let's move, people!

her sentence comes to a screeching halt. probably, randi doesn’t mean it to, but these little tokens of affection — these little kindnesses — are shocking to her. she laughs, loud, once, that awkward bark at herself. she forgot what she was saying. (it was nonsense trying to explain a torque wrench. specifically, why she doesn’t like a digital one near as much as a manual one.)

she laughs again.

and stares flat into the cappuccino with that pretty heart foamed in. half smiling, she bites her lip. a little.

these little moments where selina stumbles on her words, blinks at randi doe-eyed with shock, are so utterly endearing. there's something about the contrast– the catwoman, ever charming, always devastating. and selina– devastating, of course, and always fluid and witty. but blushing, too. eyes skittering away from randi's like she's shy.

it's something true. the other parts are true too, randi thinks– at least a part of the truth. but she likes these moments, when she feels like they're sharing something private. the laugh makes her smile and the way selina's eyes dip down makes it break into an all-out grin.

Katherine LaNasa as DANA EVANS & Tracy Ifeachor as DR. HEATHER COLLINS

it starts with something simple: i want this with you. i want it to mean something. ( @traumedical )

he wants to fight her on it. wants to wrangle that confidence out of her hands -- pry his skull open and let her take a peek at what's really going on up there, scare her away for good. the last thing he wants is to be seen, and there's no escape from it, with heather. she sees him as if he was made of glass, all circuit wires and organs exposed, every insecurity and trauma poorly hidden in what few corners of blind spots he can find. and he knows she sees him now, bags under red-rimmed eyes, dry blood still caked under his fingernails, day's events shackled to his ankles and dragging him around.

she knows there's a little bit of guilt driving her to robby's door. she hadn't been there for the mass casualty and she should have. and maybe it wouldn't have made a monumental difference, but maybe it would've. emergency physicians know better than anyone that one more set of hands in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. and the what-ifs will kill you, but that doesn't mean they're easy to ignore.

heather knows she has an obligation to herself, but she has one to her patients, too. and as much as he would have it otherwise, she has an obligation to robby— though obligation may not be the right word. she chose it. still chooses it, no matter what’s passed between them. she had been frustrated at him today and he’d deserved it. and then, because fate has a sick sense of humor, she’d needed him. and it was like somehow he'd known, even when she hadn't. so when she'd turned on her tv only to be greeted with news of a tragedy, she'd just... gone.

it takes more than the brooding stares to get rid of her. heather is no stranger to sticking around when it comes to robby. he can try to shut her out all he wants, but today he isn't her ex. he isn't her attending. he's her friend. and she knows him– knows that he needs far more than he'll ever let on, and that he won't take unless it's forced into his hands. she nods, holds back a why am i not surprised? and steps inside. it's odd, seeing this inside of his place again after so many years. it hasn't changed much, from what she can remember. there's an odd comfort in that that she pointedly ignores.

she wants to jump on him immediately, to ask what had happened, to tell him to let her in– let someone in– all before he even has the chance to clam up and lock himself away. but robby needs a gentler approach. he needs space to breath, needs to unfurl in his own time. and god knows a few hours is too short for all of that. but at least she can sit with him. can be a reason for him not to cave in on himself– or at least not cave in on himself alone.

so him and abby keaton to begin with is fraught, sorry!!! he is an intern and she is an attending!!! and she like is his boss's boss effectively??

and hes upset to find out shes gonna be going to pakistan for upwards of four months

and she goes "did you have long term plans for us john?" and he hesitates and shes like "well neither did i!"

and im like hey girl!!! i think that silence means he absolutely did!!!!

idk maybe this is like my inner like Romantic or like me being demi or whatever lmao but like!!!! dude

i really do think john enjoys casual sex but like i do think he is absolutely like? looking to feel loved

and this is a way he like Knows How

like why would he be that upset?? if he didnt have long term plans for them i do not think the reaction would have been as big as it was

okay i need to calm down lmfao just like

𝐚  𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭  𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡  𝐨𝐟  𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫  slipped  out  —  almost  imperceptible  —  but  he  knew  dana  could  read  it  in  the  curve  of  his  smile,  in  the  slow  shake  of  his  head.  he  wasn’t  going  to  let  her  pull  him  out  this  time.  she'd  tried,  like  she  always  did.  and  more  than  once,  she'd  gotten  him  close  —  close  enough  to  forget  himself,  to  loosen  his  grip.  but  tonight,  the  weight  of  years  pressed  a  little  heavier  on  his  shoulders,  and  the  idea  of  celebrating  that  felt  less  like  relief  and  more  like  resignation.  ❝  i  think  i’m  just  gonna  head  home  and  read  for  the  night.  ❞