Chapter Text
Robby <3:
Hey, beautiful. I’m downstairs.
Don’t forget a jacket for our walk. It’s cold outside.
Dennis:
Coming!
Dennis tried to sneak out past Trinity, which was impossible since the front door was clearly visible from the couch.
“So… where are you going?” Trinity asked, not even looking up from her phone.
“Out,” Dennis said quickly, reaching for his jacket.
“Out,” she repeated, glancing up now, one eyebrow raised. “Wow. Very specific. Very convincing.”
Dennis huffed, tugging his jacket on. “I’m just… going for a walk.”
“At night?” Trinity tilted her head. “With your hair like that?”
Dennis froze, immediately reaching up to fix it. “What’s wrong with my hair?”
“Oh, nothing,” she said, far too innocently. “It just looks like you spent ten minutes trying to make it look like you didn’t try.”
“I did not!” Dennis almost shouted.
Trinity grinned. “Uh-huh. And the nice jacket? And the shoes that aren’t falling apart? Should I keep going?”
Dennis grabbed his bag, flustered. “It’s just a walk.”
“With Robby,” Trinity added casually.
Dennis choked. “I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t have to,” she said, sitting up properly now, clearly delighted. “You’ve been smiling at your phone like a lovesick idiot since you got back from his place.”
Dennis groaned, dragging a hand over his face. “Please stop talking.”
“Nope. Not until you admit it.”
“Admit what?”
“That you’re going on a date,” she said sweetly.
Dennis hesitated, then muttered, “It’s not… it’s just—”
“It’s a date,” Trinity cut in. “And you like him.”
Dennis’s face went bright red.
Trinity softened just a fraction, her smile turning warmer. “I’m happy for you, you know.”
Dennis glanced at her, caught off guard. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said simply. Then, immediately, her grin snapped back into place. “Now go before your boyfriend freezes to death downstairs.”
“He’s not—” Dennis started, then gave up, already heading for the door. “I’m leaving.”
“Text me if you get kidnapped!” she called after him. “Or if he tries a sex move that you don’t know.”
“TRINITY!”
The door slammed behind him, but she could still hear him laughing as he went.
The river was lovely. There had been a little rain in the afternoon, and it left the air crisp and the greenery glistening.
Dennis filled the silence with stories from home, light and easy, the good ones. He wanted Robby to know that his childhood hadn’t all been pain and shame.
As they reached the restaurant, Robby seemed a little off. He kept sighing under his breath, like he was about to say something, only to stop himself at the last second.
Dennis noticed.
He slowed slightly, giving their clasped hands a small squeeze to get Robby’s attention before they stepped inside. “Hey… are you okay?” he asked softly.
Robby blinked, like he’d been pulled out of his own head. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
Dennis hesitated. “Did I do something wrong?”
The words came out quieter than he meant them to.
Robby’s expression shifted immediately, something softer, more focused. “Hey, no. No, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Dennis searched his face anyway, not quite convinced. “You just seem… distracted.”
Robby exhaled, a small, conflicted sound, then glanced toward the restaurant doors before looking back at Dennis. “I am,” he admitted. “But it’s not because of you. Well… it is, but it’s not. It’s not bad…or maybe it is. Fuck, I’m messing this up.”
Dennis’s expression flickered, a hint of panic creeping in.
Robby caught it immediately. “Hey,” he said more gently. “Can we go inside? I’ll explain. I… want to do it properly.”
Dennis nodded, even if he didn’t fully understand. “Okay.”
The booth was quiet, tucked into the corner just enough to feel private without being hidden.
Robby wrapped his fingers loosely around his glass, watching the way the light caught the wine as he turned it slightly. He hadn’t meant to wait this long.
Across from him, Dennis was still not completely relaxed. He had lived with tension and fear for too long for it to disappear easily.
Robby exhaled slowly, setting the glass down.
“Hey,” he said, a little softer than he meant to.
Dennis looked up immediately. “Yeah?”
Robby hesitated for half a second, then leaned forward slightly, keeping his voice low. “So… earlier. What I was trying to say.”
Dennis stilled.
Robby rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, searching for the right words. “This… us,” he started, then huffed out a quiet breath. “I’m really excited about it. I’m excited to see where it goes. I don’t want you thinking any of this is me… second-guessing that.”
Dennis’s shoulders eased just a fraction.
“But,” Robby continued gently, “you’re still on rotation in my department.”
Dennis nodded slowly. “Yeah…”
“And I’m guessing, from conversations we’ve had and others I’ve overheard, that you want to match with Pitt,” Robby added. “Which means… I have influence. Whether I want to or not.”
Dennis’s fingers tightened slightly around his glass, but he stayed quiet, listening.
Robby met his eyes, steady now. “I need to make sure this doesn’t hurt you. Not your chances, not your reputation. Nothing.”
Dennis swallowed. “Are you… saying we should stop?”
The question was careful, but it landed heavier than anything else had.
Robby shook his head immediately and reached out to take Dennis’s hands. “No. No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
“I’m saying we need to be smart about it,” Robby clarified. “At work, I keep things completely professional. No exceptions. And I might need to talk to HR, to make sure we’re doing this properly.”
Dennis blinked. “HR?”
“Yeah,” Robby said, watching him closely. “Not to get you in trouble. The opposite. To protect you. To make sure no one can question your place there.”
Dennis looked down at the table for a moment, processing.
Robby softened his voice. “I don’t want this to cost you anything, Dennis. You’ve worked too hard for that. I was thinking… maybe moving you to night shift as well might help keep things clearer.”
There was a pause.
Then Dennis looked back up. “Okay,” he said quietly.
Robby studied him. “Okay?”
Dennis nodded, a little more sure this time. “Yeah. Okay.”
Something in Robby’s chest loosened.
“Okay,” he echoed, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.
Robby caught the mischievous glint in Dennis’s eyes.
“I guess this means no fooling around in the storeroom or on-call room,” Dennis said with a chuckle. “I’m a little disappointed.”
Robby huffed out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “You say that like it was ever on the table.”
Dennis’s smile widened. “You don’t seem completely against the idea.”
Robby leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m definitely against the idea,” he said, though the warmth in his eyes gave him away. “At work, I am a model of professionalism.”
Dennis hummed, clearly unconvinced. “Mm. Sure, you are. Then why are your hands always on my shoulder… or my neck?”
Robby chuckled, but the sound softened as he leaned forward again, his expression shifting, voice dropping just a fraction. “You should see what I can do with my hands when we’re not at work.”
Dennis’s breath caught…and just then, the waiter appeared to take their order.
Dennis:
Thank you for tonight. It was lovely.
Robby <3:
It was wonderful, but tomorrow is going to be a nightmare. How am I going to get through a shift without kissing you?
Dennis:
I believe it was you who put an embargo on workplace shenanigans!
Robby <3:
Touché. True. But that doesn’t mean I can’t dream about it tonight.
Robby <3:
Hey… serious side now: has anyone, your mom, your brother, tried to reach you since? I just want to make sure you’re okay.
Dennis:
No… not since. I promise I’ll tell you if they do.
Robby <3:
Good. Sweet dreams, beautiful.
Dennis:
Good night… stud?
No, what about… good night, my man?
Or hot stuff?
I’ll work on it. Anyway… good night!
This shift was going to be the death of Dennis. Not only was it awful to come back to work after a weekend that had been an emotional rollercoaster, but it was also doubly frustrating that he couldn’t reach out to the one person who could help calm him, Robby.
“For the love of God, stop staring at him like a lovesick puppy!” Trinity said, sliding into the seat next to Dennis to start charting.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dennis replied shortly, though his eyes flicked back to Robby anyway.
Trinity smirked, shaking her head. “Sure, keep pretending. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack before lunch.”
Dennis groaned, dropping his gaze to the chart in front of him.
Later in the day, Robby pulled Dennis away from the nurses’ station, guiding him to a quieter part of the floor, a small, easy smile on his face.
“Hey,” he said quietly, so no one else would overhear. “I was thinking… do you want to come over tonight? You could stay the night, and we can come in together tomorrow.”
Dennis froze for a moment, his chest jumping. The thought made his heart race faster than it had all shift. “I… yeah, I’d like that,” he said, voice almost breathless. “But you should know, I’m… I’ve never… I mean, I’ve done stuff, but not… you know…”
Robby nodded, watching him carefully, his expression softening. “Hey, that’s okay.”
He shifted a little closer, lowering his voice. “This is just us hanging out, Dennis. We can cook together, watch a movie, maybe kiss a little, and then sleep. You can sleep in the guest room again if you want. We’ll do whatever makes you comfortable.”
Dennis let out a small breath, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
Dennis had to tell Trinity what was happening. He thought she would tease him relentlessly, but she just gave him a wicked grin and said, “Have fun,” when he mentioned that Robby was waiting outside for him.
Robby was parked right outside the flat.
He was leaning slightly out the driver’s side window, one arm resting casually against the door, scanning the entrance. The moment he saw Dennis, his face lit up, easy, warm.
“Hey,” Dennis said as he reached the passenger side, suddenly unsure what to do with his hands.
“Hey, yourself,” Robby replied, softer, his eyes flicking over Dennis like he was checking that he was okay.
Dennis opened the door and climbed in, setting his bag at his feet. When he closed the door, Robby took his hand in his and pulled away from the curb.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. The quiet wasn’t awkward, just… new.
Robby’s thumb brushed gently over the back of Dennis’s hand as he drove, slow and absent, like he couldn’t quite help himself.
Dennis glanced over, his nerves easing just a little.
“You okay?” Robby asked, not taking his eyes off the road.
Dennis nodded, a small smile forming. “Yeah. Just… this feels a bit unreal.”
Robby huffed a soft laugh. “Good unreal or bad unreal?”
“Good,” Dennis said quickly. Then, a little softer, “Definitely good.”
Robby squeezed his hand once, warm and steady. “Good.”
Dennis shifted slightly in his seat, turning his hand so their fingers could lace together properly.
Robby didn’t comment, but the corner of his mouth lifted, and he held on.
Robby had said they could cook together, but as soon as Dennis witnessed him trying to peel potatoes, he promptly banished him to the breakfast nook. So it ended up being Dennis cooking and Robby watching.
“I don’t understand why you have a fridge this well stocked if you can’t cook or bake,” Dennis said, glancing over his shoulder.
Robby shrugged. “As soon as you offered to house-sit, I placed an order for ingredients instead of my usual ready meals and protein shakes.”
He shifted slightly in his seat, watching Dennis with a soft, almost shy expression.
“I knew you liked being in the kitchen. I heard you talking about food with Jessie, about how much you missed being able just to cook and bake whatever you wanted… and I wanted you to enjoy your time here.”
Dennis set down the knife he had been using and walked around the counter to Robby, who was still seated, making Dennis taller than him for once.
He cupped Robby’s face gently in both hands. “You’re a very sweet man,” he said softly. “I know things haven’t been easy for you lately, and you still being this kind to me just proves how lovely you are.”
Robby blinked up at him, caught off guard for once. “Careful,” he murmured, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Keep talking like that, and I might get a big head.”
Dennis huffed a quiet laugh, thumbs brushing his cheeks. “Good. You deserve one.”
Robby’s hand slid to his wrist, then his waist. “Yeah?”
Dennis didn’t answer, just leaned in.
The kiss was soft at first, then a little less careful, a little more certain. Robby tilted his head, pulling him just a fraction closer.
“Mm,” Robby murmured when they parted, barely an inch between them. “You’re trouble.”
Dennis smiled, already stepping back. “And now dinner is burning.”
Robby groaned, glancing toward the stove. “Worth it.”
They did end up going to bed. Well, after a very enjoyable makeout session on the couch.
However, Dennis didn’t sleep in the guest room. Instead, he very confidently snuggled into Robby’s bed while the older man showered.
When Robby stepped out, he found Dennis fighting to keep his eyes open, clearly determined to wait for him.
Robby paused for a second in the doorway, taking in the sight of Dennis curled up in his bed, eyes half-lidded but stubbornly open.
“You know you don’t actually have to wait up for me,” he murmured, already crossing the room.
Dennis blinked slowly, a small, tired smile tugging at his lips. “I wanted to.”
That did something quiet and warm to Robby’s chest.
He climbed into bed beside him, the mattress dipping under his weight, and didn’t hesitate. He just pulled Dennis in close, one arm wrapping securely around him.
Dennis let out a soft breath, immediately settling against him like he’d been waiting for exactly that.
“Took you long enough,” Dennis mumbled, already half asleep.
Robby huffed a quiet laugh, pressing a gentle kiss into his hair. “Yeah, yeah.”
He tightened his hold just slightly, tucking Dennis in against him. “Go to sleep.”
Dennis didn’t need to be told twice.
Dennis woke at 4 a.m.
He didn’t want to be awake, but the anxiety about what he and Robby were doing had wormed its way into his dreams and pulled him from sleep.
Firstly, they were going against everything he had been taught from a young age, and Dennis knew two days of affection from Robby hadn’t healed him.
Secondly, they were creating an HR nightmare for both of them.
Thirdly, Robby had his own deep-seated emotional issues. Dennis had seen them.
Dennis slipped carefully out of bed, doing his best not to disturb Robby.
The loss of warmth was immediate.
He hesitated for a second, looking back at the bed, at the steady rise and fall of Robby’s breathing… then turned away.
The kitchen was dark, lit only by the faint glow from the streetlights outside.
Dennis moved on autopilot, filling the kettle, his hands just slightly unsteady. The click of it turning on sounded too loud in the quiet.
He braced his hands against the counter and stared down at nothing.
This is going to fall apart.
You’re going to ruin this.
His chest tightened, breath coming shorter, sharper.
He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing once, twice, before stopping again at the counter.
“Hey.”
Dennis started.
Robby stood in the doorway, hair tangled from sleep, voice rough and low. He took in the scene in a second: the untouched mug, the tension in Dennis’s shoulders, the way he wouldn’t turn around.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked gently, already stepping closer.
Dennis shook his head, staring down at the counter. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t.” Robby’s voice softened further as he came to stand just behind him. “You just… weren’t there.”
That landed.
“Talk to me,” Robby said quietly.
Dennis let out a shaky breath. “It’s just… everything,” he admitted. “This. Us. Work. My past. Your stuff. I…” He cut himself off, shaking his head. “It's just a lot of noise in my head”
Robby nodded slowly, like he’d expected that.
“Okay,” he said. “Yeah. That makes sense.”
Dennis blinked, glancing back at him, surprised. “It does?”
“Yeah,” Robby said. “You’ve had your whole world flipped in, what, a few days? Of course, your brain’s trying to catch up.”
The kettle clicked off. Neither of them moved for it.
Robby stepped a little closer. “We don’t have to figure it all out tonight,” he added.
Dennis’s shoulders dropped just slightly. “It doesn’t feel like that.”
“I know,” Robby said softly. “But that doesn’t make it true.”
There was a pause.
“Dennis, can you come back to bed, please, and let me help you get out of your head?” Robby asked.
Robby reached for Dennis’s hand, warm and steady, and guided him back down the hall.
The bed was still warm when they slipped back into it.
For a moment, they just lay there, facing each other. Close. Breathing the same air.
Robby lifted a hand, brushing it gently along Dennis’s forehead. “Let’s quiet that mind of yours,” he murmured.
Then he leaned in, slow at first, pressing soft kisses along Dennis’s cheek, his jaw, the corner of his mouth, unhurried, deliberate.
Dennis’s breath hitched as Robby’s lips trailed lower, down the line of his neck.
Robby took his time, learning him, mapping the places that made Dennis shift and soften beneath him. When he found that sensitive spot at the base of his neck, he stayed there, pressing a slower, warmer kiss.
Dennis’s hand came up instinctively, gripping at Robby’s shirt, a quiet moan escaping before he could stop it.
“More… please,” Dennis managed, breath unsteady. “I need more.”
His fingers caught the hem of Dennis’s shirt, pausing just long enough to give him the chance to pull away.
Dennis didn’t.
Instead, he lifted his arms, breath hitching as Robby pulled the fabric up and over his head, tossing it aside without breaking the closeness between them.
Robby stilled for just a second, then his hand began to move, slow, deliberate, trailing up Dennis’s stomach, over his chest, warm and grounding. Robby’s gaze flicked over him, something darker, more certain settling in his expression now.
Then he shifted lower on the bed, pressing a line of kisses down Dennis’s chest, his stomach, unhurried but purposeful.
Dennis’s breath caught, his fingers tangling in the sheets as he watched him.
Robby paused at the waistband of his sleep shorts, looking up, eyes searching, steady.
“Can I?” he asked softly.
Dennis swallowed, heart racing, then nodded, slow, certain. “Yes.”
That's all the go-ahead Robby needs as he swiftly pulls down Dennis sleep-shorts. He lets out a growl when he sees the prize waiting for him. Dennis ' half-hard dick is a delight to behold. Robby takes his time getting to know it.
Above him, Dennis’s head tipped back into the pillow, a soft, breathless sound escaping as everything else fell away.
The noise in his mind, the fear, the doubt, all slipped quietly, replaced by the warmth of Robby’s mouth.
“Fuck Robby, baby…God, your mouth!” Dennis panted
Robby had taken all of Dennis in and was almost choking himself in his eagerness to help Dennis forget.
Dennis's hands left the sheets and came to rest on Robby’s shoulders. Tapping at the older man, he tried to warn him, “Baby, I’m… I can’t stop myself… of fucking hell YES!
Dennis must have blacked out from the pleasure because the next thing he saw after everything went white was Robby's face just above him. “Hey,” he murmured, voice low and warm.
Dennis let out a shaky breath, blinking up at him, still a little dazed. “Hi.”
Robby huffed a quiet laugh at that, brushing his fingers lightly through Dennis’s hair, smoothing it back from his face. “Is that mind of yours a little quieter now?”
Dennis nodded, a slow, sleepy smile forming. “Yeah… yeah, it is.”
“Good,” Robby said softly. “And tomorrow, we’ll take things one step at a time. Together.”
His thumb brushed gently along Dennis’s cheek. “We’ll walk through it side by side, okay?”
“Okay,” Dennis murmured, already drifting.
Robby pulled him close against his side, holding him there as Dennis slipped back into sleep.