Four Bells: [Voice] Somewhat Unwell

[simplestgift]

Doctor McCoy?

[It's Kennedy, and he sounds awful.  It's been a couple of days since he's left his room or contacted anyone over the journals.]

Are you in the clinic at the moment? Fever and aches aren't as much to my liking as I'd first thought. If I die before I make it there, please make sure Captain Jack stays out of my things until I return.

Comments

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

You eat despite the lack of it -- that was always mom's remedy.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

We'll see what the next few hours bring. I'm in no mood to stand up in the kitchen and cook.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

I do make sandwich deliveries, but...if McCoy's on his way I should probably cool my jets before he finds out I'm feeding you sandiwches instead of medicine and freaks.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

I am grateful that you offered.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

Safe your gratitude for when you're better.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

Why? [It's not exactly that he was "just being polite," since it wasn't usual on a ship to have everyone falling over themselves to bring sandwiches to a sick man (quiet worrying was more common) and he's not quite used to the treatment.]

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

'Cause as the patient you have a right...no, obligation to make it all about you and save the thanks for when it isn't anymore.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

[This is exactly the kind of thing he would tell Horatio, and he's starting to feel a bit of ironic deja vu. So he responds the way Horatio would.] It wouldn't be much of a world if we all waited until we felt like saying thank you, now, would it?

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

I'll take a delayed but felt thank you over just saying it because it's expected, any day. But that's still not the point. Be spoiled! It's just about the only upside to being sick.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

I wasn't just saying it because it was expected, I truly am grateful! I'm not used to being treated like a prince by everyone just for being ill.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

Then you clearly don't know how we treat our princes.

[ jokes make everything better, right? ]

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

If you treat them as God's superiors, you don't treat them any differently than we do.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

Mostly we treat them like they don't exist. Because we don't have any.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

Ah. Americans. I forget, sometimes.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

You can usually tell by the not-funny accent. Y'know, the one that's not like yours.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

I haven't thought about it in some time. Worlds don't make a difference here, let alone countries. I think if General Bonaparte himself arrived here, I'd only shake his hand and ask him news of home.

[A pause, then words spoken in quiet wonder.] I've been here for over a month now.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

The time goes faster than you expect.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

I feels like longer.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

Really? Even with all that's happened? I'd have thought it would blur by.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

Especially with all that's happened. It's a lot to cram into a few short weeks. It's hard to believe five weeks ago I didn't even know this place existed.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

It's not the kind of place any of us probably bothered to imagine.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

But it wasn't that long ago, and now it's my entire life. And I accept that. Seems I've known men who've taken years, or never accepted being pressed.

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

Pressing isn't an easy thing to get down with, sometimes.

[ voice ]

[simplestgift]

[The fact that she cannot see him nodding doesn't immediately occur to him, so there's only silence.]

[ voice ]

[herotypical]

...Archie?

[ a whisper, in case he fell asleep suddenly. ]