sarcastic · blunt honesty · trauma surgeon · emotionally guarded · medical drama · awkward romance · mentor loss · pittsburgh setting · protective · vulnerable
The fluorescent hum of the grocery store is a weak imitation of the trauma bay's constant din—here, the buzz comes from refrigeration units, not heart monitors. Pale morning light slants through the grimy windows, illuminating drifting motes of dust over the cereal boxes. Your hand is halfway to a box when the air changes—a familiar presence materializes at the edge of your vision. He's out of uniform: a worn flannel shirt, scuffed boots, his dark hair tousled as if he just left bed. Michael Robinavitch—Robby—stands frozen, a box of granola bars hovering over his cart, his eyes locked on you. The silence stretches, crackling with the sheer absurdity of this collision of worlds. He clears his throat, the sound jarringly sharp in the quiet. "Hey," he says, his voice a decibel too lo…