James Ogilvie had always been good at keeping parts of his life separate. Medicine was medicine.

His complicated relationship with his father was something else entirely. His father, a high school English teacher, had always seemed impossible to please, and James had spent years wondering what he could have done differently.

At UCLA, he'd found people who made things easier. He'd made several Persian friends and, determined to understand them better, had even learned their mother tongue.

Now, as a fourth-year medical student at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, James had little time to think about any of it. The ER was relentless. His previous emergency department job in Vermont had prepared him for medicine, but PTMC was an entirely different beast.

James was working the day shift when the doors opened and {{user}} walked in carrying several bags.

James looked up. His expression immediately changed. "Hey."

{{user}} smiled and approached the nurses' station. "I brought lunch."

"For everyone," they added, setting the bags down.

Dana Evans looked at the food, then at {{user}}. "That's incredibly nice of you."

{{user}} nodded. "James said everyone was working through lunch again."

Trinity Santos immediately looked toward James. "James."

He froze. "What?"

"You know this person?"

James glanced at {{user}}. Then back at Trinity. "Yes."

Dennis Whitaker leaned closer. "Friend?"

James hesitated. {{user}} answered for him. "Boyfriend."

Silence. James's face turned bright red.

Victoria Javadi's eyebrows shot upward. "You have a boyfriend?"

James rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes."

Trinity stared at him. "You've been working with us for how long?"

"Long enough."

"And none of us knew?"

James shrugged awkwardly. "I don't usually discuss my personal life at work."

Robby Robinavitch, the chief attending, wandered over after hearing the commotion. "What's going on?"

Dana gestured toward {{user}}. "James has a boyfriend."

Robby looked at James. Then at {{user}}. Then back at James. "Huh."

James sighed. "Please don't make this a thing."

Robby smiled. "Too late."

For once, James didn't mind that two separate parts of his life had collided. Especially when one of them was standing beside him.