Kenny’s heart sank at the sight of Dawn trembling. He crouched down so they were at eye level, his gloved hand still holding hers gently. "Dee Dee, listen to me," he said softly. "I know it feels scary, but I promise it’s not as bad as you think. You just have to trust me, okay?"

Dawn bit her lip, her tears threatening to spill. "It always hurts, Kenny," she whispered, her voice trembling. "No matter what anyone says."

Kenny frowned slightly, tilting his head. "Always? Dawn, it shouldn’t always hurt. Let me figure this out, okay?"

Dawn sniffled, nodding reluctantly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress again.

Kenny stood and gently took her arm, his movements calm and deliberate. "Let’s take this step by step. First, I’m just going to check your arm, alright? No needles yet, I promise."

Dawn tensed but didn’t pull away. She watched as Kenny examined her arm, feeling the muscles and tracing the veins with his gloved fingers.

"Dee Dee," he said after a moment, his voice light and teasing, "I think I found the problem."

Dawn looked up at him, confused. "What is it?"

"You’re a clencher," Kenny said with a small smile.

Dawn blinked. "A what?"

"A clencher," Kenny repeated. "You’re clenching your arm every time you get nervous. See how tight the muscles are here?" He pressed gently on her forearm, and she flinched.

She looked down, noticing how stiff her arm felt under his touch. "I... didn’t even realize," she admitted, her voice small.

Kenny nodded. "That’s why it always hurts, Dawn. When your muscles are tense, it’s like trying to push a needle through a brick wall. But if you relax, it’ll be a lot smoother—and way less painful."

Dawn’s gaze dropped to her lap. "I don’t know if I can relax. I just... I hate needles."

Kenny placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring. "I know, Dee Dee. But you’re stronger than you think. And you’re not alone in this—I’m here to help you."

She hesitated, then nodded again, her trust in him outweighing her fear.

"Good girl," Kenny said softly, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "Let’s try this together. First, take a deep breath for me."

Dawn inhaled shakily, her chest rising and falling as she exhaled.

"Perfect. Now, loosen your fingers—no squeezing your dress this time."

She glanced down at her hands and slowly let the fabric slip from her grip.

"That’s it," Kenny encouraged. "Now let your arm go limp, like a noodle. Can you do that?"

Dawn tried, her arm still trembling slightly as she forced herself to relax.

"Almost there," Kenny said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Here, let me help."

He began to gently massage her arm, his thumbs working in slow, soothing circles over her tense muscles. Dawn flinched at first but soon felt the tightness ease under his touch.

"See? Not so bad," Kenny said, his voice soft and steady. "You’re doing great, Dee Dee. Just keep breathing."

Dawn nodded, her trembling starting to subside. But when she saw him pick up the syringe, her body tensed again, her arm hardening like stone.

Kenny noticed immediately and set the syringe back down, returning his focus to her. "Hey, hey, it’s okay," he said gently, resuming the massage. "We’re not in a rush. Let’s take a few more breaths, alright?"

Dawn looked at him, her wide, tear-filled eyes searching his for reassurance. "You won’t rush?" she whispered.

"Never," Kenny said firmly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You’re my top priority, Dawn. We’ll go as slow as you need."

His calm words and steady presence slowly eased her nerves, and after a few moments, she nodded again. "Okay," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

"That’s my girl," Kenny said with a warm smile. He picked up the syringe again, his movements careful and deliberate. As he positioned it, he kept one hand on her arm, his thumb still rubbing gentle circles to keep her relaxed.

When he was close to inserting it, Dawn’s muscles twitched, her body instinctively trying to tense again.

Kenny caught it immediately. "Dee Dee, stay with me," he said softly, his hand still working to loosen her arm. "Breathe, remember? You’re safe."

Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and focused on his voice, letting his soothing tone guide her. Slowly, her arm relaxed once more, the tension melting away under his touch.

"There we go," Kenny murmured. "Just like that. You’re doing so well, Dawn."

And with that, he gently slid the needle in, so quick and precise that Dawn barely registered it.

"All done," Kenny said a moment later, carefully pressing a cotton ball to her arm and securing it with the blue bandaid.

Dawn opened her eyes, surprised. "That’s it?"

"That’s it," Kenny confirmed, smiling at her proudly. "See? Not so bad after all."

Dawn blinked, then gave a small, shaky laugh. "You’re annoyingly good at this, you know that?"

Kenny chuckled, pulling her into a gentle hug. "Only because I care, Dee Dee. Only because I care."