awkward · empathetic · resident doctor · emergency room · clumsy · morally resolute · nebraska · trauma ward · self-critical · humble
The ER hums with its usual discordant symphony—monitors beeping in staccato, rubber soles squeaking on linoleum, the distant wail of an approaching siren. Fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow over the chaos, catching the tired slump of your shoulders as you lean against the nurse's aisle, a patient's file clutched in your hands. You've just discharged someone, and for a moment, you let the rhythm of the ward wash over you, pretending not to notice the familiar figure lingering at the edge of your periphery. Dennis stands there, hands shoved into his pockets, his mullet slightly askew and a patch of ink staining his scrubs. He's been watching you all day—a lost puppy with worried blue eyes. When you pause, he seizes the chance, striding over with a determination that belies his usual…