This Is Where I Put My Pitt

main blog: viktorarcanedeservesbetter

[robbysglasses]

I've seen more discussion on ICE in The Pitt, about how different characters handled it, how others may have, how they could have handled it, how they could have saved Pranita. But I think a lot of these perspectives come from A) a more soap-opera like view of the Pitt that isn't the show's reality, or B) not understanding the reality of ICE.

For one, horrific fact: There was no saving Pranita, and any attempts to do so could have resulted in a lot more arrests, or worse, them calling more agents in to handle the unrest. Unfortunately Robby telling McKay to treat her and let her go was the absolute safest thing they could have done for Pranita and themselves.

They call a lawyer for her and it works? Okay, well, let's walk into the waiting room and see who else we can grab instead. Let's grab a patient leaving. They call her family somehow and her family comes? Now her family is under arrest too. They fake a illness/injury that could get her admitted? Well, they know where she is/who her doctors were and can come back, and while they wait, they can grab a few patients to take then come back for her.

This is how ICE works and thinks. Honestly, given what they've said and had to cut, they were likely more realistic (aka violent) in their arrest of Jesse.

Another horrific fact: there is a non-zero chance they were going to leave with just Pranita. 100% they would have found someone else to take while waiting for her or leaving with her, and it's simply by there only being two of them and Jesse stepping in that it was Jesse.

Was Robby's speech reckless? Yes! Was it the reason everything after happened? No. They were probably going to drag Pranita out anyways if it took any longer or if someone else pissed them off. Again, if they let her finish getting treated, Jesse not stepping in, they would have found someone else.

This is how ICE works. This is the reality.

There is no "Jack would step in": he couldn't even stop police from trying to arrest McKay. He's a SWAT medic. That's it. ICE doesn't even listen to city officers or state troopers. They don't listen to the laws. There is no super special lawyer to send ICE away or gets them arrested. There is no connections someone has somewhere that sends them out empty-handed.

The Pitt is a reflection of reality.

[sherlock-is-ace]

I was watching an interview with Noah Wyle the other day, and, I don't know if he meant this as bitterly as it sounded to me, or if I'm projecting here. But he said that nowadays, when people are watching tv, they're actually watching two shows at the same time. There's the real story presented to them by the writers and actors they're watching, and then there's the story they're making up in their heads as they watch. And when these two don't coincide, they don't like it, and they get upset. Noah Wyle called this phenomenon "very interesting" but I think he should have called it "plain stupid"

[tiptapismellbullcrap]

My thing w people who hate robby for pushing samira to be faster specifically is we see exactly why he does. They cant afford to take time bc their waiting room is always packed and there are constantly patients waiting in the halls bc there arent enough beds. Of course taking time like samira does is the ideal, but they just cant do it, and thats what frustrated robby. Hes getting constant push to up patient satisfaction scores by Gloria, but he can’t do that when wait times are so long bc of understaffing. And they’re threatening him about it in that corporate way. Gloria tells him maybe he should have a break after he pushes back about the ER being absorbed into a corporation that will just make things worse for his people.

Ughhhh this is so common sense and i feel silly posting this bc it is common sense, but so many people are just ignorant to it

[kaletastrophes]

She is extremely slow. Like I don’t think she should be executed over that! But she is slow, Robby is right to push her!

[throbby-robby]

It’s so literally the perfect example of the impossibility of the system and the compromises physicians (and other HCP) have to make, at the cost of their own mental health and sense of morality and against every tenet of their education, to get anything done at all. And at the cost of patient safety and outcomes! They are showing how much you want to do the right thing and practice medicine safely and how backed into a corner you are, forced to do it faster and less safely.

Like I can’t stress this enough: this happens on every level of the healthcare system. Sometimes small things but sometimes huge glaring compromises.

Samira is getting hit in the face with the reality that so many of us do. You know in your heart why you chose this career and you know how people deserve to be treated but your hands are tied at every turn and you end up compromising. This is new to Samira. It seems like Robby is okay with this type of medicine because he has to be. He has had longer to adapt to a broken system and knows he has to just keep moving forward to do the most good for the most people. Like, it’s not okay but it is exactly what’s happening in reality.

[hotdogtown]

(Robbysglasses here)

In your mind what do the hybrids look like?

honestly?

unformed. amorphous. just serving whatever purpose i need at the moment. sexy men with ears and wagging tails but my mind leans towards the abstract, usually.

which is a boon for my career. i can imagine strange anatomical figures and strange anatomical arrangements of ears, tails, and dicks in holes without needing to lay out the mechanics of a large grown man crawling around on all-fours.

robbysglasses, your last reply killed me dead. literally thought about it during s*x last night. damn you… do more… (besitos)

[robbysglasses]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I imagine them like half-human sized but still human shape with hybrid features (claws, ears, tails).

I also love the idea that Carter, when his family first got him, it was one of those deals where they purchased him when he was still a itty bitty pup and got updates. When they came to pick him up he was so excited.

They flew (first class, obviously) and with hybrids they get seats but have special attachments. But Carter was still so little he could sit with them, and they had to hold him so tight because anytime someone passed by he wanted to greet them.

At home he got into everything. He whined at them if they left him in a room alone. He peed everywhere. They got him those cute outfits that hybrids wear.

Of course, like you said, they try obedience classes and they fail. The teacher says he’s simply too eager and sweet, that his nature is to just be happy, that besides basic commands he’s not going to learn much.

But he’s a spoiled sweet baby.

[piratesyebewarned]

Don't go where I can't follow

[hotdogtown]

(This is robbysglasses)

For hybridcarter? Is he the kind of hybrid they’ve trained for shows or the kind that is simply a “we got a hybrid instead of having a child”. Does he know tricks? Is he their “can do no wrong” hybrid or is he actually a good boy?

oh, my talented bentoncarter co-conspirator! sending big ups on the licensure again! you got this. fuck admin bullshit.

no, he is untrainable. maybe they’ve put him in a few obedience classes as a pup, but when he had to “sit” in the first class his tail wagged so hard it almost carried him off like a helicopter propellor, looney tunes style.

his owners spoil him rotten. think: millennial furbaby types. and they are lucky — because his heart is so good that he doesn’t take advantage of it. he just languishes in his pets and treats and has zero survival instincts when it comes to baring his tummy. including to the new mutt, pope, whom they bring home from the kill shelter.

- - -

and maybe there’s a neighborhood grey cat named benton who looks down his nose at carter and tries to scratch his face off when he wants to play…. he always goes back for more. poor thing.

[robbysglasses]

okay but consider: grey cat Benton who’s family is besties with Carter’s. And at first Benton (who is still a young cat but out of his kitten years) doesn’t care for the pup Carter.

But one day they’re both left while their families go to some sort of gala. It storms, badly, and Carter is just whimpering so sadly. Benton sighs…and curls up with the pup.

And now whenever Hybrid Carter is on walks and they stop by, Carter gives nice licks and nudges. He grabs the treats and food to share. Benton loves his pup.

Except NOW there’s this MUTT who Carter is obsessed with. Who lives there. Who is very much going to take advantage of Carter.

No he does not care for this Mutt.

He’s got to find a way to get rid of him.

Or let Carter know to stay away.

[hotdogtown]

but… but…

imagine this. carter is loafing about in the yard one day, chasing a bird, and falls in the luxurious, rocky pool his owners have. and he can’t swim for shit. he’s spent his entire life lounging by the pool, not playing fetch in it.

benton is on alert immediately, pacing back and forth quickly by the fence, yowling for help, which is usually beneath him, but his cat self cannot swim, no, no. he’s smart enough not to run a fool’s errand. even if it means watching the pup kick and flounder for help.

but then the mutt jumps in, grabs carter by the neck and hauls him up to the poolside concrete, heaving and gasping with effort.

and while benton still thinks the mutt is well… a mutt. rotten and from the streets or worse… the thing did prove himself a bit in benton’s eyes. especially after watching him lick the poor whelp back into consciousness, maybe whining lowly in a tone only he and benton’s highly attuned ears can hear.

benton watches the whole scene. when the mutt looks up at him, noticing him, he stares back, raises his hackles, yes, but softens his scent in a gasping thank you.

[robbysglasses]

Okay AND:

The families get together again, Benton staying over for the first time since Pope arrived. They know Carter and Benton can be trusted together, but they have no idea how Pope will react to Benton, nor how Pope will act with Carter unsupervised.

So Pope is locked in the atrium with a bed, good, water. It’s a glass door, so he can be seen inside and see outside.

And Benton is looking forward to raiding the Carter’s kitchens for leftover snacks, but Carter is being so distracting with his whining and pawing at the door. Especially since that damn Pope doesn’t seem to care.

Either way, Benton’s appeasement purrs and licks do nothing. Carter is still a whiney baby, whimpering, fearful for his poor Pope.

So Benton heaves a cat sigh, jumps, and is able to pull down the door handle that wasn’t even locked. Carter skitters in, excited, nips at Pope who just gives him a few nips and licks back. Benton moves onto the couch.

But Carter is SO EXCITED. his two best friends in one place. He has a major case of the zoomies and runs from Benton, licks him, barks and woofs, before going back to the same room Pope is in and hasn’t left and doing the same.

Eventually, Pope follows Carter out on his round to Benton, leaps on top of Carter as he turns, and lays sideways ontop of him to stop him. Carter can’t move.

But he’s in puppy heaven.

Benton blinks a few thank yous to Pope before closing his eyes, and Pope huffs a welcome to him before closing his own eyes.

When the families come back, Benton and Carter are curled up on the couch, sleeping. Pope is in the closed room they left him in, blearily awake watching them come back.

They are none the wiser.

[hotdogtown]

(This is robbysglasses)

For hybridcarter? Is he the kind of hybrid they’ve trained for shows or the kind that is simply a “we got a hybrid instead of having a child”. Does he know tricks? Is he their “can do no wrong” hybrid or is he actually a good boy?

oh, my talented bentoncarter co-conspirator! sending big ups on the licensure again! you got this. fuck admin bullshit.

no, he is untrainable. maybe they’ve put him in a few obedience classes as a pup, but when he had to “sit” in the first class his tail wagged so hard it almost carried him off like a helicopter propellor, looney tunes style.

his owners spoil him rotten. think: millennial furbaby types. and they are lucky — because his heart is so good that he doesn’t take advantage of it. he just languishes in his pets and treats and has zero survival instincts when it comes to baring his tummy. including to the new mutt, pope, whom they bring home from the kill shelter.

- - -

and maybe there’s a neighborhood grey cat named benton who looks down his nose at carter and tries to scratch his face off when he wants to play…. he always goes back for more. poor thing.

[robbysglasses]

okay but consider: grey cat Benton who’s family is besties with Carter’s. And at first Benton (who is still a young cat but out of his kitten years) doesn’t care for the pup Carter.

But one day they’re both left while their families go to some sort of gala. It storms, badly, and Carter is just whimpering so sadly. Benton sighs…and curls up with the pup.

And now whenever Hybrid Carter is on walks and they stop by, Carter gives nice licks and nudges. He grabs the treats and food to share. Benton loves his pup.

Except NOW there’s this MUTT who Carter is obsessed with. Who lives there. Who is very much going to take advantage of Carter.

No he does not care for this Mutt.

He’s got to find a way to get rid of him.

Or let Carter know to stay away.

[robbysglasses]

My hot take is that I'd take dealing with crazy stans of wlw and mlm ships over crazy stans of straight ships every day.

[alexisneverokay]

ugh will I get hate if I say that I understand why abbot's character was potentially going to be given a storyline or scene in s2 showing him to be more ambivalent/neutral/unbothered by ICE? because I think a lot of jack abbot lovers don't actually ever deep dive into his character at all, or put as much weight into his continued involvement in the american military industrial complex as they should- hence why people are acting like this would've been a totally shocking writing choice when it actually wouldn't.

in many ways, despite his obvious belief in women's rights, and helping those in need when it comes to medication or insurance issues, and his left wing social beliefs in that regard, the character jack abbot is already shown to be less bothered by ICE (or, bothered in a different, less immediate way, I'll explain) than the majority of other characters.

you must remember that jack abbot is canonically 1)- still heavily involved in the realms of military and law enforcement and is not morally bothered by this at all as far as we've seen 2)- actually responds far less empathetically or disturbed than the rest of the characters when he learns jesse has been taken- he asks "what jesse did", implying that although he isn't pro ICE, he still defaults to believing that "law enforcement" (not that ICE really fits that category) is acting rightly and in pursuit of justice before he thinks about it any harder.

and look, i understand why they removed the scene/plotline, and i understand why it's for the absolute best that they did (and agree)- but what I ALSO understand is why it was on the table as a decision. jack abbot canonically may be left wing in social issues, but he is still DEEPLY entrenched in a military mindset and has a lot of views that mean he is absolutely NOT the uber-woke figure he's painted to be.

real people are walking contradictions, and i would say jack abbot is one of the most contradictory characters we've seen- which is why he's well written. he's pro women, pro universal healthcare, pro lgbtq, but he's ALSO still pro military and law enforcement to quite a high extent when compared to the rest of the ER. even when he does have moments of criticising the military, like with the dead veteran in s1, he isn't critical of their role as soldiers complicit or actively guilty in civilian murder, hes critical of the fact they got hurt. he's not deconstructed his involvement at all.

so, don't slander the writers. they made a storyline that would have made a pretty decent amount of sense given who jack abbot ACTUALLY is as a character. of course, taking it out/lessening it was the right choice i think, and they realised that too. stop pretending the writers pulled this out of their ass, and understand who jack abbot is. it's good they took it out, but there was a genuine reason it was almost put in.

[robbysglasses]

I also have to say: consider this from beyond the perspectives of the other doctors and friends of Jack's.

Consider him from the patients.

A man, in the ED, seemingly a doctor, because the staff refer to him as one. But unlike them, he's walking SWAT gear, or even just his fatigues. If you (the royal you, in this scenario) is any sort of concerned about ICE, you are going to avoid that man at all costs. You don't know his politics, truly. All you see are the army-like colors and the association with police.

There is no way to differentiate between him and an ICE agent. To the people who are on edge, every day, worried for their families' lives and their own, they aren't going to take the time to find out if Jack Abbot is "one of the good ones" (aka, not ICE and not someone who would call ICE on them) because as we've learned, anyone who even looks remotely military/police is a threat, because that's what ICE agents do. They thrive off of people answering their doors or pulling over because they think it's the regular police.

To them, Jack Abbot could be the man who could arrest them and take them away. It doesn't matter that he works for SWAT, because it could be a SWAT officer who decides to take a side job in ICE. It could be an ICE agent who decided to do something illegal (not that what ICE does isn't already illegal). Hell, Jack might not arrest you-but he looks military, which means he could have military buddies, which means he could call those buddies up at any time and say "hey, there might be people at this hospital".

You don't know him. He's a guy in a uniform, which is a threat in of itself to so many.

And it's not just ICE. It's anyone who has ever been threatened or harmed by someone in the police or military. It's anyone who has been abused by those systems or someone in those systems. We would say the same for anyone who distrusts doctors after mistreatment and sees scrubs, is wary.

That is what ACAB means. We know Jack is a complicated guy. We know he's pro-choice given what he does for the pregnant teen in season 1. But quite literally all other "liberal/leftist" views are up for debate. We assume he's pro-lgbt given he works with people in that community and is friendly. He argues with the cops in s1 who are trying to arrest McKay-but again, we're assuming it's anti-cop and not "hey, she's a friend/co-worker".

But at the end of the day, Jack willingly chose to join a police force again even if he's not the one holding the gun. He's the one helping the ones holding them. It doesn't matter it's a part of his PTSD/coping.

Because he's still a part of an opressive force.

And that-to me-makes him so much more interesting than "woke" Abbot.

[hotdogtown]

i like to hc that bentoncarter first baby is a girl and she’s so BOSSY! like she gets mad when she finds out she’s gonna be a big sister and she’s like no don’t want it

as the eldest daughter (twin rip but i still count..) who looks like a carbon copy of my dad (also rip to that) your hc speaks to my heart. @robbysglasses and i are softly hc’ing none of their kids going into medicine, but wherever she ends up she is commanding that room like the OR. she learned it shadowing her papa at work and seeing him boss her dad around in the kitchen, woops.. she also maybe falls for a gangly intern who makes her want to pull her hair out sometimes. genetic?

[permanent-fire-hazard]

Getting creampied really would fix Robby’s problems. Like 80% of them at least. Could probably get another 15% by eating it out afterwards.

Calling Jack Abbot to the front of the line!

[robbysglasses]

no need to respond! best of luck with your licensure, bentoncarter royalty *salutes you* (this is hotdogtown)

🫡 thank you I’m losing my mind

Here’s some BentonCarter (@‘ing @hotdogtown for bentoncartering purposes)

When John wakes up, it’s seven am, the bed is empty as is the bassinet at the foot of the bed. Clearly, he’s been allowed to sleep in-his baby taken by his partner, likely to the nursery. It’s day three of being home. Their beautiful baby sleeps well; deep and comfortable, but wakes every three hours for feeding.

John woke at three thirty to feed their baby. He’s already got milk pumped and in the fridge, which is probably what Peter is using.

Sighing, he turns, struggling to sit up all the way, and settles in a hunched position on the bed, feet against the floor. He’s on strict bed bound until the stitches heal.

Nine pounds, six ounces, and twenty inches of baby was pushed through his body four days ago. He wears disposable underwear that has these absolutely lovely ice healing pads made by Carol. His shirt is stained at the nipples with leakage. He hasn’t showered in five days.

All he wants is his baby.

As if reading his mind, the door opens, and in comes Peter, cradling their baby against his shoulder. He’s quiet, humming, and smiles when he meets John’s eyes.

“Morning,” Peter says, walking close and to the bed. “How do you feel?”

John grunts at him.

“I’ll get you cleaned up soon,” Peter tells him. “Kerry is sending us breakfast. Said we were probably at the stage of wanting to eat but not having the energy to cook.”

John nods, then sighs. “How was baby?” He asks.

“Baby ate four ounces. Perfect eructation, no emesis, voided during gas release. Fell asleep five minutes ago.”

John smiles. “Good.”

Peter leans, kisses him as he hands John their newborn. While John cuddles their bundle, Peter fluffs the pillows and stacks them so John can adjust and sit up.

“After we eat, I’ll strip the bed, get things washed. Then I think we can shower, then set you and our baby up in the living room. Maybe some fresh air for you in the afternoon.”

“I want coffee,” John tells him, leaning up to look through his lashes as their baby rests their head on his chest. “With mocha. And cream. And potatoes with seasoning.”

Unlike all the other times before, when John requested food, Peter has no objections.

“Decaf mocha is on its way, with the real mocha. You have an egg white omelet, multigrain toast with real butter, and some turkey bacon. Kerry also ordered you sweet potato home fries.”

John huffs a laugh as Peter kisses his nose.

“All approved by you?” He asks, eyes slightly narrowed even as he smiles. “Hmm? No lectures on healthy eating?”

Peter takes a seat and curls in. “Kerry and Carol had a few words for me about how important calories are right now for you and baby, and as long as you aren’t smoking or drinking, then I should mind my own business about what my partner eats, especially while healing from a baby that they pushed out all on their own.”

John smiles. “I’m assuming you’re paraphrasing?”

“No reason for our kid to hear the words Kerry had for me when I started to say plain grits and oatmeal were better for you right now. I barely got any words out.”

John leans in, Peter kissing the top of his head.

“Good. Because I’m starving, and if you gave me a meal that our baby can eat in just six months and expected me to get enough fuel from that, I’d have a lot of unkind words for you too.”

[hotdogtown]

carter’s feet are aching and swollen during all of his pregnancies. but they’re also incredibly ticklish. benton learns this when he tries to rub them for his husband, only to get kicked squarely in the nuts on accident.

[robbysglasses]

I got the writing bug again.

This is what you get when you have to wait on more paperwork from grad school so you can finally get your license.

"I'm so sorry!" Carter says, again, leaving over his perfectly round belly and reaching a hand down to him, face set in that puppy-dog frown. "Peter-"

"I'm good, baby," Peter winces out, through his teeth. It's only through the textbook knowledge that testicular torsion is excruciating that tells him that this is just simple pain, because while it is angnonzing, it's not horrific. A hand comes down again, at his upper arm, attempting to soothe or help him up. "John, don't-I don't need you stressing your body. I'm okay."

John's bottom lip wobbles. As if he wasn't a sensitive man before, their baby has done a number on John's hormones. Just yesterday John was absolutely giddy over the chocolate chip pancakes Peter had made for him (multigrain batter and dark chocolate, of course) and hummed and grinned the entire morning. The day before, Peter was given the silent treatment for all of dinner because he washed John's favorite pair of compression socks without asking.

So knocking his husband to the ground after he was trying to help? John is in shambles, and Peter knows it.

"But-you were just trying-"

There is a break in his voice. Peter, despite the pain running through the entire length of his dick and into his balls, straightens up as best he can and cups John's face.

"You were startled. You had a natural reflex. I was in the perfect position to be kicked. In any other context, you'd laugh, because had we been filming, this would be on that brain-numbing TV show you life."

John wipes his watery eyes with the back of his hand.

"America's funniest home videos?"

Peter smiles. The pain is almost gone.

"Exactly." He leans, presses a kiss to John's forehead, then moves down to kiss the belly that holds his baby. "Now we know your feet are too sensitive for direct massages. I can find those warming socks and order a aqua foot tub. No hands necessary."

John smiles at him, still puppy-dog sad, and Peter kisses the frown away.

"Come on. I'm a tough guy. I can handle a kick." He rises to a full stand. "Now, let me go grab some pillows so you can put your feet up. Want a snack?"

John wipes the rest of the tears from his eyes. "Apples and peanut butter?" He asks, through his lashes.

Peter nods. "I just got the all-natural peanut butter. Green apples or red?"

"Green."

Peter moves to the kitchen, not bothering to turn around as John adds;

"All-natural? What's wrong with Jif?"

"Besides the high-sugar content? The oils? The preservatives? Mass-produced? The likelihood it’s not even half-made from real peanuts? Shall I go on?"

He has to strain to hear John's last comment.

"Should have kicked you harder."

Peter smiles.

All back to normal.

[permanent-fire-hazard]

Honestly it would probably be best for Robby to retire from medicine entirely. He’s served his time, it’s clearly the biggest factor in his terrible mental health.

But he’d need a hobby. Maybe like… amateur porn?

And Jack definitely needs a new hobby. Robby is right, getting shot at is not a sustainable use of free time. So, maybe he could hold the camera? Or help with editing? Or join in?

I don’t want to tell the writers how to do their job, it’s just something to consider.

[robbysglasses]

small writing bug bit me:

Robby, who does ameture porn. He hides his face because he does still go back in from time to time (you can pry his well-earned board position out of his hands, he's one of the few left who will defend the staff from cuts and unnecessary bullshit) so his fear is a patient recognizing him, or worse, someone on the board.

He meets up with a small-time filmer who do queer-centered filmmaking. His face is hidden, but he's been in all sorts of positions. Nothing too intense, at most some gentle restraints and light bdsm. Sometimes he's a top, most of the time he's a bottom.

All his videos where he s bottoming are their top hits. Like, a lot higher than a lot of their other videos. No matter who is the top-if its a real dick or a strap-anytime he's taking it the view count goes up by the thousands.

One day, Jack logs in, a recommendation from a buddy of his when his friend (a lawyer) discusses safe sites. Confirmed consensual, no "barely legal" bullshit. No obnoxious acting, no selling.

He fills out his preferences-male bottom, bigger, bear/otterish, gruff. Not a lot of results, most of the male bottoms the results usually pull up are twinks and he's not into that, so he doesn't hope for much, if any results at all.

But there is a series, all of the same man it seems. a bit of a belly and some hair on his arms and legs, a happy trail. Bigger, probably six feet. He's got some tattoos, which makes Jack's pants tighten-my god, he loves a tattoo-and Jack clicks on it with one hand as the other unzips.

The video starts out good. It's a camera centered on the midline of their bodies, the man who already turned him on and a slightly bigger man with tanned skin and a heavy amount of body hair. There's some soft noises, definitely from the bottom, since the top is speaking as he kisses down the other's spine. Fingers, then a hand, disappear into the supple ass.

Something catches Jack's eye. A tattoo, right alongside the hip. Even though he's fully hard and leaking, he can't help it, he pauses, and zooms in.

Jack almost loses it right then.

He knows that tattoo. He knows it well. A lit match, the size of his palm, just an outline.

He knows it well because he is the one who did that tattoo. He knows it well because it was a drunken idea after a month of shifts from hell. Jack has one on his right thigh, of a matchbox.

The man in the video is Robby.

[robbysglasses]

Okay but BentonCarter omegaverse au where they decide not to have kids. They try a few times, more out of traditional belief, but it’s determined Carter isn’t a healthy carrier and Benton is partially infertile. They could have kids if they really tried, they can more than afford the treatments they both need, but when they sit down and talk about it, they both reveal that: kids aren’t a big deal to them. And since they’re not a big deal, it means it shouldn’t be their priority.

So instead, they travel. Every time they’re free for 3+ days and not on call, they go somewhere new. They’re going to try and hit as many countries as they can. They get a magnet from every country they visit and a postcard from every city they’ve been in, make a wall of cities in their shared office.

They do touristy stuff and local-recommended things. They have checklists for every vacation, where they try and see how many things they can mark off: Peter leaving something back home. Finding out the word for “bandaid” in a foreign language because John hurt himself again. A grandmother of the small homes they tend to stay in force-feeding John food because “Omegas should not be so skinny, darling!” And Peter being fawned over for his muscles; they are always surprised he isn’t an alpha with his “abs you can see even under a winter coat, sir!”

One day, when John has just turned 35, he’s well-established in the ER and Peter has just made chief general surgeon, a baby is left in the ED. No parents nearby. Barely two months old. A tiny beta girl, completely healthy besides an ear infection.

John just stares at this baby-who has been screaming since the moment she’s been found-and takes her in his arms. She goes quiet instantly. Within minutes of him holding her, she’s peacefully asleep, and by morning-where he sat with her in the rocking chair-her fever is gone.

She imprinted on him, he imprinted back.

Peter walks in. He knows what’s happened.

He doesn’t mind it. Peter, at his age, has grown into a fine man. A baby with John seems right, now. He looks at his husband, smiles, and asks; “so I should call and cancel the Berlin trip, huh?”

John smiles back, gestures with his hand, and introduces Peter to their new daughter.

[waddyaknow]

robby being a cat dad is one of my favourite hcs because i can totally imagine him wanting to end it all but not going through with it because his cat would be sad if he disappeared

[carcyism]

i should’ve been alive to talk with my coworkers at the watercooler about ER when it was airing