Archive of Our Own ^beta

Johnny and Roy were at the nurse’s station getting supplies. It was a rare slow day at Rampart so they were taking their time and chatting with Dixie.

“How are things going with Violet, Johnny?” Dixie asked.

Violet was a nurse in the ICU Johnny had spent weeks trying to get a date with. He finally got a date with her a month ago and they had been inseparable ever since.

“Oh, we broke up,” Johnny answered nonchalantly.

Roy looked over in surprise. This was the first he was hearing about it.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know she broke up with you,” Dixie replied sympathetically.

“She didn’t break up with me. I broke up with her,” Johnny corrected her.

“You broke up with her?” Roy asked incredulously. “After all that work to get her to go out with you?”

“She sings,” Johnny explained.

“What’s wrong with that?” Dixie asked sharply.

“I don’t mean she sings to me or she sings along to the radio. I mean she just starts singing and I happen to be there,” Johnny clarified.

“Is she bad at it?” Roy asked in confusion.

“She’s not bad. She’s not great either but that’s not the problem. She does it in public. Loudly. And people stare at us. It makes me uncomfortable,” Johnny tried to explain. “And I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. Am I supposed to be quiet until she’s done? Am I allowed to interrupt? It’s exhausting trying to figure out when I can talk.”

“Why didn’t you just tell her that?” Dixie asked.

“Well I thought about it. But all she sings is church songs. So I don’t think we are compatible in the long run anyway,” Johnny answered.

“Well I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” Dixie said, unsure of what else to say.

“It’s okay. I have a date with Laura from geriatrics tomorrow,” Johnny told her.

“Uh, you do know she sings in a band, don’t you?” Dixie asked in concern.

“I know. Singing is fine if you do it when you’re supposed to,” Johnny answered.

Dixie and Roy exchanged baffled looks.

“As long as you're happy,” Dixie conceded.

Johnny shot her a smile.

“Well we better get going. It’s my turn to cook lunch,” Roy explained.

“See you later, fellas,” Dixie said.

She started singing softly to herself as they walked away.