[EVENT] Clinic

[soul_mods]

Characters: Open to all
Location: Clinic
Rating: Various
Time: November 1 onwards
Description: Naturally, what event is complete without a butcher’s list? List of relevant links to the event here.

Comments

[Inside the Clinic] [~12:00 am] [CLOSED] Gai, Watson

[spandexisyouth]

[They'd wound up gathering more than enough candy, and since Kakashi didn't have much of a sweet tooth Gai had some sweets to pass off to others. Catching sight of the clinic, Gai beamed. It was the perfect place. People had to be on duty there and they'd missed their chance to trick-or-treat. Cheerfully he headed in.]

Reverse trick-or-treat! [He kept his voice down, though there was some excitement in it. There was no telling who might be recovering, and he didn't want to disrupt anyone who might be healing. Gai wandered, looking for people stuck inside working.]

[stalwartcane]

[Very lucky, too.]

[Watson looks a little surprised.] You have always seemed wiser to me than your three decades, if you will allow me to say so. [Here, swabbing at those great gashes with an antiseptic. Might have to soak a bit of it. Watson is very liberal with that chemical.]

[spandexisyouth]

Thank you. Though I am still young at heart! [At least, Gai tries to stay youthful.] But maybe that is because we are expected to be... adult-like, early on.

[That's really starting to burn, Watson. Gai makes a face. It's not really much pain at all in the grand scheme of things, but he's never been a good patient. His arm twitches when it seeps in to one of the deeper cuts.] ...Are you sure you have to use that much?

[stalwartcane]

Young and spritely, yes. [laughs a little.] Is it difficult, in your world?

[Watson is mildly surprised at that face, but he's more amused by it than anything else. There is something infectious about Gai's humour.] Hold still, my dear. It shall be over soon enough.

[spandexisyouth]

I am glad you think so! [The ever-present smile gets a little serious, just a trace.] For those who would be shinobi, duty starts early. I have been in training since I was four. Others, the geniuses, start at three. [Now his expression is bright again.] But hard work is a match for genius any day! I am easily the equal of my Rival, no matter how much of a genius he is!

[Gai hadn't been expecting the teasing, but he's amused by it and tries to play along.] I am holding mostly still! My darling!

[stalwartcane]

Hard work would be a match for any genius, yes. Unless, I suppose, the genius also worked harder. [But he means Holmes, not exactly any of the ninjas.] I find that your student, Rock Lee, is also an extremely hard worker.

[Pause. Pauses again... And then laughs.] Oh, no. I do apologize. 'My dear' is a term of affection that we use where I am from for most any friend. Darling would be something more suitable to a lover or a wife.

[spandexisyouth]

I work harder than my Rival. Though that is not very difficult. [Gai nods.] He is! And in our world Lee was once considered hopeless. I knew differently. [There's a lot of pride in his voice.]

[The pride, though, is now gone as Gai turns a bright red.] It is for friends? I did not... I am sorry! I thought that you were joking around, because it sounded like something Kakashi would tease with and so I was joking to and... [Tomato red.]

[stalwartcane]

[Still laughing a little. Oh my.] I'm vaguely familiar with that version of a jest, yes. Oh, do not worry so much about it, I do not mind at all.

[Hora, let us move back to your rival. Still twinkling.] Is your rival lazy, then? And I cannot imagine Rock Lee being anything like hopeless, except perhaps in keeping him in the clinic.

[spandexisyouth]

[The blush fades a little but Gai still feels embarrassed.] Oh, good. I did not mean to misunderstand. I have never been called 'my dear' in seriousness before.

[Yay, safe topic.] Yes. Kakashi, if there is no urgent need, has many lazy tendencies. [Well, sorta safe.] Sunlight is needed for proper healing! Sunlight and fresh air and exertion. And they thought that because... [How to explain?] You see, there are three styles of ninja arts. Lee can only use one. But that is not his fault. It is his body and chakra. And he has worked very hard indeed to overcome that.

[stalwartcane]

I don't suppose that is a common form of endearment where you are from, though you said that your rival calls you that on occasion?

[Sort of safe topic....] Yes, but too much exertion would also only make an injury worse. That is the nature of injuries, after all. [But he nods along at the explanation.] Then rather than say he is hopeless, Rock Lee is instead one to be admired.

[spandexisyouth]

Kakashi teases. It is his way. I do not think there is anyone he has not teased. But after knowing him so long I am very used to it.

Sometimes! But blood is what makes you heal, and so exercising makes your blood move faster! [A doctor Gai is not.] I agree. And that is why I took him on as my student.

[stalwartcane]

He sounds like a charming and pleasant individual.

[Another long pause.] Might Gai, it is not blood that makes you heal, no. Although it does keep one alive, and exerting injuries usually mean losing blood rather than retaining it. And Rock Lee is a very fortunate young man, I'm sure.

[spandexisyouth]

[A very soft look for just a short moment. Then it's gone.] He is. When you get to know him and understand him, he is.

But you need good circulation to get the proper blood parts to your wound and the infection-causing things carried away. [He's thought for years that blood and chakra did the work, and as chakra didn't really work here, then it had to rely on blood.] I am also fortunate. A teacher learns from their students as well.

[stalwartcane]

[Hmm?] Then perhaps you shall one day have to honour me with an introduction with the man.

[A very strange look on his face.] But that would only spread the infection around in your body.

[spandexisyouth]

[Longheld more-than-crush, most of the time well-hidden. But his student's been doing a lot of prodding lately and Gai's facade of having everything under control there is faltering.] I would be glad to. He is my Meister here, and also on the Watch, so I am sure that opportunities will arise.

[A beat as Gai actually thinks about that.] It would be... destroyed, wouldn't it? Once they are away from oxygen and skin and the outside?

[stalwartcane]

[You are a passionate man, after all!] Then I shall look forward to it!

... No, my dear. The function of the blood is to bring oxygen around the body, after all. [Um...]