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Summary: Neither you nor Robby ever finalized the divorce. You simply split your lives in half and carried on as if the other no longer existed.
The arrangement works perfectly—until the twins you’ve spent years raising apart find each other at camp and decide their parents need a little help.
Pairing: “Husband!” Robby x “Wife!” reader
WC: 8.2k
Warnings: 18+, arguments, robby was an asshole, mentions of failing marriage, slight smut, miscommunication, yearning! robby, your daughters are sneaky, insight to their parenting, the kids do not have phones at camp, probably minor inaccuracies, slightly proofread, fade to black at the end.
Years ago..
When you were younger, navigating life, and trying to understand exactly what you wanted out of life— you met Michael. Michael who later began to call Robby, was quiet and stayed to himself more often than not.
You met him when you attended a medical conference, a conference where doctors and med students from all over gathered for various lectures or seminars. You wanted to pretend like you didn't see him at first, like he wasn't attractive when he smiled at you.
Truly, you can't even remember why your parents had you join them at the conference— but by the end of the night you were kissing Robby, the man you pretended not to see.
Robby was interested in you, geniunely interested in you— in a way that you hadn't experinced before. He found your loud laugh, your random questions, your intelligence, and your undeniable beauty, enticing. His interest in you went beyond wanting a good one night stand, but he wanted to know you in every way possible.
Just by sheer luck, you and Robby lived in the same city— just about thirty minutes from one another. Which made it possible to keep in touch and to see where things could go.
You couldn't understand why the day that you met Robby went the way it did or why you showed deep interest— but it must've been fate.
The two of you kept your promise and kept in touch, calling whenever you could and leaving silly voicemails in each other's voicemail box.
Your dates always consisted of takeout on his couch, while he also helped you study for upcoming law school exams. Despite having little knowledge on the subjects, he didn't mind— even if he had to look up the answers himself.
You spent plenty of nights laying in the bed beside him, your head on his chest— wondering how you'd ever move on if he left.
He was your moon and you were his sun— both unable to exist without the other.
Your parents were estatic that the two of you had found each other, even with the age gap— they approved.
It was rushed but two months after the year mark of dating, Robby proposed. You had no idea that he was going to, nor were you expecting it any time soon.
Your family was having their annual family barbeque at your parents house, everyone in one specific color that was picked out. The color that year just so happened to be a cream white, which could have been intentional— but Robby would never tell you.
"I can't believe that you planned this.. decided to propose to me." You laughed, your eyes filled with joy.
He pulled you closer to him, flashes of light hitting the two of you as relatives took pictures and cheered.
"I knew from the moment that I met you, baby. I was always going to make you mine."
The two of you shared a kiss, your tears wetting his cheek.
"I want whatever life that I can get with you." He mumbled against your lips, his curving into a smirk.
That night was a blur besides the fact that you couldn't stop looking at your ring and feeling so complete, like you had hit the lottery.
You had been engaged for two months, still trying to figure out what you were going to do.
You never thought that you'd be planning a wedding so soon, especially in the middle of studying for your bar exam.
A big wedding was something that you weren't interested in, even though your parents volunteered to cover the bill.
The day had finally come a few weeks ago and you had taken your bar exam. You hoped that your studying and years of hard work paid off. Robby sat beside you, holding one of your hands as you hesitated on clicking the mousepad for your results.
"Take a deep breath, honey—"
"You passed, I know you did." Robby assured you.
Your heart thrummed in your chest, feeling like it could beat out of it.
You took the leap and pressed the mousepad, the page loading.
It felt like an eternity to be honest.
"Congratulations.."
You gasped, jumping in your seat— glancing at Robby.
"Babe.. I did it—"
"I fucking did it!" You yelled with excitement, squeezing Robby in a tight hug.
"Yeah, you fucking it did it. I'm so proud of you." He chuckled.
He pressed a kiss to your lips, your eyes landing on eachother.
"I love you so much, honey—"
"Let's go to the courthouse and get married today."
You pulled back, staring at him with a shocked smile on your face.
"Robby? What?"
He grabbed your hand, holding it in his.
"I mean it, I don't want to wait anymore and what better way to end this day?"
Robby was serious, more serious than you'd ever seen him about anything.
You nodded, "okay."
You Pulled him into another kiss, completely filled with joy.
You called your parents and took them by surprise, telling them that not only did you pass the bar exam— but you were going to get married at the courthouse.
The two of you found the perfect outfits to wear and raced down to the courthouse, hoping to get seen before the time cutoff.
You barely made it with only five minutes to spare.
That day at the courthouse, in rushed clothes, with heightened emotions, you and Robby tied the knot— with only your parents there to witness.
Sure, there was no grand wedding with bridesmaids, fancy food, and over a hundred guests— but it was better than you imagined.
You married the person that you couldn't see your life without, the person that showed you what love was.
Your parents shed a few tears taking pictures of the two of you and being surprised by the randomness of it all.
That night when the two of you were alone, you laid underneath Robby— his mouth on yours, your legs wrapped around him, the sounds of your love filling the air as his cock snapped into you.
"It feels so good." You whined.
"I know it does, baby. You're doing so good taking every inch of me."
Robby's cock filled you, taking your breath with each thrust— your pussy still not used to him.
"Fuck." You rasped.
That sex was the best the two of you had ever had, the passion at an all time high. Something that you could look forward to for the rest of your life.
Robby was yours and you were his.
The first four years of marriage had passed by before you knew it. The two of you had found a rhythm that worked best for your marriage. Your hours at the firm and his hours at the hospital lined up, meaning that the two of you could end the night together.
You never expected your marriage to be perfect all of the time or at all, because there was no such thing as a perfect marriage. Your parents had been married for well over twenty years and it wasn't always easy, but they managed.
Your marriage with Robby was barely at the four year mark and it was constantly teetering on the brink of ruin.
He had changed, changed into someone that you didn't recognize. He wasn't the Robby that you had fallen in love with, he was a shell of him.
You didn't know whether it was the job or just maybe that his love for you had dwindled, but all he did was push you away. He didn't want to talk and work on things, he just always wanted to be alone— sitting on the couch by himself.
If you hadn't gotten pregnant, you probably would have given him what he wanted and left— but you wanted to make it work. You didn't want to give up on him, because he could get through whatever was troubling him.
You stood at the sink, washing out the few dishes that remained— the swell of your belly pressed against the countertop.
Robby came into the kitchen, hovering near you— watching you without saying anything.
"I want a divorce." He spoke, his words cold and to the point.
Your hands stilled on the mug, the water running over your hand.
"What?" You replied, your voice shaky and eyes unable to meet his.
"I just don't want to do this anymore.. be trapped here—"
"In this." He continued, looking around the kitchen.
You put the mug down in the sink, turning off the faucet— a pressure building in your belly.
"Michael.. you don't mean that."
He nodded, his lips pursed— the lines near his eyes deepening.
"I do."
"I'm pregnant with your daughters ..”
"and you want to end things, now? or even at all?" You questioned, your voice coming out small and lip beginning to quiver.
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"That wasn't exactly what we planned, but it happened and it doesn't mean we have to stay together."
Your eyes watered, a sob clawing it's way up your throat.
"Is there.. Is there someone else?"
He laughed with annoyance, throwing his hands up.
"Christ!—"
"There isn't anyone else, I just want to be done with this. I don't want to come home and be hovered over because you feel like I'll kill myself."
His words were cruel, devoid of any love that he claimed he once had for you. The total opposite of the sweet words and promises that he said on your wedding day.
"Michael.." You mumbled, tears falling down your cheeks as you stepped closer.
He took a step back.
"Please, just please.. don't make this harder than it needs to be."
Your hand curled around your belly instinctively as if you needed to protect them.
"What about them? What about raising them?"
Robby snapped, "I didn't even want a baby and you expect that to make me stay? stay with a wife who acts like a dog waiting to be kicked? A wife who can't leave well enough alone?"
You flinched, your mouth opening and completely shutting without any words leaving.
Robby watched the pained expression on your face, instant regret filling his veins as he took a deep breath.
"I didn't.. I didn't mean.."
You turned back to the sink, blinking through the tears as you pulled the handle for the hot water.
"You did mean it.. and thats okay." You softly muttered.
Robby stood there for a second longer, watching as you breathed through the broken sobs that escaped your mouth.
The last three months of your pregnancy flew by, faster than you expected. Everything in your house shifted after what Robby said, his words changed something in you— breaking the last remainants of the hopeful dream you had.
Robby started seeing a pyschiatrist and getting the help that he needed, the help that you had begged him to get for several months.
When he finally did get the help, you were happy for him— happy that he was getting what he needed. However, for you— your marriage ended that night that he said those things. He said things that you would've never said, especially not to your pregnant wife.
You slept in the guest bedroom the last three months, eating meals by yourself, spending more time with your parents. You gave Robby the space that he wanted so badly and let him be.
For Robby, getting the help that he needed was like waking up from the perputal nightmare that he'd been trapped in. Only once he woke up, you weren't standing there waiting.
The words that left his mouth that night had haunted him ever since. He'd hurt you in a way that no apology could fix.
You no longer smiled at him when you came into the house, tried to make small talk, or even waited up for him after you cooked. You gave him exactly what he asked for, only it wasn't what he truly wanted.
When you went into labor, Robby never left your side and was there every step of the way. To the average person, they would've thought he was the perfect husband— but they couldn't see the rot beneath the surface. How the very foundation of your marriage was only still withstanding while you gave birth.
You gave birth to two very healthy girls on Christmas eve at 7pm. The best christmas present in the world.
Hayden and Lottie.
Two girls who looked more like their father than they did you.
Your parents doted on them— taking pictures of them, along with you and Robby holding them. They were so happy for you, completely unsuspecting of the news that you'd tell them about your marriage.
When you went home with the girls, you were relived to not be pregnant anymore and to finally get your body back— but you didn't expect the whirlwhind of emotions.
You came back to a home that you didn't recongize with a stranger.
Robby loved being a new dad and holding them, loving on them as much as he could. He let you be, because he knew that was what you needed.
You realized that your marriage was truly over and that you needed to leave, you needed a new space to grow in. You needed a fresh start for your daughters and your new year.
You also understood deep down inside that you couldn't handle two small babies on your own— not with your schedule, career, and budget. You also didn't want to take them away from Robby or do the back and forth.
Somewhere in the haze of emotions and multiple unfortunate conversations, you and Robby decided to split them.
He'd raise one on his own and you'd raise one on your own.
It was far from normal and most wouldn't agree to it, but both of you figured that it would work best for the two of you.
You moved your things out and said goodbye to Hayden, while Robby said his goodbye's to Lottie.
A feeling that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. You gave birth to two and left with one, understanding that you wouldn't raise her or probably ever know her.
It wasn't supposed to end that way.
11 years later..
Shortly after you and Robby seperated, you landed a job as an attorney working for the media outlet— Waystar Royco's international division. With no idea what your life would even look like after Robby, you and Lottie boarded a plane leaving for London.
You moved to London with only a few bags and freshly into motherhood, looking for the fresh start that you craved.
You didn't worry about even starting the divorce process, you just left.
Living in London was such a big change compared to living in the states, but you adapted quickly and got used to everything— including only raising Lottie.
Lottie was an easy baby, only fussing occasionally and always giggling at the little things that she saw.
Lottie looked just like Robby— dark brown hair, brown eyes, and she had a few freckles that went across her nose like a bridge.
You often wondered how Robby was doing, what Hayden was like, and what the two of them would be like together— but the decision was made for the best. You knew that regardless of everything else, Robby loved his daughter more than anything and would do his best raising her.
Lottie asked about her father often, but you'd cahnge the subject and keep your answers vague.
She normally didn't mind, but you knew that one day that was bound to change— especially with the rise of social media. You just prayed that any information regarding him would only be found out once she was an adult and could perhaps understand your decision.
Even though you're not british, nor a citizen— Lottie had an adorable and sometimes raspy british accent.
Lottie was easy— she loved to play with her barbies, play with her friends, and read books. If she wasn't doing that, she was practicing her ice skating with her coach.
Lottie had been enrolled in ice skating since she was four, something she's loved ever since.
That year, there was a camp being held for girls around her age— girls who participated in ice skating in competitions. There was also a conference for their coaches.
Lottie begged to go, considering it was fully sponsered. She'd been invited for the last two years and you had said no, but you agreed this time. You wanted her to go have fun with girls her age and to learn new techniques.
The only thing that worried you was that the camp was in Colorado, in the states. Lottie had never been to the states and it would be so far away from you.
It would be three weeks of her summer break, not the end of the world— at least thats what you reminded yourself.
Lottie came downstairs in a striped shirt, her hair pulled back into a ponytail with a red bow attached.
"Mummy, are you positive that you can't come as a guide on this trip? I want you to."
You glanced up from your computer screen and the email that you were responding to.
"I'm sorry, honey— I can't. I'd love to, but I still have to work."
Lottie pouted dramatically in front of you, coming to take a seat at the table beside you.
"Please.. Please." She whined.
You reached across the table, gently rubbing her hand.
"Lottie, if you're scared to be away from me— you don't have to go."
"I'm not scared, mum.. I just don't want you to miss it."
Your expression softened, your heart feeling like it was being squeezed in your chest.
"Sweetheart, I won't miss a thing. Coach Jessie is going to record everything and send it to me, then when you get back we can go to the rink together—"
"How does that sound?"
She perked up, a smile on her face as left her seat to hug you.
"Deal!"
You hugged her back, your hand holding her head.
"That's my girl." You laughed.
ꕀ
While you were in London, winding down for the night with Lottie. Robby was picking up Hayden from Mckay's house— Hayden and Harrison had a playdate while Robby ran errands.
As the years had gone by, Robby had began to get the hang of things with being a single dad. There was quite a bit of trial and error at first, but nothing that he couldn't recover from.
That first year of not having you around or knowing if his girls were okay, nearly broke him.
He missed you and regretted so much, more than he could begin to even remember. He made you think that this was neccessary, that he didn't love you and that wasn't true. He loved every bit of you and the gift of fatherhood that you gave him, he just was in a bad place.
When the night would come in and it would be just him and Hayden, he always fought the urge to not fly there with her and beg for your forgiveness— beg for his family back.
But, he needed to let you go— he had to. He had already done enough.
Hayden was a fussy baby— a bit more of a crybaby than he expected and she often kept him running on fumes when he'd go to work the next morning.
She was very similar to Robby, not just with her looks— but personality. She could be rough and sassy at times, giving him a run for his money.
Robby relied on a babysitter throughout the school year, because he wouldn't be off in time— which also meant that they didn't get much time together before bed.
Hayden was similar to you in the fact that she loved to sleep and if she didn't get enough it was everyone's problem.
She was like you in many ways, she even picked up the habit that you had while pregnant with them— humming while she ate.
Hayden asked about you frequently, but Robby avoided the subject as much as he could. Hayden would even sometimes bring you up to get under his skin.
"I don't think my mother.. wherever she is, would appreciate you not telling me stories about her." She'd tease with a smile.
Robby enrollled Hayden into ice skating a few years back, because she had a strong interest in it. He didn't realize how much her coach, neccesities, and competition's would eat into his monthly balance though.
When she was invited to the camp this year in Colorado, he had no problem with saying okay— because that meant he could take extra shifts without needing a babysitter.
Robby sat on the couch, scrolling on his phone and trying to schedule a grocery order.
"Dad, I'm out of soap!" Hayden shouted in the hall from the bathroom.
Robby glanced over his glasses.
"Use mine, sweetheart." He yelled back.
There was a beat of silence, him thinking that he had solved the issue.
"Ew, it stinks!" She yelled.
He sighed, "I will add some to the order."
There was another beat of silence.
"Dad, don't forget that I need another suitcase!"
Robby pulled his glasses off, scratching his brow in disbelief.
"Honey, whats wrong with yours?"
"It's too small, remember?" She added.
"Right.. right." He mumbled to himself, searching suitcases in the walmart app.
At this rate, he'd be sleeping at the hospital for extra shifts. His child was going to drain his account before she left.
The morning that the girls leave for camp…
You and Lottie had been up late the night before, she was going to miss you and didn't want to admit it— because she was scared that you'd make her stay.
The truth was, you were going to miss her too. This was the first time in eleven years that she would be traveling without you and away from you in general.
That night before, she came into your room with two pb&j sandwiches on a plate — crawling into bed beside you.
"What are these for?" You asked with a smile, setting down your book on the nightstand.
"Well, I won't see you for three weeks and they're our favorite."
She was so thoughtful and had a heart full of love, you grabbed half of your sandwhich and bit back tears.
Where had the time gone? she wasn't your small baby anymore, she was growing up faster than you wanted her to.
"Well, thank you. We haven't gotten to enjoy these together in awhile, since I've been busy with work."
She bit in her sandwhich, chewing on it and staring at your tv on the wall.
"I'm going to miss you, honey." You admitted.
She glanced at you, her mouth full of bread.
"Mum, don't.."
You laughed a little, your glassy eyes obvious to anyone that looked hard enough.
"Don't what?—"
"It's true, I will miss you. I won't know what to do for those three weeks, I'm so used to having my sidekick around."
You stared at the tv for a moment, chewing your sandwhich— but you were stopped mid chew by the sound of sniffling.
Lottie chewed beside you, her cheeks now stained with tears.
You sat your sandwhich back down on the plate, pulling her close to you.
"Oh, Lottie. I didn't mean to upset you."
Her tears wet your pajamas, " what if I don't make any friends there?"
You rubbed her shoulder with a scoff.
"Don't be silly! You'll make plenty of friends, you won't even remember why you cried to begin with. There will be plenty of girls there that are the same age as you, girls who are interested the same thing."
"Maybe, maybe not." She muttered, wiping her nose.
"There will be, trust me." You reassured her, kissng her forehead.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked glancing up at you.
"Of course, darling." You smiled, grabbing the rest of your sandwhich.
Lottie had to practically be dragged from the bed the following morning, completely overcome from exhaustion— because she wanted to stay up and watch Stranger things.
Both of you were tired, truly— but you got her up and ready.
The chef had breakfast prepared for the two of you— waffles, eggs, bacon, and orange juice. It was Lottie's favorite meal for breakfast.
Lottie was excited, "This plane ride will be scary—won't it?"
You smiled at her curiousity, finishing your waffle.
"Not neccesarily, You'll be in first class with Jessie sitting right beside you."
"Will I be able to sleep?" She pried.
You wiped your mouth with a napkin, "that depends. It will be a long flight and at some point you'll sleep, but I can't tell you for how long or how good."
You finished your breakfast, putting your plate in the sink— while Lottie sat at the table eating and reading her book.
You double checked her luggage, making sure that she had everything that she needed.
"Are you going to work after you drop me off?"
"Yes, sweetheart. I have a meeting at the office today." You mumbled, squatting as you zipped her dufflebag back up.
"Lottie, please finish your food quickly. Gerard will be here soon and we must make haste to meet Jessie on time."
Lottie turned the page of her book, paying you no attention.
You went upstairs, grabbing your heels and glancing over your outfit in the process. As you came down, Gerard honked the horn outside.
"Lottie!" You yelled, your feet thumping against the carpeted stairs.
"I'm finished, mum. I'm grabbing my bags." She responded.
You opened the front door for Gerard, who came to grab Lottie's bags.
"Goodmorning, Lottie! are you excited for your camp?" He asked with excitement, taking her bags.
"I am, I think it might be fun." She replied, trailing behind him to the car.
You glanced around, making sure that you had everything— considering that you wouldn't have time to come back.
"Deep breaths, everything will be just fine." You whispered to yourself as you walked out of the door, shutting it behind you.
The slightly cool London air brushed against your skin, the coolness that didn't last long— because by the middle of the day you'd be miserable.
During the car ride to the airport, Lottie had you braid her hair— because she didn't want it to be a "mess" during the entire flight.
"Also, please do not share any brushes or combs at camp. I packed you an extra of both, just in case you lose yours." You gently reminded her, adding a bit of gel to slick back her frizzy hairs in the front.
"What if I lose those?"
"Lottie."
"I know, I know. It was a joke." She smirked.
Most of the ride was quiet, Lottie still reading that book and you enjoying the last few minutes with her.
When you arrived at the airport, Jessie was already there and met you outside. Gerard unloaded Lottie's bags, while you stood with her on the sidewalk.
She hugged you tight, as tight as her little arms could.
"I fear that I am going to be very bored here without you." You teased.
"I might be bored without you too, I'm not sure yet." She giggled.
You crouched down to her height, staring into her big brown eyes— the ones that she took exactly from Robby.
"The time will fly by before you know it, but until then— you behave and have fun, okay?"
She smiled, "Okay."
"I love you, honey."
"I love you too, mum."
You stood, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Jessie, keep me updated."
She nodded, holding Lottie's bags.
"I will and I'm sure that she'll make sure of it."
You stood there a moment longer, watching as both of them walked through the double doors.
ꕀ
The night before, Robby had stayed up late— repacking and organizing Hayden's luggage as she slept.
The suitcase that he had delivered had more space than he realized, so he shifted some of her things around.
Outside of when she went to school or was with her babysitter, Hayden was always by his side. He knew that he was going to work extra shifts while she was gone, but he still didn't truly know what to do with himself.
Maybe, in his new free time he'd actually ask Noel out on a date. He hadn't been on a date or even slept with anyone since you, he didn't have the time and that was the last thing on his mind.
Perhaps it was time that he put hiself out there and allow himself to find love, not that he neccesarily needed it nor was he looking for it.
His pathway of parenthood was different than most, which was purely his own fault — but he wouldn't change it for anything. He loved Hayden more than anything and he knew in his heart that you felt the same about Lottie.
He can't even begin to imagine what his life would be like if you had taken both of them or if the two of you had to share custody.
Nights like that, where he was up alone with his thoughts— he'd try to look you up and hope to see anything that could provide him comfort, but you didn't keep social media. You were pretty similar to him in that regard.
Robby fell asleep on the couch after organizing Hayden's bags.
His alarm beeped waking him up from his deep sleep, the urge to snooze it heavily on his mind.
He powered through his tiredness, putting on a pot of coffee and hoping in the shower to wake himself up.
That shower was just what he needed, but for some strange reason you were on his mind heavily— more than you had been in years.
After his shower, he got dressed and made his way into the kitchen. He wanted to enjoy the few minutes that he'd have alone before needing to wake up Hayden.
Robby checked his watch a few minutes later, going into Hayden's room to wake her up.
He stared at her for a moment, how she slept with her legs in different directions and her mouth slightly opened— just like you.
He gently pushed her hair out of her face, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"It's time to get up, sweetheart." He spoke softly.
She groaned, "I'm tired."
"I know, honey— but you have to. We have to leave in an hour to get you to the airport in time."
He left her room, giving her a few minutes to wake up fully. If she wasn't up, he'd wake her again— but Hayden was pretty good about getting up.
Robby sat down in one of the chairs at the counter, responding to a text from Jack. The bathroom door in the hallway shut with the sound of the shower turning on following it.
I don't know, man. Noel seems nice, but I have my plate full with Hayden and I'm not sure that I'm ready to explain my situation to anyone. I also don't need judgement, I've been fine without it for almost 12 years.
Robby exited the text thread and read the latest news articles, sipping his coffee and waiting on Hayden.
Thirty minutes had passed.
"Kiddo, we have to be out of the door in twenty or you'll be late!"
"I know, I'm getting dressed—"
"but I can't find my pink shirt." She replied in an annoyed tone.
Robby rolled his eyes and brought her bags out to his jeep while he waited.
A few minutes later, Hayden emerged from her room with her hair in a messy bun and had on the pink shirt that she claimed was lost.
"You ready to roll?" Robby asked, checking his watch.
"Yeah."
"You got everything?" He questioned.
"I think so." She mumbled.
Robby and Hayden left out of the house and got into his jeep.
"You want anything from Mcdonald's?" Robby suggested, backing out of the driveway.
"Orange Juice and a sausage biscuit, with grape jelly?"
Robby nodded, "you got it."
A response from Jack came onto the screen, his carplay automatically reading it outloud before he could stop it.
A date with Noel wouldn't be so bad..
"Christ.." Robby mumbled, touching the screen.
It might do you some good to go on one and stop thinking about your ex wife.
Hayden stopped chewing her food, her eyes flickering to a flustered Robby.
"Dad, who's Noel? and is Uncle Jack talking about mom?"
"Uh, that is a conversation for another time—"
"Just finish your food, we're almost at the airport." Robby replied, his heart feeling like it could beat out of his chest.
Hayden shrugged and contined to eat, staring out of the window.
When Robby pulled up at the airport, the traffic to drop people off was heavy. Hayden's coach, Ben, was being dropped off right behind them.
Robby pulled his jeep to the curb, turning on his hazards as he began to grab her bags.
Hayden hugged her coach as she got out, Ben grabbing her bags.
"Goodmorning, Mr. Robinavitch."
Robby nodded, his eyes being blinded by the sun as it rose—"Morning."
Hayden gave Robby a hug, "I'm going to miss you."
He hugged her back, feeling as if his heart was being tugged on.
"It'll only be three weeks, but there will be plenty of activites. If I'm not mistaken there's horseback riding, swimming, along with the ice skating practice.''
"but, I will miss you too." He smiled, tears wetting his waterline.
"Ben will send you videos when I practice, right?"
Ben nodded, "yes. Robby will get all of the updates possible."
"I love you, dad." She mumbled against his shirt.
"I love you too, kid."
Hayden let go of him, giving a wave as she and her coach walked into the airport.
"I'll see you in three weeks!" Robby shouted at her.
His baby girl was growing up right in front of him. She wasn't the toddler that stomped around the house, pointing at things as she learned to walk. She was eleven and heading to camp.
Robby felt old.
The morning that all of the girls arrived..
Both girls had landed in Colorado, a place that neither of them had ever been before.
The sun was out, shining bright and the heat followed it. A different kind of heat compared to what they normally dealt with.
The camp was in a more remote area of Denver. A camp built specifically for girls from all around to come every year. The camp was specifically for girls ranging from nine to sixteen who were competive ice skaters, not just any girl though— girls who had done exceedingly well and stood out.
The camp focused on plenty of things, including— leadership skills, skating techniques, making friends, and also lectures for the coaches on bettering their teachings.
The mosiquitoes buzzed as the girls stood outside, the camp coumselors running around like their heads were cutoff and the coaches trying to figure out what going on.
"Are there going to be other British girls here?" Lottie asked Jessie.
Jessie scratched her brow, glancing around to see where to get information at.
"I think there are ten others, but they might be older than you—"
"Wait right here." Jessie trailed off, walking to another coach.
"Attention, Ladies! I am counselor Diane, the lead counselor at this camp. I am happy to welcome all of you to the great state of Colorado." She laughed, her voice echoing into the microphone.
"I know that most of you have been traveling longer than you wanted, to get here, so we will get all of you situated first. There's a list right behind me on the wall with the bunking information— your name and number bunkhouse will be on the sheet." She added.
While Lottie stood there waiting on Jessie's return, Hayden had already begun to make friends.
"My name is Penelope!" The redheaded girl smiled, pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose and holding her hand out.
"I'm Hayden." She hesitantly replied, shaking her hand.
"Where are you from, Hayden? I'm from Nebraska."
Hayden glanced around, looking for Ben— ready to put her bags away.
"I'm from Pittsburgh."
"Oh, nice. I've never been there." Penelope mentioned.
Ben came back to Hayden, interrupting the conversation.
"You can go check the list, if you want. I'll stay here with the bags.”
Hayden glanced at Penelope, "you want to come with me?"
Penelope shrugged, adjusting her backpack— "sure."
They walked side by side to the sheet, standing in line behind all of the other girls.
Jessie had made her way back over to Lottie, a tired expression on her face.
"Sorry about that. Now let's go check out the list to see where you'll be bunking, shall we?"
Jessie grabbed Lottie's bags, both of them walking to the line.
"This is my second year coming." Penelope mentioned to Hayden.
"My first." Hayden replied.
The chatter in the line was obnoxiously loud, they were barely able to even hear themselves think. It didn't help that the line moved slow and that everyone was tired.
Lottie wiped the bead of sweat that formed on her forehead, "is there a practice today?"
Jessie laughed.
"God, no. Once everyone is in their bunks, there will be a rest period and then dinner will be served in the eating hall."
Hayden and Penelope moved up the line, exchanging a few words here and there.
"My parents hope that I make friends this time, it's a little hard to with the practices." Penelope sighed.
"My dad told me to make friends too, but there's probably no one here from Pittsburgh."
"Well, we can always talk on the phone?" Penelope suggested.
Hayden shrugged, "sure."
They finally reached the front of the line, staring at the papers for their names.
"I'm in bunkhouse fourteen.." Hayden mumbled.
Penelope jumped with excitement beside her, "me too!"
"We are also rooming with Kinley Harris and.."
Hayden squinted.
"Lottie."
Penelope glanced at Hayden, "I've never met a Lottie before."
Penelope's words were just loud enough to catch Lottie and Jessie's attention, both who happened to be standing right behind them.
"I'm Lottie!" She spoke with a loud pitch.
Hayden and Penelope turned to face Lottie, Hayden's brows furrowing.
"Woah." Penelope gasped at the sight of Lottie.
Lottie and Jessie both stared far too long at Hayden, the two of them seemed like exact carbon copies of each other. The only difference was Lottie's hair was longer than Hayden.
Lottie held her hand out, still slightly confused.
Penelope shook Lottie's hand, her mouth still agape.
"Both of you look alike."
Hayden scoffed, hesitantly shaking Lottie's hand next.
"I'm Hayden, Hayden Robinavitch."
Lottie shook Hayden's hand, the handshake lasting longer than necessary.
"Robin.. a .. what?"
Jessie nudged Lottie, a smile on her face.
"I'm Lottie's coach! Let's go get you girls settled into your bunkhouse."
All three girls followed Jessie to what felt like their long and unending walk to bunkhouse fourteen.
Their bunkhouse was big, more than enough space for four girls— but there was no sign of their other bunkmate yet.
They set their bags down and claimed their beds.
"Okay, girls— we will see each other again at dinner in the eating hall. For now, you'll stay in here until the horn goes off.
Lottie sat on her bed, pulling her shoes off as she huffed air.
Hayden put her bag on her bed, pulling a few things out.
Penelope walked up beside Hayden, glancing around the room like she was scared of being caught.
"Don't you think it's weird that the two of you look just alike?"
Hayden rolled her eyes, "we do not."
Hayden wasn't quite sure why, but it truly got under her skin being told that she looked like Lottie.
Penelope seemed a bit frightened at Hayden's stern reaction and decided to drop it, but she meant what she said— they looked alike.
Within a few minutes— Lottie had fallen asleep on her bed, Penelope had a book out, and Hayden looked through the photo album that she brought.
Dinner approached faster than the girls expected. They were served burgers, tater tots, corn, and strawberry cake.
The eating hall buzzed with conversation from the girls, laughter at some tables and debates at others. The coaches and counselors all sat at separate tables across the room.
Lottie, Penelope, and Hayden sat together at their table.
"Where are you from, Lottie?" Penelope pried, eating one of her tater tots.
"Well, I was born in Pittsburgh— but I've lived my entire life in London." Lottie confessed.
"Wow! London seems so cool." Penelope gushed.
Hayden's eyes flickered to Lottie's face.
"I was born in Pittsburgh too."
Lottie's brow raised as she bit into her burger, "that's cool."
"Are either of you a good ice skater? I've only won five competitions." Penelope raved.
"I've won twelve competitions." Hayden told them.
Lottie hesitated a second before speaking.
"I've won fifteen, including nationals."
Penelope 's eyes widened, "nationals too?"
"Yeah, it wasn't really hard." Lottie continued.
Hayden sighed, her fingers digging into her burger.
"Show off."
Lottie frowned. "I'm not showing off, I just answered her question."
The rest of their dinner was quiet, at least for the three of them. Penelope rambled about a few things, but Lottie and Hayden just seemed to get off on the wrong foot.
After dinner, the girls prepared for bed as everyone would be practicing tomorrow.
During the bright and early hours of the morning, Lottie left her bunkhouse with Jessie. They always practiced early and in this case, they wanted more time before everyone else would start practicing.
"Do you like your roommates?" Jessie asked while they walked to the rink.
"Not really." Lottie responded, staring down at her feet as they walked.
Jessie walked ahead, leading the way.
"Have you noticed that you look a bit similar to Hayden?" She asked.
Lottie stopped in her tracks, "I don't look like her."
Jessie threw her hands up in defeat, dropping the subject.
The one thing that made the girls seem even more similar was their annoyance with the people who brought up the similarities.
"I'm going to send your mum a video of what we practice today." Jessie mentioned.
When both of them reached the rink, it was empty. Jessie turned the lights on and gave Lottie a moment to put on her skates.
Lottie took her sweet time, but she eventually joined Jessie on the ice.
While they were out there, Jessie had Lottie working on a flying camel spin. It was a bit advanced for her age range as most eleven year olds did not do them, but Lottie had been ice skating for years— putting genuine effort into her practice.
Lottie tried one again and landed wrong.
"I can't get it right!" Lottie huffed, picking herself up off the ice.
Jessie skated over, giving her a hand.
"A few falls doesn't mean that you can't get it right, you've landed it perfectly over a dozen times."
Their conversation was interrupted, by the sound of the doors opening near the front of the building.
Ben and Hayden made their way in to practice.
Lottie rolled her eyes, which Jessie noticed.
Ben and Hayden made their way onto the ice and skated on the farther end, leaving ample space for both of them.
Hayden and Ben worked on a pancake spin, which was something that Lottie could not do.
Hayden did the pancake spin effortlessly, while Lottie did a magnificent flying camel spin. Both were able to do things that the other could not, both of them staring at the other while they practiced.
Hayden began to skate around the rink, while Ben went to the restroom.
Right as Lottie had almost did another perfect spin, Hayden skated directly into her— knocking her down.
"Watch where you're going!" Lottie barked.
Jessie reached out her hand to Lottie, glancing at Hayden. "Are both of you okay?"
Hayden nodded, Lottie stood up— wiping off her pants.
"I'm just peachy." She mumbled with a frown.
"I'm sorry." Hayden smiled.
Jessie could sense the tension between the two, but she couldn't pinpoint why.
Ben came back onto the ice, waving at Lottie and Jessie as he dragged Hayden to keep practicing.
"What's up with the two of you? You've barely been here a day." Ben asked.
Hayden hesitated.
"She just seems.. like a know it all—"
"Look at me, I have an accent and I can do a flying camel spin." Hayden mocked.
Ben laughed, genuinely amused at their silly antics.
"It's okay to be jealous.. you know?—"
"I'm not jealous." Hayden interjected.
"It just means that we will work harder to master the skills that we are working on, so that we can get to those other ones." Ben continued.
Lottie and Jessie moved on to another spin, the Biellmann spin.
It was a little difficult to master, but Lottie had. She just needed to be able to perfectly execute it in a routine.
Hayden watched Lottie skate around and do the Biellmann spin, a smirk on her face.
"Ben, can I practice my Biellmann spin?"
Ben nodded, completely unaware that Lottie was also practicing it.
Hayden began to do a routine and include the Biellmann spin, which Lottie noticed.
Anger brewed in Lottie's veins as she watched Hayden do it, intentionally picking at her to get a reaction.
"Copycat." Lottie spoke.
Jessie could sense the immediate defeat and retraction that Lottie had.
"Well, that's enough for today. I will take you back to the bunkhouse and you can rest until it's time to get the day started." Jessie smiled.
Lottie nodded.
Shortly after, Jessie and Lottie left the rink— leaving Ben and Hayden alone.
Ben stared at Hayden, a disappointed look on his face.
"Don't be catty, it's unnecessary. The two of you can be friends."
Hayden didn't say anything, but she did feel some guilt. She shouldn't have acted that way, but neither should have Lottie.
When Lottie got back to the bunkhouse, it was quiet— Penelope was still sound asleep.
Lottie gently put down her stuff and crawled into her bed, opening one of books that she brought along with her.
She already missed home and her feelings were hurt, because she was good— but Hayden got under her skin.
Lottie quietly read her book, turning page after page when the bunkhouse door opened and closed.
Hayden set down her duffle bag onto her bag with a thud.
Lottie paid her no attention, continuing to read her book— until the weight on the bed shifted.
Lottie lowered her book, her brow raised as she stared at Hayden.
"What are you doing?"
Hayden twisted the small mood ring on her finger, " I am sorry. I didn't mean to be mean and.. upset you."
"I'm not upset." Lottie shot back.
Hayden paused, unsure what to say next.
"Well, I was told to apologize."
Lottie kept a grip on her book, staring at Hayden.
"Okay."
Hayden was about to get up from the bed when she noticed Lottie's bookmark, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"I've seen that picture before."
Lottie glanced down at the picture of her mom, the picture she used as a bookmark.
"I doubt that, that's my mom in the picture."
Hayden shook her head, "no. I have seen it, I have."
Hayden got up from the bed and went to her side of the room, rummaging through her things.
"Got it!" She smiled, running back over to Lottie.
Lottie sat up in the bed.
"See, this is my dad and his picture looks similar to yours." Hayden pointed out.
Lottie stared at the picture of the man that she didn't recognize, something that seemed familiar to her— but not at the same time.
Hayden stared at the picture of the woman, admiring her beauty and big smile that she had in the picture.
They both slowly, pushed together the picture that had been clearly ripped in half.
They gasped, staring at each other in shock.
The seams of the ripped picture fit perfectly and it was obvious that their parents were staring at one another in the photo.
"Is that.. my mom?" Hayden asked.
"Then.. that would be my dad." Lottie sputtered.
"I never knew my mom, I've never even seen her. My dad always avoids talking about her." Hayden mentioned.
Lottie glanced up at Hayden.
"My mom never talks about my dad either."
There was a long beat of silence, the kind that felt heavy— like it was suffocating every thing in the room.
"When's your birthday?" Lottie finally asked.
"Christmas Eve, seven pm to be exact."
"Me too.." Lottie stated.
How was that possible? They were twins? Those were their parents?
"We're twins?" Hayden questioned, a look of confusion and surprise on her face.
My Emergency Contact(s): Play Doctor For Me? (P41)
Summary: Jack & Robby take care of a hurt Dennis. 3521K
Three Days Later
Dennis wakes up in the hospital, and the first thing he notices is the raging headache that sits at the base of his neck and travels to the crown of his head. The second thing the boy notices is that Jack is asleep uncomfortably, might he add in the chair beside his bed.
The third and final thing that he notices is Robby sprawled out across another uncomfortable piece of hospital furniture. With one arm handing off the side of the couch, and his neck bent at an angle that will surely cause a headache, or some sort of neck pain.
Dennis just stares at them for a moment, “You both look terrible.” He finally speaks, his voice a little rough around the edges. Jack is up in second, and Robby falls off the couch resulting in a nurse charging into the room. “Dennis is awake!” Robby shouts from the floor.
“No," Dennis says weakly. “Robby is currently on the floor.” Robby groans as he tries to get up. “I’m okay.” Jack rolls his head at the situation. “You’re lying.” Robby shrugs his shoulders. “Probably.”
A text and ten minutes later Trinity arrives carrying what seems like enough coffee to bring someone from the morgue back to life. By the time Dennis' room is crowded with people. Most of them are crying or pretending not to cry. Dennis is overall confused by it. “What?”
Robby’s shoulders drop and he looks genuinely offended. “What could you possibly mean by what?” Dennis’s brow pinch together, “I just got hurt that’s all.” The room goes silent for a minute. “No, you almost died.” Dennis is the first to look away, his hands being far more entertaining than anyone in the room.
A Week Later
Dennis is transported out of one wing and into the recovery wing . Where everything is exhausting. The walking, the physical therapy, and just the idea of existing becomes exhausting. But he’s alive, and because of that every single day he spends in the recovery wing one of them is there.
Usually it’s the three of them. Trinity sitting in the chair, Jack standing by the door, and Robby sitting on the couch. It’s an early afternoon when Dennis is wheeled back to his room from physical therapy to find that Robby is sitting on the edge of his bed looking far more exhausted for someone who isn’t going to physical therapy every day.
“Were you sleeping?” Dennis asks. Robby shakes his head. “You totally were.” Dennis squeaks. “No I wasn’t.” With a slight tilt of Dennis' head and the sternness in his voice. “Robby.”, Robby gives in. “Maybe.” The simple back and forth makes Dennis smile, and for the first time since Dennis had woken up Robby smiles, a genuine smile.
Then just like that the smile breaks and Dennis notices right away. “Hey.” Robby can’t look at Dennis instead opting for the tiled flooring underneath his shoes. “You don’t get to do that, Robby.” Still without looking at Dennis, “Get to do what?”
“The guilt thing.” Robby lets out a humorless laugh. “Den…” “No!” For the first time Dennis is the one that is interrupting. “This wasn’t your fault.” “But I should have…” “Stop.” There's a firmness in Dennis’s voice that seems to surprise the both of them. Dennis reaches out, and takes Robby's larger hand.
“I really need you to listen to me.” Robby finally looks up, the closeness of their shared touch giving him the courage. “This was not your fault.” The words sit heavy between them for a long time, almost as if the words are more necessary now than ever before.
Maybe for the first time in the past two weeks does Robby actually want to let himself believe it even if it just for a little bit. While Dennis continues to stare into Robby’s eyes with love and admiration.
Week 1
Dennis gets discharged a few days later, and honestly nobody asked where he’s going to stay because the answer has become blatantly obvious over the past few weeks. It's Robby's apartment that Dennis will be staying at.
Trinity doesn’t even fight the idea of Robby and Jack stealing away her best friend because well they’re trained professionals in health care but also she isn’t sure she’d win the fight on keeping Dennis at their apartment.
Jack moves in quietly with half of his belongings coming into the Robinavitch household within a forty-eight hour period. Trinity shows up a few times uninvited of course with groceries, Dana is texting daily. Telling Dennis about how much the day shift is missing him.
Yet it drives Dennis up the wall. The frustration of being unable to drive, unable to work, and he can’t even walk up the damn flight of stairs without his entire body giving way to the aching tiredness that is consuming him on the daily.
Robby on the other hand takes the time to take a month long sabbatical from the hospital. On the surface level it is for official burnout, but unofficially the entire day shift, and night shift understand it’s because of Dennis.
Because every time Dennis leaves his sight for more than just ten minutes he’s checking everything on Dennis. From there their bond changes, there’s no more need to dance around feelings, or wonder if lines are going to be crossed because frankly they’ve already been crossed. Now that they’re all trying to lean out to live together.
The first time that Dennis falls asleep on Robby’s couch it is with his head in Jack’s lap, while slender fingers run through short curls, and his feets across Robby’s lap. Large hands, and nimble fingers gently stroking his ankle.
Neither man moves for three hours after Dennis finally falls asleep.
Week 2
Two weeks in and Dennis has finally got enough energy to be just the right amount of stubborn again. Which just means that Dennis tries to take on everything all at once. He tries the laundry, then migrates to the kitchens and tries to make himself something to eat along with Robby, then it’s the cleaning and the physical therapy all in just one day.
At the end of the day, after returning home with Robby from physical therapy is when he nearly passes out. Which in turn causes an argument that is their first ever.
“Dennis, you are recovering!”
“I’m fucking fine, it’s already been what a fucking month since I got hurt.”
“Dennis you have a skull fracture! What are you not understanding about this?”
“I HAD one, Robby!”
“Skull fractures just don’t go away, Dennis. You still have one!”
The argument continues on until Jack returns home, and has to physically but also emotionally step between the both of them. Robby stays in the living room for the rest of the night while Jack and Dennis take the stairs slowly and make their way into the bedroom.
In the comfort of the bedroom is where Dennis later admits that he’s just frustrated with himself, and with his body. Feeling utterly useless. A few stray tears fall down his cheeks as he nuzzles into the side of Jack's body. It’s hours later when the steadiness of Dennis breathing finally lets Jack travel back down the stairs to find a still awake and red eyed Robby sitting on the couch.
Robby ends up admitting that he’s just afraid, more like terrified because Robby had already almost lost him once, he knows he won’t be able to go through the trauma again without a part of him breaking into tiny shards of broken glass.
The following morning when coffee is being brewed and everyone has had enough time to cool down, they come together in the dining room. “I’m sorry for hovering.” Robby says first from across the table. Jack watches and waits. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m just frustrated with my body.”
There is a sympathetic look that gets thrown from both men. “I just… I hate that this was our first fight.” Robby mutters into his coffee cup. Jack laughs from behind his cup. “How about we change a few things to the dynamic?”
Both men look at Jack with pinched brows. “How about for the next couple of days I take care of all the medical shit, you just be here for Dennis. Can you do that Robby?” Jack asks, with a small nod the plan is set in place.
Oddly enough the three men feel as though for their first fight instead of it breaking more walls and destroying something. It’s made their bond stronger than ever. Because the result is that nobody left, nobody pulled away. And nobody ran away.
Week 2.5
The three men had come to realize that Robby taking care of Dennis was something that was obvious. Loud, and clear, visible in a way that made him hover and argue with Dennis over the tiniest of things.
Robby would be slaving over the stove for hours in the early morning just to make the younger man soup, and then threaten Dennis when he tried to carry something that was heavier than a coffee mug. Jack is different and Dennis doesn’t even realize how much Jack is doing on the backend until halfway through his recovery.
Because Jack takes care of people in that quiet way, the way that seems to him to be as natural as breathing, the same way that gravity is quiet. Always there, his care is the sort of thing that is easy to miss until it isn’t anymore.
It starts with Dennis’s medication. Three different bottles that are always sitting on the kitchen counter. One for the pain, another to prevent the horrible nausea he had felt when he first left the recovery wing, and something else that he can’t really remember.
Every single morning the pills are arranged on the counter top with a glass of water before he even wakes up, and at first Dennis automatically assumes that it’s Robby’s doing, but then one morning Dennis wakes before Robby.
When the house is still dark, the smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen leads him down the stairs. For a military man Jack doesn’t notice that Dennis is standing at the bottom of the stairs. Jack carefully sorts through the pills, and places each pill into a daily organizer. Check the dosages twice before writing down the next time the bottle has to be refilled.
Jack then places everything exactly where Dennis will find it, only then does Dennis decide to alert Jack to his presence. “You’re such a nerd, Jack.” Jack actually jumps, “Fucking hell Dennis!” With a hand over his heart he settles himself against the side of the countertop.
“You’ve been color coding my medications?” Jack looks down, then shrugs. “You’ve been forgetting them.” Dennis isn’t sure what he’s supposed to say, because technically Jack is correct. So instead he walks down the rest of the stairs and steals Jack's cup of black coffee, and of course Jack lets him.
It’s a few days later when the headaches are hitting harder than normal, and the physical therapy is going rough. It’s all just too much noise, and too much everything. By the time that Dennis manages to get home, the pain that is throbbing behind his eyes becomes unbearable. So much that he barely makes it to the couch
Before Robby is panicking and rambling on. “What’s wrong?” He asks with urgency in his voice. “My head.” Dennis answers quietly. “How bad is it Dennis?” Robby asks. “Really bad.” Robby is already up and off the other side of the couch before he’s reaching for his phone and ready to call somebody.
Dennis can feel it happening, he can also see it happening. The etching concern on Robby’s face, the fear that is seeping out of him. The memories of the ICU still sitting far too close to the surface, then there’s Jack.
Calmness, steadiness. “Okay.” A single word that makes the room slow down immediately. Jack kneels quickly even with his prosthetics. “Dennis, baby.” A strong, large hand on his shoulder. That’s somehow grounding, and gentle at the same time. “Look at me, Den.”
Dennis does, “I want you to take a breath.” It sounds simple and easy, so Jack guides him through it. One step at a time, through the medication, the water. The living room lights getting dimmed, the curtains being drawn, and a cool washcloth being pressed around the back of his neck.
Only then does the headache eventually ease away, and when Dennis finally does open his eyes again Jack is still sitting there. A book in his hands, closes at the edge of his nose, quietly waiting as if he never even considered going someplace else.
And when the nightmares come, and get worse not every night but just often enough that Dennis can’t really remember all of them. Just fragments of his blood, the screaming and alarms. The falling onto the cart and then down to the floor. Sometimes when Dennis wakes up he’s convinced he’s back in the trauma room. So utterly convinced that he can’t breathe.
It’s one night when he wakes up so suddenly that his heart is racing in his chest, disoriented, the room pitch black and for one terrifying moment he doesn’t know where he is. “Dennis.” Jack’s voice calls out from the darkness. Soft, sleepy, but most importantly immediate.
Dennis turns in the bed, where a shiftless Jack is looking at Dennis. “Are you okay Den?” The question is gentle, and not demanding. Dennis’s hands come up to cover his face. “It was just a bad dream.” He answered from behind his hands.
Jack just nods, no surprise, and no judgement. Just an understanding. A moment of silence goes by “Do you want to talk about it?” Jack asks. “No.” Dennis answers quickly. “Okay.” Then another pause. “You want some company?” Jack asks as if the man hadn’t fallen asleep next to him hours before.
Dennis' answers come falling out of his head embarrassingly fast. “Yeah… I’d like that.” THe quickness of Dennis’s words has Jack smiling, and even in the darkness Dennis can sense the warmth from it, as the two get settled together. Dennis falls asleep with his head resting on Jack's large shoulder in less than thirty minutes and doesn’t dream a single thing for the rest of the night.
Jack trades a shift to be able to take Dennis to physical therapy one day. That day turns out to be the worst day of Dennis' life so far. Everything on him was hurting, he was tired as fuck from the constantly shifting in his sleep. A deep frustration was starting to take root in his bones, and then on top of all of it he felt like he was utterly behind.
The therapist was making him repeat exercises when Dennis snapped. Not at anyone in particular, just at life in general. “I’m fucking trying give me a god damn break.” The words come out quick and much sharper than intended. The room went quiet. Other patients leering over from their own sessions.
For one single moment, Dennis was so sure that the therapist was going to yell at him. That someone, hell anyone was going to shout at him. Instead he was greeted with the therapist wisely stepping away for a moment. Dennis lets out a sigh mixed with humiliation, anger, and tiredness.
While staring at the carpeted flooring, he felt a hand settle on the base of his neck. Jack, he had forgotten that Jack was there, another wave of mortification washed over him. As the younger man waited for the anger to come bubbling up and out of Jack. But instead he was met with a softness that he wasn’t prepared for.
“Hey.” Dennis closed his eyes. “I really fucking hate this shit.” He mumbled. “I know, Den.” Jack said softly. Rubbing the pad of his thumb back and forth at the base of Dennis’s neck. “I can’t do a damn thing right now, Jack.” At those words Jack’s hold on Dennis grew a bit tighter. “That’s not true, Dennis.”
With another heavy sigh, “It feels true.” Silence engulfed them, and just like that Jack was crouching down beside the younger man. With patience written all over his face, and a steadiness in his eyes.
The way that Jack always was with him, and Robby.
“Dennis, you survived.” The bitter laugh that erupted from Dennis’s chest felt wrong but needed almost. “Yeah barely.” He countered. “No.” Jack’s voice was low but firm, and certain. “You survived.”
For whatever reason the words just hit differently coming from Jack. Maybe it was because Jack didn’t like wasting his words, or maybe it was because if Jack was saying it then he truly meant what he was saying. Maybe it was because even though they didn’t talk about Jack’s time in the army, Dennis had enough awareness to know that the older man had probably gone through the same physical therapy and rehabilitation years ago after coming back with quarter less of himself.
“You got through the ICU.” A pause, “And you made it through surgery.” Another pause. Each leaving a more lasting feeling in Dennis’s chest that he forced himself to look away. “You then got through recovery in the hospital.” Then finally. “So no Dennis you don’t have to get everything done at once.” Something in Dennis’s chest cracks.
Not badly, not in a painful sort of way, just enough so that all the pressure that had been building there could be let out a little. Dennis laughs, weakly. “You’re annoyingly good at this.” Jack just smiles that cocky, happy smile. “It’s just years of practice, and some therapy thrown in for some good luck.”
Week 3
A part of Dennis is happy when Dana shows up three weeks after being released from the hospital, but she doesn’t bring good tides with her. Instead tucked away in her purse is paperwork, actual hospital paperwork. From that point forward Dennis knows that he’s in deep shit. “Absolutey not.” He says when Dana slides the thick packet of papers over to him.
“Absoluey yes, Dennis.” There’s no escape. Trinity is on the other side of the phone staring at him like his mother used to. Jack is standing beside him with a pen, and Robby just looks absolutely smug about this whole endeavor.
“Dennis.” Jack says. “No.” He tries to put down his foot. “Please Dennis.” Robby tires. “No” Dennis says, sounding more and more like a three year old having a tantrama. Eventually Dennis does give in. Maybe it’s the overall staring into his soul that each person seems to be doing, or maybe it’s the feeling of an actual family that is starting to bloom in his chest.
Regardless he looks down at the emergency contact section where it sits blank for just a few seconds. Then slowly write. Micheal Robinavitch, Jack Abbot, and finally Trinity Santos. When Dennis lifts his head and sets the pen down, sliding the paperwork back in Dana's direction the room is quiet, nobody mentions the tears and overall relief that has been lifted, especially not Robby.
Week 4
Something seems to have settled after that, the nightmares aren’t as frequent, the headaches are becoming more manageable. Dennis starts to relax more now, the laughing returns, his sleep gets better. Dennis starts to eat more regularly too. Robby, Jack, and Trinity start to back away, not hovering quite so much now.
It’s a few nights before the end of Robby’s month-long sabbatical while the three of them are watching another old western film. Dennis curled into Robby’s side, his arm wrapped around the younger man's body. Jack on the other side of the couch stretched out and his prosthetic lounging against the side of the couch.
They’re nearly halfway through the film when Dennis quietly says. “I think I was just scared.” Neither man interrupts, instead they just look at each other once and then back at Dennis. “I think I thought that if something did happen to me… well that nobody would really know where the hell they fit in.”
The living room goes silent except for the listening sounds from the western, Jack automatically reaches for Dennis’s hand, Robby reaches for the other. Dennis breathes in and then out letting them. “You idiots showed up anyways.” Robby laughs, shaking both of them.
“Against some medical advice.” Jack nods, “And repeatedly might I add.” Dennis just smiles and takes it in. For the first time since the accident that fear is gone, not the injury, not the recovery. It’s that deeper rooted fear. The one that had spent the past years telling Dennis that he was utterly and completely alone in this world.
Now that fear is gone, because well he knows something is different. He now knows that’s no longer the truth. Because even on the worst of days, Dennis knows that that waiting room will not be empty. Never again.
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The Pitt Master List // SMAU My Emergency Contact(s) Series
Summary: Things are going great til something happens to Dennis that leaves both attendings shattered to their cores. 2180K
Robby knew the minute he walked into the ER that it was going to be a bad shift, and not the unusual kind of bad shift, but the one that rips something away from your chest. There had been four ambulances that had arrived within twenty minutes of each other. Rooms filled to the brim.
A psych case that was on holding waiting for a fucking transfer, an attending that was already running too far behind for it being so early in the morning. Plus an overflowing waiting room that was growing into festering and angry patients.
And sweet, kind Dennis was running nonstop for the first six hours of this monster of a shift. Robby had of course noticed, when every single time he looked up he would find his boy somewhere else in the ER.
Over there checking vitals for a patient, moving through triage like a bat out of hell, running around the supplies closets just trying to get everything in order. Dennis was making sure that everyone else was doing okay before he even remembered to take care of himself.
Which on the surface level was a normal thing, because the younger man was always like that. Which is probably why Robby didn’t even think anything was wrong til he heard the shouting from the third trauma room. Which was followed by screaming, a loud crash that echoed in the ER. The entire floor froze for just half of a second before Robby was moving and running faster through the hallways.
The psych patient who had been waiting on security and the transfer out of the ER. The same patient whose case kept getting escalated. By the time Robby reached the room, Ahmad and the rest of the security team and a handful of nurses were trying to pull the patient back down onto the bed. Shouting and screaming to inject meds.
Except Robby couldn't hear a damn thing, all he could see was Dennis on the floor. Blood, so much blood. For just a single second Robby’s mind just couldn’t comprehend what he was looking at in front of him. “Dennis?” Robby got nothing, Dennis wasn’t moving.
The metal cart was across the floor with all of its context on the floor, from where Dennis must have hit the corner of his head. Dennis' bright blue eyes were shut. “Dennis!” Still nothing, and just like that a snap in the back of Robby's head. The training had taken back over and then Robby was shouting commands.
“SOMEBODY GET A FUCKING STRETCHER!” The shout ripped through the ER like thunder on the horizon. The ER moved quickly into motion and brought Dana to his side. Jack wasn’t here, he had off this morning, Trinity wasn’t here either.
Leaving Dennis and Robby, and far too much blood that was seeping further and further into the cracks of the floor and hitting the tips of Robby's shoes. Robby dropped down to his knees, black scrubs getting coated in thick red blood. “Dennis, Hey. Look at me, please.” Again nothing in response.
Robby can say he’s only ever felt his stomach drop like this one other time. A circle of thoughts, the same word repeating in the back of his head. ‘No’ Not his Dennis. Someone pushed into the room with a stretcher, “Move lets go!” Robby was already lifting Dennis and getting him onto the stretcher.
The movement caused Dennis' head to loll to the side, and something deep inside of Robby just broke. “Careful!” Dana grabbed at his shoulder as he continued to fuss over Dennis.
“Robby!”
“He hit his head, Dana.”
“I know, honey.”
“I just saw him and now he’s…”
“I know.”
Everything Robby said came out strangled and raw with emotion. Terrified over everything that had managed to happen in just a short time span. A team rushed to Dennis taking him towards trauma one, with a red eyed Robby following closely behind that he practically tripped over his own feet.
He only stopped when somebody stepped into his path. Blocking him from entering the room. “Robby.” When he finally looked up he saw Dana. “Dana, move.” Robby grunted out. “They need room.” Dana said firmly. “I need…” Robby starts but can’t as he feels his voice crack, hard. “I just… I need to be in there.” Dana's expression softened, “They’re taking care of him, Robby.”
Robby just kept staring through the glass trauma doors, the doctors, nurses, hovering over the blonde boy laying on the stretcher. Movement, and machines. Dennis scrubs getting cut into exposing him to the staff that he worked with on a daily basis. For the first time since Robby had met Dennis he truly looked so small.
It was just thirty minutes later where Dennis was being transferred upstairs. Into the ICU, the bold letters causing Robby’s stomach to twist uncomfortably. He wasn’t being transferred into observation, into staying overnight no his sweet boy was being transferred into the ICU.
It’s only while Robby is standing outside of the elevator doors does he remember Jack at home. His hands shake as he reaches into his back pocket to grab his phone, and almost drops the damn thing. It only rings once before Jack is answering the phone. “Hey.” The minute Jack's voice hits Robby’s ears he practically breaks down in front of the elevators.
“Jack.” There’s silence on the other end immediately like all the sudden Jack knows that something horrible, and devastating has happened. “What’s going on, Robby?” He asks quickly, sounding more like Captain Jack Abbot instead of Dr. Jack Abbot. “Um… Dennis he got um…” Words don’t want to come together in the back of his throat. “He got hurt?” Jack finished for him.
“He got hurt.” Robby confirms, the words coming out broken and shattered, as if a glass mirror has been punched and was laying in thousands of pieces. There’s a sharp intake of breath on the other line, and then right back to business. “How bad?” Robby swallows because once again the big bold letters of the ICU are staring at him, and now he has to say them. “Jack he’s in the… ICU.” He finally manages to get out.
There is nothing but complete and utter silence on the other side of the phone for what seems like forever to both of them. The only sound is the breathing of Jack, and the elevator dings on Robby’s side. Then as if he’s still the hero of every situation. The simplest of words are uttered. “I’m on my way.”
Trinity arrived only twenty minutes after they had sent Dennis up to the ICU. She was red in the face and looked as if she had run every single red light in the city to get to the hospital. “Where is he?” She asked practically out of breath. All Robby could manage was to point towards the ICU waiting room sign.
Trinity stared through the glass doors, and then back at Robby, and once more through the doors. “No.” Robby didn’t utter a single word, “No.” Dana stood nearby, “Trinity…’ But was cut off before the cracking of Trinity's voice as she whispered another broken “No.”
As her voice cracked, she looked absolutely panicked, the kind of panic that only comes from seeing someone who you truly love become something that is far too fragile and broken. “He’s going to be okay.” Dana said gently, as she wrapped herself around Trinity.
“That’s bullshit, we don’t KNOW shit right now.” Trinity exploded, thrashing in Dana's arms. The attending, and charge nurse had no response because they knew that yes on a basic technicality Trinity was right.
It was an hour later when Jack finally arrived, he was still wearing the previous days clothes, his grey curls a complete mess on top of his head, and his face having gone pale. It’s the most Robby had seen Jack be a complete wreck since his wife has passed away.
The moment that Jack saw Robby across the waiting room, he was speed walking just to get to him. “What have they said?” Jack asked, his arms crossed over his chest. “It’s a head injury.” Jack shut and squeezed his eyes together. “Fucking hell.” Neither of them sat down, if they sat then the emotions would come, and the room would start to shrink down on them.
The waiting room was too quiet, too wrong. The exact opposite of what older men loved about the ER. A bang of the ICU doors gave way and there was a nurse. “Are you family?” The older nurse asked, not knowing that an insular question could make both men feel like they had been hit with a truck.
Her question was only met with silence, the nurse glanced between the men. “We just need to verify the emergency contact information.” Robby blinked “What?” The nurse looked down at her clipboard, “Mr. Whitaker doesn’t have anyone listed.”
The silence that ate into the waiting room was deafening. “What do you mean he doesn’t have anyone listed?” Trinity asked from a few chairs away. The nurse looked rather very uncomfortable. “There’s no emergency contact.” Jack's jaw clenched and his face went white. “No.” The nurse nodded, and her face softened. ‘I’m sorry, folks.”
Robby couldn’t help but laugh, a horrible sound to echo in the waiting room for the ICU. The sound echoing in disbelief. “Are you saying that Mr. Whitaker has no family to contact?” The nurse asked, looking back down at her paperwork.
“Not that’s on file.” Jack answered. Over Robby’s shoulder he could hear Trinity on the verge of melting down, and crying. “Of course Huckleberry didn’t put anyone down.” She mumbled to herself. The nurse excused herself, leaving the three of them to sit there. “We talked to him about adding someone, about adding one of us.” Jack muttered.
It’s funny now how months later Robby understands exactly why the younger man hadn’t put anyone down. Because Dennis was the type of person to take care of everyone except for himself, and then expect no one to take care of him. Jack finally sat down, devastation sitting heavy on his face, and shoulders. “He could have fucking died.” Robby finally spoke.
The words escape before he can stop them from flowing out, the waiting room goes silent, but nobody dares correct him, nobody says to not think about that, because in reality all three waiting there had thought about it at one point tonight.
And all the repeats in Robby's head is Dennis laying on the floor, blood seeping into the cracks of the floor, and not moving a single inch. “Damn it.” Robby said shoving his hands into his hair, “Fucking damn it.” Jack looks up at Robby. Neither of them are talking about the fact that Dennis is sitting the ICU right now, they’re talking about the fucking emergency contact information.
The same one had started this whole thing. The fact that Dennis still even now believed that nobody would come for him when he was hurt, that nobody deserved that call. A sudden realization was almost as bad as the actual accident itself.
Because Robby and everyone else sitting in the waiting room knew the truth. The truth that Jack and crossed half the city of Pittsburgh, Trinity was muttering to herself and looking like she was about to take on a fight with god himself, and Dana the mother of the ER was still standing there.
Robby felt his chest being ripped apart from the inside, “He should have put us down.” From the corner of the room,
It was nearly three in the morning when the ICU doctor finally appeared in the waiting room. Dana had left not too long after the end of the shift, and promised that she’d be back the next day to check up on everyone. Robby stood up immediately, and everything one else followed in suit.
The ICU doctor smiled slightly, and just like that suddenly Robby felt his lungs fill with much needed air. “He’s stable.” The doctor said and what felt like a unified sigh was let out into the room. “He does have a concussion, and a skull fracture, but Dennis is stable.”
Stable, it’s probably the most beautiful word that Robby has ever heard. “Dennis will stay here for a few days while he recovers and then he’ll need to be in the care of someone for the next month.” The relief of the doctor's words have Robby falling back into the chair abruptly.
Across from him Trinity is crying openly, and Jack is staring with relief at the doctor. It’s funny because Robby already knows the first words out of their mouths won’t be about getting hurt, or being reckless, and definitely not about work.
It will be about the damn emergency contact being blank on the form. Because Robby swears to something… maybe god that if the space is left blank again Robby, Jack, and Trinity will raise an absolute hell about it.
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The Pitt Master List // SMAU My Emergency Contact(s) Series
i do love how when noah is talking about fanart, he usually uses the term ‘me’ when referring to robby, and then uses shawn and gerran’s irl names when talking about jack and dennis.
like he totally doesn’t internalize it as artists drawing these separate people. when he looks at fanart, he’s like ‘aw it’s me and my coworkers!’ absolutely insane.
You love the power of having Jack's face nuzzled into your tits before work. This formidable doctor, respected and casually stoic, casually fun, is currently reduced to a needy heap of pale skin and deep breaths.
He's practically pliable.
"Just breathe, Jackie. Just be here with me for a minute."
You dig your fingers into Jack's scalp, massaging. He shifts. You couldn't guess how purposeful the slight thrusts of his hips against your cunt are. You smile at that, despite and because the friction's just a lil too much, considering you have to clock in in five minutes.
His lips graze the swell of your tit as he moves to rest his other cheek on you.
Sorry, kiddo. Can't help but want to be inside you before he has to spend the next twelve hours pretending to be a professional machine.
"You smell good."
"...You smell better."
And while you and Jack are lost in the tenderness of acting like teenagers experiencing puppy love for the first time, Robby decides this is the perfect time to get something from his car.
He stops dead in his fucking tracks the moment he spots the truck, or what's going on.
He should look away the minute he gathers it's your figure sat on Jack's lap as you smooth your hand over his neck, and the way his head is buried in your chest.
"...The fuck?"
Robby should look away. This is fucking weird. He gets it, you two can't keep your hands off of each other. Risky shit like that can be...arousing. Fun. Even though it's highly unprofessional and you shouldn't be doing it. He should look away.
He freezes. You're whispering something to the guy.
And the guy---Jack, his best friend who he couldn't keep from you if he cared to try, looks dominated between your tits. You could pull your scrub top over his head if you wanted.
And...fuck.
Everything about him is still as he can't help but watch like a freak, saved for his cock when a jolt of heat is sent straight to it.
He stops his hand from drifting toward his crotch. Well. No. He wasn't going to in the first place. He wasn't. He was just wondering...
Brett Richards is ripped out of bed by furious banging at the door one day. He's met face to face with his sweet neighbour he's only ever said hello in passing in their driveways - never more. She's beautiful, but on account of the age difference he would never make the first move.
Your usually sweet smile is met with a defiant brow and a stern frown. her anger is marred by the sweet fluff ball in her arms purring contently.
"Your son got my daughter pregnant," you say, placing a hand on your hip.
"What-" he blinks, "I don't have a son."
He's fairly certain he only has the one child he's been trying to reconnect with. But, he supposes a few late nights in his youth could have led to this outcome.
"Him," she points to smokey, his gray tabby, "He was in our yard a few weeks ago and now my sweet Kulfi is a teen mom."
Smokey - original he knows, his wife was always the more creative one in the relationship - had gotten out when Brett was working grilling the other day. Brett had ran around the neightbourhood, shaking a bag of temptations like a mad man until he'd met him back in the garage like nothing happened.
"It wasn't him," Brett chuckles, "I'm a responsible pet owner."
"Clearly they didn't do a good job."
"Maybe it wasn't him."
"Are you accusing my Kulfi of sleeping around?"
He shrugs leaning against the doorframe, "Maybe."
Somewhere in the back of his head he's aware of how absurd this conversation is. And yet, he can't pull himself away.
Kulfi wriggles around, digging her claws in your arm until you drop her on the floor. Smokey rushes towards her. The two sniff each other a moment, before the purring begins, rubbing their faces on each other.
"Need more proof?"
"C'mon man," Brett hangs his head, "Now I gotta call the vet and see what wrong with your vasectomy."
You hand him a paper before bending down to pick up Kulfi, "I expect you to pay half of her vet bills during her pregnancy. My venmo is at the bottom."
You're gone without another word and Brett is left in his doorway shaking his head, playing the conversation over in his head. He's pulled from his thoughts as Smokey rubs himself between his legs, still purring contently.
Brett sighs as he crouches, "I'm disappointed in you, man. But this might just be my in."
Brett spends the rest of his day off with Smokey snoring on his chest, trying to figure out what to put into a "Cat-co-parenting Basket" to leave on your doorstep.
If you see a ship or ship name that hasn’t been added please tell me! I'd be happy to add it. I still update this, by the way. Latest (minor) update: June 6 2026
Popular ships
King x Langdon: Kingdon, melangdon, melfrank
Whitaker x Robby: Hucklerobby, whitavitch
Mohan x Abbot: Mohabbot, abbmira, jamira
Collins x Robby: Rollins, robbycollins
Abbot x Robby: Rabbot/robbot, jackrobby, abbotrobby
Santos x Garcia: Garsantos, no others found
Santos x Ellis: Santellis, ellisantos
Less popular/rarepair
Robby x Langdon: Robbylangdon, robdon, langavich
Robby x Shen: Robbyshen, no others found
Robby x Mohan: Robbymira, rohan, mohanavitch
Robby x Javadi: Robbyvadi, ravadi, robvadi
Santos x King: Mentos, melty, kingsantos, kingtos, meltos
Santos x Everyone/every woman: Bluntos, no others found
Santos x Langdon: Lentos/lantos, sangdon, langdos
Santos x Mohan: Mohantos/mohantoss, mohansantos
Santos x Javadi: Crashtos, vicsantos
Santos x Whitaker: Whitsantos, dantos/dentos, triniberry, santaker
Santos x Al-Hashimi: Barantos, sashimi
Whitaker x Javadi: Whivadi/whitvadi, victoryberry
Whitaker x Abbot: Huckleabbot, no others found
Whitaker x Langdon: Huckledon, langtaker
Whitaker x Ogilvie: Oliveberry, jennis
Whitaker x Park the Shark: Sharktaker, sharkleberry, sharkberry, huckleshark
Shen x Langdon: Shendon, no others found
Shen x Javadi: Shenvadi/shevadi, no others found
Shen x Donahue (Donnie): Shenahue, no others found
Mohan x King: Melhan, samiramel, miramel
Mohan x Walsh: Mowalsh, no others found
Mohan x Ellis: Mohellis, parkmira
Mohan x Al-Hashimi: Barmira, alhan
McKay x Javadi: McVadi, no others found
McKay x Evans (Dana): McEvans, no others found
McKay x Mohan: McMohan, no others found
McKay x Santos: McSantos, no others found
Kwon (Joy) x Ogilvie: Kwogilvie, no others found
Kwon (Joy) x Nolan (Emma): Jemma, joyemma
Evans (Dana) x Nolan (Emma): Evanolan, novans, demma
Javadi x Diaz (Mateo): Mavadi, no others found
Javadi x Everyone: Bluntvadi, no others found
Javadi x Ogilvie: Ogilvadi, no others found
Collins x Evans (Dana): Dancollins, heavans
Abbot x Javadi: Abbovadi, no others found
King x Ellis: Mellis, parking, marker
Polyam
Santos x Garcia x Ellis: Garsantellis
Abbot x Robby x Whitaker: Hucklerabbot
Whitaker x Santos x Javadi: Hucklecrashtos
Whitaker x Robby x Abbot x Langdon: Hucklerabbodon/hucklerabbotdon
King x Santos x Mohan: Melhantos
Garcia x Santos x Mohan: Garsantohan
Abbot x Javadi x Robby: Rabbovadi
Mohan x Abbot x Robby x Javadi: Morabbovadi
Robby x Javadi x Shen: Robvadishen
Crackships (Getting these as I see them, sorry for calling y’all out)
This is a series mostly/completely written in a text-message style. Please excuse any errors you may come across; the website I'm using sometimes likes to work, and other times it doesn't. I'm not posting @ a certain time, I'm just posting when I feel connected with my spirit. Have fun reading, and enjoy.
Tag List Link
The Pitt Master List
Link to the Series Master List
Part 1: Just 2 Concerned Attendings (04/10/26)
Part 2: Going About It The Wrong Way (04/10/26)
Part 3: One Guiding Hand (04/13/26)
Part 4: Rely On Me It's Okay (04/13/26)
Part 5: Two Guiding Hands (04/13/26)
Part 6: If My Phone Rang, I'd Pick It Up (04/13/26)
Part 7: No Pushing, No Pulling. Just Waiting. (04/13/26)
Part 8: Come And Sit In The Silence Together (04/14/26)
Part 9: Let The Old Man Be Happy Sometimes (04/14/26)
Part 10: For Every R1 There Are 2 Attendings Behind Him. (04/14/26)
Part 11: Sister From Another Mother (04/15/26)
Part 12: Better Not Hurt My Huckleberry (04/18/26)
Part 13: Careful With Him, Careful With Yourself (04/18/26)
Part 14: Food Will Calm The Body, I Promise (04/18/26)
Part 15: Go. Eat. Relax. That's An Order. Love Ya. (04/18/26)
Part 16: The Dinner (04/19/26)
Part 17: Hooks In You Good (04/20/26)
Part 18: The Debrief (04/20/26)
Part 19: Keep Showing Up For My Huckleberry (04/20/26)
Part 20: This Dinner Is Intentional (04/20/26)
Part 21: Two Maybe's Become A Pattern (04/20/26)
Part 22: Dinner With Abbot (04/25/26)
Part 23: It's Not A Competition (04/25/26)
Part 24: He Let Me Breath, So I Did (04/25/26)
Part 25: Get Your Attending's In A Row (04/25/26)
Part 26: Robinavitch & Abbot (04/26/26)
Part 27: Figuring Out 20 Years Of History (04/26/26)
Part 28: Just A Few More Questions (04/27/26)
Part 29: 2 Attendings & A R1 (04/27/26)
Part 30: Open Your Big Old Mouth (05/02/26)
Part 31: The R1 Can Ask Questions Of His Own (05/02/26)
Part 32: Take Out & A Movie (05/10/26)
Part 33: The Bare, Unguarded Truth (05/11/26)
Part 34: A Better Try This Time (05/17/26)
Part 35: Two Men In A Closet (05/17/26)
Part 36: Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace (05/17/26)
Part 37: Getting Whipped Into Shape (05/18/26)
part 38: All That Tension… Makes This Worth It (05/21/26)
44 chapters is a lot, I'm thinking that's all I'll write for this. I think by the end the hucklerabbot storyline will feel complete, and I can leave behind something like barantos in it's wake and see if the people are interested in that too. with maybe some Yolanda Garcia drama thrown into the mix.
When this series is complete I'll get to the couple of requests I have and then I'm off to the races to start Kinkmas and fright bites for this year. Hopefully I'll stay ahead of the game on both of those upcoming series.
Summary: Somebody said the 'L' word but not like that. 1604K
By the time the shift finally comes to an end, there is an emotional exhaustion that is almost worse than the physical kind Dennis had gotten from trying to run away from the two older men all day long. The three men leave the emergency room together, there is no discussing it, and no questioning it.
It just happens that way. Trinity watches as they go through the nurses station with very narrowed eyes at the two older men. “Please for the love of god, don’t make me regret getting emotionally involved.” She practically yells across the ER floor.
Without even turning around, maybe out of severe tiredness or something else. Robby points at Trinity “You’ve ALL somehow made this so much worse.” Trinity doesn’t seem to care that she’s yelling at her boss, as she shouts across the floor once more. “Yet, you’re fucking welcome, boss.”
Dana doesn't look up either from her charts in her arms. “You three drive safely. None of you are emotionally stable enough for traffic and you’ll know it.” Jack’s response is one that is automatic. “Thank you, Dana.”
Robby grains dramatically from the other side of the younger man. “Why are you always encouraging her like this?” Internally Dennis can’t help but think that it’s because the older woman who runs the ER like a captain is almost if not always right in whatever scenario she’s talking about.
Dennis doesn't utter the thought at all, far too tired to actually say a single word aloud. The drive back to Robby’s apartment feels very different from any other night that Dennis had come over to the apartment. It’s a quieter ride, filled with not an awkwardness but something that feels like settling down for the first time and actually feeling comfortable in that deep rooted feeling.
Dennis rides in the passenger seat while Jack drives with one hand loose hanging around the steering wheel. Robby sits in the middle, Dennis' personal space being fully taken up by the large and in-charge man in the middle of the pick-up truck.
Dennis can’t seem to mind not when Robby’s knee is staying pressed up lighting against Dennis's entire drive. The touch is small, constant, and intentional. Dennis looks out the car window for the most of the trip trying to hold back a smile about the entire thing.
Unfortunately, of course Robby notices anyway. “Den, you’re doing that face again.” Dennis sighs into his hands. “I’m not sure I know what that means, Robby.” Robby answers immediately “It’s the soft one.” Dennis sees Jack glance over at the two of them briefly, and catches the small smile that is written all over Jack's face.
‘Traitor’ Dennis thinks to himself, Dennis leans back into the head rest with a rather dramatic huff, “You both know I’m never going to be able to survive knowing that you both are so good at observing things.” From the driver's seat Jack answers. “It’s just an occupational hazard, Den.” Dennis shakes his head. “You two are so emotionally exhausting.” From his left side Robby looks rather smug, “And yet.” Dennis doesn’t hesitate as he flips the older man off without any heat behind the action, Robby stares at him with a delight that he only ever sees when they’re out of the ER.
By the time they end up back at Robby’s apartment, all the day's tension has mostly dissolved into a mix of exhaustion and that lingering closeness. Robby is tossing his keys onto the kitchen counter the second the three of them walk in the front door. “Okay.” He says as if he’s still making announcements in the ER. “Nobody is having any emotional spirals tonight.”
Dennis interjects right away. “That feels both bold, and a threat. “That’s fair.” Robby mutters. Jack is shrugging off his jacket very slowly. “But can we at least attempt some sort of stability.” “That’s somehow worse though.” Robby laughs quietly from his spot, and suddenly Dennis realizes just how much he had missed that sound during the day.
That singular realization hits Dennis much harder than he had thought it was going to, and maybe it’s because Robby just so happens to look at Dennis because all the sudden his expression is softening. “Hey.” Robby says a little quieter now, Dennis catches his eye.
“Are you okay, Den?” The question itself is a simple one, a real one too. Dennis lets a slow exhale through his nose before answering. “Yeah.” He admits and for the first time all day long the statement actually is true. The silence that follows and settles is comfortable after that.
Robby moves closer first. Slow enough that Dennis has all the time in the world to step away if he really didn’t want Robby in his space. Except Dennis doesn’t step away, he doesn’t even side step Robby.
Robby’s hand slid carefully along the side of Dennis’s jaw. His thumb brushing softly near his cheek like he is still reassuring himself that Dennis is actually standing in front of him. “You scared me today, Den.” Robby admits quietly. Dennis laughs a little too weakly, “You guys keep saying that to me.”
“That’s because it just so happens to keep being true.” Jack says he steps closer to Dennis not crowding the younger man just showing that he’s also present in the moment. A warmth that settles at his back, steadily there.”You stopped even looking at us.” Jack says softly from behind Dennis.
Dennis closes his eyes for a moment, and breathes in deeply. The mixture of both Robby, and Jack's cologne and the smell of work still clings to all three of them. “I just didn’t know how.” There’s an honesty in Dennis’s words that has the good going quiet once again.
In the moment Robby rests his forehead against Dennis’s gently. “Dennis, you don’t have to disappear every time something scares you.” Dennis swallows hard around nothing but motion. “I know that…” With concern in his words alone, Jack asks “Do you?”
It hurts, yes, but it’s also a fair question to ask. “Probably not.” He mutters breathlessly, and with even a little laugh attached to it. Jack's hands settle carefully at Dennis’s waist, the touch grounding him in an instant. “You can always talk to us, Den.” Without a single thought Dennis leans into the touch, muttering a simple and quiet “Okay.”
The words come out easier, and quieter than intended, but Robby smiles regardless. “Come here.” Robby says softly. Dennis moves without thinking. Their kiss is slow at first, no panic behind it, not a hint of desperation. Just a need for a closeness that they couldn’t get in the ER’s break room.
And well Robby kisses Dennis like he’s trying to undo every single terrible, and horrible thing that Dennis has thought about himself during their twelve hour shift. It’s always careful at first, then it grows in warmth and in confidence from both parties that it has Dennis melting into it, and into Robby’s arms.
Jack stays close the entire time, his hand on Dennis’s waist, fingers brushing over lightly on Robby’s shoulder when he leans in too. All three of them, connected. Dennis sighs quietly against the plumpness of Robby lips when that overwhelming tension finally exits his body for real.
“There you are, Denny." Robby murmurs against Dennis' lips softly. Dennis’s laugh is a breathless one. “You do really like saying that.” “That’s only because you keep running away from us emotionally." Dennis tries to roll his eyes. “That’s just rude.” Jack interrupts quickly. “No it’s just accurate.”
Dennis groans dramatically while both the older men laugh, and just like that the heaviness that the all three men had been carrying on their shoulders in the hospital breaks away completely. Robby goes back in, kissing him again before Dennis can even recover from the embarrassment of being perceived so well.
This kiss is a deeper one right off the bat. With less hesitation in the background. Dennis grabs ever so slightly at the front of Robby’s shirt without thinking. Just pulling him closer on instinct. Robby ends up making the most quiet sound in the back of throat that sends warmth straight through into Dennis’s chest.
Then Jack's hands are gently tilting Dennis’s jaw, to just simply draw his attention towards the other older man. No jealousy in the movement, and no uncertainty. Just a shared moment of gravity pulling the three of them together in the most natural way possible. Dennis kisses Jack next, this time a little slower but holding all the meaning.
Dennis learns that Jack kisses like he’s trying to say something carefully of course without actually saying a single word. Dennis hates how much the effect has on him, and when he pulls back slightly Jack lets his head fall briefly to the younger man's shoulder.
“You’re very loved here Dennis. You do know that right?” Jack asks quietly. In the middle of Robby’s apartment the three of them stand in complete and utter silence as Dennis mulls the words over in his head. Robby’s hand tightens just slightly around the back of his neck. “Like… aggressively loved, honestly.” Robby says softly.
It makes Dennis laugh hard unexpectedly. The sound fills the space of the apartment with a brightness, and warmth that Robby hasn’t seen in a long time. The sheer sound has the older man smiling as if he’s won something. And honestly maybe he has won something, because right now Dennis is looking between both Jack and Robby if he’s realized something terrifying for the first time.
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The Pitt Master List // SMAU My Emergency Contact(s) Series
