No Doctors

[quark_assassin]

WHO: Dustin and Tae
WHERE: Temba Hospital
WHAT: (reluctantly) meeting with an actual medical professional about some biotech installs
WHEN: Backdated to early April
WARNINGS: Descriptions of surgery, self-surgery, medical narcotics use? Also your standard Dustin-related warnings, he's a rude boy.

This is necessary. We made a deal.

It's what Dustin keeps telling himself as Billy leads him around the Hospital's halls, as an attempt to tamp down the flares of anxiety that urge him to turn around and leave. He's already been pushing his personal limits when it comes to interacting with people that he's been, so far, deliberately avoiding, and only because he trusts Tommy to keep his brother accountable. Putting himself in Tae's care, though - a stranger that has made her interest in studying her patients clear over the network? Dustin's amazed that he's agreed to even go talk to her, let alone ask for her assistance. Maybe the painkillers Billy gave him were stronger than he expected them to be and they're fucking with his ability to reason.

But the rationale comes back to him every time he thinks about trying to just install the one interface node in his arm yesterday, on his own. Even if he could work around the implants in his back, there's no way he could do all of them himself. He can't imagine putting himself through that level of pain again when better options exist. His studies of the mystery suit in his workshop suggest that this will all be worth it in the end, but it's hard to think that far ahead when the door to Tae's office is right in front of him, and Billy's footsteps are getting fainter as he walks away.

Dustin takes a bracing breath through his nose, squares his shoulders, and puts on his best, unimpressed glare. Then he invites himself inside.

Comments

[butterfly_kiss]

Sleep was fair. She pulls out her kit and a few vials with colorful tops and thick materials in the bottom. Then some gloves, the cotton, tape, lots of other things.

"Have you had your blood drawn before? You know what you're in for?"

[quark_assassin]

Dustin watches Tae with narrowed intensity from his seat, both because he wants to make sure that she doesn't do anything suspicious with her tools, and so that he can wrench his attention away from staring at his own wounded arm. Her question, though, breaks him with a scoff.

'Have I ever had my blood drawn,' he thinks ruefully. There were periods in his life where it was almost once a week. He thought it was weird when he read about people being afraid of needles - how did they function, with how common of a procedure this was? Like being afraid of a toothbrush. It wasn't until a few years ago that Dustin realized just how uncommon his situation was.

He doesn't explain any of this, of course. "Yeah," Dustin says instead, flatly. "I am."

wrap this soon?

[butterfly_kiss]

Alright then. Tae offers a brief nod and reaches out to tie off the tourniquet.

"Then I won't explain it."

aye cap'n

[quark_assassin]

Dustin grunts his acceptance and lapses into silence for the actual blood-drawing process. His uncanny familiarity with the process shows; he doesn't flinch, doesn't tense, and although he is far from the picture of casual ease, Dustin keeps his attention flickering between the equipment and Tae to make sure she doesn't slip anything under the radar while she assumes he'll have his guard down.

That's the first step done. As soon as he can get away with it, Dustin rocks back to his feet. "Three days," he says, knees wobbling slightly under his weight. Need to make a stop at the Diner on the way back. "I'll update Billy on the way out."