The soft, amber glow of the lights in Joe's Bar cast a cozy atmosphere as evening fell over Seattle. The bar buzzed with the usual mix of post-shift doctors and locals unwinding, their voices blending with the clinking of glasses and soft music playing in the background. At one of the booths, Y/n Montgomery and April Kepner sat together, laughing softly over drinks, their friendship offering a rare moment of levity in their otherwise intense lives at Grey Sloan Memorial.
Y/n, for once, looked relaxed, her usual stiff posture softened by the familiarity of her best friend's company. April, with her ever-present warmth and energy, animated the conversation, gesturing wildly as she told some story about the latest chaotic day in the ER. Y/n smiled, a genuine one that rarely appeared during her work hours, but here—with April—it was easy. It was safe.
"Seriously, though, I thought Bailey was going to explode when that intern knocked over the surgical tray," April said, shaking her head with a laugh. "It was like a scene out of a horror movie."
Y/n chuckled, swirling her drink. "Well, at least you were smart enough to step out of the splash zone. I bet the intern's still shaking."
As they shared another laugh, the bar door opened, and in walked Arizona Robbins. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for a place to sit. When her gaze fell on Y/n and April, she hesitated for a second. There was something about seeing Y/n in a different setting—out of scrubs, her guard down slightly—that made Arizona's heart skip a beat. She hadn't expected to see her here.
Arizona squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and made her way over to their booth.
"Hey," she greeted, her voice a little higher than she intended. "Mind if I join you?"
April glanced between Arizona and Y/n, her eyes flickering with a knowing look. Sensing this might be a good opportunity for the two of them to talk, she gave Y/n a quick, conspiratorial smile before standing up.
"Actually, I'm just about to head out," April said, grabbing her purse. "You two enjoy. I'll catch up with you later, Y/n."
Y/n raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly what April was doing, but didn't protest. "Sure, Kepner. See you tomorrow."
As April left, Arizona slid into the booth across from Y/n, feeling suddenly nervous. She hadn't prepared for this encounter, but something about Y/n sitting there, looking more approachable than she did at the hospital, emboldened her.
"So," Arizona started, awkwardly. "Small world, huh?"
Y/n gave her a wry smile, swirling her drink again. "Seattle's not that big."
"Right." Arizona smiled sheepishly, shifting in her seat. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Well, I do have a life outside of surgeries," Y/n said dryly, though the corners of her lips twitched in amusement.
There was a brief silence as they sipped their drinks, the quiet between them both awkward and oddly comfortable. Arizona's mind raced with what to say next, but it was Y/n who broke the silence.
"You want to know, don't you?" Y/n asked suddenly, her eyes sharp but not unkind. "About my leg."
Arizona's breath hitched. She hadn't expected Y/n to be so blunt, but then again, Y/n was never one to beat around the bush. "Only if you want to tell me," Arizona said softly, leaning forward slightly. "But... yeah, I am curious."
Y/n's gaze dropped to her drink, her fingers tracing the rim of the glass as she took a slow breath. It wasn't often she talked about it. In fact, very few people knew the full story—not even at Grey Sloan. But something in Arizona's eyes made her feel like maybe, just maybe, this was someone she could trust.
