A/N: I don't own Holby City, the characters, make no profit from this at all. I just really wanted to write something for these characters after last night's episode to focus on the happier plot in the show

He didn't know about birds, or much about Cupid either for that matter but he was as stubborn as they could come and there was no chance he would be letting this one go.

Lofty had a way of making people smile at him; he fumbled and knocked things over and walked into walls trying to find doors more times than should be humanly possible. He was clumsy beyond belief. If there was a chance for him to drop the files that Dom needed then he would be doing it and sheepishly standing back up and giving Dom a grin like it had all been some funny little thing, and Dom had to fight not to smile a little bit in return. It wasn't because they were turtle doves or swans or anything like that, Lofty did unintentionally funny things because he was clumsy and he was a cruel man for laughing at his co-worker's misfortunes. That was it. End of story.

Except…

Now that it had been brought to his attention he had been pecking at Lofty. Every little thing he did in his first few shifts was met with hostility and biting remarks that he could have probably held back on, just a little bit. Not enough that he was making special allowances for the guy, it was a hospital he had to be competent at least, but just enough that he wasn't being needlessly cruel. He pecked at everyone really, that was just who Dom was, but it went further with the new nurse.

There was no preening on either of their parts. They came into work, did their job as best as they could do (with the occasional patient being discharged before an operation) and then clocked out at the end of the day. Dom didn't show off in front of Lofty and if Lofty did then it was because he was still new in the position, even if he had worked in Holby before. It was a desire to make himself irreplaceable and seem competent. Part of him did want to be impressive and for people to see him as a good doctor, but he needed Sacha to see it as much as he wanted Lofty to so that didn't count either.

Nothing was going on between them, and nothing ever would. No matter what certain bird watchers might think. Neither of them were birds. He took that piece of fluff from Lofty's shoulder because they needed to maintain a high standard in the department, in working and in looking professional. There was nothing wrong with that at all. He could be proud of the their appearances and performances.

Lofty did have a nice smile though… even if Dom would never admit it.