bad case (of loving you) | S.H
You think it’s going to be the same annual check up for your daughter, Piper. The same blunt doctor that scares her every time. Luckily, the new paediatrician Doctor Harrington has taken his place.
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“Baby, please, work with mommy here,” you plead, as you attempt to take off Piper’s seatbelt. She’s an expert at making a fuss, maybe she got that from you now you think about it. Piper has managed to mess up her plaits already, making angry noises as she shakes her head and kicks her little legs. “The nurses always give you stickers. You like stickers,”
Your bartering doesn’t change the fixed frown on the three year old’s face.
“Scary,” Piper lets out, cheeks red as she stays put. This was the same tantrum every annual check up. Screaming bloody murder even before entering the hospital, and maximising the volume as you approached Doctor Yates’ office. Yates was, a scary man, to her credit. His office was dark, bleak, matching his demeanour. You get it, being a paediatrician just be difficult, but to warrant being generally nasty to his patients you didn’t understand.
“I know he’s scary,” you placate, “Mommy finds him real scary too,” as you speak, you rub her arms through her cardigan. “If you come with mommy, I’ll get you some Reece’s okay?”
Reece’s Peanut Butter cups were her favourite, again something she got from you having ate a lot during your pregnancy. Piper seems to quieten hearing ‘Reece’s’ and blinks up at you.
“Promise,” you nod, pushing the hazel hair that had trapped over her nose to behind her ear. Piper mulls it over, before holding her arms around expectantly. You sigh out smiling, unplugging her seatbelt she had finally let go of and picking her up. She was getting older, and the feeling of you not being able to pick up your baby anymore made your stomach curl. Hazel nuzzles into your shoulder as you lock the car, and make your way into the hospital.
The paediatric ward knew you at this point, the nurses at reception checking you in immediately and nodding to the waiting area. Piper was already getting restless, her small Mary Janes digging into your thigh as you sit. Piper knew what was coming. Face to face with Doctor Yates, her nightmare. You focus her attention on your nail varnish, a colourful green you opted for. She was entertained enough, playing with your fingers. You loved her so much.
You barely hear the nurse before looking up, seeing her coo down at Piper. You smile like you always do, happy to see Piper interacting with the kind nurse you always saw here.
“Follow me,” the nurse, Linda nods smiling and you stand, adjusting Piper and following her down the hall. Linda pauses before stopping outside a door, notably not Doctor Yates’. “Unfortunately, Doctor Yates retired after his many years,” Linda throws you a small smile, “Head paediatrician has been handed over to Doctor Harrington, he’s just inside,”
Linda nods to the door labelled ‘Dr. Harrington’ adorned with stickers. It makes you smile as you adjust Piper again, walking in as the door is opened for you by Linda. Linda pokes Piper’s nose before she leaves, and you turn to face the desk seeing Piper’s new doctor.
Much younger than Yates, close to your age by the looks of it. Golden skin paired with deep brown eyes under his glasses, and gloriously placed hair that hit the sun perfectly. He looks up from his notes, and smiles widely.
“Hi!” He speaks warmly, standing up and gesturing to the exam chair next to his desk. “It’s lovely to meet you, I just started here, so forgive me if I’m a bit all over the place.”
You can really form a sentence, wordlessly nodding and sitting on the chair with Piper in your lap. She’s positively beaming up at him, blinking.
“Hello little miss… Piper,” it’s clearly memorised from her notes he took care to read before. “I don’t like Doctor Harrington, so call me Steve.”
Piper giggles, loud and repeats it.
“Steeb,” Piper claps, and Steve gives her a smile like she’s just hung the moon. Steve sits on his wheely chair and slides over, abandoning the desk. He smells great, your brain thinks before you curse it.
“Close enough,” Steve shrugs and puts on his blue examination gloves, tying them together on his lap. “This is mom, yeah?”
“Yeah, yes,” you splutter, nodding and he looks over Piper once before speaking again.
“Before I start, any concerns you have? Anything different about her you’ve seen?” Steve asks as he reaches for his stethoscope around his neck.
“Nothing”, you shrug, watching him put the buds in his ears and prepare. He nods, and gives Piper a smile.
“I’m gonna put this on now, it’s pretty cold but I’ve heard it’s ticklish,” Steve is talking to Piper almost diplomatically, “Copy me,”
Steve somehow has her under a trance, because she doesn’t push into you like she did with Yates, rejecting the stethoscope, she leans into it. As Steve places it on the top of her back, he animatedly breathes in and out along with her.
“Sounds all good to me,” Steve nods as he releases the stethoscope, putting it back around his neck. As he gets out the temperature reader, he shakes out. “Okay Piper, big task for me, stick your tongue out— all silly— perfect,”
You fondly smile down at your daughter, who was making a cute noise while she stuck her tongue out. Steve uses it to his advantage, holding the reader under her tongue for a few seconds before reading it.
“You said you just started here?” You attempt to start a conversation, and he nods, writing her temperature on her notes.
“I did,” he smiles, “I used to live here in Hawkins as a kid, so I jumped at the opportunity to come back and work here.”
Huh. You hadn’t seen him around before, but then again you moved here when Piper was born.
“You wanted to come back?”
Steve shrugs, “Yeah, I went to Seattle for med school, loved it, but I did miss the small town of it all,” Steve speaks while he gets out a device to check Piper’s ears, and concentrates on making faces at her while he does. He does the other ear, writes the note down and gestures to the wall. “Okay, time to measure how tall you’ve gotten.”
You help Piper down, and she insists on grabbing his hand instead of yours, following him to the height and weight stand. Steve entertains it all, being terrifically gentle with her as he measures her height. Not only was her new doctor blindingly handsome, he was also disgustingly charming.
You don’t even notice you’re staring as Piper tugs your leg. You distract yourself by picking her up again, and Steve smiles before writing down the measurements. He sits back down on the stool on wheels, crossing his arms.
“She’s growing healthily, no concerns as far as I can tell, how is she with talking?” Steve asks and detaches the small toy on his stethoscope to give to Piper.
“Doctor Yates always said she was behind on communication,” you speak sheepish, stroking over her mousy hair, “But she can say a whole lot. Repeats things I say too,” you find yourself defending your baby, who was a little behind from the other moms at the single mom group you had joined at the church. Steve’s expression doesn’t change, maybe only grows sweeter. His eyes are a deep hazel you notice, the morning sun doing wonders for them.
“She’s a lovely girl, don’t worry about how ‘behind’ she is,” Steve advises, sitting back, “It’s not a linear process.”
He’s so, so kind, and you remind yourself to get a reality check. No way he’d go for someone like you, he’s just doing his job.
“And dressed so well, by the way,” Steve comments, tapping one of her little Mary janes. “Mommy has good taste, doesn’t she?”
You flush as Piper seems to agree, hugging into you and giggling at Steve’s tap on her shoe. That wasn’t flirting, was it? Steve’s eyes linger on you before he moves to his desk and writes down a few more things. You take the time to look around. His exam office is bright, paintings of animals on the walls with a stuffed animal pile on a couch, even some story books in the corner.
“Okay,” Steve claps, “Piper’s vitals all look great, no signs of any infections,” you visibly relax, holding Piper a bit closer as she reaches out for Steve again. He smiles and picks up a box on his desk. “For you, brave girl, whatever sticker your heart desires,”
Piper is considering this with great intent, her eyebrows concentrating like yours do when you’re budgeting for the week. She grabs a turtle sticker.
“Excellent choice,” Steve comments and holds the box out to you then, blinking you out of your trance, “Does mom want a sticker?”
Something as simple as your kid’s hot doctor offering you a sticker is making you flush, and you curse the gods for giving you sensitive cheeks. Piper is looking up at you, expectantly and it makes you melt.
“Thanks,” you manage and pull out a puppy sticker, why not? Steve’s smile softens as he puts the box back and takes off his gloves, binning them quickly. “C’mon Piper, let’s go,” you coo and she shakes her head, persisting and putting a heartbreaking frown on her face. “I thought you hated hospitals lovely,” you ask her, and she lets out an unhappy sound.
Steve was watching the whole thing, unable not to.
“I’m sorry, we’ll get out of your hair,” you wave off, but Steve stops you to say, “It’s alright, last appointment of the day.”
You manage to get Piper on your hip, but she wriggles with her hands out to him.
“Steeby,” Piper speaks, and thankfully Steve isn’t bothered, stepping closer and crouching.
“Oh, steeby? That’s my name now?” He muses, taking the sticker and pulling the end off, looking up at you as if to ask, is this okay? You nod, and he smiles gently sticking the turtle onto her cardigan. Piper preens and smiles, her little teeth showing and all.
“Say bye bye,” you kiss her hair, and look up at Steve, who looks conflicted for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“Uh— are you free Friday night?” His question makes you flush, and he carries on, “The ward is hosting a party, if you can call it that. Run by the charity that funds it. I’d be great for you both to come, I mean, if you want to.” Steve is rambling now, pushing his glasses up, a difference to his confident Doctor mode he had minutes ago.
“I’m free,” you breathe out, smiling small and adjusting Piper on your hip, god she was getting big now. “Yeah, that’d be nice,”
Steve looks like he’s just recovered from destabilising a bomb, and sighs out smiling.
“Okay, cool, cool,” he nods, a hand through his golden brown hair, that flops over anyway, “Starts at 5, but feel free to pop in whenever— whichever time you wish.”
“5,” you confirm, before watching Piper snuggle into your shoulder. “See you Friday,”
The ride home, you can’t stop thinking about the doctor. His charming smile, the moles that sit close on his cheek, his gentleness towards Piper. Safe to say it had been a while, Piper’s father was the last, and that had been even before she was born. He abandoned you pretty quick, swapping his life for a big house and tech company in LA. Shiny new girlfriend at that. Was Steve flirting? You couldn’t tell anymore, or really believe any guy would choose to flirt with you. You squeeze the steering wheel, letting the voice of Stevie Nicks calm you down, now thinking. You have nothing to wear to this party.
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You feel stupid. Going to goodwill just to buy a new floral dress for the occasion, with buttons shaping your chest and the hem stopping mid thigh. You haven’t worn something like this since before you were pregnant, and you keep pushing the hem down as you walk up to the hospital following the signs for the fundraiser, Piper adorn in a new dress for herself (she was clinging onto one at the thrift store you couldn’t resist). As you turn the corner into the reception, you see it’s been decked out with tables set with party food, balloons, kids and parents dotted around talking. You stand awkward for a bit, attempting to push down your hair the wind made quick work of. Before you can push your dress down again, there’s a warm hand on your arm. Looking up, you’re happy to see Steve dressed in a casual Boston t shirt and jeans, and was his cologne more noticeable?
“Hey!” He greets, smile reaching his cheeks. Piper brightens up at him, holding her little arms out. “Hey to you, too,” Steve pokes her belly and she giggles, “How are you both?”
“Good,” you supply, adjusting her again, and Piper is dead set on wanting to be in Steve’s arms instead. “I’m sorry,”
“No, no, it’s okay,” Steve waves off, and steps closer, wriggling his fingers in front of her, “If it’s okay with you?”
Albeit flustered, you nod, and hand her over gently. Steve handles her with upmost care, swaying her. He looks like it’s light work, like Piper weighs nothing.
“Are you guys hungry? We have a few bits over here—,” Steve gestures to the table as he guides you to it, “Does Piper like brownies?”
“Oh, she likes anything sweet,” you shrug and watches as he picks up a small brownie, putting it in her hand. “A doctor giving a brownie to a kid?”
Steve laughs, and wipes her cheek as Piper devours the brownie. She got her appetite from you as well.
“As a doctor, I like to prescribe a treat every so often, what life’s all about.” Steve explains as he watches Piper chew happily, before patting her back. “Are you hungry?”
The food looked good. Obviously home baked by the staff.
“No— no I’m okay. Best save it for the kids,” I wave off, and Steve seems suspicious but doesn’t question it. He then looks up to the door, seeing people he recognises. “If you need to go, that’s fine—,”
“Come on Piper, let’s go meet my friends huh?” Steve coos and sends you a cock of his head to his friends, making you blink but follow him regardless. Steve waits for you to catch up, a hand drifting to meet your waist for a moment.
It was friendly, totally you repeat to yourself as you follow face probably as red as a tomato.
Steve’s work friends are an interesting bunch.
Steve greets them all animatedly, and Piper brightens up at the new faces.
“Steve won’t shut up about you!” The excited sandy blonde blurts as you approach, and you blink, taking in her buzzy attitude. She’s got an infectious smile, freckles lighting up her cheek. Steve sends her a sheepish glare, swaying Piper.
Next to her, the doe eyed metal head wipes his mouth from devouring a slice of pizza and smiles easily over at you.
“I can vouch for that,” he supplies, finding Steve’s expression absolutely hilarious. Steve huffs and sends you an apologetic smile. “Hi little lady,” the man hums as he waves to Piper, “Steve won’t shut up about you either,”
Piper is always a delight around people, and it always makes your heart warm up. She giggles and holds her hand out to touch his dark curls, Steve all the while holding her out securely. It’s all very domestic, and watching Steve handle her with so much care sends your stomach flying.
“This is Robin and Eddie,” Steve fills in your confusion, as he detaches her from making a knot into Eddie’s hair.
“Hi,” you manage, smiling politely.
Eddie make a knowing face at Steve, and he just sends him a small smile back. You hope it’s a good knowing look.
“Y’know— I think me and Robin wanna show the little lady the playing blocks,” Eddie announces, and Robin looks confused for a moment. Eddie widens his eyes at her, not discreet at all. You slip out a giggle as Robin gasps.
“Oh! Yes, we do,” Robin nods vigorously, “We are so excited to show Piper the blocks, and we must go now—,”
“— oh, guys,” Steve sighs out, rubbing his forehead, and Piper holds her hands out to climb onto Eddie’s hip. Eddie bounces her and she lets out one of her loud giggles, which assures you she’s in safe hands.
“Steve should show you the hospital garden,” Robin says loudly, managing a wink at Steve that isn’t conspicuous in any way, and you flush, smiling up at Steve, who is looking at Robin exasperated. “Goodbye,”
They both hurriedly rush off, leaving you and Steve standing together. Steve visibly swallows and nods.
“Uh— would you come? To the gardens with me, I mean,” he clears his throat, cheeks a lovely shade of pink you haven’t seen on him yet.
“I’d love to,” you reply and he nods, sighing out with relief before directing you to the door, out to the hospital reception.
The hospital garden is freshly green from the rainy winter, and now shining in the sunlight. Steve gestures to a bench, right near a rose bush covered in an awning. Steve’s knee bounces for a moment before opening his mouth, then closing it again. Having a child, you can ready nerve pretty well, so you start.
“Piper is quite fond of you,” you begin, smiling up at him, catching the two moles that dot his cheek. “Kept babbling about Steeby this, Steeby that on the way home,”
A soft, sweet smile spreads over his face, and he tilts his head.
“And her mom?”
“Her mom?” You blink, playing with your rings before looking up at his unwavering, honeyed expression.
“Is her mom fond of me too?”
You take a second, before letting yourself smile, blush wholly.
“Her mom… do you want her to be?” You ask, bravery making its way through your anxieties that he’ll just reject you, let you off easily and kindly. Steve’s smile somehow gets warmer.
“I may be a doctor, but I’m not incredibly smooth,” Steve explains slowly, “I would love for Piper’s mom to be fond of me,” he carries on, eyes tracing over your face, “and come to dinner with me Friday?”
Your heart flutters in your chest, cheeks pink, looking down and lifting your finger to run over his hand. It’s quiet in the garden, only the sound of birds filter over as Steve connects your hands together over his knee.
You breathe out, looking up and smiling.
“I think she’d say yes,” you speak, and he sighs out.
“Thank god,” Steve mumbles, sitting closer and reaching in his pocket to pick out a small brownie wrapped in tissue. “Dunno what I would have done with this brownie in my pocket—,”
He got you a brownie. Knowing you’d wanted one, seeing your eyes glaze over the snacks but saying no. You’ve not been that daring in your 24 years of life, but you decide to lean up and kiss him, hand on his cheek. Steve’s eyes widen before reciprocating, his arm wrapping around your shoulders near the bench, pushing you into him. Your legs knock together, it’s all a bit awkward and crowded, but the way his lips weave against yours, you can’t bring yourself to care. Steve presses some kisses against the side of your mouth, before pulling away, eyes all goey and relaxed.
“Gonna need a minute,” Steve weakly speaks, and you laugh, forehead resting on his shoulder.
“Was it true?”
“Hm?” Steve mumbles as he rubs your other arm, your head comfortably on his shoulder.
“What Robin said,” you speak soft, unable to hide your smile.
“Unfortunately it is,” Steve confesses, “Don’t mention that—,” Steve squeezes you, “Tryna’ impress Piper’s mom here.”
You laugh, and you look up, meeting his gaze.
“Piper’s mom isn’t that cool,” you shake your head, voice hoarse. True. Steve tuts, a hand stroking your cheek.
“Oh she absolutely is.”
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a/n: I would love to write a bit more of a intimate/ romantic part two :)
in regard to requests I accept any (of course) but some will be loosely inspired by what I receive/ if I believe I can do it justice!!
