the new attending knowing mel and samira from the va... she's so excited to see them bc she remembers them being so bright and having so much potential! and she gets to ptmc and finds them both running around with their tails between their legs with robby looming over their shoulders and questioning and over correcting their every move... her two brightest sparks dimmed to almost nothing...
One takeaway I had from “A Quiet Place - Day One” was that it made me realize we usually don’t get this character dynamic from the leads. While it’s not uncommon to have a story about a cynical, depressed protagonist who rediscovers their humanity by meeting a well-meaning, good hearted stranger, it’s usually the opposite in terms of gender. It tends to be the man who is depressed and the woman who pulls him out of his funk. For example, “The Last of Us”.
So it’s pretty neat that Lupita got to be Joel Miller while Joseph Quinn got to be Ellie Williams.
Sometimes, a family is a woman who just wants to get a slice of pizza, a stray Englishman who won't stop following her, and the cat that adopted both of them
smth smth whitaker seeing his big sister find someone who she feels safe enough opening her heart to, and him being the most proud and lowkey RELIEVED younger brother (bro could not stand the situationship-with-garcia era) & lowkey samira gaining him as a little brother in return
you're puttering through your day off morning routine, exhausted from work and helping out on the farm, looking forward to probably going to the farmer's market with trinity later and mostly napping—resting for once. you're still half asleep, shuffling through the haphazard mess trinity's managed to make of the fridge in the last two days—takeout containers everywhere, fruit in the vegetable drawer, a slice of pizza only sort of wrapped in foil, half a french press of coffee shoved into the back, a bottle of chardonnay on its side because it wouldn't fit standing up. you love her, so, so much at this point, and it's mostly wonderful, honestly, to live with her, but sometimes she's a little bit of a disaster.
you're debating if you want to just let the mess continue or if it's worth it to attempt to organize everything properly—all you actually need are eggs and the bacon she may or may not have finished anyway—when you hear her bedroom door open. trinity is a late morning sleeper on days off; she claims it's because she likes to be lazy when she has the chance but you think it's mostly because it takes her so long to fall asleep, and she doesn't have a great track record of actually staying asleep either. it's not even nine yet, so you're a little surprised, maybe even worried.
but, 'dr. mohan?' you ask, just to be sure, because you had truly not expected samira mohan to come out of trinity's room.
after the whole garcia situation had ended—thank god, if anyone asks you—trinity has had, as you like to call them, just to bother her, lovers over periodically. she usually texts you beforehand or, when you're out together, have to share an awkward uber home with them, but you really, genuinely had not expected this: dr mohan in your kitchen in a pair of trinity's sleep shorts and one of her old, faded ucla crewnecks.
'oh,' she says, a blush rising to her cheeks—but she powers through. 'good morning, whitaker.'
you know they'd hung out last week because trinity was hungover the next morning but cheerfully explained how she'd finally gotten samira to go out with her, how it was actually nice. you found that easy to believe because dr mohan is, like, wonderful, and it also wasn't that hard to believe that, if trinity was having a good day, they'd actually enjoy each other's company. work had been mostly normal, no huge difference; maybe they smiled more around each other, but nothing so weird it was out of the ordinary.
this is certainly out of the ordinary, though. you're so mad that trinity is at the center of this because this is the exact kind of thing you'd text her about with a thrill to gossip about. you were taught, growing up, that gossiping is wrong, inappropriate, ungodly, even, but over the past year and a half, trinity has shown you that it kind of fucking rocks. as it is right now, however, you have to endure this turn of events alone—and as normally as possible.
'i, uh, was going to make some breakfast,' you say. 'do you want some?'
'oh,' samira says again. 'that's okay. i can wait for trinity.'
'fair warning, she might sleep until noon.'
samira's smile is one you've really never seen before: gentle, very fond, her dimples peeking out. 'some toast, then, maybe?'
'sure thing.' you finally find the bacon—not in the meat drawer—and emerge victorious and see her frowning at the bread sitting near the toaster.
'there's only three slices left.' you're convinced, again, that samira mohan is probably one of the nicest people on the planet. 'are you sure it's okay if i have some?'
'yeah, for sure. we're probably going to the farmer's market later; they have trinity's favorite sourdough.'
samira has that same smile again. 'thank you, whitaker.'
'of course.' you get out a pan for the eggs and bacon; you should've known someone trinity cares about was over because she'd done all the dishes. 'coffee?'
'do you have tea?'
'i honestly don't know what's in here.' you get out a tupperware full of a random assortment of tea bags that you and trinity steal from work sometimes. samira laughs and you watch her wrinkle her nose when she picks through it, eventually choosing a packet of chai with a frown, which makes you want to laugh. 'do you take anything with it?'
'milk, if you have it?'
'trinity hates regular milk—'
'—of course she does.'
'—so we only have oat milk.'
'well, i guess that'll do.'
you get the oat milk and eggs out of the fridge, then motion to the butter on the counter when her toast pops up. she butters it, finishes making her tea, and then sits at the island and eats quietly. 'how was work?' she asks after a few minutes while you cook.
you plate everything and sit next to her. 'pretty tame, all things considered.'
'sometimes those shifts are needed. they help you build your bedside manner, when you have a little more time to speak to people. you're already very good at it, though.'
you know that samira was accepted to a geriatrics fellowship, something that she seems kind of glum about, but you think it's important—and she's really, really talented. 'oh, well, thank you. you're, like, the best.'
she shakes her head but she does smile—not the same one she'd had when you'd said small facts about trinity, but a genuine one all the same. she finishes her toast while you talk about a patient who'd made her laugh—a ridiculous injury—the other day, and how the street team is going, and she even asks about the farm without any judgement. she finishes her toast and puts the plate neatly in the dishwasher, which trinity has managed to load in the most insane way in the past two days left to her own devices, and then takes her mug of tea.
'i'll see you in a bit,' she says, then heads off to trinity's room and quietly closes the door.
'what the fuck,' you whisper—but you find yourself grinning into your coffee.
/
huckleberry
HELLO TRINITY
HELLO
trinity
jesus christ
why are you texting me we're both home
huckleberry
dr mohan????????? is here???????? in your bed???????? in your clothes??????????
trinity
what can i say the people can't resist me
huckleberry
oh my god
trinity
no actually we didn't sleep together
i mean we did in my bed but just sleep
slumber party or whatever. we were hanging out and had wine and it just got late
huckleberry
you didn't even kiss?
trinity
anyway
she's coming with us to the farmer's market so be on your least annoying most normal behavior
not that that will help anything you're inherently just annoying and weird
but try
/
you spend the next few weeks watching them together: at work, they're professional, although it seems like trinity gets infinitely better at interacting with patients when dr mohan is around. she smiles more, seems more patient with boring histories she'd usually try to rush someone through. you watch them outside of work: at the farmer's market, the way that they brush hands while they're inspecting the tomatoes samira needs for a recipe; at your home, sitting next to each other on the couch while you all watch drag race together, trinity leaning onto samira's shoulder as it gets late; at the park on a warm, early spring day, trinity lying back on the blanket and samira resting her head on trinity's stomach while trinity absentmindedly plays with her hair.
you've seen trinity sleep with a lot of people. last year, you saw her try—and very much fail, even if she'll deny it to this day—to date garcia. and now, these last few weeks, you've seen her soften into someone you think she really wants to be: more present, less troubled.
you've been working up the courage to have an actual conversation with her once your schedules finally line up. samira is working, and you and trinity both have the day off; it's a late season snow storm, so you're both bundled up, sitting on the fire escape together. you were supposed to run errands together today, but instead trinity made hot chocolate and offered to share a joint and then nap.
'out with it,' she says after she takes a hit.
you politely blow smoke away from her before you say, 'so. dr mohan.'
she sighs, a little wistful, a little scared, a soft smile creeping its way onto her face. 'samira. yeah.'
you grin.
trinity rolls her eyes. 'don't.'
'well you know i think she's great.'
'she is great.'
'so are you dating?'
she tips her head back. 'you cannot repeat this to anyone, but we haven't slept together yet.'
you've definitely walked in on them making out on the couch, trinity's shirt off. 'really?'
she nods.
'why?'
disconcertingly, her eyes fill with tears.
'oh my god, trin.'
'shut up, huckleberry.'
you scoot closer to her, pressed up against her side.
'i just—' her voice wobbles— 'she's so good.'
'yeah.' that's true. 'but so are you.'
trinity laughs a sad, hollow laugh.
'you are. samira maybe expresses it better—'
'—fuck off—'
'—but it's true. i hate to break it to you, but we all know you're a kind person.'
trinity wipes tears from her cheeks. 'i just—i've lost people i lo—'
'love?'
'fuck.'
'it's okay, you know.'
'i can't.'
'look, i love you.'
'ugh.'
'i know you love me.'
'god. stop.'
you elbow her gently. 'a lot of people love you, and a lot of us are still around. we will be for a long time.'
'well, that's different.'
you shrug. 'kind of. but apparently i've seen you naked more times than samira has.'
thankfully, trinity does laugh. 'none of those have been on purpose.'
'oh, trust me, i know.' you shrug. ‘so, maybe it won't work out.'
'yeah, that's my fear, idiot.' she pulls a second joint out of her jacket pocket and lights it, takes a long drag.
'but. maybe it will.'
you sit quietly for a bit until she says, 'i guess.'
'that's the spirit.'
'you're so annoying.'
'well, you're in love i guess.'
'this is terrible.'
'i mean, it caught me off guard at first, but the more i've seen you two together, the more it makes sense. i think you just need people who are patient enough to let you get to a place you feel safe. and samira is very patient.'
trinity sighs. 'she is.' she swallows, her voice breaking, 'she's so beautiful, dennis. oh my god.'
'yeah?'
it takes a little more nudging and probably half of trinity's openness can be contributed to her weed, but she eventually tells you all about the smallest things samira has done since they've spent so much time together that have made trinity feel seen, respected, valued. she tells you how samira has talked to her openly about being lonely, about being scared of life passing her by, about the ruthlessness of ambition—some of the same fears trinity has. apparently, they've talked about mental health more than you think trinity probably ever has with anyone except you, and that's only because you've seen her disassociative episodes and self harm living together. you don't say this because you're not an idiot, but it floors you that trinity has voluntarily had these conversations with someone, especially when it seems like she hasn't been in crisis, like things have been going really well.
'well, not that i ever want to encourage you to have sex,' you say, after she runs out of steam after dreamily describing samira's eyes, which is so gay you have to fight back a strangled laugh, 'but… i think you should go for it.'
'i just don't want things to change.'
'she's already seen you cry. it won't matter to her if you cry during or after sex.'
'i could push you off this fire escape right now.'
'that would just result in some broken bones, which would be very annoying for you as my caretaker.'
'you're so annoying.'
you shrug. 'anyway, trin. i've seen the way she looks at you.' you know her fear isn't just that samira won't reciprocate, although she defintely doesn't think she deserves someone so wonderful; you think her actual biggest fear is that samira will, and they'll have a happy life together, and then something horribly catastrophic will happen to samira, and trinity won't survive. it's not something you can fix or even assuage, because you see it every day, all the time. she's felt it in her own life. but still: 'all we can do is try.'
she worries her bottom lip, looks out at the hushed city covered in snow. 'she's coming over after work, if the roads aren't too bad.'
'i'll make sure my headphones are fully charged.'
she rolls her eyes but she blushes.
'come on,' you say, helping her up, 'let's go nap so you're ready for your all night sex marathon.'
'i genuinely can't stand you,' she says, all gritted teeth, but you climb through the window and settle onto the couch with the new season of love is blind on quietly in the background, her socked feet in your lap.
/
you wake the next morning to the smell of something delicious. samira had come over late, exhausted; trinity had warmed her up a bowl of the stew you'd managed to throw together earlier and then they'd both disappeared, softly, into her room. you did put your headphones on, watched a little bit of netflix on your computer, and then fallen asleep easily—hopeful for your sister, even though you really could happily go the rest of your life and not know any details of this particular success.
trinity is basically glowing when you shuffle out. usually she'd be pissed to be up this early, especially because it's so fucking cold outside still, but she smiles when she sees you. 'good morning.'
'oh, is it a good morning?'
she rolls her eyes. 'i'm making silog. be nice to me if you want some.'
she knows it's your favorite. 'sorry. i will be so nice.'
she points the wooden spoon at you in acknowledgement.
'samira is still here?'
trinity nods, her smile growing. 'yeah, she's still sleeping. i gotta wake her up soon for work but, you know, i figured it'd be nicer with breakfast.'
'that's… really nice.'
'yes, well, she's my girlfriend, so.'
'oh my god,' you say, making sure to whisper-yell rather than just yell; it's 6 am. you hug trinity from behind. 'you did it!'
'yes, we sure did do it.'
'i hate you.'
'you're still hugging me.'
'yeah.' you squeeze her tight—she lets out a good oomph in protest—before you let her go. 'samira mohan, my future sister in law.'
trinity rolls her eyes, turning bright red. 'okay, let's not jump the gun.'
you see an extra pot on the stove. 'you're making real chai?'
she doesn't respond, although it's quite clear that is what she's doing.
'you're very sweet, you know that, right?'
'i'm making you do every single disgusting procedure today. for the next week, even.' there's no bite in it because trinity carefully plates the eggs and rice and then carefully puts the chai in what you know is her favorite mug.
'enjoy breakfast in bed with your girlfriend.'
'fuck off,' she says, but she made you breakfast too, and as you sit at the kitchen table to eat it, you hear their voices softly through trinity's open bedroom door, easy and happy and full.
you get relegated to the backseat of trinity's car as you all drive to work together, but they bicker about the music the entire time and trinity is on her best behavior driving because she uses her turn signal every time.
'cover your eyes, whitaker,' she says when she parks, and you don't but you do busy yourself gathering your backpack and phone, just long enough for them to have a moment of semi-privacy to kiss before you all head in.
you run into samira in the break room later; trinity is in a trauma. she's been in a good mood all day and dr al-hashimi had very proudly complimented her on her raised patient satisfaction scores, which had made you laugh while trinity glared. now, samira is sitting at the table, kind of just staring off into space with a little smile.
'hey, dr mohan.'
'dr whitaker,' she says. 'how's your day going so far?'
'not as good as yours, i'm guessing.'
samira laughs. 'do you want to give me the shovel talk?'
'while i am a great brother,' you say, 'i have faith that you're going to try your hardest to be kind about… whatever crazy trinity throws your way.'
'that's true.'
'you know her.'
'yeah,' she says, steadfast, 'i do.'
'i do want to say: i am so happy for her, because you're fucking amazing.'
'thank you.'
'and i'm also really happy for you. trinity is… i know she can be a lot, but she's a really good person to love.'
samira's whole posture softens; her face lights up. 'i think i have to wait for her to say it first before i can fully agree with you, just so she doesn't run for the hills.'
you laugh. 'probably wise.'
'but. yes,' samira says, 'she is.'
/
huckleberry
oh my fucking god
did you buy milk today
REAL milk??
trinity
yeah
shut up
don't drink it tho it's just for samira's tea
huckleberry
i have to be your best man
trinity
i'm blocking you
huckleberry
🥰
trinity
🙄
huckleberry
rhori tonight?
trinity
yep
huckleberry
is samira coming over too
trinity
nah shes trying this like south asian running club
she seemed excited about it so i hope she has fun
huckleberry
that's really cool
did you encourage her to try that or…