Kenny chuckled softly, tapping her arm gently. "A clutcher," he repeated. "Someone who tenses up and clenches everything when they’re nervous. Your muscles need to be relaxed for this to go smoothly. That’s probably why it hurts more for you."

Dawn nodded slightly, though her grip on his arm didn’t loosen. "Relax. Right. Easy for you to say."

Kenny’s smile didn’t waver. "It’s not easy, I know. But we’ll get through this together, okay?"

Dawn bit her lip, her nails digging deeper into his sleeve as she watched him prepare the syringe. Her breathing grew shallower, her mind spiraling again. What if it hurts more than last time? What if I move? What if he hits a nerve? What if-

"Dee Dee," Kenny’s voice cut through her thoughts like a warm breeze. She blinked and looked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Yeah?" she whispered.

"Hey, look at me." He crouched slightly to meet her gaze, his expression soft and reassuring. "You’re overthinking it again. It’s just me, okay? Nothing bad is going to happen. I’ve got you."

Dawn tried to nod, but as soon as she saw the syringe again, her resolve crumbled. Her hands flew to Kenny’s arm, gripping it like a lifeline as she burst into tears.

"Kenny, I can’t! I can’t do it!" she sobbed, burying her face in his arm.

Kenny froze for a moment, surprised by her sudden outburst, but he quickly softened, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Aw, Dee Dee, it’s okay. It’s okay. Let it out if you need to. I’m not going anywhere."

Dawn clung to him tighter, her tears soaking into the blue fabric of his scrubs. "I don’t wanna do it," she mumbled, her voice muffled. "It’s gonna hurt, and I’m scared, and—"

"Shh," Kenny soothed, gently rubbing circles on her back. "I know, I know. But listen to me. It’s okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes, even me."

Dawn sniffled, lifting her head just enough to peek at him. "You? Scared?"

Kenny nodded with a soft laugh. "Oh, yeah. First time I gave someone a shot, my hands were shaking so bad I thought I’d mess it up. But I took a deep breath, focused on what I needed to do, and remembered I wasn’t alone. Just like you’re not alone right now."

Dawn hiccupped, her grip on his arm loosening slightly. "But… what if it still hurts?"

"Then we’ll deal with it together," Kenny said firmly. "But I promise you, I’ll do everything I can to make it as quick and painless as possible. Do you trust me?"

Dawn hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I trust you."

"That’s my girl," Kenny said, his voice full of warmth. He reached for a stress ball on the tray and held it out to her. "Here, squeeze this instead of my arm, okay? It’ll help."

Dawn let go of his arm reluctantly, taking the stress ball and holding it tightly. "You won’t let go of me, will you?"

"Never," Kenny promised, taking her free hand in his. "Now, keep your eyes on me. Deep breaths. In… and out."

Dawn did as he said, her shaky breaths starting to even out.

"Good," Kenny said, his voice low and steady. "Now, just a little pinch, okay? I’ll count to three. One…"

Before she could fully brace herself, he had already inserted the needle.

Dawn flinched slightly but was too focused on Kenny’s calm gaze to panic. "Wait… that’s it?"

"That’s it," Kenny confirmed, already removing the syringe and placing the blue bandaid on her arm.

Dawn blinked, her tears forgotten. "I didn’t even feel it!"

Kenny grinned. "Told you I’d take care of you. You were so brave, Dee Dee."

Dawn let out a breathless laugh, wiping her face with her sleeve. "I can’t believe I freaked out so much over nothing."

"Hey," Kenny said gently, tilting her chin up to look at him. "It wasn’t ‘nothing.’ It was a big deal for you, and you handled it like a champ. I’m proud of you."

Dawn’s cheeks flushed, a small smile spreading across her face. "Thanks, Kenny."

"Anytime," he said, hopping off the table and offering her his hand. "Now, what do you say we get some celebratory ice cream? Doctor’s orders."

Dawn giggled, taking his hand. "Best doctor ever."