The Life Criterion 5c/??
anonymous
July 2 2010, 06:13:58 UTC
"I'll think about it." Seemed when Alfred did his tune out, Arthur had regained his bearing. "Could we start the treatment now?"
Kiku gave him a quick nod, "I supposed we should."
Quietly the chief doctor placed the pill bottles on the table attached to the hospital bed, forming a line of jars. "Here are your medications. They ought to be taken once per day, through ingestion."
"Five pills at a time?"
"Yes. Four of them are antibiotics. And one to reduce the side effect." At this Kiku glanced to Alfred, "Unfortunately, since the consultation is about to start, I'd better let Alfred take it from here. He would explain each drug and alert you the cautions."
"And," as if reminded in hindsight Kiku craned his head around on his way to the door, eyes reminiscing. "I trust you now not to take the pills together with tea, Arthur?"
"O-of course not."
Kiku left with a wistful tug at the corner of his lips. Alfred laughed out loud as soon as he thought his mentor was out of earshot. "You drink tea?"
Arthur frowned, tone silvered with danger, ready to defend. "You get a problem with that?"
"No. Just never thought people really drink that, y'know, tea." Except some old man like Kiku apparently, Alfred silently suggested.
"It is much better than the liquid shite you drink."
No coffee is-Alfred managed to catch his words on the tip of his tongue. Alfred the professional, he told himself. "It's good to your airways, just don't take it with the meds."1
"I know." retorted Arthur irritably.
Alfred wasn't sure what had got into him. Probably it was the way Arthur shot back that had pulled the trigger. The words he tried to swallow piled up on his throat and itched to come out, which didn't help as a sudden playful thought flashed through his mind and then it all blundered out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
"Do tell me if your urine turns tea color."
There. Alfred the so-totally-not-professional had done it again. Just why couldn't he keep it to himself? Alfred inwardly groaned and cheered at the same time, part of he knew he really, really shouldn't but take that, brushy brows!
"Pardon me?"
"It's a side effect of the drugs." Alfred composed himself, tried to put up by being as serious as possible. "Get to your liver and makes your urine looks like, um, black tea."
It took all Alfred's self restriction not to split his face with a shit-eating grin at the sight. Arthur's eyes were so wide that Alfred could see the green irises and his own reflection in the pupils. The man looked so taken by surprise his whole upper features switched into a scandalized shock. Too bad it didn't take long for the corner of Alfred's mouth to give him away and Arthur finally see the insult disguised in the medical advice.
He glared at Alfred furiously, "Why you-the color of the fucking coffee!"
Alfred played innocent, "Sorry. That's what the textbooks say, tea color urine."2
"Shut it!"
"I can't. Gotta teach you about the pills."
"Then say it already."
"As you wish." Alfred took one of the pill bottles. "Arthur, rifampin. Rifampin, Arthur."
Arthur stared at him like he had just grown a second head.
Not at all discouraged, Alfred put the bottle away and whispered, covered his mouth with a hand as if he feared the pills would hear. "Mind that bastard. It turns your urine and tears and sweat orange."
"Alfred Jones!"
"Jeez Arthur calm down. I'm trying to tell you."
"Just explain, like a normal doctor, would you?"
Alfred shrugged. "Fine, if you prefer that way. Don't blame me when you forget."
Kiku gave him a quick nod, "I supposed we should."
Quietly the chief doctor placed the pill bottles on the table attached to the hospital bed, forming a line of jars. "Here are your medications. They ought to be taken once per day, through ingestion."
"Five pills at a time?"
"Yes. Four of them are antibiotics. And one to reduce the side effect." At this Kiku glanced to Alfred, "Unfortunately, since the consultation is about to start, I'd better let Alfred take it from here. He would explain each drug and alert you the cautions."
"And," as if reminded in hindsight Kiku craned his head around on his way to the door, eyes reminiscing. "I trust you now not to take the pills together with tea, Arthur?"
"O-of course not."
Kiku left with a wistful tug at the corner of his lips. Alfred laughed out loud as soon as he thought his mentor was out of earshot. "You drink tea?"
Arthur frowned, tone silvered with danger, ready to defend. "You get a problem with that?"
"No. Just never thought people really drink that, y'know, tea." Except some old man like Kiku apparently, Alfred silently suggested.
"It is much better than the liquid shite you drink."
No coffee is-Alfred managed to catch his words on the tip of his tongue. Alfred the professional, he told himself. "It's good to your airways, just don't take it with the meds."1
"I know." retorted Arthur irritably.
Alfred wasn't sure what had got into him. Probably it was the way Arthur shot back that had pulled the trigger. The words he tried to swallow piled up on his throat and itched to come out, which didn't help as a sudden playful thought flashed through his mind and then it all blundered out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
"Do tell me if your urine turns tea color."
There. Alfred the so-totally-not-professional had done it again. Just why couldn't he keep it to himself? Alfred inwardly groaned and cheered at the same time, part of he knew he really, really shouldn't but take that, brushy brows!
"Pardon me?"
"It's a side effect of the drugs." Alfred composed himself, tried to put up by being as serious as possible. "Get to your liver and makes your urine looks like, um, black tea."
It took all Alfred's self restriction not to split his face with a shit-eating grin at the sight. Arthur's eyes were so wide that Alfred could see the green irises and his own reflection in the pupils. The man looked so taken by surprise his whole upper features switched into a scandalized shock. Too bad it didn't take long for the corner of Alfred's mouth to give him away and Arthur finally see the insult disguised in the medical advice.
He glared at Alfred furiously, "Why you-the color of the fucking coffee!"
Alfred played innocent, "Sorry. That's what the textbooks say, tea color urine."2
"Shut it!"
"I can't. Gotta teach you about the pills."
"Then say it already."
"As you wish." Alfred took one of the pill bottles. "Arthur, rifampin. Rifampin, Arthur."
Arthur stared at him like he had just grown a second head.
Not at all discouraged, Alfred put the bottle away and whispered, covered his mouth with a hand as if he feared the pills would hear. "Mind that bastard. It turns your urine and tears and sweat orange."
"Alfred Jones!"
"Jeez Arthur calm down. I'm trying to tell you."
"Just explain, like a normal doctor, would you?"
Alfred shrugged. "Fine, if you prefer that way. Don't blame me when you forget."
"Who says I will forget?"
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