Shaun Murphy Drabble: Meeting him for the first time
Content/Warnings: Gender neutral Reader, incident based on true story 🥹 I don't have an oven..
He was new to the building, and if you didn't accidentally cause that fire in your flat he probably wouldn't have known that you existed. It was his free day, it was daytime, and the alarm coming from down the hall was very apparent to him since he did not have that sound surround system yet that he was saving for.
When he opened the door to check, you ran outside your door in pyjamas, smoke pouring out of your door along with you. You tried to catch your breath and coughed from the smoke, baking glove on one hand and charcoal stained kitchen tongs in the other.
Shaun couldn't do much more in the moment but watch in overwhelm, even though his neutral features didn't exactly let on just how bizarre he found what he saw. Because instead of staying out, you went back in again even though the smoke clearly hadn't fully ceased yet.
"You will damage your lungs, you will damage your lungs!" He proclaimed and got moving, hastily making his way towards your apartment where he could see your short figure climbing up a wonky table to turn off the blaring Fire alarm sound. You managed to reach for it and finally turned it off, but the smoke was still all over your flat. When you tried to get off the chair you seemed hurried but uncertain, making eye contact with Shaun but not fully being able to address him in the urgency of the situation.
He flexed his hands and his reservation made way for his emergency self, quickly stepping up to the table and helping you get down since the smoke density at the ceiling was much more severe to your lungs than the amount you must have already inhaled. You quickly caught on, putting your hands on his shoulders to stabilize yourself when he swiftly lifted you down by your hips. You looked at him for a moment, his gaze adverted yours and moments after you rushed to the microwave and he in turn went to open all of your windows to let the smoke out. He coughed but quickly saw the smoke hovering outside as intended-
When he turned around again he saw you getting at the burned thing in your microwave with the tongs and quickly rushing to y the bathroom to throw it into what he could only assume was the shower by the hissing sound of water against coal.
When you came back out you rubbed your eyes and put down the oven glove and tongs. Shaun walked towards the door and out onto the hallway again. "You should leave your apartment. It still isn't fully safe to breathe." He said, fumbling with his hands in attempt to calm himself over what just happened. You stepped outside as well, still in your Pyjamas. "I.. should but.." you paused, Shaun didn't move, "You must be the new neighbor right? I swear I am not a crappy Arsonist." Shaun rocked forward on his heels once, "a bad arsonist would set their own house on fire, not someone else's. That was a joke." He concluded the slightest bit pleased at that observation.
"Yes, that's right. Well, welcome to the neighborhood. I'm Y/n." Shaun nodded, taking a second before answering. He didn't anticipate an introduction. He was still a bit caught up by the fire, "What did you burn?"
You looked a bit sheepish when you answered. "I don't have an oven, so I figured I can just heat up my frozen garlic bread in the microwave."
"That was a bad idea" "That fact is catching up to me, yes" "Hm"
You stood there for a moment with him in your Pyjamas, his eyes still not meeting your own. The absurdity of meeting your neighbor for the first time over a gross misconception on frozen goods was dawning on you.
The flat still had a really bad smoke stench, just looking back in caused you to cough again. "You should get checked up by a Doctor. Your throat and lungs could get damaged from inhaling the smoke. I am a Doctor."
"You are a Doctor?" You asked, looking back to him. "Dr. Shaun Murphy. I am a resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital!" "So do you need my insurance or could you quickly give me a check up if I cook you my famous pasta as a thanks?"
Shaun fumbled with his hands and looked around without quite looking at you. "..I would rather not have you use kitchen appliances so soon after" he said, making you laugh in return. "Ok ok.. fair point"
"Come with me" Shaun hastily spun around and walked ahead to his apartment. You followed after, feeling funny about being in pyjamas compared to him but ultimately accepting that your first impression couldn't be saved by this point.
