simplestgift | Four Bells: [Voice] Somewhat Unwell

... Don't be so dramatic. I can come to where you are.

I'm not being dramatic. I'm simply being cautious. [Cough. Cough.] Thank you.

Same place, right?

[Long exhalation akin to a sigh.] Yes.

I'll be round soon.

[ and he'll close the journal. ]

[Archie closes his journal and buries himself in blankets again. When McCoy arrives, he'll be in bed, drifting off to sleep.]

[ it doesn't take McCoy long to finish up what he's doing (hah) and head over to the community housing. it's just down the road anyway and after a light rap against the door, he lets himself in to the apartment. ]

[The rap makes Archie open his eyes a little, though the state shouldn't really be called "awake." He rolls over in bed and blinks at the door, hoping whoever is about to walk through is the doctor-as-promised.]

[ McCoy does walk through the door and heads over to his bedside. he can already tell by the feverish look in his eyes that its influenza and checking the temperature with the back of his hand confirms it. ]

You look like hell, kid.

Thank you. [Kennedy sits up, slowly and with some difficulty. Sitting up against his pillows, he rolls up one sweat-dampened shirt-sleeve and exposes his forearm.]

Shall we get this over with? [He doesn't sound excited. At all. But no one does when they're expecting to be bled.]

... What are you doing? [ while he is content enough to bury himself in his work, he is not in the mood for messing around or medieval medicine. ]

[Archie blinks slowly.] Rolling up my sleeve. For bleeding.

Who do you think I am?

[ he doesn't wait as his lips leaden and expression becomes hard. ] I'm a doctor, not a butcher.

I know. [Archie squints as it starts to process in his fevered brain.] You don't bleed patients anymore?

Of course we don't. Cutting people up.. damn barbaric.

[Archie stops holding out his arm and uses it to prop himself up better.] Then what do you do for a fever?

Have you started with drinking lots of fluids?

[There's a pause.] No.

Well, there's a good start. And lie down kid, you won't get any better popping up and down like a damn jack-in-the-box.

[He obeys, but doesn't look happy about it.] I've been lying down for two days, Doctor.

You could have called me sooner. [ he retorts quietly as he leaves his side and heads to the door. ]

[Kennedy sits up partway, confused.] Where are you going?

I'm getting you a drink. I'll be back in a minute.

[Archie lies back again, letting out his breath and closing his eyes. He feels like a bit of a fool, but he doesn't call out for the doctor again.]

[ good, because he won't come back as he closes the door quietly behind him and. . . well, McCoy forgot these damn apartments don't have their own kitchens, so he heads to the shared one on the first floor. all in all, he's back fairly soon with a glass of water for him. ]

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