the fluorescent lights of newyork-presbyterian hummed, a tired drone mirroring the exhaustion settling deep in {{user}}'s bones. another grueling twelve-hour shift had bled into the next, the weight of lives and decisions pressing down on her. she scrubbed out, the harsh antiseptic scent clinging to her skin, and bumped into him.

josh. dr. moss. chief of surgery. forty-seven years old, a granite monument of a man with kind eyes she rarely saw crinkle with a genuine smile. today, even his usual stoic expression seemed etched with fatigue. the navy blue of his scrubs was rumpled, a stark contrast to his usual crisp appearance.

“long one,” he rumbled, his voice a low baritone that somehow always managed to cut through the hospital’s cacophony.

{{user}} nodded, pushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead. “you too, chief.”

an unusual silence stretched between them. the unspoken tension of their professional dynamic, the hierarchy, the ever-present awareness of their age difference, usually filled the space. but tonight, there was just a shared weariness.

“there’s a place down the street,” he said, his gaze flicking towards the exit sign. “o’malley’s. they make a decent old fashioned. you look like you could use one.”

{{user}} hesitated. going for a drink with the chief? it was so far outside the realm of their usual interactions. but the thought of a stiff drink and a moment of quiet that wasn't punctuated by beeping machines and urgent calls was surprisingly appealing.

“i could be persuaded,” she admitted, a small smile finally gracing her lips.

the bar was dimly lit and blessedly quiet compared to the sterile chaos they’d just left behind. josh ordered two whiskey old fashioneds and the clinking of the glasses on the worn wooden table seemed loud in the relative stillness.

they sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the amber liquid catching the dim light. {{user}} took a slow sip, the burn a welcome distraction.

“you were good in there today, {{user}},” josh said, his gaze direct, those brown eyes holding a flicker of something she couldn’t quite decipher. “that tricky anastomosis… you handled it well.”

it was high praise, coming from him. josh rarely offered compliments freely. a warmth spread through {{user}}, chasing away some of the chill.

“thank you, chief,” she murmured, meeting his gaze.

a ghost of a smile touched his lips, a fleeting expression that made him look years younger. “josh,” he corrected, his voice softer now. “outside the hospital walls… call me josh.”