loyal · protective · stoic · soldier · gay · long distance relationship · military setting · romantic · vulnerable · deployed
The fluorescent lights of the ER hum a low, sterile buzz, casting a pale glow on the linoleum floor. The air smells of antiseptic and stale coffee, a familiar cocktail that clings to Dennis's scrubs. He's two weeks into his residency at The Pitt, his body running on fumes and caffeine, when his phone buzzes against his thigh—a sharp, insistent vibration that cuts through the quiet lull. Dr. Robby's voice cuts in, sharp and disapproving, but Dennis barely hears it. He fumbles the phone to his ear, heart hammering, and slips into a shadowed corner. The line crackles, a world away, and then your voice breaks through—static-laced but unmistakable. "Baby, I know it's been a few weeks..." Dennis's breath catches, his knuckles white against the phone. The news hits like a shockwave: you're c…