(Untitled)

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy has had a much less eventful holiday since Holby Airport decided to, very rudely, have a gas explosion on the first day.

He's now back in the bar, arranging his photos into an album with captions.

'Coral building sandcastle. Fry building sand penguin.'

Comments

[v_accidentprone]

He's not really sure what he's doing here.

(Well, he knows what he's doing; he knows he's exhausted and feels like shit all the time. And he knows that he's tired of feeling like this.)

But no matter the reason, Alex finds himself gravitating in Guppy's direction the moment he spots him in the bar. Unlike the last time he saw the doctor, he's managed to acquire a comfortable-looking sweatshirt from the bar that does a fair job of hiding his bruises and the bandage on his wrist, but it can't do very much to hide the pale tint to his skin or the way exhaustion practically radiates off him like body heat.

"Dr. Sandhu?"

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy looks up and smiles gently.

"Hi Alex. How are you doing?"

He pushes out a chair for him, trying to keep it casual so as not to scare him off.

[v_accidentprone]

He stays standing, just for the moment, but comes a few steps closer - and halts when he sees the photo album.

(Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all.)

"Sorry, I didn't mean to - "

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy waves him over.

"It's no problem, I'm just arranging my holiday snaps. These are my kids; Fry's nearly three, Coral's just turned one."

[v_accidentprone]

Somehow, he manages to make something like a smile come to his face, even if he doesn't exactly feel it, himself. "It looks like they had fun."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Yeah, it was good." Guppy smiles then closes the album.

"Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

[v_accidentprone]

It makes him think of his interrupted holiday with the Pleasures. And that... he'd rather not think of that.

"Tea would be nice."

(Anything to change the subject.)

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy orders him some tea, and waits to see if he volunteers any information.

[v_accidentprone]

"Um."

If that counts as volunteering information. (He's not really sure how to start.)

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy looks at him, slight headtilt, giving him time.

[v_accidentprone]

He fights the urge to start chewing on his nails.

"I don't know what I want to say."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Well, what's on your mind right now?" Guppy tries.

Psychiatry is not his field, and he hasn't much experience in it except as a patient. But he worries for Alex and really wants to get this right.

[v_accidentprone]

"I haven't been doing all that well."

(This is not exactly unobvious.)

[guppy_sandhu]

"In what way?" Guppy asks gently.

[v_accidentprone]

Maybe he should start with something basic.

"I haven't been sleeping well?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"Understandable, given what you've been through." Guppy says, passing him his tea.

"Tell me about it?"