i'm half-awake in paisley print -- i can see the world clearly but i have to squint

[herotypical]

Who: [Bad username or site: slaying title= @ livejournal.com], [Bad username or site: hippocraticly title= @ livejournal.com] & [Bad username or site: lists_to_port title= @ livejournal.com]
What: Somehow, Jack has talked his way into helping look after the under-the-weather Doctor McCoy
When: Backdated to Wednesday morning
Where: House Seven
Summary: A lot of awkward silences are predicted.
Rating: PG13? Perhaps higher for implications or language. We'll see.

It was mid-morning on a Wednesday and Buffy was still in her pajamas. After her post-waking-up shower, she decided to slip right back into something comfy and casual. It made the day seem that much more inviting. And her evening had gone latter than expected, tending to the delirium-tinged sickness of Doctor McCoy. She probably doesn't even remember inviting Jack Sparrow over to "help" -- which is all well and good, because if she remembered she would probably rescind the invitation.

She began her day in the kitchen. Coffee had to be made -- for her. Bones was getting lemon in hot water or maybe some NeoCitran knock-off. Plus orange slices, because she has made it her own personal mission to get as much vitamin C into the doctor as she can manage. She took great satisfaction in crisply slicing the fruit, releasing deliciously orangeish smells into the air.

Once the coffee was successfully brewed, Buffy took a tray of everything into the lounge. She gently attempted to rouse Bones from his stupor on the couch.

(ooc; posting order -- bones, jack, buffy? sound good?)

Comments

[all7seas]

"All I have left is for the lady. Found this in the forest, Buffy." Jack's voice faltered slightly as he pulled a neatly-folded jacket from the bag. Tucked away in one pocket was a perfectly smooth oval-shaped piece of mother-of-pearl charm. A tiny hole had been painstakingly drilled through it. He knew it might never be found, or it might be thrown away, but there it was.

[herotypical]

"Honestly, Bones? It'll probably help."

But now, she was distracted by her own gift. Her face actually seemed to lit up and she reached out for the jacket. "You found it!"

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

McCoy was less joyous at this last gift and suspicious was rife as he finally looked back at Jack.

"Found it, huh."

[all7seas]

"Funny thing, that jacket. Turned up at the oddest time. OH. I've another, but I fear it must wait for a more opportune moment, Buffy." Almost reluctantly, he let the jacket leave his hands. That was the end, then. He had nothing more of her.

He screwed his eyes shut for a moment and dug deep for the sensation of freedom he'd been expecting, but came up wanting.

[herotypical]

She addressed Bones first. "When you were--uhm...gone?" Kidnapped. "I lost a jacket in the woods, and I was looking for it. That's all."

Buffy gave Jack a look. That evening had been an odd one--the closest they came to regaining something even slightly like their old friendship. And it had all been because of a mutual worry over Bones' well-being.

Clearing her throat, she carefully folded the jacket on her lap. She smoothed the edges,

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

McCoy looked between the two of them and radically decided at that moment that he did not like this tension, clenching his jaw and gripping the handle of the mug a bit too tightly and glowered. Fortunately, he had not been bestowed with Slayer strength in his teens, and the worse he ended up was with slightly throbbing fingers from the dissolving heat.

And he's only just found it? Was left unsaid as he sipped from the cup and tried to ignore the shriveled up lizard left on the carpet.

[all7seas]

The pirate's eyes were glued to the Buffy's hands as she smoothed the jacket. "Lost in the woods," he repeated absently; then, somehow, he snapped out of it. "Got you another something, Buffy, but it's not ready yet. Skating rink."

[herotypical]

Still oblivious to the little charm, Buffy laid the jacket aside. The night had been a strange pool of calm in a hectic time. She tried to smile reassuringly to Bones--honestly, Doc. It was fine. Chill. Just one of those things. Go steam up your chest pillow.

But, then...skating rink. Her eyes snapped quickly back to Jack and her mouth went just slightly slack. "How?" Beneath? She was incredibly excited but she wasn't...letting it show.

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

Her reassuring smile to him was appreciated and he returned the sentiment; it soon faltered before it vanished completely simply by Jack bringing up the next subject to fill the awkward silence. He slammed the cup back onto the table -- not caring if it sloshed everywhere -- and turned onto his side and covered his ears.

McCoy didn't want to hear anything about the lake or water, let alone thinking about people falling through the Goddamn ice.

[all7seas]

"Perhaps I should...tell you about that later, like."

[herotypical]

"Later's probably a good idea."

She stood from her chair and collected a few of the dishes--stopping short of Bones' seat. "Hey. No more water talk. You're in the clear." She nudged his elbow.

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

"Good," He mumbled somewhat indistinctly, still facing away from the two of them. "I hate water more than I hate flying."

[all7seas]

Jack hitched over a bit to give Buffy space. There had been an unspoken no-physical-contact policy between them for a while now, and he was determined not to be the first to break it. "Flying, now: tell me about flying. I've always wanted to try."

Being flung into the desert by Aku didn't count.

[herotypical]

She popped another orange slice past her lips, liberating the fruit from its peel. Then, she left the still-full plate behind while collecting empty ones. She could smell booze, but figured it was off of the pirate. She shot him a dubious look.

"Be careful--he'll end up telling you about how flying can make your blood boil."

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

"It's horrible; you put your life into the hands of some Goddamn fly boy and sit tight while your body is subjected to changing altitudes, the threat of radiation from UV rays, you get abrasions from the harness if you are wearing the wrong kind of shirt that morning."

Jack would be very fortunate if any of that was coherent enough to understand; his words just kept tumbling over each other and he sounded far too congested, his chest aching as he became more and more heated about this subject, but the alcohol was having a good effect on the surly doctor. Somehow.

"A cracks in the hull can make your blood boil, a solar flare can incinerate you to ashes, it might fall apart in mid air –- oh and there is always the possibility of coming under enemy fire. And that's just swell, you know."

[all7seas]

"Astonishing. Tell me more, lad, about this horrid enterprise of space travel." Jack shot Buffy a quick glance, then loosened his scarf and pulled off the coat. It looked like they were going to allow him to stay.

[herotypical]

Buffy looked queasy. Bones' rant on space travel only puts her in mind of the horrible parts of Kirk being back home. The dangers he could be facing as they spoke--the things that usually rational Bones seemed to be so very frightened of. That meant they had to be somewhat likely, right?

She stepped out of the room quickly to deposit the empty plates in the kitchen.

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

McCoy should have just told him to suck it and leave him alone, but talking was a lot better than sitting alone and reflecting on everything. As Buffy excused herself without her usual quip, he did wonder if he was drawing the line ranting about this and he became quieter.

"You know, I thought it would be normal despite all those statistics on shuttle related deaths or the what happened with the Kelvin... travel through space on a big pretty ship, make first contact with a few new civilizations, learn more about the universe out there and write some medical memoirs about the whole thing..."

Not even that sits right with him and he laughed, bitterly. "Actually, I just wanted to get as far away from Jocelyn as I could, even if it killed me to leave Joanna behind..." He lifted his hand to look at the recently reclaimed Starfleet academy ring instead.

[all7seas]

"Joanna?" Jack took a nip from the flask and tucked it into his back pocket, settling himself on the floor beside the couch.

[herotypical]

Buffy, having heard the name of Bones' daughter form the kitchen, decided to stay out there a little longer.

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," A low rumble in his throat of confirmation, "My Joanna..."

[all7seas]

"Your little girl, eh?"

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

McCoy nodded and let his hand fall back onto the couch. It wasn't long before he groped for the drink that he had slammed onto the table in his tantrum earlier.

[all7seas]

A drink that Jack obligingly tops off with whiskey, before taking more himself. Comfortable now, he settles back on his elbows and looks up at the doctor understandingly. "What if you hadn't gone to space, then? What if you'd just have stayed home, tried to work things out with the wife?"

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

"Things wouldn't have worked out." He shrugged, being surprisingly candid with the man who was indirectly responsible for his current predicament, although there was a possibility he would regret all of this later. "Things were in trouble for a long time, but I was too obsessed with work to see it."

The drink was lukewarm now thanks to Jack's top-off, but it still felt cold in his stomach. "They'll be fine.. both of them. They're strong girls, after all."