galacticmalpractice

And they were all over the damn place! I got locked in my office, and the infirmary. Twice! What was the damn point of just makin' pumpkins? At least if they'd been corn or wheat, that'd've been useful. Don't even get me started on the mistletoe.

[ Bones is right there with Edgin. The plants suck. Though there's something very sweet about poor Edgin trying to knock vines away with his lute. It's precious.

But despite his ranting, Bones feels he has to defend... well, at least this latest outbreak. ]

Now wait just a second, this one -- the pollen -- that ain't on us! [ Shit. Us? No, not us. Bones shakes his head. He isn't trying to get defensive, it's just who he is. ] Or well, it ain't on the plant guys. We checked and double checked, nobody had any flower projects goin' on cause of the winter. And nobody's been able to figure out where they came from. Best we could do was neutralize the effects, work 'em into extracts and stuff. But if this was us, we'd have started with the extracts upfront. Pollinating the whole castle ain't on anyone's to-do list.

[ As far as he knows! ]

It isn't on anyone's to-do list as far as you know.

[ He's just going to say it, and ignore the talk about food because it makes him think about the North, and about the years crops ran dry, and about Jim, who he was always so protective over. But it's not his role to do that anymore. Xenk will have to learn. Or Jim will just protect himself. ]

What are you guys doing with the extracts?

Damn well better not be.

[ Bones huffs, not wanting to entertain the idea of someone pollinating the castle. For what...? No, he's not gonna think about it. It's too weird.

He shrugs. Best not to dwell on things that go above his pay grade. (Which is 0.) That said, he sits back down beside Edgin, shifting so his hand is just resting on his thigh. He wants to keep him close, even if he's just talking shop at this point. He hopes this is at least distracting Edgin. ]

Mostly we're handing 'em out to whoever's willing to test 'em. Not like we can sell 'em, and they come with a bit of a hangover, so technically the flowers have us beat. I think if we could figure out how to cut the aftereffects there'd be something to 'em, but since these ain't our flowers, we might not be able to replicate the effects past however long they last.

[ So much for "them" and not "us," Bones. ]

You can differentiate between which feelings come from which flower?

[ presumably they know which extracts are which. But really he's happy to talk about this and not himself ]

We've narrowed it down and localized each kind of flower, yeah. Though it's trial and error half the time -- got a lot easier to test once we worked out the cure.

[ Not all flowers are made the same, after all. ]

Usually I'd say I'm a doctor, not a botanist, but I'm startin' to think maybe I should pick up a book or two with how many crazy plants we've been dealing with.

Wait, you guys came up with a cure? Then....

[ Edgin's brow furrows in concentration. If he'd had a cure the whole time, then he could've used that instead of asking Edgin to come over. ]

[ Bones turns bright red, suddenly avoiding eye-contact. ]

The cure was, uh. My backup plan. I... didn't actually expect you to respond.

[ We can blame the pollen for giving Bones the balls to actually message Edgin, as opposed to suffering in silence. ]

There are easier ways to ask someone out, you know.

[ There's no judgment, it's not like he feels like it occurred under false pretenses. If anything, it's the opposite. He's a little flattered that Bones would choose to be horny and wet so they could spend the time together.

Man, being a vampire is weird. ]

[ Judgement or note, Bones certainly judges himself for this. He tries to fumble out some sort of retort, but mostly his mouth opens and closes before he responds. ]

Look! I... I know.

[ He brings a hand to his temples, rubbing them (mostly to try and hide his blush.) Being a vampire is so weird. ]

Knowing me, I woulda kept yearnin' like a lovelorn teenager for months before I actually said anything. Hell, coulda been years.

Admittedly, with the two of us, that does sound like a rather hopeless situation.

[ could've been years indeed. ]

Right? You get it.

[ Thank goodness Edgin does, honestly. He really was worried Edgin would take it the wrong way. But knows he's often his own worst enemy, so this is one mishap he can't bring himself to regret. ]

But I had to go and shoot my shot. [ He turns back to look at Edgin, a smile on the edge of his lips. ] Plus, you know, if you'd turned me down I could've blame it on the pollen, and we'd stay friends, and that would've been that.

Well I have to give you credit for a well thought-through plan.

[ And he's supposed to be the plan guy. Incredible. ]

Worked out through sheer dumb luck, honestly. I was desperate enough to try it, and lucky enough for it to all work out.

[ His luck does not usually go that way. He shrugs. Usually his failures catch up to him... he lucked out. ]

It was pretty fun.

[ Seeing Bones desperate like that, too. He doesn't feel like he's close enough to really say that, yet, another thing that feels the opposite of his relationship with Jim. But he certainly won't soon forget the feeling of Bones's clear need, the way he dripped with want for him.

Edgin catches himself before a shiver runs down his spine. No, he's fine. It's good. He's totally normal right now. ]

It was.

[ Bones smiles, catching that shiver. He's a doctor, he's observant. He knows what to look for. It might be a little early in their relationship to bring it up (is it? They're going for slow. They don't want to rush. So, probably?) but Bones couldn't complain with how any of it went. He got off twice and Edgin had been perfect -- fucking him just right, and being the kindest gentleman about it all even though Bones himself had made for such a pathetic display.

Or. Well, it can't have been that bad for Edgin if the memory is enough to make him shiver like that. ]

We both got what we wanted, huh?

Yeah, I think we did.

[ Edgin smiles that sad smile and looks down at his hands. It had been really nice, even if he was complicating everything. He thinks about how he should talk to Kirk about it, except, that's not really the same thing anymore, and that makes him immensely sad. ]

[ Whoops, don't worry, Edgin, Bones is gonna talk to Jim about it. But right at the moment he's fussing about Edgin and keeping him company, which, if that's all Edgin wants or needs, then that's what Bones plans to give him.

He knows that's why Edgin came all this way. Much as he'd like to remind him that Jim isn't gone forever, they don't have that kind of relationship and it isn't Bones' place to step on the shattered pieces of his heart.

So Bones sets a hand in Edgin's, happy to distract him from the hollow chasm in his heart. ]

So... you learn any new songs lately? I've been practicin'.

Oh, yeah, I've been working on something but it's pretty melancholy.

[ Then again, so was a lot of stuff from the north, so maybe that's no surprise. ]

Let's hear it. You ain't gonna scare me off with melancholy, Edgin.

[ Being from the north as well, Bones knows how that goes. ]

I've got my guitar -- it ain't a lute, but it's yours if you wanna give it a shot.

[ He almost thinks to tell him he's too sad, but after a moment he nods instead. ]

Okay, sure. If you really wanna hear me play.

[ Sometimes music helps, even when you're sad. But also, Bones thinks it might be a good distraction, so he's willing to try it. ]

Only if you're up to it.

[ Bones gets up and pats Edgin's shoulder as he passes him by, grabbing his guitar from one of the many cupboards. It still has that beautiful blue strap Edgin got for him -- it's obvious he's been taking care of it, though using it too. ]

I can always play you a lil' somethin', if you're not feeling it.

Yeah? You've been working on something?

[ that certainly seems to catch his attention. he likes the idea that Bones has been playing. ]

Ah, you know. Just a little bit...

[ Oh, now the attention is on him. Bones feels a bit like a deer in headlights, knowing he walked himself into this. And wouldn't it be kinder, to play for Edgin than make the man play when he's obviously upset? Shit. Not that Bones' choice in music is going to do much for Edgin's mood. ]

You wanna hear it? It ain't much good, I'm a doctor not a musician.

[ But he does swing the strap over his shoulder, walking back to join Edgin. It's pretty clear he's already decided. He's doing this. ]

You don't have to preface it by deciding for me that it'll be bad, you know.

[ It's a gentle correction, but one he feels like making clear all the same. But he waits patiently for him to start, otherwise. ]

[ Bones huffs a clear disagreement, but he won't argue with Edgin. He sets the guitar in his hands and takes a completely unnecessary breath. ]

I've just got the chorus so far.

[ He knows the chords, hands finding their place easily. He'd picked up guitar as a teenager, wanting to impress Jocelyn and maybe play something for his mom and dad. Pretty soon he'd gotten too busy with work and taking over the clinic, but in those rare instances where he wasn't a disaster, he'd played for his wife and daughter.

Now he's playing for Edgin. It's still scary as hell, but he cares about Ed. So he starts, singing the chorus slowly, his low drawl making for an even more sorrowful song. ]

Tongue Tied
I can feel the shadows
Your eyes
I don't know 'em now...

[ Shit, he started learning this song about missing his daughter, but with how Edgin's feeling, this might have been a bad idea. ]

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