[CLOSED]

[sweetlies]

who: Ciel, Jason Todd, Undertaker, Beverly Crusher
what: Ciel has an asthma attack
when: 9/17
where: Book store, hospital
warnings: None?

He'd had time during the day, business was slow and if he stayed, he might have fallen asleep in his office. So he'd sent a message to Jason, inviting him to join the teen at a local bookstore to pass the time. And with the intent of picking at his brain a bit for more reading material, things he could read to keep himself up at night until he was too tired to dream.

If he couldn't dream, he couldn't disturb anyone.

He got himself a cup of tea while he waited, resisting a cough. What an inconvenient time to get sick. Hopefully it wouldn't spread to Jason- maybe he should have thought this meeting over more carefully.

Comments

[somakemelaugh]

What, he wondered, would a pocket sized version of this machine do for the Earl that it took so much of it right now to do the boy any good? He trusted Beverly, but his curiosity about all of this was more than a little justified. He opted not to ask about it and leave his own questions for later.

He curled the fingers on the hand on Ciel's shoulder and set about scritching the shirt there just for the sake of doing so.

[dancingmd]

Beverly's expression is sympathetic. "I know it's not ideal, but it's better than ending up back here again."

The vapor from the nebulizer is dissipating and the liquid in the bottom half of the container is almost completely gone, so Beverly switches the machine off.

"There." She presses her stethoscope to his back. "Now take a few deep breaths for me."

[sweetlies]

If it weren't for Undertaker's hand on his shoulder, he would have tensed immediately at the stethoscope on his back. Anyone near his back made him uncomfortable, the risk of his brand being seen growing higher. She didn't lift his shirt though, and that combined with the reapers presence was enough that he could keep his breath steady and take the deep breaths she wanted.

[somakemelaugh]

Looks like the good doctor needs that space. He'll move his arm back just so slightly so that his sleeve isn't all over Beverly's work space on the boy's back, but his position at the side of the bed doesn't change. It wasn't hard to hear asthma lungs, certainly not with his ears, but he paid particular attention anyway.

[dancingmd]

For a minute or so, the room is quiet except for the sound of the machines and Ciel taking deep breaths. Apparently, whatever she hears is satisfactory to her as she straightens back up with a smile and sets the stethoscope to the side. "Much better." She looks at Ciel. "We'll give you a chance to rest for a bit while we go over some paperwork, okay?"

[sweetlies]

And he relaxes instantly, as soon as there's no risk of his back being seen, as soon as he's given a clear on his breathing. A promise of rest is welcome, that's for sure, but for someone who has never been in a hospital before, the idea of paperwork does bring a guilty grimace to his face.

"And then we can go home?"

[somakemelaugh]

Ah, yes, the paperwork. He's only all too familiar with that, having dealt with the hospitals back home on a regular basis. Fortunately, he's not the one having to sift through it all this time, but he's sure the Earl is familiar with forms and signatures, having run and managed a business.

[dancingmd]

"Yes, you can go home, I promise." She smiles softly. "Though I will want to set you up with a follow up appointment. If you prefer, I can make it a house call."

[sweetlies]

"Whichever would be easiest for you." So he'd probably return to the hospital, even if they weren't his favorite places in the world. He'd avoided them this far into his life, he might have liked continuing the record but that was far out of the question now.

[somakemelaugh]

While they sorted out the details of the boy's follow up, he stood silent as always, still lacking the smile he usually carried even though the danger had well passed by now. Had the boy not been leaning into him, he would have moved back to the chair in the room where he'd slept the night before, but for now he stayed and observed.