I promised my next one shot would be happy, so here.

The overhead light is blinding, and Mitch squints against it, shifting uncomfortably in the dentist chair. He tries to focus on the music that's coming from the speaker in the corner of the room, some sort of old elevator music, hoping it would help calm his nerves.

He hates doctors, and by extension, he hates dentists. Which is why he's here now, waiting for a cavity filling because he waited too long for a cleaning and a check up. The dental hygienist, Sherry, preps the array of tools the dentist will be using today, but she tells him with an encouraging smile that Dr. Hoying will be there shortly.

He doesn't know Dr. Hoying, he's only here on his friend John's suggestion. whose wife is Sherry. Knowing of Mitch's aversion to dentists, John assured him that Dr. Hoying would be gentle with him, unlike his last dentist who practically butchered his gums.

Another five minutes pass before Dr. Hoying enters.

"Good morning, Mr. Grassi," he greets, and Mitch cranes his head around toward the door to look at him.

"Good morning...uh," he falters slightly at the sight of him, nearly swallowing his own tongue.

Someone failed to mention to him that Dr. Hoying was absolutely gorgeous.

He smiles slightly at Mitch, his blue eyes flashing, before he turns to consult with Sherry, talking in hushed tones as the hygienist recounts Mitch's cavity issue to him. Mitch tries not to blatantly stare at him, his eyes betraying him as they continuously dart in Dr. Hoying's direction. His white coat is hanging open on his muscular frame, revealing his button down shirt and dress pants underneath, his blonde hair is gelled back and out of his face, aside from a couple strands that are beginning to fall.

He's not sure if an attractive dentist makes this whole situation bettor or worse.

"Looks like we need to fill one of your back molars," Dr. Hoying states as he snaps his latex gloves on. Mitch nods, pressing his lips together, but when he sees the dentist grab a needle, he pales.

"Uh...wait, wait...do you um, do you have to use a needle?" he stammers out, his heart suddenly in his throat, and the dentist looks at Mitch, perplexed.

"Well, yes. I need to numb the area around the tooth so you won't feel any pain." He explains, but Mitch is already breaking out into a cold sweat, hands gripping the arms of the chair until his knuckles are turning white.

"Uh...I just...um... I maybe have a uh... slight...crippling fear of needles...so..." he all but stutters out, and Dr. Hoying's eyes widen as he takes in the terror on Mitch's face.

"Oh, okay. Um..." He glances at Sherry before looking back at Mitch, carefully setting the needle down out of his sight. "Well, we can use nitrous oxide to relax you first. It's just laughing gas. We'd still have to use the needle eventually to numb you, but I promise you won't feel it at that point. You probably won't even realize what's happening."

Mitch licks his lips and swallows against his dry, scratchy throat. His tone is soothing, reassuring, and it helps put him at ease, sort of. He's 22 years old for fuck's sake, and he's about to pee himself in front of an extremely handsome dentist. How pathetic. "Um...okay, yeah. I guess...I guess that's fine. If you promise I won't feel anything..."

He nods, smiling at Mitch. "Promise. You'll even enjoy it, I swear. It's called laughing gas for reason."

Mitch takes a deep breath and nods, trying to return the smile. "Okay."

Dr. Hoying wasn't kidding about the laughing gas. Once he put the mask on Mitch, he didn't remember much after. He remembers that his limbs felt heavy and tingly, but light somehow, like he was bobbing on the surface of a river. He can still taste the pina colada, for some reason, even days later.

His memory of the procedure is nearly a complete blank, that is, until he grabs drinks with John and Sherry later that week. And when John starts laughing almost immediately the moment Mitch sits down at the booth with them, Sherry sheepishly has to explain to him why.

Apparently, while high on laughing gas, Mitch confessed to Dr. Hoying- Scott, Sherry tells him- that he was pretty sure he was in love with him. Mitch listens in utter horror as she describes the hour long ordeal: first, how Mitch told him how handsome he was, how he sang along to "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" even when Scott had the drill in his mouth, how he tried to touch the dentist's eyes because they looked like the ocean or blue cotton candy, and then how he proposed that they run away together and get married at his grandparents' cabin in the mountains, under an apple tree, at midnight.

After Sherry finishes, John is still cackling loudly when Mitch drops his head into his hands with a loud groan.

"Oh my God. I have to go back next week for a follow-up." he whines, and Sherry just smiles apologetically.

"I'm sure he won't even mention it."

———-

In a way, Sherry's right- Dr. Hoying doesn't mention it, because he's not the dentist who does Mitch's follow-up. Instead, it's Dr. Maldonado, who, when Mitch nervously asks where Dr. Hoying is, just says, "He asked me to check your tooth out."

He wants the ground to open up and swallow him and this damn dentist chair whole. He freaked him out so much that he can't even face him anymore.

At the receptionist desk later, as he's settling the bill, he catches a glimpse of Dr. Hoying when he comes out of a back room. He glances up then, locking eyes with Mitch, and they both freeze.

But he pushes his shoulder back and strides up to the desk, handing a folder to the receptionist. "Karlee, can you call Mrs. Simpson and reschedule her appointment? I have a conference next week at that time." He tells the receptionist, who gets on the phone immediately. Dr. Hoying nods politely at Mitch. "Hello Mr. Grassi, I hope your tooth isn't bothering you anymore."

Mitch stares at him helplessly but nods. "Yeah, no pain. Thank you." Dr. Hoying starts to walk away but he steps towards him. "Wait! Uh, can I...can I talk to you, privately...?" he asks, and conflicting emotions flash across the dentist's face before he nods, resuming a stony demeanor as he guides them to a side hallway.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asks, detached, and Mitch swallows thickly.

"Look, I... Sherry told me what I did as my last appointment and... I had no idea. I'm so, so sorry. It was inappropriate, extremely, and I'm so sorry for making you uncomfortable." He rushes out, almost pleading. His face is burning, and Dr. Hoying's lips part just barely as he stares at MItch, before he presses them together for a moment, as if thinking about what he wants to say. Then he speaks.

"Mr. Grassi, there's no need to be embarrassed. Many people react similarly on laughing gas." He says quietly, and Mitch groans internally. He's pretty sure the other patients don't propose marriage to the dentist they just met, though. "I'm a human being." Dr. Hoying stresses, and he can't help himself, jumping in.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said how handsome you were, you're a professional and a doctor, and I'm sure you put up with enough sexual bullshit in this field-"

But he cuts Mitch off, shaking his head. "I mean that I'm a human being, not a robot Mr. Grassi, and..." Now it's his turn to look uncomfortable and embarrassed. "I just... I didn't think it was appropriate for me to continue being someone's dentist when...when I'm attracted to that person." His voice is quiet, and it takes Mitch a moment to understand what was just said.

"Oh." He's stunned really, and stands up a little straighter as he stares at the man in front of him. "Oh, I...I thought that you'd switched on me because I made you uncomfortable or something..." Dr. Hoying just shrugs. Mitch doesn't know what else to say, and after a moment the dentist clears his throat, all professional once again.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Mr. Grassi. I really need to get back to work though. If I've answered all your questions-"

"Actually," Mitch is speaking before he's even thought any of this through, "Just one more question." Now he has blue eyes on him, staring at him inquisitively, as if prompting him to finish his question. He steels his nerves and then just goes for it, because he already threw away his dignity in the dentist chair last time, so what else does he really have to lose?

"Would you like to get dinner with me sometime?"

Dr. Hoying gapes at him, flustered, his mouth opening and closing as he struggles for a response, and Mitch readies himself for the rejection because, wow, he can't even imagine how much of an asshole he must think of him at this point.

But then he closes his eyes, shakes his head, and smiles at him, a little shyly, a little anxiously. And then he nods.

"How about drinks first, then we can discuss dinner."