Dawn hesitated, clutching the hem of her dress nervously as she looked up at Kenny. The afternoon sunlight reflected off his auburn hair, making him look unusually cheerful for someone dragging her to her doom—or so it felt.

"Kenny, do we really have to do this now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kenny crossed his arms, his signature smirk tugging at his lips. "Dawn, we talked about this. It’s just a quick checkup. And who’s your doctor again?"

"You…" she muttered.

"Exactly," Kenny said, leaning closer so their noses were almost touching. "And do you trust me?"

Dawn looked down at her freshly scrubbed hands, her cheeks burning. "I trust you, Kenny. It’s just—"

"You’re nervous," he finished for her, gently grabbing her hand and tugging her to her feet. "Come on, Dee Dee. The sooner we start, the sooner it’s over."

Dawn huffed but followed him, her heart racing as they walked toward the makeshift clinic Kenny had set up in her living room. He had insisted that if she couldn’t bring herself to visit a proper clinic, he would bring the clinic to her.

When they entered, Dawn froze. The small space was decorated with calming green tones, and Kenny had even set up a little vase of flowers on the counter. It wasn’t the intimidating environment she had imagined—it felt… safe.

"See?" Kenny said, gesturing to the room with a proud grin. "Nothing to be scared of here. It’s just us."

Dawn swallowed hard, nodding slightly. "It’s nice…"

Kenny placed his hands on her shoulders, guiding her to sit on the cushioned chair he’d borrowed from the dining room. "Good. Now, let’s start simple. First, I’m gonna check your blood pressure, okay?"

Dawn’s eyes widened, and she instinctively pulled her arm away. "Blood pressure? Isn’t that where you—"

Kenny raised a hand, cutting her off with a laugh. "Relax, Dee Dee. It’s just a cuff that squeezes your arm a little. Nothing sharp, I promise."

Still skeptical, Dawn watched as he grabbed the blood pressure monitor and wrapped the cuff around her arm.

"Okay, just stay still and breathe normally," Kenny instructed, giving her a reassuring smile.

Dawn tried to focus on his smile rather than the tightening sensation around her arm. She could hear the faint beep of the monitor, but her eyes stayed locked on Kenny’s face.

"See? Easy," he said, showing her the normal reading on the monitor.

"That’s it?" Dawn asked, blinking in surprise.

"That’s it," Kenny confirmed, slipping the cuff off her arm. "You’re doing great, Dee Dee. Next up, I’ll check your heartbeat."

Her heart thudded harder at his words.

Kenny noticed and tilted his head, concerned. "Dawn, you’re not scared of this too, are you?"

She hesitated before nodding.

"Aw, come on," he said, crouching slightly to meet her eyes. "It’s just me, Dawn. I’ve got this."

Reluctantly, Dawn allowed him to place the stethoscope against her chest. The cool metal made her shiver, but Kenny’s calm expression steadied her nerves.

"Deep breath in," he instructed, his voice soft.

Dawn complied.

"And out."

He listened carefully, nodding as her heartbeat settled into a more relaxed rhythm.

"Perfect," he said, pulling back. "Your heart’s as strong as ever."

Dawn exhaled, a small smile breaking through her anxiety. "Thanks, Kenny."

"Anytime," he replied, ruffling her hair. "Now, let’s tackle the last part—reflexes. Don’t worry, I promise it’s fun."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "Fun?"

"You’ll see," Kenny said with a wink, holding up the reflex hammer.

As the session continued, Dawn found herself laughing at Kenny’s playful comments and gentle reassurances. By the end of it, her nerves had all but disappeared.

"See?" Kenny said as he packed up his tools. "Nothing to it."

Dawn smiled, standing up from the chair. "I guess you were right… Thanks for being patient with me, Kenny."

"Always," he said, holding out a hand to her. "Now, how about we reward your bravery with some hot chocolate?"

"Only if you make it," Dawn teased, taking his hand.

"Deal," Kenny replied, leading her out of the room with a triumphant grin.