It’s Fricken’ Bats - fluffy blurb
Guys. Idk what the fuck this is or even where it came from, besides just my brain. I love bats. They are so cute. And people should care more because they are so fucking important. Anyways.
Robby gives the reader an adorable holiday present for the secret gift exchange. Well, adorable to her standards
Warnings: talk of bats. Reader has tattoos and is described as bubbly but spooky. The Pittsburgh Zoo thing is only partially true, I embellished the benefits a tad for the sake of the story. Idk if this is even good. Idk man. I just typed. I didn’t tag anyone I normally would,,, cuz like. I feel like this is dumb.
Robby pulled your name for the secret holiday gift exchange. He scoffed at the irony, you were his secret crush. Crush, he thought, what 50 year old man has a crush?
He looked over at you from across central and smiled softly. You stood there bopping back and forth, always unable to fully stand still. You were walking the new residents through afternoon rounds.
He wasnt fully on board when Gloria suggested hiring a Trauma NP to help lighten the case load, but all of his concerns and complaints went out the window after 3 months of new workflow that seemed to be the key to lowering wait times in chairs.
If you could handle more of the eval, treat, and discharge patients, it cleared up more room in the ED and cleared out the waiting room faster.
It also freed the doctors up for more trauma cases, more learning opportunities for students and residents.
It didn’t hurt that you were gorgeous. Robby was enamored in the first 30 seconds of meeting you. You had such a bubbly personality, big wide smile with deep dimples, sparkles behind your eyes, but your style was the exact opposite.
You loved anything spooky, the evidence decorating your skin in multiple spooky tattoos over your arms, chest, and legs. You always had a deep purple color peaking out of the bottom of your hair and you were always going on about some kind of spooky historical fact you’d found out while on a ghost tour or a museum you’d visited over the weekend.
He wanted this gift to mean something. They had a spending limit of $20, but Robby didn’t really stop to think of that. The second he pulled your name, budget kinda went out the window.
He remembered you going on a tangent once at a park bench beer session about bats and how incredibly important they are and misunderstood; just like her. You refused to let it go until every one promised they would at least ‘give bats a chance’. Behind your otherwise dark exterior, you were a big fluffy cloud of softness.
That’s what Robby wanted to cater to, your heart. He wanted something that would last, something that showed thought and purpose, not just some $20 gift card to Home Goods.
After a couple beers and some googling on his laptop later than evening, he had purchased your gift. The Pittsburgh Zoo had the option to “adopt an animal” and wouldn’t Robby know it…one of the animals you could adopt was a bat.
There were different levels of adoption, each financial contribution gave the adopter more benefits. There were several bats to choose from to adopt, each their own name and little story.
He settled in a beautiful eastern red bat named Gizmo. You loved Gremlins. He, of course, bought the high level of contribution, giving you more access and benefits. It came a certificate, a face sheet for Gizmo, a photo of him, a plaque that hangs at the zoo, 4 zoo tickets, some other little goodies, and a ticket to a behind the scenes zoo tour where you can meet and help feed your adoptee.
For weeks after buying your gift, he wavered back and forth on whether or not it was a good idea. He was nervous that you’d think it was stupid or cheesy.
The day came for the gift exchange and everyone would be approaching their giftees throughout the day when they’ve had time.
You smile at Robby from across the department and wave softly before making your way over to him. “Hey there, chief…you got a minute?” You ask hopefully.
He smiles softly and nods, putting his iPad down to give you his attention. “Of course, for you, I have two” he says, still smiling.
“Come on” you say walking towards the locker room and holding the door for him.
“So…you’re my secret gift partner person thing” you say with a blushing smile. He’d never get enough of that. This tattooed, spooky angel still getting shy at the smallest things. It squeezed his heart.
“Oh really?? That’s funny…cuz you’re mine” he responds and your eyebrows shoot up, your smile widens. “REALLY??” You ask looking beyond excited. Robby chuckles and nods. “It’s like….it was meant to be!” You finish, excitedly.
“I wanna go first” you say with a wide smile. You open your locker and hand him a warm Tupperware container with wide expectant eyes. “I thought for a while what to get you for only $20…and then I remembered you saying how you missed fresh beignets from New Orleans…I’m a pretty good baker so I took some time and perfected the recipe”
Robby’s eyes shot open and his mouth dropped at the idea of what was in this container. He opened it slowly and the smell immediately hit his nose. He groaned. They smelled delicious, perfect, sugary sweetness. He was in heaven and he didn’t even try one yet.
“You made these for me?” He asked with disbelief in his voice. To anyone else, maybe it was just baked goods, but to him? It was a core memory. Something that got him through some of the hardest times in his life.
“Yeah, silly!! Only you, too. Don’t let anyone else eat one. They are specially for Michael Robinavitch” you say playfully stern. He took a bite of one and let out a fake sob. His eyes slammed shut and he let his head fall back.
“These. Are. Perfect. Fucking. Perfect. Holy shit” he mumbled before popping the rest of it in his mouth.
“My gift hardly seems worthy, now” he said before momentarily putting the container down to get the envelope out of his locker. Handing it to you he lets out a nervous cough “Sorry…I uh…spent a little more than $20, but I couldnt pass it up”
You cock your head to the side with curiosity and open the envelope to investigate. It takes you several silent minutes to look over everything, the certificate and the face sheet, the photos of Gizmo and the amenities that came with the adoption. Your eyes started to water as you read through everything. All of Robby’s donation went towards conservation of protection of these beautiful creatures. He listened, really listened.
You finally read over the portion about the behind the scenes tour and after minutes of silence you let out a loud gasp. Eyes wide and mouth matching, you look up at Robby. “I CAN MEET GIZMO?!” You yell happily.
Robby barks out a laugh and starts nodding his head yes. You jump at him, papers and photos still in hand. Without even thinking, you wrap your legs around his waist, hugging your whole body around him. Robby lets out and “oooppmmhhh” but his arms grab a hold of you instantly to keep you steady.
“You have to come with me!! It says two people can go!! You’re coming!! You have to!” You say excitedly. You hop down, not touching on the fact that you just jumped on your boss in the middle of the locker room.
“Me? I thought maybe you’d want to go with a friend or your boyfriend or something?” He knew it was lame as soon as it left his mouth.
“You know I don’t have a boyfriend, weirdo. And you are my friend!” You say, giving his upper arm a playful shove. “So you’ll go? With me? We can go meet our boy? And feed him?!”
Your energy was starting to become contagious, this feeling was completely foreign to him.
“Our boy?” He asks, eyebrow cocked.
“Yes. Our boy. You adopted him. That’s your son, too.” You say matter of factly. “Don’t be a deadbeat bat dad, Robby. It’s unbecoming” you pat his chest gently and smile softly up at him.
“Well then, of course I’ll go. Can’t leave Gizmo thinking his dad left for cigarettes and never came back” he says playfully and flirty, it’s been so long he barely recognizes his own tone.
“Do you like your gift?” He asks, suddenly having a moment of doubt.
“Robby….this? This means everything to me. I just thought everyone tuned me out when I would go on a ramble…I know I can be a bit much.” You shrug with a soft pout. “But you…you really heard me” your eyes soften and start to sparkle and your smile widens again.
“This is so much more than so stupid beignets” you scoff.
“Uh. No. Don’t you dare discount these magical delights” he says, picking up the container again and holding it protectively. “These are the best gift I’ve ever received.”
“I’ll have to make you at least 7 more batches to make up for this gift” you say flapping the envelope in his face. “You adopted a bat for me. I made you pastries. There’s no competition.”
“You’re right…and there shouldn’t be competition. Your smile when you read through that envelope? That was gift enough for me.” He says with a genuine smile. “Now let’s go actually do some work. Wouldn’t wanna get fired now that we have a bat son to support.”
You let out a goofy, adorable laugh; one of Robby’s favorite sounds and turn with him to head towards the floor.
