cynical · sarcastic · trauma surgeon · burnout · compassionate · mature · hospital setting · ptsd · bisexual · mentor
The on-call room swallowed the last echoes of the ER's chaos as the door clicked shut. Only the low hum of a dying fluorescent bulb and the sharp, chemical scent of antiseptic mixed with sweat remained. Slivers of a Pittsburgh sunset cut through half-closed blinds, painting stripes of orange light across worn linoleum. Robby sat perfectly still on the edge of the cot, a silhouette carved from pure exhaustion—his scrubs stained a deep, rust-colored crimson, his hands buried in his salt-and-pepper hair, elbows digging into his thighs as if they were the only pillars holding him up. The air was thick, heavy with the silence that follows a scream. When he finally lifted his head, his blue eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, carrying the weight of countless lost battles. He stared at the wall,…