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We head down the hallway and wait for the elevator to go to the cafeteria.

The selection is decent, but it can get pricey.

I'm not struggling for money and if Tyler and I end up getting an apartment together, I'll be able to put aside even more each month.

Or spend it on Tyler for new toys and clothes.

I love his pajamas that he wore this weekend and I want to see more of his Little clothes.

"Earth to Brandt." A hand waves in front of my vision, cutting off my train of thought from Tyler. I blink twice before I realize the elevator door is open and they're waiting. I mumble a quick apology and step into the box with them. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I say quickly. I don't want to tell anyone about Tyler right now.

I'm dying to, really. I want to tell everyone about him, but I was his nurse just two weeks ago.

We work in a large-ish hospital that has multiple departments within one building.

Nine times out of ten shifts, I'm working the fourth floor at the Emergency Department, but two shifts every two weeks— usually my Thursdays— I'm at the clinic where Tyler comes in for his follow up appointments.

I'm on a floating schedule, which comes with slightly more money, but means where I'm working that day can change with minimal notice.

"He's definitely wearing the nothing face," Derrek says, not even trying to whisper. I roll my eyes at him and thankfully the doors open.

"Do we think it's work related or boy?"

"He wouldn't dare leave us without the heads up." I roll my eyes again, avoiding them. "So it has to be a boy."

"It could be family, maybe?" Veronica says. Now they're just sounding conspiratorial. "Didn't he mention his brother and wife were trying for baby number two?"

"Oh my god." I turn around and face both of them.

I'm not annoyed with them in the slightest. I find it amusing, actually.

I also know they'll continue to get more far fetched with each new idea until I stop them.

I've been on the giving end of that many times.

"It's a boy, okay? I started dating someone, it's new.

No, I won't tell you who it is. Yes, you do know this person. Kind of. End of questions."

"Oh honey, that answers nothing." Veronica passes me to stand next in line and gives me a wink. Derrek lays a hand on my shoulder and pretends to sniffle.

"He's growing up so fast. First it's dating and then we'll have to sit him down for the talk."

"I hate both of you right now." I glare between the two of them.

They only scoff at my declaration and turn to the cashier to place their orders.

I take a moment to pull my phone out and check my texts.

I have thirty minutes until I need to be back upstairs.

There's a text from Tyler and one from my brother.

Tyler's is a photo and I'm only slightly disappointed when it isn't anything naughty.

Tyler

Got my medical bracelet. I like it.

He's holding up his arm in the photo. He went with a green and blue paracord bracelet design.

Attached to it is a silver plaque that has the universal medical symbol as well as his diagnosis in small print under it.

It's definitely different from the others I've seen, but he's smiling and I'm not the one wearing it.

Another text comes through just as I'm about to respond.

Tyler

Had to get something noticeable for work, so if I were to accidentally lose it in the kitchen, it would be easily recognizable and not blend in.

I look up to make sure it's not my turn to order yet before typing out a quick response.

Brandt

It looks great, baby. I'm glad it came in so quickly. Is it comfortable?

I pocket my phone, knowing I'll get a response quickly since it's Sunday and he isn't working.

I place my order for a soup and sandwich meal and join the other two in the queue waiting for their food as well.

The production time here is pretty good, not as good as Shade Grown, but I don't complain.

Once we're sitting at a table with our food, the questions start up again.

"Can we get any information on this guy we apparently know but don't know?" Veronica asks. Veronica is only thirty, just a couple months my senior, but she’s worse than a teenager when it comes to getting juicy details. I shake my head. "Nothing? You're no fun. I tell you about my boyfriend."

"Yeah, a little too much sometimes." Derrek laughs at my comeback, almost spewing his food onto the table.

"You love my stories," Veronica says. It's not a total lie.

Veronica is one of the few in my professional life that knows I'm into a more kinkier side of things. We met at a club when I first moved here and then kept in touch. It wasn’t Club Thrive, but one much smaller and more focused on dancing than kink.

She was the one that let me know about the first job I had with this hospital and part of the reason I went back to school for nursing.

"It's new and I want to see where things go first," I say. Granted, we're already planning on moving in together, if he likes the place on Tuesday evening when we go see it. I'm assuming he'll want his own room, but I want to help him decorate it if he wants any Little things.

They drop it and we change the subject to work and plans for the week. Derrek is going on vacation next week and Veronica is planning a date night for Friday. Outside of that, it's work for all three of us. I don't mention the moving thing either, just because it isn't set in stone yet.

Lunch ends way too soon and I head back upstairs.

I check my phone in the elevator and see that Tyler did message back with an affirmative that the bracelet is comfortable.

He also let me know that he's officially enrolled for the two classes like we discussed this morning. One is a creative writing class and the other is a research class on current events and media in the world today. Both fully online so he won’t have to miss work.

I’m busy the rest of the shift. I have four patients, one more than I should in a shift, but we're short staffed as usual, so I suck it up. I'm in and out of rooms, updating charts, double checking orders, and wishing that I could be at home with Tyler and Fluff.

By the time my twelve hour shift is done, I’m ready to go home and relax.

I don’t always work a full twelve hours, but when I do they feel like I’m working forever.

I love the job and helping people, but now that I have something, someone, to look forward to outside of work, I’m not hanging around after clocking out.

I have another text from a number I don't recognize when I finally clock out for the day. It only takes one line to realize it's from the event Friday night. It's just a follow up text, asking how I enjoyed the event and information for the next event if I'm interested. I am interested, for sure.