Work Text:
After a long and arduous surgery involving multiple fractures in a young man’s pelvis, you went to the unused storage room and sat on the floor to regather your thoughts in your operative scrubs. You knew you needed to change into a new set but that did not matter during the moment. With your head against the wall, you were staring at the box of alcohol sanitizer when Baran Al-Hashimi came in. You knew she was the new Chief Attending of the ED that received so many of your patients who eventually ended up in the OR. You had a lot of respect for her and came to know her over time.
You were tall and strong for a female surgeon which you had a lot of your male colleagues including the ortho bros asking for you to scrub into surgeries. You also knew Baran liked to see you when you came into the Pitt to review trauma patients. You were a surgeon who valued the doctors and nurses in the Pitt who worked hard to keep your patients alive for the OR. You also had time for residents when they often came to you to ask about the trauma specialty.
Meanwhile, the attending doctor was looking distraught and she had seen you with an embarrassed look on her face. You saw her curls were sticking out of the clip she used to hold them away from her face. You could see she was having the shift from Hell by the looks of her. Ready to leave the room, your voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Come sit down. I’m not going to bite.” You said with a soft knowing smile, patting the floor with your hand. You watched as she sniffled whilst she went to sit on the linoleum floor. She continued to sniff softly into her hands, wiping any snot from her nose. Her hands were on her lap, clasped tightly as she fought with her tears. You didn’t touch her as you weren’t sure if she would have accepted your touch so you just decided to sit quietly.
Both of you sat in silence until Baran softly spoke up, breaking you out of your own thoughts. She was looking at you. Her warm hazelnut eyes were bloodshot from the city and they were looking at you with hope.
“I know it is odd but c-can I lay my head down on your lap?”
You were taken by surprise with Baran’s request when you looked at her with your eyebrows raised. Your reaction caused her to look away.
“I’m sorry.” Baran apologised with a broken voice, not of a strong attending ER doctor you knew. She looked so small, you noticed and it made your heart break a little for her. You quietly picked up the fact that she just wanted to be held and comforted.
“No, don’t be. Come here.” You urged as you gestured for her to lay her head on your lap. You watched her lay her head on your lap and felt her let out a sigh of relief. She began to relax her body when she felt your hands rub her head.
Your hands went to her honey-brown curls and began stroking her head. You moved a curl out of her face when it got into her eyes. You continued to stroke her head when you felt her hand gently rub your leg. Her ringed thumb was circling slow circles into your scrub-clad leg whilst she moved to curl up against your body.
“How’s that?” You softly asked as you rubbed her back before she turned to face you.
“T-thank you.” Baran said softly into your hand. She definitely looked so small in your lap which you found it endearing that she obviously felt safe with you.
“If you need to just lay on my lap or need to be held, just let me know. I know the ER is rough but it doesn’t mean the big boss doesn’t need a good old cuddle every now and then.” You quietly jested with reassurance in good humour which earned you a smile from the attending doctor. Your hand came up to stroke her cheek whilst she looked at you with her bright eyes full of affection for you.