The Kraken?
We really shouldn't call him that. š¤
5 of midazolam, 5 of haldol, and Mr. -
Krakozhia.
You're joking.
No.
Mr. Krakozhia will be out like a light.
How about a McEvans drabble about the moment Cassie realizes she cares more about Dana than just friends and it happens over something incredibly simple.
Honestly, I took this prompt and ran with it and possibly went a little off topic. I'd say it wrote itself. Thank you!!
In the Laughter
Itās one of those shifts where Cassie never gets to stop.
Sheās not had time to grab a snack or to even glance in the direction of the bathroom, let alone get an actual break in the ten hours that sheās been on shift so far. Sheās tired, and her head is starting to hurt in a constant dull ache across her forehead, the kind that she can only chalk up to tension and dehydration mired together.Ā
Standing in front of Central 11, she takes a second to breathe, pinching the bridge of her nose in an attempt to exhale the exhaustion from her body. She has about ten seconds to mentally prepare herself before she needs to check on her next patient, a 10-year old boy in Central 9 who had fallen off of his skateboard and broken his wrist. He was in good spirits when she left him last, but the room is filled with his family - his Mom and three younger siblings who were all very enthusiastic and chatty.
Cassieās grateful for their enthusiasm, and happily answered every question they threw at her about her profession. But she needs a mental second to prepare for round two of questions, because now she knows theyāve had a chance to cook more questions up, and sheās not sure sheās ready for the onslaught.
In her seconds of peace, where sheās learned to block out the constant hum of noise from the Pitt as she gathers the strength to face the swarm of excited children, she hears a warm and genuine laugh float across the department, cutting through the noise of the room.
Cassie would recognise that laugh anywhere.Ā
Her head snaps in the direction of the sound, a strange stirring in her chest and a subconscious smile taking over her face as she cranes her neck for a better view of the source of the joyous noise. Dana is standing shoulder to shoulder with Perlah, both grinning while they laugh at some kind of inside joke. Itās not a loud laugh by any means, but it travels across the feet between them as if itās on a frequency specifically designed to target Cassieās ears.Ā
The stirring in her chest settles into a warmth, and Cassie canāt help but feel her spirits lifted by the sound.
She whirls through her check-up with the boy, and his many inquisitive siblings, fielding the hundreds of questions they manage to throw at her in the few minutes sheās in the room. The thought of Danaās laugh lingers in her mind, playing over and over again like itās her new favourite song. The sound stays with her through her next rounds, until she gravitates back to the hub to check on labs. The warmth in her chest hasnāt shifted, instead itās growing roots and starting to bloom.
Itās weird, she thinks as she taps absentmindedly on the screen in front of her. Danaās laugh is something sheās heard a thousands times. With all of the stress and turmoil that the job can bring, Dana has always been able to help keep spirits high when itās needed, even if she doesnāt always feel it herself. So she canāt pinpoint why now, specifically, Danaās laugh has lingered with her for long enough to make a home beneath her ribs.
She glances up from the iPad as Dana returns back to the hub, Perlah in tandem. Theyāre walking at pace, returning from a patient together, but are both still smiling. Cassieās heart flutters in chest when Danaās eyes meet hers, and she notes the crinkles that appear in the corners of her beautiful, hazel eyes as she does. Cassie never quite realised how drawn to Danaās eyes she was until this very moment. She quickly returns the smile with one of her own before fixing her eyes back to the iPad at the tips of her fingers, hoping she hasnāt given herself away.
āYou okay, Cassie?ā Danaās no longer on the opposite side of the hub. Instead, her voice is mere inches from Cassie. Cassie looks up again quickly, wide eyes meeting Danaās. The crinkles are gone, instead met with an almost concern. The sight stirs something new in Cassie, as if she needs to find a way to see Dana smile again. āYouāre looking a little flush.ā
Cassie didnāt realise until now, but the heat from her chest has shot up her neck and into her cheeks, colouring them in a way she didnāt realise was so obvious. Sheās suddenly all too aware of the feeling of it, flustered as she tries to justify herself.
āOh, no Iām fine, really. Just been running around all day, you know?ā
She tries to play it off with what comes out as a nervous laugh. Still, Danaās features relax at that, and the smile returns once more. āGood. I donāt think I could handle you becoming a patient today.āĀ
Her words are said fondly, followed by a smaller, more muted version of the laugh Cassie had heard earlier, this one just for her. The sound rings in her ears for a moment, Cassie trying hard to focus on stopping her heart from beating out of her chest before she can muster a response.
āAll good, D. I swear.āĀ
āIām glad, hon.ā Danaās hand reaches out and squeezes Cassieās bicep, just briefly, before she turns back to her next task. The skin under Danaās fingers tingles, as if every nerve ending has suddenly come alive from the touch. The action itself is simple, something Dana does to comfort or reassure regularly. But this feels different.
Itās not until Cassie is sitting in her car, trying to process the fact that she can still hear Danaās laugh, that it all clicks into place for her.
Dana is one of her closest friends at work. Sheās always looked out for her, always gravitated towards her and felt at her best in Danaās orbit, and sheād always just chalked that up to being friends. But the way the sound of her laugh has ruminated within Cassie all day has been something different. Something more than just friends. The way that Danaās joy spread through Cassieās bones and carried her through the remainder of her shift, any aches and pains long forgotten, isnāt something that just a friend can do.
Cassie almost cringes as the realisation hits her, more so for the fact that she hadnāt realised sooner. She has a crush on Dana. She cares for Dana in a way thatās more than just friendly. The feeling in her chest, the way her heart flutters when she catches Danaās eyes, the fact that Danaās laughter carried Cassie, all signs point to Cassie caring more for Dana than a friend.
Cassie smiles to herself and shakes her head, a small laugh falling from her lips as she realises. The warmth in her chest returns, though this time she knows exactly where itās coming from. Now, with all of the pieces of the puzzle in front of her, her feelings for Dana feel like the most obvious thing in the world.
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