over the intercom

[labcoated]

#𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝  is  a  multi  -  muse  account  associated  with  @scrubshq  written  by  rory :

dorian  poole,  who  is  an  orthopedic  surgical  resident  at  lexington  university  hospital  (  intro  )

fallon  pierson  who  is  a  public  relations  rep  at  lexington  university  hospital  (  intro  )

gemma  armstrong  who  is  a  obgyn  attending  at  kingsley  memorial  hospital  (  intro  )

[creekerss]

the fact that rowan barrett has worked in lexington for about a decade now-- it meant he knew every face that already walked those halls or he would get to know. What he didn't know though is that dorian poole was... a book person? rowan is a regular at arcadia-- specially the bookstore. but it shouldn't come to a surprise that dorian reads book-- but it slightly did come to a surprise for rowan.

"well, well, well look what the cat dragged in" rowan says as he's in front of dorian, getting his attention by passing behind the shelves while not breaking eye cobtact with dorian.

rowan snorts, stopping and lean over the shelves, "since when do you come here man? and why am i just finding out when you know i come in here on the regular?"

rowan playfully narrows his eyes "or are you here to impress a woman who's interested in books?"

it's not like rowan himself had experience in that department, it was the opposite, he often found himself having past experiences with a few women who weren't actually fond of books-- they were fond of him, but they played it off as they were. so, guess you can say rowan has a meter for these sort of things now. a gatekeeper for his interests outside of his career, if you will.

[labcoated]

dorian  wasn't  the  most  open  of  books,  pun  not  intended  as  he  was  in  the  middle  of  a  bookstore,  and  he  wasn't  really  the  kind  of  person  who  was  social  with  all  of  his  coworkers.  cordial  at  the  least,  was  most  likely  what  you  would  call  it.  he  was  never  a  rude  person,  just  more  abrupt  in  all  sense  of  the  term.  he  glanced  up  when  he  realized  someone  had  heard  him.  he  bit  back  a  comment  about  the  cat  dragging  him  in,  keeping  his  face  neutral  at  the  words  and  shaking  his  head  at  the  follow  up  comments  instead.  he  could  have  said  a  lot  more,  truthfully.  opened  up  about  a  lot,  but  he  wouldn't,  because  there  was  no  point  in  doing  that  with  some  coworker.  he  didn't  trust  them,  the  medical  field  was  far  too  competitive  to  begin  with  to  trust  people  on  a  whim. 

“well,  i  guess  you  could  say  it's  the  same  thing,  cause  i  didn't  know  you  frequent  this  place,  so  why  would  you  know  where  i  tend  to  go?”  dorian  shrugged  his  shoulders.  he  usually  did  book  ordering  in  person,  or  found  other  stores  not  so  close  to  home,  but  it  was  the  closest  place  for  him  to  go  to  here.  so  it  had  been  convenient.  “or,  sure,  you  could  just  assume  what  i  do  is  just  to  impress  some  girl.  whatever  works  for  you,  i  guess.”   

[aftercure]

hip   leaned   against   the   edge   of   the   desk,   one   arm   folded   while   the   other   was   making   circles   with   a   very   questionable   looking   cup   of   coffee   and   if   you   ask   her,   she’d   much   rather   drink   salt   water   right   now.   her   head   was   tilting   as   fallon   spoke,   enough   to   assure   the   other   that   she   was   listening   as   her   smile   tugged   wider.   “   lobbying   for   your   own   coffee   machine   does   seem   very   on   point   for   you,   ”   a   soft   laugh   right   before   she   forces   herself   to   take   a   sip   of   her   own   drink,   her   face   immediately   showing   a   clear   disgust.   “   besides,   i   feel   like   if   you   did   start   a   fire,   i   feel   like   pr   would   put   out   some   sort   of   graceful   statement.   can’t   afford   a   bad   rep   for   this   one,   ”   while   her   tone   is   teaseful,   there   is   some   truth   to   it,   even   if   it's   unspoken.   “   and,   personally   i   think   you   could   easily   blame   it   on   radiology.   i’m   pretty   sure   the   way   their   stack   their   snacks   violates   every   OSHA   regulation   out   there,   ”   her   hand   waves   in   the   air   in   a   carefree   tone   and   this   time   she   manages   to   stop   herself   before   taking   another   sip,   finally   convinced   that   just   because   she   keeps   drinking   it,   it   won’t   magically   make   it   taste   better.

[labcoated]

fallon  listened  to  nia's  words  and  she  raised  her  head  slightly.  “i  don't  know  if  you're  trying  to  compliment  me  or  to  offend  me  by  saying  it's  on  point  for  me.”  she  shrugged  her  shoulders  with  a  slight  laugh.  she  didn't  quite  know  if  she  should  be  offended  or  not,  but  she  hoped  she  shouldn't  be  offended.  she  didn't  feel  like  she  should  be  taking  offense  to  the  tone  at  least.  “but  i  think  it's  funny  that  some  people  get  some  special  privileges  like  coffee  makers  or  things  in  their  offices.  but  again,  that's  only  on  a  need  to  know  basis.”  she  shrugged  her  shoulders,  as  if  she  wasn't  really  saying  something  that  was  true  and  was  just  making  something  up.  maybe  she  was,  in  fact,  making  something  up.  or  maybe  she  had  seen  some  private  offices  with  coffee  makers  in  them.  she  wasn't  really  going  to  reveal  any  secrets  like  that,  though.  “radiology,  huh?  you  got  some  bone  to  pick  with  them?”  she  laughed  softly,  shaking  her  head.  she  smiled  softly,  nodding  at  the  words.  nia  spoke,  glancing  around  where  they  were.  “i  guess  you  could  find  almost  anything  with  any  department  to  really  blame  if  you  wanted  to.”  she  shrugged  slightly.  “but  then  again,  it  wouldn't  really  work.  cameras  are  all  over  the  place,  unfortunately.  at  least  in  this  situation.” 

[savsvane]

aurora had found herself at arcardia roosevelt, needing to pick up a new book to add to her slowly building collection. she had never considered herself a hardcore reader, but recently was becoming one thanks to her grandmother. she didn't know how it exactly happened but one thing lead to another and she was now the youngest of a montly bookclub - by a few good decades. it was something to look forward to, an innocent hobby that allowed her to spend time with her grandma and her closest friends. the next on the list was a historical fiction romance, an older pick that her nonna couldn't wait to sink her teeth into.

the nurse was picking up two copies for them, eyes scanning through the historical fiction section of the store. jesus, there so many books here....it was totally overwhelming. "what? don't tell me you're allergic to fun and wanting to get some trinkets while picking up your next read? i think i might have seen some mystery keychain things overthere. you gotta bring in the crowds somehow..."

[labcoated]

“allergic?”  he  questioned,  shaking  his  head.  dorian  didn't  know  if  that  was  the  right  word  to  use.  then  again,  he  didn't  know  if  it  wasn't.  he  felt  like  maybe  he  was  just  shocked  to  see  the  overflow  of  everything  in  the  store.  the  influx  of  everything  so  unbookish  in  the  store.  the  way  it  all  seemed  so  out  of  place  to  him.  “i  don't  think  that's  possible.  i  mean,  sure  i  like  trinkets,”  if  you  saw  the  way  he  said  it,  a  grimace  on  his  face,  it  didn't  seem  like  he  liked  them  much,  “as  much  as  the  next  person,  but  it  feels  weird  bouncing  between  books  and  puzzles  and  calendars  and  figurines.”  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  looked  back  at  the  other  with  a  light  nod.  it  was  hard  to  think  about  everything  that  he  was  seeing  in  the  store,  a  bookstore  could  have  other  things  too.  but  to  be  so  overflowed  with  so  many  other  things.  he  felt  like  it  was  books  and  more,  emphasis  on  the  more.  “do  you  really  think  a  bookstore  needs  all  of  this  to  draw  in  a  crowd,  though?”

[handsnurtured-deactivated202508]

open  starter  : @scrubshqstarters ( 0/5 ) muse  : janelle  edwards location  : whisper  &  poison

there  was  a  macabre  sort  of  comfort  that  could  be  found  within  the  walls  of  a  bar  with  specialty  drinks  that  served  as  a  reminder  of  the  place  she'd  just  left.  janelle  didn't  come  to  the  bar  often,  but  she'd  had  a  particularly  draining  day  and  opted  to  deviate  from  her  initial  plans  of  ubering  straight  home.  she  had  a  scalpel  shot  in  front  of  her,  notebook  right  next  to  it,  opened  with  a  pen  in  hand.  she  might've  been  off  duty,  but  that  didn't  stop  her  from  scribbling  thoughts  down  into  the  book.  whether  it  be  something  she  remembered  from  earlier  in  the  day,  or  a  new  thought  she  didn't  want  to  forget,  she  was  never  seen  without  a  notebook  close  by.  she  was  aware  of  the  presence  near  her,  glancing  up  to  spare  them  a  quick  glance.  ❝  you  know  you  can  join  me.  right  ?  i  don't  bite.  ❞

[labcoated]

dorian  wandered  through  whisper  &  poison,  drink  in  hand  as  if  he  were  looking  for  a  place  to  be.  really,  he  was  just  trying  to  forget  about  his  day.  he  wanted  to  be  able  to  just  get  out  of  his  own  head  and  breathe  for  a  while.  albeit,  doing  that  at  a  bar  that  might  have  themed  drinks  based  on  his  workplace  was  probably  not  the  smartest  of  choices  but  it  was  the  one  he  was  making  right  then.  so  that  was  where  he  was  at.  and  then,  he  spotted  janelle.  he  might  have  hovered  slightly  for  a  moment  before  taking  a  seat,  eyebrows  raised  at  her  comment  before  he  cleared  his  throat,  putting  his  own  drink  down  on  the  table  and  leaning  across  the  table  to  tap  the  notebook  she  was  using  with  one  of  his  hands.  “i  think  you  missed  a  spot,  there's  a  whole  blank  section  here.  you  really  could  put  some  more  notes.”  it  was  somewhere  between  a  jab  and  a  joke,  banter  really  as  he  glanced  back  at  her,  using  his  other  hand  to  pick  up  his  drink  and  take  a  sip.  shaking  his  head  as  he  continued,  “i  can  help  you  with  some  worthy  ideas  if  you  need  something  to  fill  in  the  gaps.” 

[astorlane]

the head of department needed more hobbies and reading seemed like a good one amongst the exercise, drinking and the smoking she'd recently picked back up after her wife had left her. clarissa had been browsing interrupted, loving the smell of the printed pages, the coffee smell drifting in as her shoes dragged across the carpet until someone interrupted her train of thought. "wait, so are you criticising a place that actually has physical media? they have to compete with audiobooks and kindle or whatever fucking thing mimics a book nowadays and as for the figurines... swear i've seen one that looks like me and-" she turned to the other. "-also, one that looks like you, i think. so relatable of marketing." she sighed out aggressively and shook her head. it was a shame physical media was dying out but when you could get everything digitally and for free, the businesses had the change tactics. "i mean, what are you looking for exactly or do you only buy books from authors you've heard about?"

[labcoated]

dorian  glanced  over  at  the  other,  not  realizing  his  comment  had  really  made  it  out  loud.  especially  to  somebody  else  around  him.  an  annoyed  roll  of  his  eyes  as  he  looked  at  the  other,  as  he  quickly  spoke  back  maybe  with  a  slightly  biting  tone  he  would  regret  momentarily  after  the  fact,  “do  you  think  i'd  be  at  a  bookstore  if  i  was  looking  for  an  e-book?”  he  knew  people  did  that  because  there  were  people  who  didn't  understand  the  concept  of  that  sort  of  thing,  but  he  didn't  believe  that  he  was  someone  who  came  across  that  way.  or  so  he  hoped  at  least.  “i'm  talking  about  all  the  other  crap,”  he  gestured  around  him,  not  the  books  he  was  around  but  all  the  other  stuff.  the  puzzles  and  the  games  and  everything  else.  it  was  like  it  was  overtaking  the  aisles  sometimes,  “you  don't  think  that's  all  a  little…  much?”  he  questioned,  using  the  books  in  his  hand  to  gesture  around.  as  if  showing  that  he  really  was  there  for  the  books  with  the  proof  in  his  hands.  he  just  missed  bookstores  being  mainly  book  stores  without  a  lot  of  everything  else.  but  he  understood.  there  were  just  a  lot  of  other  stores  around  that  had  similar  things,  he  wanted  the  books  only  for  now.  a  shake  of  his  head,  “no,  i  don't  just  read  authors  i  know."  dorian  practically  scoffed  at  words,  taking  them  as  an  accusation.  "i'm  just  looking  around  and  making  an  observation  about  how  the  whole  place  seems  to  be  taken  over  with  games  and  things  too,  which  is  what  i  meant  in  the  first  place." 

[labcoated]

𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧  𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫  at  arcadia  roosevelt  (  third  floor,  bookstore  )  featuring  𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧  𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞  (  5/5  )  CAPPED   @scrubshqstarters

dorian  was  at  the  bookstore,  aimlessly  wandering  about.  or  at  least  to  anybody  looking  at  him  that  would  be  what  it  appeared  like.  he  had  his  airbuds  in  one  ear,  keeping  his  attention  focused  on  the  music  coming  through  but  his  eyes  were  peeled  on  the  shelves  around  him,  as  if  they  were  telling  him  a  story  all  on  their  own.  which,  to  be  fair,  they  were.  the  story  just  wasn't  exactly  what  he  wanted  it  to  be,  or  what  he  had  expected  it  to  be  either.  dorian  had  a  medical  journal  in  his  hand,  on  top  of  one  of  the  novels  he  had  been  looking  through  earlier.  he  was  doing  his  best  to  balance  everything  out.  as  if  he  was  worried  people  would  really  care  or  judge  him  for  anything  that  he  was  looking  through  in  a  bookstore  of  all  places.  his  shoulders  shrugged  as  he  glanced  through  the  shelves  and  he  sighed,  talking  out  loud  but  really  more  thinking  to  himself,  “you't  think  this  place  would  sell  more  books,  but  i've  seen  so  many  other  things  it's  crazy  to  call  it  a  bookstore.”  he  shook  his  head.  he  didn't  even  know  what  it  was  these  days  with  half  of  everything  dealing  with  so  many  other  things  instead  of  books.  calendars,  puzzles,  games,  those  little  pop  figurines.  it  felt  like  everything  was  in  the  bookshop. 

[labcoated]

🔬 ‧₊˚ ⋆ ــــــــــﮩ٨ـ did you page dorian poole from orthopedics ? they’re the twenty-nine year old surgical resident at lexington, they’ve been working here for four years. you’ve probably seen them if you catch a up to sneakers scraping on the floor due to speed walking, glasses forgotten on the top of his head, fists slamming on tables but followed up with sweet treats as an apology, wistful looks brushed away with a shake of a head, the patients that do like them would tell you they are lionhearted and zealous, but some of them think they’re reckless and boisterous. time is rushing, just go and find them.

possible triggers: parental death ( illness )

full name : dorian river poole

birthdate / age : oct 31, twenty-nine

maternal information : maya poole, deceaded at age 27.

paternal information : keith quinn, lives on the upper east side, married once, currently 55, works as a private md.

extended familial information : has two younger siblings, both close in age to him from keith & his step-mother talia. his mother had several siblings, but his father is an only child.

child(ren) information : n/a

sexuality : heterosexual

relationship status : it's complicated

languages spoken : english, asl, spanish.

distinguishing marks : a long faded scar along his left thigh from a childhood sports injury.

faceclaim : cody chri.stian

dorian got his name from the class his parents met in in college -- a class literature class, from the picture of dorian gray. it was the book they were assigned to read, and given that he was born on halloween his mother thought it fitting to name him after a gothic literature character. his mother filled his head with stories from the time he was a child. all maya wanted to do was be a writer. she never got the opportunity, though. she had been writing down in her journals since she was young, every thought she had in her head and the stories she had half come up with, and bits and pieces of her thoughts. it's the one memory -- lots of memories, technically -- that dorian still has of his mother.

when maya passed, dorian naturally expected he would live with one of his aunts or uncles, stay in maine and be with the family. but it all came crashing down when even at five years old he knew that everything was different. because the air seemed to still the day he met his father.

dorian was swept from his home in maine and brought to the bustling city of manhattan. he had no idea what was going on. just that he was with family he had never met. this man he had heard about from his mother's stories and some more people he didn't know. a new mother, and siblings he had to get to know too.

of course, being five he had time to get to know everything, and he begged to spend summers back in maine and got his wish for a while. he spent a lot of breaks from school back with his family in maine. the summers allowed him to reset and get back into a normal groove before heading back into the city and being in the private schools that his father had forced him into.

even as a young kid, dorian felt like he didn't belong. he was always feeling as though he needed to live up to the expectations that his father set for him. as much as he wanted to do everything he felt like he couldn't keep up with the pressure. even when he exceeded expectations his dad didn't seem to give him the attention that was expected.

living up to the expectations set for him, dorian went to medican school and did everything in his power to best his father's standards. he might be the oldest sibling, but he always feels like he's the one left out of the crowd, a bit of the black sleep of the family -- but moreso in his father's eyes than anyone elses. however, that's probably because his father seems to do that with everyone, putting his career first.

reality is, dorian just wanted to be a writer, but now at this point he would never admit that out loud. he spent hours writing things down like his mother had. writing things in the margins of his mother's notebooks. he even went so far as to dual major in college originally, pre-med and english. pre-med to appease his father, and english for himself.

while he was in med school, dorian was writing like crazy and made connections with other authors. he eventually found a way to make things work and published a series of short stories, based on both his own and his mother's story ideas. of course, he did it under a pseudonym because he didn't need his father up in his business commenting about everything and knowing all of his own details. it was the one bright spot in his otherwise hectic life.

he still publishes short stories under the pseudonym, but you will never find it. at least, he truly believes no one would ever find it. because he's done a lot of work to separate himself from that work.

he's often quick to anger, a temper he gets from his father. but he tends to keep it all bottled inside, too. even with his busy work schedule, he still manages to write a lot with his free time. again, a side of him that he keeps to himself for the most part.

here's the secret, dorian doesn't want to be a doctor but he would never say it out loud. and he is one of the best up and coming ortho surgeons in his field. he truly is good at what he does. he simply just has other passions that he would rather be doing. it's just one of those things, where he feels like he needs to do this rather than what he actually loves. so he settled, and continues to overachieve.

does everything he can for his patients, and often finds himself overworked, but never under pressure. he's the kind of person who might snap at something one second, but be totally fine in another moment because he just needed to let off some steam.

still often goes to maine when he has the time to spend time with his mother's family. it's the one part of his life he never feels like he has to separate from. his apartment is minimalist in some ways, but cluttered in others. he's got books and papers and some mementos from his time in maine scattered through everything.

not talkative, but more observing than most. likely acts as if he knows nothing but knows just about everything if you mentioned it once. and has a mental note list of things running in his head too.

[handsnurtured-deactivated202508]

no  days  in  pediatrics  were  ever  the  exact  same.  she  had  learned  that  pretty  early  on  in  her  career.  she  signed  up  for  this,  though,  and  she  wouldn't  complain  about  that.  clara  was  determined  to  get  through  her  shift.  ideally,  she'd  make  it  through  without  colliding  into  anyone  else.  maybe  some  coffee  would  aid  in  her  ability  to  focus.  she  was  hoping  it  would  be  a  wise  decision  instead  of  something  she'd  end  up  regretting.  ❝  i  know  what  you  mean.  we've  all  have  days  like  that.  we  just  live  such  busy  lives  and  some  days  …  it's  a  lot  easier  to  run  out  of  steam  than  others.   ❞  she  nodded  as  gemma  explained  she  was  on  call,  a  small  smile  spreading  across  her  lips.  ❝  well,  that's  definitely  one  way  to  keep  you  on  your  toes  all  day,  ❞  clara  mentioned,  gaze  momentarily  shifting  to  the  buzzer  in  gemma's  hand.  she  cared  for  children  after  they  came  into  the  world,  and  gemma  cared  for  their  mothers  before  they  did.  she  imagined  the  patient  in  question  was  likely  feeling  a  mixture  of  emotions  regarding  the  life  she  was  about  to  bring  into  the  world.  ❝  oh,  yeah,  for  sure.  coffee  and  snacks  get  through  so  many  of  these  shifts,  ❞  she  said  with  a  laugh.  sometimes,  there  truly  was  only  time  for  a  few  bites  of  something  before  having  to  jump  back  into  action.  ❝  i'm  not  so  sure  we  should  chance  heading  out  of  here,  honestly.  it's  been  a  pretty  hectic  day  already.  either  of  us  could  be  needed  so  it's  probably  better  to  just  stick  to  the  building.  ❞

[labcoated]

gemma  knew  that  every  day  was  different  in  her  career.  sometime  she  was  working  with  her  own  patients,  sometime  she  had  to  cover  for  another  doctor.  sometimes  there  were  emergencies  that  took  precedent.  there  was  no  day  in  a  hospital  that  looked  quite  like  another,  even  if  she  wasn't  a  surgeon  she  had  every  bit  of  training  that  could  be  used  just  in  case  something  might  need  it.  she  loved  her  job.  gemma  was  always  looking  at  everything  that  she  might  need  to  know  just  in  case.  it  was  something  –  she  loved  learning.  “sometimes  i  think  we  need…what's  that  quote  from  that  one  show?  coffee  in  an  iv?  it  wouldn't  even  be  a  good  idea,  but  it  might  be  helpful  to  not  run  out  of  steam.”  obviously,  gemma  was  joking  but  it  was  just  a  funny  concept  to  think  about.  realistically,  though,  it  was  something  she  would  never  do.  the  jokes  however?  they  practically  wrote  themselves.  “yeah,  it's  always  a  bit  busy  when  it  comes  time  for  these  sorts  of  days.”  gemma  let  out  a  small  laugh,  shaking  her  head.  she  didn't  quite  know  how  she  did  it  most  days.  a  lot  of  them  were  spent  with  her  eyes  on  the  buzzer,  wondering  when  it  could  go  off.  or  if  it  would  go  off.  she  had  a  lot  of  ideas  about  it,  but  there  were  always  days  when  it  didn't  go  and  some  days  when  it  didn't  stop.  “unfortunately  you're  not  wrong.”  she  said  with  a  slight  shrug  of  her  shoulders,  her  hands  putting  the  buzzer  back  attached  to  the  pocket  of  her  coat  with  a  nod  of  her  head.  she  knew  that  they  stood  a  better  chance  staying  on  property,  but  the  odds  of  finding  good  coffee  was  sub  par.  not  that  gemma  was  bound  finish  whatever  cup  she  got  –  she  was  often  interrupted  and  never  able  to  finish  the  cups  she  purchased.  “let's  just  head  down  to  the  caf  and  see  what  we  can  scrounge  up.”

[aftercure]

it   takes   at   least   half   a   minute   of   nia   just   staring   and   blinking,   almost   as   if   she   needed   a   minute   to   actually   recognize   the   face   in   front   of   her   before   her   body   turned   into   a   relaxed   state.   the   grin   that   started   off   as   sheepish   now   turned   into   charming,   her   shoulders   no   longer   tensed   because   that   was   gemma   ⸺   actually   one   of   the   very   few   people   that   didn’t   make   nia   regret   her   words.   “   man,   if   i   knew   you’re   gonna   be   the   one   stealing   coffee   i   would   go   crazier,   maybe   some   pina   colada   type,   ”   now   she   slouches   as   she   speaks   with   a   breathy   laugh,   her   drink   set   down   with   a   gentle   thud   and   her   jaw   drops,   almost   as   if   offended   that   she   forgot   the   details   about   the   first   concert   ever.   “   woah,   i’m   hurt   !   i   thought   that   the   lights   that   gave   me   a   temporary   emotional   whiplash   and   how   you   tried   gaslighting   me   that   your   tears   during   opening   act   were   allergies   meant   something   for   both   of   us,   ”   her   perfectly   polished   hand   is   now   rested   on   her   chest,   a   dramatic   gesture   to   only   highlight   the   overreaction   in   her   voice   before   she   winks   and   then   ⸺   it’s   like   something   slightly   shifts,   the   tone   of   her   voice   turning   quieter   despite   a   smile   still   gracing   her   face   ;   a   very   common   view   for   anyone   who   ever   talks   to   nia.   “   don’t   jinx   it,   i   hope   it’s   not   gonna   end   up   press   worthy.   right   now,   we’re   currently   going   through   a   divorce   with   throwing   tantrums   though,   keep   that   offer   available   though   ..   i   might   end   up   calling   you,   ”

[labcoated]

gemma  is  at  least  glad  that  she  doesn't  have  to  do  an  entire  rendition  of  the  concert  they  first  met  at  for  nia  to  actually  recognize  her.  not  that  gemma's  a  bad  singer  or  anything,  but  it  would  be  horrific  for  any  passerby  to  listen  in  on  and  just  less  of  a  funny  anecdote  for  them  later  on  down  the  line.  she  felt  relieved  that  nia  realized  who  she  was  without  her  going  into  some  full  detail  though,  a  breath  falling  from  her  lips  as  she  let  out  a  small  laugh,  eyebrows  raising  at  the  blonde's  words.  “pina  colada  coffee  sounds  just  disgusting  enough  to  work  in  the  weirdest  way.  next  time  i  think  you're  going  to  need  to  find  something  like  that.  i  mean,  nothing  can  be  worse  than  hospital  break  room  coffee,  right?”  she  laughed.  though  it  was  true.  she  might  have  had  better  luck,  as  most  people  had  told  her  that  the  best  coffee  in  the  hospital  was  usually  in  labor  and  delivery.  but  still,  it  was  hit  or  miss,  usually  miss,  with  hospital  coffee.  “as  if  i  could  ever  forget  the  first  concert,  i  mean  who  would  forget  what  brought  us  together?”  she  could  still  picture  it  as  if  it  were  yesterday.  them  meeting  was  almost  fate,  and  neither  of  them  seemed  to  care  where  they  worked  at  that  time.  just  that  it  was  fun  to  spend  that  time  together  at  that  concert.  and  afterwards,  it  was  still  fun  even  when  they  found  out  where  they  worked.  it  just  added  a  bit  more  to  it  all.  “so  you  can  stop  with  your  dramatics.  i  mean,  who  at  this  table  is  buying  them…the  squirrels  at  the  corner  over  there?”  she  gestured  to  the  park  squirrels  somewhere  nearby  with  a  light  shrug  of  her  hand,  rolling  her  eyes  at  nia's  dramatic  flair  with  a  laugh.  she  nodded  her  head  in  understanding,  “well,  you've  got  my  number,  and  i'm  in  your  corner  always.  so  keep  that  in  mind  no  matter  what.”  she  said  with  a  smile.  gemma  knew  that  it  was  not  likely  to  come  to  that,  but  she  knew  the  offer  was  at  least  something  she  needed  to  do,  as  well. 

[silkenstrategy]

her brow quirked, just slightly, at public relations. it wasn’t judgment — not exactly. more like a quiet curiosity layered with the subtle tension of someone who’d spent too long stitching chaos back together to fully trust the people whose job it was to spin it. but she didn’t flinch away. didn’t pull back. fallon didn’t talk like someone who’d never seen the inside of a trauma ward — not literally, maybe, but close enough. there was a weight to her words. an edge dulled not from softness, but from sheer exhaustion. she knew the language. “you’re not wrong,” delaney said after a moment, tapping the rim of her glass against the wood like it was second nature. “they drink water. protein shakes. whatever keeps their jawlines tight and their hero complexes intact.” her tone wasn’t bitter, just dry. clinical. tired in a way that went marrow-deep. she leaned back a bit, letting her head tilt toward the worn-out leather of the booth behind her. the ceiling fan above them spun lazily, not doing much of anything except reminding her she was still alive enough to be annoyed by it. “admin,” she repeated, then gave fallon a look — not quite impressed, but something close. “you’re one of the few who make the place look less like a war zone. that’s a skill. most days we’re just keeping the roof from collapsing while someone plays PR janitor for the press and the parents.” she paused. “that’s not sarcasm, by the way. if it sounds like it, blame the tone. it’s permanent.” she lifted her drink again at to naming the poison, and there was something almost solemn in the gesture now. like it wasn’t just about the cocktail in front of her but everything it stood in for — the weight, the blood, the pieces of herself she hadn’t had time to put back together. then fallon’s question came, and it surprised her enough to make her smile — a real one this time, albeit a bit crooked at the edges. “tonight?” she said, tapping a finger against the side of her glass. “i went with the flatline. stupid name, heavy pour. supposed to taste like regret with a twist of lime.” she took a sip and made a face. “it mostly tastes like college.” a beat passed. then she tilted her head, eyes flicking toward fallon again. “what about you?” she asked, voice softer now, less guarded. “what’s your poison?” her gaze lingered — not unkind, not pitying. just present. they didn’t need to talk about work. not tonight. not in this bar. not with the music murmuring low and the scent of lime and spilled rum creeping in from the bar. they were both off the clock, barely stitched together in the dim, and somehow, that felt like enough. for now.

[labcoated]

fallon  knew  that  people  who  were  in  the  clinical  world  treated  the  people  who  were  in  her  world,  in  the  admitting  department  and  other  aspects  of  the  hospital,  differently  and  could  tend  to  look  down  upon  them.  so  she  wouldn't  be  surprised  if  even  this  young  woman  sitting  before  her  would  do  something  similar.  it  shouldn't  matter  what  everyone  did,  but  considering  the  fact  that  part  of  fallon's  job  was  to  make  sure  lexington  hospital  was  still  noted  as  one  of  the  premiere  hospitals  where  everyone  was  treated  with  respect,  she  would  hope  that  her  colleagues  would  do  the  same  thing  for  her  in  return.  however,  she  knew  that  not  everyone  felt  that  way  though.  fallon  scoffed  out  a  laugh,  noding  her  head  at  the  words,  “hero  complexes  and  protein  shakes,  sounds  like  that  might  even  be  one  of  their  themed  drinks.  and  if  it's  not  we  should  tell  someone  it  should  be.”  fallon  couldn't  even  imagine  what  that  sort  of  a  drink  would  taste  like  let  alone  look  like,  but  she  knew  someone  out  there  would  put  it  together  for  some  form  of  a  themed  bar  for  some  sort  of  action  movie.  just  like  they  had  this  for  their  sorrows  and  problems  after  work.  she  made  sure  her  face  was  neutral  at  delaney's  words,  holding  back  any  sort  of  reaction  to  what  she  was  saying.  but  she  nodded  her  head,  “i  think  my  mom  told  me  that  once  but  it  was  about  my  face  sticking  like  something  after  looking  staring  too  long.”  she  joked.  “and  what  department  are  you  in?”  she  asked.  she  wondered  what  sort  of  specialty  that  the  redhead  was  in.  curious  to  know,  wondering  if  she'd  seen  her  name  across  her  desk  yet.  a  shake  of  her  head,  “like  college?  oh,  god,  remind  me  not  to  do  that.  for  me,  i  went  with  the  scalpel  shot.”  she  said,  tapping  the  sides  of  the  glass  she  was  holding  onto  with  a  light  shrug  of  her  shoulders.  she  wasn't  a  big  drinker  to  begin  with,  but  she  wanted  to  drink  something  sometimes,  and  when  she  went  out  it  was  usually  wine,  but  on  special  occasions  she  would  try  something  themed  if  there  was  an  option.  “figured  why  not  give  it  a  go?”  fallon  explained.  she  leaned  back  in  the  seat  she  was  in  and  looked  around,  listening  to  the  music  for  a  moment  as  she  thought  about  her  day,  and  everything  else.  “do  you  come  here  a  lot  after  your  shifts?”  she  asked,  turning  her  attention  back.  she  wondered  if  it  was  obvious  that  she  didn't  frequent  here.  that  she  hadn't  frequented  bars  in  a  while.  but  she  was  still  just  getting  used  to  being  her  own  person  again.   

[denalifoxx-deactivated20220703]

Just do what I say, Atwood.

THE O.C. | 4x01: “The Avengers”

[handsnurtured-deactivated202508]

being  a  neurosurgeon  came  with  an  extensive  schedule,  and  it  rarely  offered  any  semblance  of  consistency.  he  still  managed  to  be  a  mostly  -  functioning  adult,  but  he  didn't  get  out  as  much  as  some  of  his  colleagues.  between  work  and  his  siblings,  he  kept  busy.  he  couldn't  recall  the  last  time  he'd  had  a  night  out  with  friends.  it  was  challenging  to  find  a  time  that  worked  for  everyone.  he  chuckled  at  the  teasing  offer  she'd  presented  him  with,  his  head  shaking  in  amusement.  very  few  people  could  pull  a  laugh  out  of  him  so  effortlessly,  and  she  happened  to  be  one  of  the  few  exceptions.  ❝  you  know,  as  sad  as  it  sounds,  i  might  actually  appreciate  the  gesture,  ❞  he  said  in  jest.  (  mostly.  )  he  didn't  know  much  about  what  a  day  in  the  life  of  fallon  looked  like,  but  he  imagined  it  was  just  as  exhausting  as  his  own,  but  for  entirely  different  reasons.  he  was  fortunate  to  not  have  to  deal  with  the  general  public  en  masse  like  she  did.  her  job  demanded  much  more  socialization  than  his,  and  he  didn't  envy  that  whatsoever.  leon  was  more  comfortable  in  the  operating  room.  he  smiled  slightly  as  she  agreed  to  join  him  for  a  quick  lunch  break,  glad  to  have  her  company.  he  wouldn't  have  extended  the  offer  to  just  anyone.  most  of  his  meal  breaks  were  spent  in  solitude.  ❝  great,  ❞  he  told  her,  nodding.  ❝  it  will  be  nice  to  leave  these  walls  for  a  little  while.  ❞  he  rarely  was  able  to  do  that,  even  if  he  had  a  brief  break,  he  rarely  ever  had  enough  time  to  actually  leave  the  building.  he  intended  to  take  full  advantage  of  the  occurrence.  he  also  wasn't  surprised  that  fallon  opted  to  do  the  same  as  him. 

[labcoated]

fallon  knew  that  everything  was  so  ever-changing  in  the  life  of  a  surgeon,  even  in  the  nurses  and  technicians  that  worked  in  the  hospital.  she  didn't  always  tend  to  make  many  plans  with  her  friends  within  these  walls  for  that  reason.  things  happened  that  needed  immediate  or  urgent  attention,  and  she  knew  that  they  would  get  pushed  up  the  list.  while  she  had  her  own  job  to  attend  to,  it  was  never  as  pressing  or  life  saving  as  that  –  even  if  on  some  days  it  certainly  felt  like  the  phone  calls  could  be  given  the  nature  of  some  of  them.  “well,  i  promise  if  i  see  anything  in  nature  that  warrants  good  photographing,  you'll  be  the  first  i  send  it  to,”  fallon  nodded  her  head,  “how  does  that  sound?”  she  might  still  be  teasing,  but  she  wasn't  entirely  certain  if  she  really  was  anymore.  it  all  felt  a  bit  like  she  was  telling  the  truth.  and  maybe  she  would  go  outside  and  find  something  entirely  stupid  in  nature  to  take  a  photo  of.  where  was  a  pizza  rat  going  to  be  when  she  needed  one?  she  hoped  that  she  could  at  least  find  something  entertaining  to  keep  up  this  sort  of  funny  gag.  if  not,  then  it  would  just  have  to  be  some  sort  of  sunset  picture  that  wouldn't  be  nearly  as  funny  or  entertaining.  but  it  would  have  to  do.  she  often  wondered  what  it  was  like  spending  all  your  time  in  an  operating  room,  and  had  been  inside  of  a  few  for  some  promotional  things  for  the  hospital  over  the  years  but  never  during  a  surgery.  that  was  always  something  she  had  never  been  privy  to,  nor  did  she  really  want  to  be.  even  though  she  had  studied  to  be  a  nurse,  it  was  never  the  inside  of  an  operating  room  that  had  been  where  she  wanted  to  be.  “it  will  probably  help  us  energize  a  bit  for  the  rest  of  our  shifts,  too.”  she  replied  with  a  smile.  though  she  didn't  know  how  she  was  going  to  make  it  through  what  felt  like  a  whole  laundry  list  of  calls  to  make,  and  things  to  do.  she  would  likely  have  to  delegate  to  someone  else  or  just  stay  later  than  she  expected  to  do.  “getting  out  and  walking  around  is  always  better  than  trying  to  stick  to  these  hospital  walls.”

[james-holbrook-deactivated20260]

Finding out he was a dad had to have been one of the biggest curve balls of his life. Of course he had always wanted kids, he just thought he would have been settled down with someone before that happened. But there was no way he would have turned down taking full custody of Sawyer, even if that meant having no idea what he was doing. One of the biggest saving graces however had been friends with kids, who were willing to give advice, to be down for trips to the park. And with Fallon, having someone else knowing what it was like to be a single parent. So when the chance came around for the two of them to meet up with the kids, despite their age different, Elliot jumped at the chance. Sitting on the bench and bouncing Sawyer on his knees, eyes scanning the faces that came and went, finally landing on Fallon and Violet. Shifting Sawyer to one arm he waved a greeting as the two made their way over. Amusement dancing over his features as she pulled a bag out of a bag.

"You know, you're an absolute life saver." He replied before moving Sawyer into her stroller, letting out an amused laugh as she promptly shoved her little fist right into her mouth. Pretty sure that they were reaching teething territory. "Honestly, I have no idea what I might need of this- Surely it'll be things she'll either be into or need once she's older?" Elliot asked, a raise of his eyebrows. Truly having no clue what he was doing, just hoping that he was doing right by his daughter.

[labcoated]

fallon  didn't  have  many  friends  who  had  kids  of  their  own.  she  was  social  enough  outside  of  work,  and  her  family  was  big  enough,  but  there  was  something  about  having  people  who  understood  things  that  she  was  going  through  at  her  job  and  were  dealing  with  similar  things  too.  she  also  liked  to  be  able  to  help  out  when  she  could.  it  was  the  reason  she  spent  a  lot  more  time  doing  her  job  than  she  cared  to  admit--knowing  that  she  was  the  only  one  who  could  do  that  she  did.  that  she  was  at  least  there  and  helping  out.  balancing  everything  was  something  she  was  still  getting  better  at,  admittedly.  fallon  watched  as  violet  trotted  around  in  the  park  with  her  toys  until  she  settled  near  fallon's  feet,  giggling  to  herself  as  she  watched  the  birds  above  them.  “i  sure  hope  so.  i  mean,  it  would  be  heartbreaking  for  me  to  throw  any  of  it  out.”  fallon  replied,  tearing  her  eyes  away  from  their  kids  to  look  back  at  elliot  as  she  continued  to  sign  and  speak.  she  really  needed  to  get  better  with  her  signing,  but  she  knew  that  at  least  she  was  a  million  times  better  than  when  she  had  started.  “but  if  you  think  you  don't  need  anything,  feel  free  to  donate  it.”  she  continued,  with  a  nod  of  her  head,  and  smiling  as  she  glanced  down  at  violet,  a  gentle  hand  on  her  daughter's  head  as  she  fixed  her  hair  before  finishing,  “lord  knows  i  tend  to  overbuy  things  to  begin  with,  and  when  she  gets  this  look,  i  simply  can't  say  no.”  she  laughed,  her  hands  moving  to  keep  up  with  her  own  words  rather  than  slowing  down  her  speech.  “is  it  like  that  with  sawyer  yet?”

[ehomak1]

         “ gemma, hi, ” yohan greets after stepping out of the conference room. meeting’s done for the day, and he has a little break time. it’s also been a while since he’s seen gemma, and some casual catch-up is necessary. “ are you just about to take your break, or you’re just walking this way? ” @labcoated

[labcoated]

gemma's  eyes  had  been  on  some  notes  on  her  phone  for  upcoming  meetings  and  patients.  it was actually a  terrible  practice  for  while  she  was  walking  in  the  hospital  hallways,  but  she  would  never  admit  that  out  loud.  when  she  heard  her  name.  “yohan,  hey.”  she  grinned,  stopping.  “well,  actually  my  meeting  got  moved,  apparently  they're  stuck  in  a  different  hospital  for  something  else.”  she  glanced  down  at  the  email  lingering  in  her  folder.  at  least  it  meant  more  time  to  prepare.  “and  my  next  patient meeting  isn't  for  a  few  hours,  so  i  was  going  to  figure  out  what  to  do  with  this  new  free  time.”

[foxcuts]

“what, can’t a man ask his favorite publicist-slash-wizard-slash-actual-saint if she’s missed him today?” jett asked, stepping back with mock offense, hands raised as if she’d truly wounded him. “besides, i was jogging. you were folder-flailing. so if anyone’s getting sued, it’s probably you.” he offers her a grin, something bright despite the dull morning still clinging to his skin, sweat curling at his collarbone. “you always look like you’re holding this place together with sheer willpower. i don’t know how you do it.” then, gentler, just enough to be heard: “violet okay?” because he heard her, even if she hadn’t seen him at first. “you know . .” he added, already starting to walk beside her, “you should let me take you out for lunch sometime. purely as thanks. for keeping me out of headlines, jail, and spontaneous combustion.” a soft smirk tugged at the edge of his lips. “we both know i’d be unemployed without you.” and then, grinning again, “just say yes so i can pretend i’m charming.”

[labcoated]

fallon  narrowed  her  eyes,  “sure,”  she  drawled  out,  a  slight  shake  of  her  head  as  she  looked  at  him.  she  was  right  to  be  suspicious  of  jett.  but  realistically  she  knew  better  than  to  actually  be  truly  suspicious  of  his  motives  at  all.  “you  can  do  that.  but  somehow  i  think  bumping  shoulders  with  me  isn't  way  of  saying  something  so  buttery  sweet,"  fallon  commented,  “y'know,  for  future  reference.”  she  added  in  with  a  slight  tilt  of  her  head,  almost  a  shake  as  she  was  joking,  but  not  quite.  “now  we're  going  to  get  lawyer's  involved,  i'm  not  sure  my  insurance  covers  this  sort  of  thing.  how  would  you  even  explain  that  to  someone?  sorry  neither  of  us  were  looking  in  while  we  were  walking  but  hey  we're  practically  unscathed  save  for  some  paperwork  that  landed  on  the  floor  and  our  egos?”  she  pretended  like  she  was  dialing  up  a  number,  shrugging  her  shoulders  as  if  to  ask.  she  had  dealt  with  being  on  her  fair  share  of  emails  about  law  suits  and  all  that  sort  of  things,  so  she  knew  actual  jargon,  it  just  wasn't  the  time  or  the  place  to  say  it.  a  sigh  at  the  thought  of  violet.  “she's  in  this  stage  where  she  just….  she  wants  me  there  constantly  and  how  do  you  explain  to  a  five  year  old  that  you  have  work  when  the  only  thing  they  truly  understand  is  that  the  movie  they  want  isn't  on  and  they've  got  to  get  out  of  bed?”  fallon  explained,  a  bit  exasperated  at  the  thought.  it  was  taxing  for  her  to  do,  but  she  still  loved  her  daughter  more  than  anything.  doing  it  all  on  her  own  was  simply  never  part  of  the  plan  when  she'd  ever  thought  of  kids,  so  dealing  with  this  was  just  something  she  could  learn  to  handle.  it  was  just  one  of  those  phases  that,  hopefully,  she  would  grow  out  of  sooner  rather  than  later.  she  laughed  at  his  words,  a  light  roll  of  her  eyes,  "please,  as  if  spontaneous  combustion  is  really  something  i  keep  you  from."  then  she  added  in,  “and  you  can pretend  you're  charming  enough  for  the  both  of  us  on  any  given  day,  so  do  i  really  need  to  say  yes  to  this  lunch  when  we  both  know  you'll  show  up  in  my  office  one  of  these  days  around  lunchtime  to  pester  me  anyway?”

[handsnurtured-deactivated202508]

in  all  honesty,  leon  couldn't  remember  the  last  time  he'd  had  a  normal  schedule.  even  when  he  was  in  college  studying  to  become  a  neurosurgeon,  his  time  was  divided  between  classes,  studying,  working  to  provide  for  his  siblings  and  ensuring  his  siblings  all  had  their  needs  met.  even  after  achieving  his  degree  and  becoming  a  surgeon,  his  workload  hadn't  exactly  decreased.  if  anything,  it  only  increased.  he  reminded  himself  that  it  was  what  he  signed  up  for,  that  he  wanted  to  save  lives.  he'd  done  a  pretty  great  job  of  doing  that  so  far.  his  achievements  were  something  to  be  proud  of,  and  he  knew  that.  sometimes,  it  was  just  a  little  difficult  to  bask  in  the  glory  of  his  success  when  he  was  always  so  swamped.  most  days  he  operated  on  auto  pilot.  having  a  gap  of  free  time  for  a  change  in  his  day  left  him  with  too  many  thoughts  swimming  around  in  his  mind.  ❝  for  once,  i  actually  have  an  open  schedule,  which  is  actually  pretty  surprising.  this  rarely  ever  happens  for  me,  so  i  intend  on  taking  advantage  of  that.  maybe  i'll  even  remind  myself  what  the  sun  looks  like,  ❞   he  joked.  ❝  time  seems  to  be  working  against  us  lately,  hmm  ?  i  swear  these  months  are  just  flying  by.  that's  probably  another  reason  why  it  feels  like  you're  in  a  revolving  door  of  meetings.  ❞  he  couldn't  imagine  being  in  her  position,  didn't  think  he'd  find  any  enjoyment  in  it,  really.  he  was  much  more  content  with  operating  on  people's  brains.  somehow,  it  seemed  far  less  stressful  than  the  premise  of  meeting  with  people  for  hours  on  end.  ❝  oh,  wow  ...  where  are  my  manners  ?  ❞  he  questioned  with  a  laugh.  clearly,  he  must've  lost  them  in  the  operating  room.  ❝  would  you  like  to  join  me  ?  we  could  probably  sneak  off  to  lisa's  spoon  to  get  a  decent  cup  of  coffee.  ❞

[labcoated]

fallon  simply  worked  her  ass  off,  in  all  aspects  of  her  life.  professionally  and  personally  she  was  worn  pretty  thin,  and  that  was  before  she  had  her  own  child.  but  if  you  asked  her,  she  would  never  complain  or  even  hint  that  anything  would  be  something  she  couldn't  handle.  it  was  all  just  something  she  needed  to  be  able  to  do  on  her  own.  fallon  was  the  kind  of  person  who  kept  the  weight  of  the  world  on  her  shoulders.  thinking  that  she  could  handle  just  about  everything  in  her  path,  even  if  time  and  time  again  she  proved  that  she  might  in  fact  need  some  help  along  the  way.  “i  mean,  my  schedule  is  a  bit  more  lax  than  yours,  so  i  could  always  take  some  pictures  if  you  need  reminding  of  what  the  outdoors  is  like.”  she  teased,  shrugging  her  shoulders  at  the  thought.  though  she  didn't  feel  like  it  a  lot  of  days.  sometimes  there  were  just  meetings  after  meetings  about  press  ganeys  and  SAFER  reports  she  needed  to  keep  her  eye  on,  or  there  were  just  meetings  for  the  upcoming  hospital  events  she  needed  to  be  doing  her  public  relation  spin  as  they  all  called  it.  she  felt  like  her  job  was  truly  as  never  ending  as  everyone  else's  some  days.  “y'know,  i  think  i  could  manage  to  find  a  few  spare  minutes  to  join  you,  now  that  you've  asked.  it  might  be  nice  to  get  off  property  and  see  the  world  while  we've  got  the  opportunity  for  now.”  fallon  knew  it  was  rare  on  days  like  these,  where  her  meetings  lasted  far  longer  than  intended,  and  she  still  had  piles  of  work  to  get  back  to.  so  she  should  take  advantage  of  time  when  she  could.