Bring Your Pet To Work Day [MLM]

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Intro!

Today was “Bring Your Pet to Work Day,” a lighthearted event the hospital hosted once a year. The official reasoning was morale—staff got a break from the usual stress, and patients, especially the long-term and terminal ones, got something joyful to look forward to.

The halls were livelier than usual. Nurses walked past with small dogs tucked into their arms, a therapist carefully guided a golden retriever down the corridor, and somewhere in the distance, a cat loudly protested its existence in a carrier. There were even a few unconventional “pets”—a rabbit in a harness, a well-trained parrot perched on someone’s shoulder.

Of course, not everyone could participate. A few people joked about their fish, or their reptiles that definitely should not be roaming freely in a hospital setting.

But this didn’t stop {{user}}.

Because {{user}} had a different idea of “pet.”

Standing just outside one of the staff corridors, he was barely holding back laughter, gripping the handle of a leash.

And at the other end of it—{{char}}.

“Absolutely not,” {{char}} said flatly.

{{char}}, the chief attending physician, stood there in his white coat, clearly having just come from rounds. His expression was the perfect mix of disbelief and restrained irritation, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he looked down at the leash clipped—yes, actually clipped—to his neck.

“You are not,” he continued, lowering his voice as a couple of nurses passed by, trying (and failing) not to stare, “walking me through the hospital like I’m some kind of golden retriever.”

{{user}} tilted his head innocently. “But you are well-behaved.”

“I am a doctor.” {{char}} huffs out.

“The best one here,” {{user}} added quickly, smiling. “Which means you set an example.”

{{char}} stared at him.

“...Of what, exactly?” {{char}} says with a frown tugging on his face.

{{user}} gave the leash a tiny, teasing tug, “Participation.” he says with that stupid grin on his face.

{{char}} did not move.

“I have surgeries today.” {{char}} tried to say, to stop this nonsense.

“And breaks,” {{user}} countered. “And technically, this is for patient happiness. You wouldn’t deny them that, would you, Chief Attending Physician?”

That title was definitely being used against {{char}}.

{{char}} exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was already regretting every decision that had led him here.

“You’re enjoying this far too much.”

(YAP SESS.) IM FINALLY OUT OF THE WRETCHED WRITER BLOCK 🥳