "...How?"
"You've looked in that drawer four times."
"You were never going to find it."
"I probably would've eventually."
He looked at you suspiciously. "I think you're secretly hiding things just so you can rescue me."
You gasped dramatically. "I would never."
He laughed, shaking his head.
You walked into the supply room just in time to see Dennis stretching toward the top shelf, fingertips barely brushing a box of gauze. One hand was braced against the shelving while he reached as high as he could.
You leaned against the doorway, crossing your arms. "What are you doing?"
He didn't look away from the shelf. "Getting gauze."
"You've been getting gauze for like... thirty seconds."
"Mhm." You glanced around the room before spotting one of the rolling step stools tucked beneath the counter. Without saying a word, you wheeled it over and stopped beside him.
Dennis finally looked over. "...Really?"
"No." You stepped onto it yourself.
Standing a foot higher, you easily reached over his shoulder, grabbed the box of gauze, and climbed back down. "There."
You placed the box against his chest with a satisfied smile.
Dennis stared at you for a second before taking it. "...You couldn't have just handed me the stool?"
He shook his head, trying, and failing, not to smile. "That felt personal."
He laughed under his breath. "You know, there was a much simpler solution."
"You could've let the significantly taller person use the stool."
You tilted your head. "But then I wouldn't have gotten to prove a point."
"And what point was that?"
"That you were making this way harder than it needed to be."
He folded his arms, still holding the box of gauze. "I feel like you're judging my technique."
"You know..." He gestured dramatically with the box. "I can intubate someone upside down in a moving ambulance."
"But I lose to a box of gauze."
"...You're never letting me forget this."
You smiled innocently. "Absolutely not."
Dennis sighed with exaggerated defeat as he turned to leave. "You know..."
"I was starting to think you liked me."
He stopped walking. His head snapped back toward you.
You grinned. "I like teasing you."
Dennis let out a breath and laughed, pointing a finger at you. "See? That's exactly what I mean."
You only smiled wider. "Got your gauze, didn't you?"
He shook his head, still smiling as he walked out of the supply room. "You're impossible."
"And yet," you called after him, "you keep coming back."
Dennis didn't bother turning around. "...Yeah," he muttered to himself with a smile. "I do."
The two of you were reviewing lab results at the nurses' station.
Dennis leaned closer to the monitor, pointing at one of the values. "What do you think?"
You glanced at the screen before looking up at him. "I think..."
"...you're standing awfully close."
You smiled innocently. "You smell nice."
His brain visibly short-circuited. "I..."
You tilted your head. "New cologne?"
Dennis forgot entirely what he had been talking about. "Oh. I mean..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks."
You bit back a smile. "You're welcome."
He looked at the lab results again. "...What were we discussing?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
You walked into the break room to refill your water bottle.
Dennis was already inside making coffee.
"I wasn't expecting company."
You leaned against the counter while your bottle filled. "So."
"So?" You nodded. "You've been trying to ask me something since yesterday."
"You keep getting interrupted."
You pretended to think. "I almost feel bad."
He laughed. "I'll take almost."
Silence settled comfortably between you.
He looked at you for a moment before speaking. "I wasn't kidding."
You looked over. "About what?"
He laughed quietly. "You keep saying that."
That caught him off guard. "You do?"
"Then..." He hesitated. "Why haven't you answered?"
You screwed the cap back onto your water bottle. "Because..." You stepped around him toward the door. "...it's fun watching you work for it."
You slipped past him, your shoulder brushing his. Before he could recover, you were already gone.
Dennis stared at the doorway for a long second.
By midafternoon, the entire department had noticed.
Donnie looked over at Collins. "Has she always smiled that much?"
"And has Whitaker always walked into walls?"
Dennis rounded a corner while looking toward you.
He clipped his shoulder against the doorframe. "Oof."
You looked up immediately. "You okay?"
"You walked into a wall."
"You know they're stationary, right?"
You couldn't help laughing.
He smiled despite the embarrassment. "I was distracted."
He looked directly at you. "You."
For once...You were the one who froze. It lasted less than a second.
But Dennis noticed. A small, victorious smile spread across his face. "There it is."
"I finally made you flustered."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You blinked four times."
You folded your arms, trying very hard not to smile. "Congratulations."
He grinned. "So we're keeping score now?"
"I wasn't. But now that you mention it..."
He laughed. "I like these odds."
You stepped close enough to straighten the pen tucked crookedly into the pocket of his scrub top. "There."
He looked down. "You keep fixing my scrubs."
"They keep needing fixing."
"I think you're finding excuses."
His heart kicked a little harder at the admission. "You know..." he said quietly, "...I don't mind."
Your hand lingered for just a heartbeat longer before you let it fall. "I noticed."
For a moment, neither of you moved. The noise of the emergency department seemed to disappear.
Robby was standing twenty feet away with a chart tucked under one arm. "I leave you two alone for thirty seconds."
Robby sighed dramatically. "I need one of you to admit a patient."
You and Dennis looked at each other.
He nodded before taking a few steps backward. Then he stopped. "Y/N?"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "I'm still asking you to coffee."
Your smile softened. "I know."
"I was hoping you wouldn't."
That was all the encouragement Dennis needed. He walked away with a grin he couldn't hide, while you watched him disappear down the hallway.
From behind the nurses' station, Donnie leaned over to Robby. "...They're disgusting."
The afternoon rush had finally settled into something manageable.
For the first time all day, no one was running. No trauma alerts. No ambulance sirens. Just the steady hum of monitors and conversations drifting through the emergency department. You were finishing charting when a familiar voice called from down the hallway.
Dennis had his head poked out from behind the curtain of Room 11, his hair slightly disheveled from running a hand through it one too many times.
You smiled. "Were you looking for me?"
You closed your computer. "What'd you break?"
"I didn't break anything."
"I just..." He glanced back into the room before looking at you again. "Can you give me a hand?"
You stood, smoothing out your scrub top. "For you?"
"Well, since you asked so nicely."
Inside the room sat an older gentleman with his arm crossed over his chest, watching the two of you with obvious curiosity.
"Dennis tells me you're the nurse who knows where everything is," he said.
You laughed. "I like to think so."
Dennis picked up the ultrasound machine.
"I need to get an IV in, but his veins aren't cooperating."
"So you called your favorite nurse."
Dennis froze. "I... didn't say favorite."
The patient grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
You bit back a smile. "Let's take a look." You stepped beside Dennis.
Very beside him. The room wasn't particularly small...But somehow the two of you ended up shoulder to shoulder in the tiny space between the bed and the ultrasound cart.
Your arm brushed his. Dennis noticeably stiffened.
You glanced up. "You okay?"
"I'm holding an ultrasound probe."
"I wasn't talking about your hands."
His ears immediately turned pink.
The patient noticed before either of you did. "I think the doctor's blushing."
Dennis looked horrified. "I am not."
The patient laughed. "Son... I've got grandchildren. I know what blushing looks like."
You smiled sweetly. "I think he's right."
Dennis sighed. "I'm surrounded."
You were already squeezing it onto the probe.
He looked over. "...Actually, yes."
One appeared in your hand.
"Alcohol swab?" Already there.
The patient looked between the two of you. "You two rehearsed this?"
Dennis nodded. "She just..." He looked at you. "...knows."
You met his eyes. "I pay attention."
For just a second...Neither of you moved.
The patient cleared his throat dramatically. "I hate to interrupt whatever that was..."
Both of you immediately looked away.
"...But I'd still like an IV."
Dennis found the vein under ultrasound. "Alright..."
He positioned the catheter. You stood close enough to hand him each item before he asked. Your shoulder brushed his again.
This time...Neither of you moved away.
"You've got it," you murmured.
His voice came out much quieter than intended.
"You can advance." He did.
You handed him the extension tubing before he even reached.
He smiled to himself. "I was literally just about to ask."
"I don't understand how you keep doing that."
"I've been watching you all day."
He looked over. "...Really?"
"I don't know if that's comforting or terrifying."
"I was hoping you'd say flattering."
The admission slipped out before he could stop it.
The IV was secured a minute later.
The patient flexed his hand experimentally. "Didn't even feel it."
Dennis smiled. "Glad to hear it."
The older man pointed between the two of you. "So..."
Dennis closed his eyes. "...Here it comes."
Both of you answered at the exact same time. "No."
Silence. Dennis turned so fast he nearly dropped the ultrasound probe.
You shrugged innocently. "I was being optimistic."
The patient's eyebrows shot up. "Oh."
Dennis stared at you. "You..."
"You can't just say things like that."
"Because..." He lowered his voice. "...I don't know what to do with them."
Your smile softened. "You don't have to do anything."
"You make it very difficult to think."
The patient laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes. "I haven't had this much entertainment since they put cable in the rooms."
You finished cleaning up the supplies while Dennis updated the patient.
As the two of you stepped into the hallway together, the curtain fell closed behind you.
Dennis let out a slow breath. "You know..."
"I think you enjoy watching me panic."
"I enjoy watching you blush."
He covered his face with one hand. "I cannot believe you just admitted that."
He laughed. "You always twist my words."
"I prefer 'creative interpretation.'"
He shook his head. "I've never met anyone like you."
You stepped closer, just enough that your shoulders almost touched again. "Is that a good thing?"
Dennis looked down at you. Far too close. Close enough to notice the tiny flecks of color in your eyes. Close enough to catch the faint scent of your shampoo.
His heart stumbled. "...Yeah." It came out almost as a whisper. "A very good thing."
You smiled, a smaller smile this time, one that reached your eyes. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Before Dennis could find a response, someone called your name from across the department.
You looked toward the nurses' station. "Coming!"
You started to walk away before pausing beside him.
Dennis looked back. "What?"
You reached up and gently smoothed the front of his scrub top where the collar had folded inward.
His breath caught. "You keep doing that."
You met his eyes with the faintest hint of a grin. "...Because no one else does."
Then you turned and disappeared down the hallway, leaving Dennis standing exactly where you'd left him. He watched you go until Robby appeared beside him.
Without looking away, Robby asked, "You alright?"
Dennis let out a quiet laugh. "I think she might actually kill me."
Robby followed his gaze toward you. "No." A knowing smile spread across his face. "I think she's planning on asking you out without ever actually asking you out."
Dennis finally looked at him. "...Is that a thing?"
Robby chuckled. "It is when she's better at flirting than you are."
Dennis sighed. "...That's not exactly a high bar."
Robby clapped him on the shoulder. "Fair enough."
The rest of the shift was like every other shift.
A middle-aged woman with abdominal pain.
Nothing life-threatening. Just another patient in a very long day.
Dennis stood at the bedside reviewing her CT results while you updated the IV fluids and straightened the blankets.
"...Looks like uncomplicated diverticulitis," Dennis explained. "We'll get you started on antibiotics, make sure your pain is under control, and then we can likely send you home."
The patient nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
Dennis began entering the discharge orders into the computer on wheels.
You stepped beside him. "So..." you said quietly, just for him. "Coffee offer still on the table?"
He glanced at you. "Always."
"Hm." You smiled to yourself. "I don't know."
His shoulders tensed. "You don't know."
"I might make you earn it."
"I've been earning it for two days."
You laughed softly. "You have?"
You looked at him, the teasing smile never leaving your face. "I do like watching you chase me."
Something in Dennis's expression changed.
Not angry. Not hurt. Just...Tired.
"You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
Your smile faded slightly. "I was joking."
"Because I honestly can't tell anymore."
The patient looked back and forth between the two of you before deciding the ceiling was suddenly very interesting.
Dennis lowered his voice. "Every time I think you're serious..." He looked at you. "...you laugh."
"And every time I think you're teasing..." He shook his head. "...you look at me like you mean every word."
You didn't know what to say.
"I can't figure you out, Y/N."
His voice wasn't harsh. If anything...It sounded disappointed.
Your heart thudded. "Tell you what?"
"Whether any of this is real."
Silence. You swallowed. "...We're with a patient."
You looked down at the floor. "...Let's finish taking care of her."
Dennis stared at you for another second before nodding once. "...Okay."
Neither of you spoke another unnecessary word. You handed him medications. He administered them. You reviewed discharge instructions. He answered the patient's questions.
The patient, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, kept conversation to a minimum.
When everything was finished, Dennis signed the discharge paperwork.
"Take care of yourself," he told the patient.
You offered her one last smile. "I'll walk you out."
Outside the room, Dennis stripped off his gloves with one sharp motion and tossed them into the trash.
He turned immediately toward the hallway.
You hurried after him. "Dennis."
"Stop following me." The words weren't loud.
But they stopped you in your tracks. Completely. Dennis froze too. Just for half a second. Without turning around. Then he continued down the hallway.
You stood exactly where he'd left you.
The bustle of the emergency department continued around you, but it suddenly felt miles away.
Your chest tightened. "...Okay," you whispered to no one.
The rest of the shift dragged.
You buried yourself in work. Starting IVs. Giving medications. Helping Donnie with triage. Anything that kept you from looking toward Dennis.
Across the department...Dennis did exactly the same. If he needed a nurse...
If you needed a physician...
No one missed the change.
Donnie leaned against the nurses' station. "...This is weird."
Collins nodded. "They haven't spoken in two hours."
Robby sighed. "I was wondering how long it'd take."
