ways_infirmary | post-fight wrap up

Joly's watching his work and doesn't see the grin, but he's already sort of assumed it. Whatever else Monmouth is, he's already clearly the sort of person to grin about this kind of situation.

Which is fine! So are many of Joly's friends! And Joly's smiling himself a little in recognition of it. "Well, I've idled in a few taverns myself. -- No, no, I think there were many brilliant scholars in your day, as there were in mine. But with medicine,of course, any of us would want to learn as quickly as we could."

And Joly sometimes thinks those past scholars would have been horrified, to learn how little the science had advanced in the centuries; that the difference between his time and theirs should have been greater, at least as far as the difference in the science a hundred years after his own life.

But that's not something to say to patients while the work's being done. It takes a few minutes longer; and then Joly has Harry open his jaw carefully enough to give him the mouth-guard, and hands him a small piece of bent plastic in return. "Keep this between your back teeth--yes, that's right-- for about ten minutes. But you can talk again, as long as you hold it there." And he should be able to talk; he'll have enough leeway for that. "And don't go poking at your jaw just yet!" That last comment is an afterthought, and Joly smiles as he says it, but...really, Harry. Don't.

Turning to Hal, he says "All right, I'm going to mend that wrist, and then I'll check you both to make sure there's nothing serious we're missing. So say something if it feels strange, but otherwise try to stay still. Here we go--!" The machine hums on again.

Edited 2015-11-20 16:27 (UTC)

"And this is how you pass your days?" Harry asks carefully. Is this still enough? "Had I but known 'twas all so easy. Why, what need of caution, when any hurt may be so soon mended?"

He's mostly joking! Mostly.

Joly, now watching his work on Hal's arm, doesn't turn to give Harry a Look. But his eyebrows lift in amusement. "I wouldn't say that. But if you're going to be proceed without caution, you can at least make up for it by coming here afterwards--now you see how simple it all is."

...Well. Simple to do, for someone who's spent years training and studied intensively since arriving in Milliways and watched the other doctors here work, probably none of which applies to Harry. And Joly would like to think Harry would just know that, buuuut.....

"Just make sure you actually see one of the doctors here, all right? These machines are wonderful, but they aren't magic; and you want to be sure you're with someone who knows what they're doing. But there's usually one of us in the infirmary now."

Harry only has a fifty percent success rate with making the TV turn on. He is definitely not going to try his luck with any of this.

"And like you this work?" Harry asks. "Or is it demanded by our unseen lord that all who have such skills labor here?"

Yes, the dread demanding lord of Milliways. Joly very nearly grins. No fair, Harry, he's doing serious work! "As far as I can tell no one's forced to work here at all. But I'm glad to do what I can-- it's the work I'd always chosen, after all, and I'm happy I can be of some help, here."

'Glad' doesn't really cover it. Joly still spends a substantial amount of his day giddy over all the exciting advances in the field represented by every machine and pharmaceutical and even simple tools, here--to say nothing of the machines themselves. But since 'geeking out' isn't a term he knows yet, "glad" has to stand in for now!

Harry would smile more, but he is trying very hard to be Good And Still.

"And glad I am to hear it," he says earnestly. "Idleness is the very plague of this place: would all could so perform the duties they best love."

"Some do love idleness," Hal remarks. Just throwing that out there.

"Do they?" Joly's...gonna be noncommittal on that. Everyone he knows who's been pinned to real idleness, here or in his life, hated it enough. But...maybe in England it's something different? "Well, you'll have cause to practice it yourself for few days." He turns off the machine. "The bone's mended, but don't do any strenuous work for three days; it's still new and soft. I'm going to bandage it, just to be on the safe side-- but you should be able to use the hand generally. Just--pay attention, and if it starts aching, give it a rest, all right? Move your hand a little now, let me know how it feels."

To Harry, he says "--And you should be set to speak as you like, now.I won't bind your jaw, it was only a small fracture--but don't eat hard foods, and try not to get hit in the head for a few days." ...All right, that may be a trial for Harry. Still.

Edited 2015-11-20 18:26 (UTC)

"Some do indeed," Harry agrees dryly. Look, see, he's trying not to start another fight! "And such men are not of my mind."

He nods in grateful agreement to Joly's orders, says a dutiful but sincere, "I thank you very much," and immediately sets to poking at the newly healed spot.

"By your reckoning," he says. "Who had the worse of the encounter?"

...he's just curious, okay.

Hal had been testing his wrist as bidden, moving it with an ease that surprises him; he'd been about to ask whether Joly can heal other sorts of wounds--sword-cuts, burns--with as much ease, when Harry asks his question. His indrawn breath turns into a stifled snicker. "--Yea, Doctor, pronounce: in all things there must be a victor."

Joly does laugh outright at that. "Good monsieurs, I won't pass judgement, I don't know the terms you had for the contest! --Accept what a friend of ours here says: you both fought valiantly."

Harry slides off the table, then leans against it as the movement sends another wave of dizziness through him. No more blows to the head, yes, that is a good shout.

"Very valiant fools, i'faith," he says. "No terms there were, I do confess: merely to try what we might do each upon the other."

Joly actually tsks. "--You're not done yet, I want to make sure there's nothing else wrong. Here, since you're standing-- can you lift your arms, like so? I'm going to check your ribs." While he's doing that, he says "Do I want to know what it was about? "

He's still mostly amused at them both; friends quarreling a bit is no new thing.

"The terms any pair of loggerheads might make. But 'tis less trouble to you thus, Doctor, than if we had taken to the field on horseback, all armed and armored."

Which...isn't very funny. Hal looks down at his hands.

No. Not that funny.

"Some ancient matters that have long stood between us," Harry says. He'd probably sound sterner if he weren't trying to hard not to squirm at Joly's hands on his ribs. "But are long past, and matter little now."

The smothered squirming is good! If it tickles instead of hurting, that's good. Still, Joly moves on to check the range of motion in Harry's arms, too, listening to both Harrys talk between themselves. It...sounds like men coming to a peace?

"Well, I'm glad it's worked out, then." He steps away and looks to both of them. "I won't tell you not to fight; I'm not Security. And here, at least, I don't have to answer to Security. But if these matters come up between you again, if you feel you have to duel with--with swords or lances, or however-- come and tell me first. I've been the attending doctor at duels before. And I won't say I like it; I'm not giving you my approval of it. But if it's going to happen, let me be there in time that I can do my work, if my work's needed."

He steps over to Hal and starts repeating the same tests. After a moment he says, more lightly, "If you ever have a practice match, I'd like to see that, too. It would be good to see just how you manage to injure each other."

...Damn. He'd been amused at Percy's squirming under the doctor's care; and now it's his turn? All right, fine. He makes a face and raises his arms. "I cannot think that I make any great sight to behold."

On consideration, he'd rather not make light conversation about fighting Harry Percy in earnest.

Edited 2015-11-20 20:27 (UTC)

"Ah, fear not," Harry says, cheerfully taking his turn to watch Hal's discomfort. He looks to Joly as he says, "He hath no wife to lament his bad looks now turned worse."

Joly is smiling again-- this all sounds like friends making up after a fight. He studies Hal's split lip for a moment. "Mm- no lasting damage there, I think. I'll put a patch on it-- set that nose, too-- and it'll be fine in a week or so."

He looks over at Harry's black eye and still-swollen face. "Still, I think you'd both better be careful with your romances until then."

It's...sort of a joke! But really, guys. Come on. Don't make out with mending jaws and stitches. Joly doesn't have to spell this out, does he?

...He's going to have to, isn't he. "So just go easy on the kissing --" and yes, other things "--for the next week or so, too, all right?" This is said to both and neither of them. Look at all this open space Joly has to talk to!

Edited 2015-11-20 20:58 (UTC)

First things first: Harry is not embarrassed about Feuilly, or anything he is doing with Feuilly. In fact, it would not have even occurred to him until very recently that their friendship was anything except a perfectly ordinary, if very close, friendship. And the only reason he had for refraining from mentioning Feuilly to Hal was concern that Hal might-- do something. Bother him. Something.

But here, now, still feeling slightly dazed and dizzy, Hal right over there-- when his thoughts immediately jump to Feuilly when Joly mentions romance, he feels his cheeks growing hot and red. Well, maybe there's enough general bruisedness happening that no one can tell? After all-- ha ha-- what does he have to do with kissing! His wife is in England!

Edited 2015-11-20 21:23 (UTC)

What indeed?

To be sure, the doctor's speech is indirect enough that it can be taken as a general joke aimed at young men, and Hal more than half takes it as such. But. Really. Harry Percy's romances. Really.

He's giving Harry an I'm-all-ears look, but it's probably obscured by Joly's business with his nose. "--Now we see that your future medicine is no great miracle after all, and lies as hardly on the patient as ever. Go easy on the kissing, he says, as easy as any priest!"

"My father will be so pleased to hear of my conversion." Yes, it's a joke. Joly knows he's absolutely debauched by his family's standards. (He may not be able to openly say so without passing out from awkwardness, but he totally is!) "But--" he sets Hal's nose quick a quick movement "I think you'll be breaking your vows within ten days."

The business of cleaning up and patching the rest of Hal's minor injuries involves what's probably a confusing array of ointments and potions to people who don't know what all the bottles are. Still it's quick, and relatively painless, in Joly's experience.

And there are painkillers now! That aren't even going to make anyone pass out! When he's sure the liquid banage on Hal's lip has set, he hands him a couple of pills and a glass of water. "Take that--it's for the swelling, and a painkiller. And--that's it! Eat something, don't drink any alcohol until tomorrow morning, try not to punch anyone for a few days. Not such a very strict order, is it?"

"A full day and not one drink? O, you have decreed a burden indeed."

Listen, Harry is trying to play nice, but if Joly keeps giving him these perfect openings to judge Hal, how is he supposed to resist?

Ow--hey--his nose--okay, fine, that is better.

Enough better that he can shoot Harry a properly annoyed look. "And what dost thou drink here, Percy? Milk and honeyed barley-water?" No, but really, what else is there for a man to drink? "I thank you, Doctor; I will mind your bidding as docile as any little lamb. But I had no idea 'twas such a hardship for Percy to keep from kissing and such gentle sports."

"I'm sure you'll both break many hearts with the news. -- Listen, ask Bar for soft drinks or tea, or milk. But no alcohol until tomorrow. I know, I'd miss it too, but if you mix alcohol with those pills, the effect will be reversed, your blood vessels will swell up like an overfull bladder, and you'll wake up feeling like every hangover you've had has come back at once. You'll be three times as sick for twice as long." Joly is smiling cheerfully as he says all this. It's a simplification, but it's just medical information! "So do stick to other drinks, all right? --Harry, can you stay here a little longer? I want to look at your scans again." He's sure there was a minor concussion in there.

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