thoughts ?? i genuinely don't know i just need her so bad. i was listening to ethel cain's crush while writing this, yes.
more mckay stuff | tags; age-gap (reader is around javadi's age, they know each other), casual relationships, suggestive ig??, smoking mentioned (reader), idk what else, there's nothing #deep in here lol
– mckay is complaining about not having a babysitter for harrison, javadi is busy but she knows a certain someone who's just too eager to start working;
"Do you smoke?" Cassie asks, her voice stern.
You almost forgot you were talking to a doctor, knowing that the only plausible answer here was probably a straight no. "Not...in front of children." you hesitated but refused to lie. Fair play.
"Good." Mckay mumbles, not sarcastically but almost like she's happy with the answer. Perhaps honestly really is the best policy. "When can you start? Harrison's getting bored with his grandparents these days." she says with a smile, waving her hand dismissively.
"Whenever."
"When's whenever?"
"Now?" It sounds awkward, unsure but you really do mean it. "I just got my car, I can take him anywhere or, you know just, stay at your house, whatever you need."
"Okay maybe not now, now, but um, tomorrow 8am? Take him to school, I'll send you his schedule and we can take it from there."
You'd catch yourself staring at the woman's lips then snapping back to reality.
"Of course."
– genuinely enjoying the time you spend taking care of harrison, doing college work when he's sleeping, helping him with homework and watching films when cassie allows it but knowing that what you really want, is to hear are some words of approval from mckay's mouth;
"Oh you're an absolute angel." she'd say upon seeing some leftover dinner you saved for her.
"Harrison told me you're really smart." she'd tell you once while you were discussing his homework with her, "I don't doubt it."
"You're working really hard. I'm sure your parents are proud of you."
– she'd start giving you extra cash, every now and then, telling you to pick out anything for yourself you want at the store, at the coffee run, when getting new clothes for harrison;
"What's that?" you'd ask, holding up the extra 20$. You know you counted the cash properly.
"For you." she'd shrug, casually. "Treat yourself. It's on me, you deserve to have someone take care of you for once instead, hm?"
– cassie inviting you to stay in the evening, have dinner with her. on fridays you'd watch a movie with her and harrison. it becomes a habit and it doesn't feel like a babysitter and the kid's mother casually hanging around anymore;
Harrison is asleep, already in his room. The movie is still on, the light coming from the TV screen painting McKay's face deep blue.
"I should go." you finally say, the hour is late and it feels inappropriate to stay much longer.
"You sure?" Cassie asks, looking over at you.
"Yeah.." Eventually, you shift to reach for the remote by Cassie's leg. Cassie moves at the same time, trying to give you more room. You balance goes, just slightly slumping onto her. Cassie’s hands land against you shoulders, for a second not knowing quite what to do.
“Easy,” Cassie mumbles, a soft smile on her face. "you sure you wanna go?" she'd ask. She never hears the word but instead feels the softness and warmth of the lips she'd been eyeing all these months, pressed against her own.
Your arms finally wrapping around McKay's shoulders, clumsily, almost accidentally pulling her on top and getting what you'd wished for all these months.
Summary : Baran and her wife notice Samira having changed her pronouns from she/they at the VA to she/her in the PTMC. When she opens up about why, Baran knows she has to change something.
Notes : this req hit so close to home i was so happy to write this 🥹
Samira Mohan is my baby and my shayla and i miss her ☹️
“Azizam?” Baran’s voice is soft as she sits beside you on the couch. Her curly hair brushes the side of your neck as she rests her head on your shoulder.
“Hm? What’s up?” You glance over your shoulder to look at your wife, finally taking your eyes off of the book you were reading.
“Just… Samira. At work. You remember at the VA, how she used she/they pronouns?” She starts, big brown eyes fixed on you. You nod in response, she shifts closer, pressing against your side. “She’s been introducing herself with she/her pronouns recently. I want to ask her about it but… do you think that would be overstepping?”
“No, not at all. She would want you to use the correct pronouns, right?” You look over at Baran, hand already reaching for hers.
“Yeah.” Baran laces her fingers with yours. “You’re right.”
She looks up at you, smiling softly as she tilts her head for a quick, sweet kiss.
“Thank you, azizam.” She mutters when she pulls away… just before leaning in for another kiss.
“Samira, what pronouns do you use?” Baran asks out of the blue as they’re walking out of the PTMC together, having just finished night shift handoffs. No better time than the present, apparently.
“What?” Samira actually paused for a second, brows furrowing. Her hair is messy from the long shift, the bags under her eyes just a bit more apparent than how they had been coming in.
“Your pronouns.” Baran clarifies easily, her expression still, tone calm and simple. “Me and my wife noticed that you’ve been using she/her at the PTMC. When we worked together at the VA, you had been using she/they. I want to make sure I'm not calling you by the wrong pronouns.” Baran phrases if so simply because, to her, it is. With your encouragement, she’s sure that she’d rather just know the answer than stay guessing.
“Uh… It’s sort of complicated.” Samira starts, pausing in front of the ED. She looks down, avoiding Baran’s steady gaze. “I still use they/them outside of work. Sometimes. With friends. It just… it got annoying, having to explain it to patients.”
Baran stares at Samira for a long moment, her brows furrowing. It’s that maternal look she gives when she’s concerned about one of her staff members.
“So you stopped using them?” Baran tilts her head to the side, her voice still steady and calm.
“Yeah. I just got tired of all of the explaining. And always correcting people. I mean, everyone just kind of used she exclusively anyway, so I just kind of dropped it.”
“Did you have to keep correcting anyone who works in the ED?” Baran asks quickly. There’s a clear bit of annoyance simmering in her tone now.
Samira pauses before responding, her expression dropping a bit.
“…A few people.” She mutters. She doesn’t have to name names. She doesn’t need to call out Robby like that. “It’s not a big deal. I just got tired of it.”
Baran’s jaw clenches. The fact that Samira has had to correct the people who are supposed to be a team—a support system—for her over and over again? No. She won’t have that. Not in her ED.
“You shouldn’t have to change how you choose to identify because other people can’t get it right.” Baran says firmly.
“I know, I just—“
“I’ll fix this, okay?”
“What?”
Baran just blinks, like saying she could fix this whole problem really is no big deal. To her, it isn’t.
“As a department, we won’t be able to work as well as a team if we aren’t all a safe space for each other. The emergency department should feel like a safe environment for everyone. No exceptions.” She shrugs, eyes staying fixed on Samira—making it very clear she’s 100% serious. “I’ll find a way to make sure you can continue to use whatever pronouns you want in the emergency department. You, and everyone else.”
For a long moment, the only sounds outside the PTMC are the noise coming from within the ED and the sirens of an ambulance arriving. Neither woman says anything. Baran keeps her eyes on Samira, fully serious, while Samira looks… grateful. Her expression is soft—maybe a little confused—and she has her mouth open like she’s ready to say something… but just can’t quite come up with anything. Then, before she can think, she takes a step forward and hugs Baran tightly. She doesn’t care that she’s an adult who maybe shouldn’t be hugging her boss. She needs this.
Baran, of course, pulls Samira in the moment her arms are around her. Motherly instincts kick in immediately, her hand gently gliding over Samira’s back in a comforting motion.
“Thank you, Dr. Al.” Samira says softly.
Baran pulls back, a warm smile on her face, hands now gently holding onto Samira’s arms.
“You’re welcome.” She says simply, smile widening a bit after a moment of softness. “And I told you, outside of work, you can just call me Baran. No need for the formalities.”
“Okay.” Samira actually laughs softly as she takes. small step back. “Thank you, Baran.”
Baran nods, her smile staying on her face. She can’t help it, seeing Samira happy like this is infectious.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Samira.”
That next day, lo and behold, Baran found a way to try and fix the problem.
When Samira came into work, she was greeted by a new ID badge in her locker… with a blank line labeled as a spot to put her pronouns.
“Dr. Al?” Samira comes up to Baran quickly, a bright smile on her face. Baran turns quickly, looking at a clip board in her hand.
“Hm? Oh! Samira. Good morning.” She smiles at her just before jotting down a note on the paper in front of her.
“Did you do this?” Samira’s words come out quickly as she holds out her new badge with the blank place on it.
Baran finally turns her eyes from the paper to look at the fresh badge. Her lips turn up in a small, barely there smile.
“I talked to Gloria last night about the ID badges being outdated. They should include every doctor and nurse’s pronouns.” She shrugs. “So she got everyone new badges. Do you need a sharpie to put yours in?”
Samira nearly pulls Baran in again for a huge hug. She didn’t call Samira dramatic, didn’t say she should focus on work, didn’t even lie about trying to do something about it. She actually did something. Maybe it won’t exactly make patients stop being homophobic… but it’ll help. Now, Samira being a demigirl won’t even have to be a question she has to explain. It’s just… true.
“Yeah. Thanks.” She nods, giving Baran a warm smile. The look is enough to make her gratefulness clear.
I reblogged her late last year and my 2024 has been very satisfying work-wise and (secure enough to not stress out) money-wise so far. Money Snake is wise and good.