River had been working at this particular hospital for considerably longer than Ari had- sorry, Dr Cola, as it was probably more appropriate to address him, though nothing about their relationship was particularly professional or appropriate. The two of them weren’t in a relationship, technically, mostly because they hadn’t confirmed anything mutually or even properly talked about it, but they were unspokenly exclusive and intimate far beyond platonic friendship, and above all River adored him, even though he was obnoxious and endlessly irritating. Not that he’d ever admit it, but even when he first met the doctor, his general presence made his jaw ache- his smile, his voice, his eyes, his hair. Again, since the start, River had probably lost focus at important times while the doctor was around, and often got funny looks from him when he asked for patient information and all River could supply was blank-looking stares and prolonged uhhhhs. Dr Cola made him useless at his job. River was quiet anyway, but this man probably initially thought he was mute.
River wasn’t usually such a pushover, and he intended immediately to get over himself and snap out of his stupid infatuation, but even after taking ten minutes to even enter the doctor’s office, psyching himself up to act like a normal human being and behave how a nurse should behave to a doctor, he would still stare at his mouth, resist the ridiculous urge to climb over his desk and kiss him in a kind of adolescently foolish and urgent way he didn’t pride himself in imagining. River, usually relatively meek and generally soft-spoken, wasn’t used to such thoughts and motivations. Luckily, in the beginning, Ari seemed on the surface to share no similar feelings, until River changed his hair one day just to mix it up and not only did the doctor notice when he headed into his office, but there was a noticeable lip bite and River all but burned up. That was the closest he came in a while to stepping way over the professional boundary and respond to the unspoken flattery in a much more colourful way. Again, River found himself dizzy from his own active imagination that he kept contained inside his gentle self, and snapped himself out of it again before excusing himself to leave.
Though afterwards he again attempted to swear off even entertaining the idea of kissing him or something likewise, it wasn’t long after that that they had started... something, and in some miraculous stroke of luck, there questionable and careless behaviour hadn’t yet been caught on to, save a few close calls where river had to scramble off Ari’s lap and stumble aside, making up weak excuses that only passed because Ari was a good doctor and River was just someone that everybody tended to like. They were at the point now where they behaved as if dating- and they had seen eachother repeatedly outside of work- but again, nothing had really been spoken about. River wouldn’t complain if Ari had officially asked him out, but he supposed it was difficult and such a relationship would be severely frowned upon if it didn’t spell an end to both of their jobs. Apparently, this constant looming risk was less an immobiliser and more a motivator, the threat a sort of excitement (though River would admit that thought process over his cold, stiff corpse), and they had been in this kind of limbo-relationship for a couple of months now at least.
That particular day was a strangely slow one, and Dr Cola was, for once in his life, ‘off duty’. Not really, because chances were he’d be called out halfway through, but theoretically he had an hour or two to himself where he could dedicate it to getting other work done. This rarely happened, when River was around- the nurse always set out with a professional game plan; drop off the patient information the doctor requested, don’t end up with his tongue down your throat again- But somehow, to his surprise, every time it was the same. River was still shocked at his own behaviour and really did expect better from himself, but what could he say? Ari was handsome, he asked River to call him doctor, he found a way to get River to kiss him whenever there was time and opportunity. And uncharacteristically, River found himself usually just going along with it, mostly because in retaliation he could just make fun of him to all end.
The formula was always the same- another nurse approached him, and he already knew what she was going to say; Doctor Cola wants the records, Doctor Cola wants the information from the patients on Ward 7 and 8, Doctor Cola wants vitals from [insert patient]- the same formulaic bullshit each time that River inevitably agreed to do, mostly, he told himself, because that was his job. Either way, he found what Doctor Cola so desperately needed and headed towards his office, knocking once before pushing his way inside, running his free hand through his hair and hesitating for a second, letting the door shut behind him. His eyes immediately rested on the man behind the desk at a computer, a man clearly pretending to be engrossed in reading something on his monitor, a man who caught his eye immediately after the door had shut.
Ari was looking almost devil-may-care, the supposed professional lounging back in his chair as River approached, noting in annoyance how the doctor’s pale golden blonde hair fell so effortlessly in an almost 90’s style- River wondered absently how many patients just didn’t pay attention to what he was saying because they were distracted by how unfairly and androgynously pretty he was. Still sick of himself, he stopped short of the doctor’s desk. ”Here you go, Dr. Cola,” He said with a raised eyebrow. "You know, one of these days, Dr. Pepper are gonna sue your whole ass name.” He dropped the paperwork on Ari’s desk and cracked his neck to the side. "Anything else, Doctor? It’s been a slow shift so far.”
River wasn’t usually such a pushover, and he intended immediately to get over himself and snap out of his stupid infatuation, but even after taking ten minutes to even enter the doctor’s office, psyching himself up to act like a normal human being and behave how a nurse should behave to a doctor, he would still stare at his mouth, resist the ridiculous urge to climb over his desk and kiss him in a kind of adolescently foolish and urgent way he didn’t pride himself in imagining. River, usually relatively meek and generally soft-spoken, wasn’t used to such thoughts and motivations. Luckily, in the beginning, Ari seemed on the surface to share no similar feelings, until River changed his hair one day just to mix it up and not only did the doctor notice when he headed into his office, but there was a noticeable lip bite and River all but burned up. That was the closest he came in a while to stepping way over the professional boundary and respond to the unspoken flattery in a much more colourful way. Again, River found himself dizzy from his own active imagination that he kept contained inside his gentle self, and snapped himself out of it again before excusing himself to leave.
Though afterwards he again attempted to swear off even entertaining the idea of kissing him or something likewise, it wasn’t long after that that they had started... something, and in some miraculous stroke of luck, there questionable and careless behaviour hadn’t yet been caught on to, save a few close calls where river had to scramble off Ari’s lap and stumble aside, making up weak excuses that only passed because Ari was a good doctor and River was just someone that everybody tended to like. They were at the point now where they behaved as if dating- and they had seen eachother repeatedly outside of work- but again, nothing had really been spoken about. River wouldn’t complain if Ari had officially asked him out, but he supposed it was difficult and such a relationship would be severely frowned upon if it didn’t spell an end to both of their jobs. Apparently, this constant looming risk was less an immobiliser and more a motivator, the threat a sort of excitement (though River would admit that thought process over his cold, stiff corpse), and they had been in this kind of limbo-relationship for a couple of months now at least.
That particular day was a strangely slow one, and Dr Cola was, for once in his life, ‘off duty’. Not really, because chances were he’d be called out halfway through, but theoretically he had an hour or two to himself where he could dedicate it to getting other work done. This rarely happened, when River was around- the nurse always set out with a professional game plan; drop off the patient information the doctor requested, don’t end up with his tongue down your throat again- But somehow, to his surprise, every time it was the same. River was still shocked at his own behaviour and really did expect better from himself, but what could he say? Ari was handsome, he asked River to call him doctor, he found a way to get River to kiss him whenever there was time and opportunity. And uncharacteristically, River found himself usually just going along with it, mostly because in retaliation he could just make fun of him to all end.
The formula was always the same- another nurse approached him, and he already knew what she was going to say; Doctor Cola wants the records, Doctor Cola wants the information from the patients on Ward 7 and 8, Doctor Cola wants vitals from [insert patient]- the same formulaic bullshit each time that River inevitably agreed to do, mostly, he told himself, because that was his job. Either way, he found what Doctor Cola so desperately needed and headed towards his office, knocking once before pushing his way inside, running his free hand through his hair and hesitating for a second, letting the door shut behind him. His eyes immediately rested on the man behind the desk at a computer, a man clearly pretending to be engrossed in reading something on his monitor, a man who caught his eye immediately after the door had shut.
Ari was looking almost devil-may-care, the supposed professional lounging back in his chair as River approached, noting in annoyance how the doctor’s pale golden blonde hair fell so effortlessly in an almost 90’s style- River wondered absently how many patients just didn’t pay attention to what he was saying because they were distracted by how unfairly and androgynously pretty he was. Still sick of himself, he stopped short of the doctor’s desk. ”Here you go, Dr. Cola,” He said with a raised eyebrow. "You know, one of these days, Dr. Pepper are gonna sue your whole ass name.” He dropped the paperwork on Ari’s desk and cracked his neck to the side. "Anything else, Doctor? It’s been a slow shift so far.”