Kenny smiled softly at Dawn’s curious gaze. Her head was still resting on his shoulder, her flushed cheeks evident from the fever. Even when sick, her mind was restless.

"That's a pretty big question, Dee Dee," he said, brushing a stray strand of blue hair from her forehead. "But I’ll do my best to explain it."

Dawn blinked up at him, her eyes slightly glassy. "Okay... so why do we get sick?"

Kenny adjusted his position, making sure she was comfortable. "Well, your body is like a big fortress, right? And inside that fortress are guards — your immune system. Their job is to keep out invaders like bacteria and viruses."

Dawn furrowed her brow. "So... like Pokémon battles but inside me?"

Kenny chuckled. "Exactly. And sometimes, the invaders are really sneaky or strong, and they manage to get past the guards. That’s when you get sick."

Dawn's lips pursed in thought. "Why can’t the guards always win?"

"Good question," Kenny said, tapping his chin. "Sometimes the guards are caught off guard, or they’re just tired. That’s why rest, good food, and staying healthy are important — it helps the guards stay strong."

Dawn nodded slowly, processing his explanation. "But why do I have a fever? It's so annoying. My face feels like it's on fire."

Kenny grinned. "That’s actually your body trying to help. When you have a fever, your body is basically turning up the heat to make it harder for the invaders to survive. It’s a defense mechanism."

Dawn's eyes widened. "So... my body's cooking the bad guys?"

Kenny laughed. "Pretty much. You're a natural at this, Dee Dee."

Dawn sniffled. "But if it's supposed to help, why does it make me feel so awful?"

"Well," Kenny said thoughtfully, "sometimes your body goes a little overboard. Like when you’re training for a contest and you push yourself too hard — even though you're trying to do something good, it ends up making things worse for you."

Dawn sighed dramatically. "That's the worst. So unfair."

"Tell me about it," Kenny teased.

Dawn tilted her head. "Why do we cough, then? I hate coughing."

Kenny leaned back against the headboard. "Coughing is your body's way of clearing out stuff from your lungs or throat. Think of it like sweeping out dust from a room."

"But it hurts," Dawn complained.

"Yeah, it can," Kenny admitted. "That's why I rubbed your back earlier — it helps calm things down."

Dawn gave a small smile. "Thanks for that. You're a good doctor, Kenny."

"Only for you, Dee Dee," he said with a wink.

Dawn looked thoughtful again. "What about sneezing? Is that like coughing’s cousin?"

Kenny laughed. "Pretty much. Sneezing is your body trying to get rid of irritants from your nose — like dust or germs. It's like a big, dramatic way of saying, 'Get out of here!'"

Dawn giggled weakly. "My body's so extra."

Kenny chuckled. "Yeah, but it's doing its best to keep you safe."

Dawn was quiet for a moment before asking softly, "Kenny... will I feel better tomorrow?"

Kenny wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You’re already on your way to feeling better. Just keep resting, and I'll be here to take care of you."

Dawn leaned into him. "Thanks, Kenny. You're the best."

"Anytime, Dee Dee," Kenny said, pressing a light kiss to her forehead. "Now, no more questions — doctor’s orders. Time to rest."

Dawn yawned, her eyelids drooping. "Okay... but one last thing."

Kenny sighed dramatically. "Fine. What is it?"

"Can I have soup later?"

Kenny laughed. "You got it, Dee Dee. Soup's on me."

With that, Dawn finally drifted off to sleep, her breathing steady and peaceful. Kenny smiled, brushing her hair back.

"Good girl," he whispered. "You'll be back to your usual self in no time."

When Dawn's eyes opened again, she was still leaning on Kenny's shoulder.

But now Kenny was reading a book.

Dawn gazed up at Kenny.

He looked so peaceful.

So she decided -

" Morning Dee Dee." Kenny said without looking up.

Dawn blinked. " How'd you know I was awake?"

Kenny grinned and set the book down. " Well, because I blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah bla-" he stopped talking when he noticed Dawn's confused expression.

" English?" Dawn squeaked.

Kenny laughed. " It's because I'm your boyfriend, Dee Dee."

" But what about that mumbo jumbo you were saying before?"

" That's just the medical way I knew."

" And how was that?"

Kenny leaned back with a playful grin. "You really wanna know the medical mumbo jumbo, Dee Dee?"

Dawn nodded, curiosity glimmering in her eyes. "Yeah, hit me with the science stuff, Doctor Kenny."

He chuckled. "Alright, so first off, your breathing pattern changed. When you're asleep, it's slower and more even. The second you woke up, it sped up just a bit."

Dawn tilted her head. "Breathing? That's how you knew?"

"Not just that," Kenny added, tapping his nose. "Your body tensed ever so slightly. Even if you were still leaning on me, I could feel the muscles in your shoulders wake up too."

Dawn's jaw dropped. "You can tell all that just by sitting here? Are you secretly a Pokémon Ranger or something?"

Kenny laughed. "Nah, just a guy who knows his Dee Dee inside and out."

Dawn crossed her arms, pretending to pout. "I feel like I'm being monitored like a science experiment."

He smirked. "Only the best kind of experiment — the one I care about the most."

Dawn rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed a little. "Smooth."

"Thanks," Kenny said proudly. "Now, since you're awake, do you want that soup I promised? Or are you ready for a pop quiz on more medical facts?"

Dawn shook her head. " No thanks, Kenny. I'd like the soup, but.... I'm not hungry."

Kenny's playful expression vanished. " Dee Dee, I know you're not hungry, but you gotta eat. If you don't, you won't get better."

Dawn groaned. " But.... But my stomach feels like it's gonna push all my breakfast up."

Kenny's eyes widened. " Seriously?"

Dawn nodded, closing her eyes and groaning.

The young doctor didn't waste any time.

" Okay Dee Dee just keep your eyes closed." Kenny said as he wiped her arm with something cool.

" Kenny? W... What was that?"

" Nothing, Dee Dee. Nothing."

" B... Bu-"

" Relax, Dawn. Take a deep breath."

Then there was a weird sensation on Dawn's arm, and she heard a click.

Then she felt a bandaid.

Suddenly it all made sense.

Dawn blinked, her eyes slowly opening to meet Kenny’s focused face. His brow was furrowed in concentration, and his hands moved carefully as he smoothed a small bandage onto her arm. She stared at him in confusion for a moment before it clicked.

"Kenny," she said, her voice a mix of accusation and disbelief. "Did you just—"

Kenny looked up, his expression calm but firm. "Yep."

Her jaw dropped. "Did you just give me a shot without telling me?!"

He chuckled softly, wiping his hands with a sterile cloth. "You were too anxious, Dee Dee. I figured it was better to just get it over with before you started panicking."

Dawn’s face turned red, both from embarrassment and mild irritation. "You sneaky little—"

"Careful," Kenny interrupted, holding up a hand with a teasing grin. "Name-calling won’t get you out of eating later."

She crossed her arms, wincing slightly when her arm twinged. "You could’ve at least warned me!"

"And have you flinch, squirm, or maybe even run? No thanks," Kenny said, leaning back in his chair and looking at her with that signature Kenny grin. "Besides, it wasn’t that bad, was it?"

Dawn hesitated. To her surprise, he was right—it hadn’t hurt. In fact, the cool sensation and the quick click had been so smooth that she barely registered it. Still, she wasn’t about to admit that.

"Maybe not," she muttered, looking away. "But you didn’t even ask me if I wanted it!"

Kenny’s expression softened, and he reached out to gently take her hand. "Dee Dee, I did ask. Earlier, when I said you needed to eat. You told me your stomach felt too upset, and that told me something was off. The shot wasn’t just random—it’s to help calm your stomach and give your body what it needs to heal faster."

Dawn looked at him, her irritation melting into guilt. "You really think of everything, don’t you?"

"That’s my job," he said with a wink. "But more importantly, it’s because I care about you. You’re my Dee Dee, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make you feel better."

Her heart softened at his words, and she sighed, leaning back against the pillows. "Fine, Doctor Kenny. You win this round."

He chuckled, standing up and gathering his supplies. "That’s what I like to hear. Now, since the hard part is over, how about I whip up some soup for later? We’ll take it slow, no pressure."

"Slow sounds good," she admitted, her tone softer now.

Kenny leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "Good girl. You just rest, Dee Dee. I’ll handle everything else."

As he walked toward the kitchen, Dawn watched him go, her irritation completely replaced by gratitude. She muttered under her breath, "Sneaky, but sweet."

From the kitchen, Kenny called out, "I heard that!"

She smiled, shaking her head. "Of course you did."