ways_infirmary | (no subject)

(no subject)

Kevin's been a little scarce lately, in the wake of seeing Arnaud.

He's still been doing his job, though.

Good thing, then, because here's a Charlie looking for a doctor--and Darien prefers he sees Kevin, so Charlie is looking for Kevin.

"Hullo," he says cheerfully. "Can I have a consult? Or whatever you call it?"

He looks up and blinks a little, getting up to come over.

"Charlie! Of course - what's wrong?"

"A dull roaring in the ears, mostly--bit more persistant than I'm used to. Can you check hearing? Do you have--whatever it is you need?"

Kevin nods.

"There's equipment here I'd never even seen before, so... yes. We have that. What happened to cause this?"

"I was in an explosion in an enclosed place," he says mildly. "'m fine, as you can see."

Kevin gives him a sharp sideways look, but then nods.

"Apart from your ears."

"It was a very loud explosion."

"As they tend to be", Kevin says dryly. "How long has it been?"

"Hm--not quite a week? I'm hearing a little better than I did when I first got back. But it's like there's white noise going on all the time. Ringing, sometimes, and things sound tinny when that happens. I mean, I've had ringing in the ears for a long time 'cause of the band but this is a bit more, er, persistant."

"Okay. Well, sit down, and I'll take a look."

Charlie sits. "I'm in your hands. Forgive me if I twitch a bit--the ears are sensitive."

"Understood."

He smiles slightly, turns to pick up the required equipment, and begins.

Chare doesn't twitch.

Much.

"...okay", Kevin says eventually, setting down the instrument in his hand. "There is some damage. But it's a good sign that it's got better, this last week."

"Okay," he says, nodding. "But how long until it's back to normal? Or as normal as it gets."

"That's... hard to say. There's a chance it won't heal completely", he tells Charlie regretfully. "But it may well heal most of the way with only minimal loss of function."

". . . ah." Disappointed but not surprised, he nods. "All right.

"It's just--it's been hard to carry a tune the last few days. But that should end, then."

"I think so", Kevin says guardedly. "But ENT was never my specialty. As I said, though, there's already been improvement, so there's every reason to expect more."

"Okay," he says, nodding. "Best I can hope for, yeah? Not being compltely deaf--that's a good thing."

Because he has no idea what he'd do if the music was gone.

"Definitely. And it shouldn't get any worse, assuming there's no more damage done in the future."

"Acoustic sets only, is that doctor's orders?" He grins.

Kevin grins back.

"That sounds about right."

"I shall endeavor to remember."

"Good."

Kevin suspects speakers are hard to come by in the bar, anyway.

There's always out of the bar . . . someday.

"So. Is that everything, then? Clean bill of health? 's been a while since I've had a physical but it's not, y'know, necessary."

"Is there anything else you think I should know about?"

"Dunno--I feel good. Feel just fine. I'm always dealing with a few things from, er, days past, but they're pretty mild."

Kevin nods.

"If your ears are all that's worrying you, I think we can call it done."

"Thanks, Kevin."

And then surprises himself probably as much as Kevin by hugging him. "Thanks."

Kevin blinks, but smiles as he hugs back, only a little stiltedly.

"You're welcome."

Charlie nods, looks like there's more he wants to say but now's not the time, and heads out of the infirmary.

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