Summary: Carter lets you practice IVs on him.
A/N: 2x02 Carter letting Harper do this was so cute, and it just hurt my heart, so I had to whip up a little soft moment before work. It's not much, but I hope you enjoy.
With his white coat still on and a cup of coffee in his hand, Carter sits on the patient bed and watches you pass by the room as if you were looking for him.
“Hey, glad I found you. Come here a second.” He gestures for you to come closer. Curiosity makes you enter the exam room and stand in front of him while he takes a sip of his coffee.
"How are your IV and blood-drawing abilities?" He takes another sip and asks curiously, raising one eyebrow. This question surprises you for a moment, and you're unsure where this conversation is going.
You respond, "I'm not sure; I have only done them on cadavers," but you can't help but wonder why he's asking. Putting his coffee back on the bedside table, he smiles reassuringly and rolls up the sleeve of his right arm.
"Want to try on me?" He asks a question that surprises you. You look at the arm he has so voluntarily put up and feel both excited and nervous.
"Are you sure...?" you ask, your voice a little hesitant. He nods with a warm smile and extends his arm towards you.
"Of course. It's good practice. "I trust you," he says reassuringly, meaning every word. Taking a deep breath, you try to calm yourself before moving on. You begin to prepare the necessary equipment, feeling the weight of this task weighing upon you.
As you start to apply a tourniquet on his arm, you say, "Okay," more to yourself than to him. He can see the focus and determination in your expression, and it fills him with a sense of pride in knowing that he's helping you learn.
"You're doing great," he says softly, trying to ease any nerves that might have come up. You continue with the task, trying to steady your hand as you look for a suitable vein. It's not as easy as you thought it would be, but his words only encourage you further.
"Just take your time," he says gently, observing your focused expression. You can't help but gaze at his arm while working. Strong and muscular, the veins are clearly visible beneath the skin. You can't help but be impressed by the way his fingers move beneath your touch. A tiny smile plays on his lips as he notices your attention on his arm and the way your fingers glide over his skin. The soft way you touch him is captivating to him, and he secretly hopes you won't notice the chill that goes through him while you're working.
He winces a little when your first effort misses the vein, and you instantly feel embarrassed and disappointed. "Sorry about that," you remark, immediately removing the needle with a guilty tone in your voice.
He dismisses your apology with a gentle shake of his head. "No worries," he responds, maintaining a comforting grin. That is the purpose of practice. You're doing great." You inhale deeply as you attempt to ignore the minor slip-up and return your attention to the task at hand. This time, you give yourself more time to examine the vein and feel it out with your fingers before attempting again.
Carter's eyes are on you while you concentrate on locating the vein. His eyes are gentle and kind, and there is a trace of admiration in his face. He can't help but feel a sense of affection for you as he observes your determination on your face.
He says, "You're doing great," his eyes never leaving your face.
You're so preoccupied with getting the IV done correctly that you fail to notice the subtle way he looks at you; his eyes convey a lot without his using words.
As you carefully push the needle into position, you comment, "I think I've got it this time."
"Thank you for letting me practice on you," you say, looking up at him with a mixture of gratitude and shyness.
"It was nothing. You're doing a great job. I'm glad I can help you learn."
He pauses for a moment, studying your expression.
"You know, you have a real knack for this," he adds, a hint of admiration in his voice.
His praise causes your heart to skip a beat, and you experience a surge of warmth. You never expected this kind of support from him, and it means more than you ever thought it would.
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