an apple a day

[tactician]

There came a sharp rapping on the metallic door. Spoke the raven, nevermore.

It was near mechanical in its precision, a steady one-two-three beat fit for a quick-time waltz but lacking all the feeling and expression to make it anything akin to music. It did fit in with the whirring and slight hum of machinery that always existed on the ship - the dull, metal white noise of a its gears and engines doing good work, a constant reassurance that no one was going to get thrown into zero-gravity or sucked into the nothingness of space. It was too loud and too localized, though, for it to be mistaken as part of the regular background.

"Doctor," said the knocker, perfectly spaced between two series of three-note beats, though he stopped right after the last knock-knock-knock following the word. It wasn't a common voice to hear around the sick bay area of the ship, but it wasn't one Bentley hadn't heard before. Calibri sounded quietly commanding as normal, if a little more impatient given the bitten off end to the 'R' of Bentley's title. "Doctor, I am in need of your assistance."

Comments

[tactician]

There was a quiet moment during which Calibri was clearly either absorbing the information in his drug-muddled state, or, more likely, was trying to piece together the exact consequences of putting those two drugs together in one (mostly-slash-hopefully) human body.

"I'm not congested," he said at last, a bit of puzzlement creeping into his tone. It must have been the drugs at work that it was audible at all. Calibri placed a hand on his chest, splaying it across his sternum, and even coughed a few times to test the theory.

[aphelionix]

"Side effects of the bemidine," he explained, getting to his feet. Bentley walked across the room to a panel in the wall, keying in a passcode. It beeped and slid open. The doctor proceeded to grab a couple bottles, and a small container of cream. "Most people have a mild allergic reaction to it, but it virtually kills all pain. Two pills a day. If you end up reacting, I'll have you take one of the antihistamines a day."

Bentley piled Calibri's prescriptions next to his bed. He opened up the bigger of the two bottles, tapping out a tiny, blue gel capsule, holding it out to Calibri along with a small cup of water.

[tactician]

Calibri picked up the pill with two fingers, delicately and precisely, as one might with tweezers, and held it up to the light. It was slightly translucent around the edges, the blue capsule an unnaturally bright blue, like landing strip lights. "I've never tried this combination before," he said conversationally and somehow, despite no hitch in tone or drop in pitch, Calibri managed to convey the smallest bit of amusement with the statement. "I'm not sure exactly what effect it will have."

He popped it into his mouth and swallowed, taking the water only as an afterthought. When it seemed as though nothing was going to spontaneously combust on his insides, he settled back down and set the cup on the side table. "Thank you, Doctor. That was very satisfactory."

The operation? The treatment? The pill?

[aphelionix]

"It should be mild," Bentley said, but not without a hint of doubt. Calibri didn't exactly... react expectedly to things.

When nothing happened, Bentley seemed satisfied himself. But of course, the effects would take a bit of time. Well, Calibri needed his bed rest anyway, and Bentley had no urgent patients to take care of. Best that someone watched over him for a few hours.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you for a while," he said, making himself comfortable in the chair, typing a couple things in on his tablet. Calibri's vitals popped up on the screen. "And, um... what exactly do you mean, 'satisfactory'?"

[tactician]

Rather than answering, Calibri allowed a rare smile (though just a suggestion of one, curling the edges of his mouth) pass over his face. Somehow, it made him look even...less approachable. "You'll be keeping an eye on me," he repeated, obviously entertained by the idea.

He waved a hand at his abdomen. "This is not fatal. I will live. Are you not confident of that fact?"

[aphelionix]

"I know you will," he said, about as confidently as Bentley was able to say anything. "But your reactions are quite... unpredictable."

And you're only the heir to Circle 7 and the boss's right hand man and if something happened it'd be all my fault and I'd probably be shot and killed or worse, he didn't add.

"Actually, I would... like to see your work, sometime." Bentley seemed hesitant to admit this, tapping his fingers nervously on the back of his tablet.

Rightfully so.

[tactician]

Calibri stared - stared for so long and so intensely that even for him, who had the tendency to focus his attention on a person for a less-than-comfortable extent of time, it was definitely a full-fledged stare.

"You what?"

[aphelionix]

God, that's terrifying, Bentley thought, swallowing.

"Your work. I'd like to see it," he repeated, seeming to have ebbed from his doctor persona back into his jumpy self. Bentley's hands waved about as he explained. "I mean, I'd like to know how you became... well, so resistant to certain treatments. It's rather interesting. Maybe some new medicines could be developed out of your discoveries."

[tactician]

"You...would." Calibri blinked, looking down at his hands. He looked...almost flustered before the look faded into suspicion. "You expressed a certain aversion to my practices the last time we met, Doctor."

HEE is that a medical side effect or are you blushing calibri-

[aphelionix]

"They're completely and utterly unsafe!" he assured, "but nonetheless fascinating."

HE IS JUST SO CONFUSED

[tactician]

He set his hands on his lap, narrowing his eyes. "This is quite a change of heart," Calibri commented, flexing the fingers of one hand. The leather of his gloves creaked with the movement. "You aren't possibly fishing for Organization secrets are you?"

kawaii yandere-kun

[aphelionix]

"No! God, no," Bentley said, hands up in defense. "I'm simply curious."

[tactician]

"Because you've certainly been expanding your horizons since you've arrived, Doctor Foster," Calibri continued, folding and refolding his fingers over his bandaged abdomen. They were nearly swallowed by the black coat he had yet to take off, even if the bottom hem of it, like his shirt, was stained with blood. It seemed to be a favorite of Calibri's, considering he was hardly seen without it (even on Death's door, apparently). "You're friends with the First Circle's reconnaissance sub-unit, aren't you? And friends with Boss' only son. Those are hardly two groups that frequent each other's company..."

is bentley considered part of the first circle

[aphelionix]

Bentley laughed a little wryly.

"I don't necessarily seek them out, but they seem to find me all the same." He leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "It's nice to know the other specialists. Who I'm meant to be working with."

yes

[tactician]

"You must be very peculiar," Calibri answered, smirking just as wryly. "For you to be so sought-after, especially in a group full of peculiar individuals itself."

ok cool

[aphelionix]

"'Peculiar' is a rather mild term for them, don't you think?" Bentley said, not noticing that the smile with which he said it was almost fond.

[tactician]

A beat.

Calibri cradled his chin against the thumb of one fist. "Oh. I see."

Then, he let it fall. "Very well, Doctor. I will allow you to spectate a live experiment. If you'd like to go to the laboratory now-"

[aphelionix]

"No, no, no," he chided, back to his stern, doctor voice. "You're staying right here for a while. You can show me later."

[tactician]

Calibri stared blankly, unused to being the one given orders, especially when they weren't coming from Garamond himself. "But I'm already treated and will be fine. A period of inactivity is unnecessary. I think you will find that the wound will have stopped bleeding already. I tested the viscosity level of my blood just this morning," he said, in what was probably meant to be his reasonable tone of voice.

Because no morning routine was apparently complete without a customary blood thickness test.

[aphelionix]

Bentley looked downright confused for a moment, before shaking his head. Though Calibri was certainly smart with chemicals and medicines, his knowledge of the medical field was limited.

"If you aggravate your wound, it won't heal correctly. The tissue and muscle could be damaged. I can arrange a wheelchair if you want to get around, but otherwise, it'd be ideal if you stayed in bed a while."

[tactician]

A wheelchair clearly appealed even less, judging from the stoic expression that remained on his face. What a mess. "Ah, yes. But that won't be necessary. You should have other patients to attend to, Doctor? I shouldn't take up any more of your valuable time."

He could probably make his getaway while Bentley's back was turned, he reasoned.

[aphelionix]

"They can wait," he answered. Bentley could be easily swayed on many things, but this was not one of them. He propped his leg on his other, clearly comfortable where he was. "How about some chess?"

HE KNOWS, BENTLEY

[tactician]

A little furrow appeared between Calibri's brows. "I was not aware you were so desperate for company that you would seek mine out."

No one sought him out.

"Perhaps you should arrange another on-planet visit to certain downtown establishments with the Dominico siblings again."

NO...!!!

[aphelionix]

The corner of Bentley's mouth twitched.

"You... know about that?"

[tactician]

"About what, in particular, are you referring to?" Calibri asked, canting his head.