More Vampire!Whitaker AU snippets
Some time after Whitaker overhears Robby telling Abbot he’s falling for him.
“You… you overheard that?” Dr. Robby is staring at Whitaker, horror swimming in his wide eyes. A blush blooms bright, first on his cheeks then overtaking his entire face. By god, Dennis can see it trailing down the attending’s neck too, and yep now his ears as well. There’s no exposed skin from the chest up that’s not red. Dennis remembers when he used to blush like that. He was always made fun of for it by his brothers, but it looks stunning on Robby.
“I did.” Whitaker says evenly, schooling his expression. He wants to laugh. It’s nearly bursting from his chest, and it pulls at the corner of his lips so he bits down on the bottom one for just a moment. He doesn’t miss the way Robby’s eyes briefly flick down at the movement.
“But it’s okay, Dr. Robby.” Dennis adds hastily. “Besides I-” He’s on the cusp of telling Robby that his feelings aren’t unrequited.
But it’s probably for the best that Robby cuts him off to press on, “No, it’s not okay, Whitaker. Dammit, I’m your boss. It’s so far beyond not okay. I’m so sorry.”
Yeah, no, that’s good. This is good. Dennis is an immortal being, and he’d have to leave within a decade anyways. And there’s no world in which that is fair to Robby, who’s always left behind, by his own design or by shitty chance. Even if Dennis did stay, he’d still be stuck like this while Robby aged and eventually passed. And Dennis has put himself through that heartbreak enough times to know how stupid of an idea it is to do it on purpose, again.
“Dr. Robby, it’s okay.” Whitaker finds himself saying again. Also a stupid idea.
“No. It’s not.” Robby’s flush has faded, his expression now a little stormy. “I’m in a position of power of you, and probably twice your age.”
Actually, Robby, I’m more than 100 years your senior. But alright. Dennis thinks snidely.
“I’m… I’m getting over myself. It’s just misplaced emotions. Letting this place get the best of me. It’s not about you. Not on you. And if you want to meet with HR you can, I won’t ask you not to do that.” Robby crosses his arms.
Dennis takes a deep breath, letting the antiseptic smell that clings to everything in the Pitt infiltrate his lungs. He can feel Robby closing down, pushing him away.
This is complicated. The right response isn’t coming to him; he doesn’t know what to say. As he tries to find the words, the longer the silence stretches on, those storm clouds in Robby’s eyes gather into anger and annoyance. Dennis thinks it might be directed inwards, but it hurts anyways.
“I’m not uncomfortable,” Dennis starts. “We don’t need to talk to HR. Let’s just… keep moving forward.”
Robby nods, resolute, and starts to take a step to the side, to walk past Whitaker and on to the next demand on the ED. When the attending’s arms uncross, Dennis still half expects the usual pat or grasp of the shoulder he always gets. But it never comes and Robby just walks by without giving him a second glance. He knows he’s always cold, but for once he feels it too.
It’s for the best. It’s for the best.