Don't Do Anything I Wouldn't Do (Day 5 Late Afternoon)

Serena darted down the ship towards the medbay. The door was shut, but there were voices from inside, so she pressed her cheek to the wood to hear if she should interrupt or not. Lyen, one of the voices was definitely Lyen, and someone she didn’t recognize. Mistah Doctah Adluh always said that the room needed privacy, sometimes other people needed the safest place on the boat which she completely could relate to. She sighed, contemplating sliding the knife under the door, but one, it didn’t look like it would fit, and two, what if someone stepped on it? No, it was better to sit patiently and wait on one of the chairs outside the room. Unlike the first time though, her heart wasn’t pounding out of her chest, and she didn’t have to curl up and wish she were invisible. The ship was home, even if it did still smell funny.

The infirmary door slid open. “Ah’ll just be a moment,” Dorian said over his shoulder as he stepped through. Once the door was closed behind him, the medic swore softly. He looked about, until his eyes rested upon the teen. “Excuse me, Miss Serena,” he said as he hurried toward her, “have yah seen Haddie?”

“Uh huh. She was trying to leave the ship, and Crew Chief is plenty mad on account of she an’ Gil is supposed to be grounded. And sorry, I think she swiped this.” She held out the small, still wrapped scalpel.

His eyes landed upon the gleaming surgical tool. “That’s tha one,” Dorian’s tone was droll as he produced a trim wooden case. Once the lid was opened, she could see a neat array of different scalpels, all in their felt lined compartments. One empty space stood in stark contrast. “Care tah do tha honors?” he asked.

Serena smiled. "Would I!" She gingerly laid the scalpel in its place, fitting perfectly alongside all its kin. “Thanks!” she said chipperly. “Not that Ah meant to tattle. You know what happens to snitches.”

Adler’s response was droll. “If Haddie’d gotten tah use this, there woulda been plenty of stitches,” he said. “Kindly thank tha crew chief on our behalf. We’ll be lockin’ the infirmary down tight in tha future.”

“The safest place on the ship?” The teen asked despairingly.

“She coulda seriously hurt someone,” he replied. “As long as Haddie’s outta control, Ah have tah take reasonable steps fah safety’s sake.”

“Ah understand.” Serena grumbled, knowing Mistah Doctah Adluh, as usual was right. “It’s better when you’re there anyway. Ah think me and Crew Chief are gonna miss out on solstice on account of everything, but Ah did get ya something.” She dug in her pocket and came up with a small paper bag. “For tonight. Yah got a big date, right?”

“This is very kind,” Dorian smiled as he accepted the girl’s offering. The contents of the bag seemed a combination of fabric and...something firm within. He reached inside, his fingers closing on fabric with some sort of plastic framing. “Ah have no idea,” he said as he removed the gift. “Oh,” Dorian reacted, “a necktie. Aurora Creek Solstice Festival,” he read the glowing letters. Yah got this fah me? Ah love it,” the medic said plainly.

“It lights up, like the lights outside, it reminded me a how pretty they looked and I thought it’d make you look extra pretty too.” She offered. “And then you have somethin’ to remember here by. It’s the first thing Ah ever bought with my own credits. The second is a picture Tojiro Yamamoto made for me, it has a rooster and a rabbit and a lot of letters blowing around, only technically he didn't charge me, or Ah didn't pay him, Ah'll leave him some credits just to be safe. Ah know which rooms is his on account of Ah had to clean 'em out.“

*Riley is going to kill me,* Dorian thought, before laughing at the necktie’s electric glow. “Let’s try it on,” he suggested as he undid his cravat. “Riley is very pretty, so Ah need all tha help Ah can get.” He lifted his chin. “Can yah tie if fah me?”

Serena helped him into the tie, pressing the button to show him how it lights up. “And now if it’s dark? She can find you. And…” she added with an exaggerated wink, “She can find your face easier to kiss you again.”

His grin was mischievous as he glanced downward. “It couldn’t be more perfect,” Dorian laughed as he took the girl into his arms. “Thanks, Miss Serena,” he offered as a kiss landed upon her forehead. “Ah love it.”

She giggled with the action, hugging him tightly. “Ah know you would! The minute Ah saw it, Ah thought of you. Promise you’ll tell me how your date goes?”

“Well,” he released her with a grin, “only tha parts Ah might be inclined tah share with...a kid sistah, perhaps.” For a moment he eyed the girl contemplatively. Then, with a quick nod as if he’d settled an issue, Dorian asked her, “will that suit yah, mei-mei?”

“Ah’ll listen ta anythin’ you want to tell me, anytime. You can save all the steamy details. Just know I’m sixteen, not six. Ah’ll know what you mean.”

“Ah have no doubt,” he smiled. “If yah stayin’ in, would yah mind keepin’ Gill company fah awhile? Call me if he feels poorly?”

“Ah’ll check in on ‘em, Ah got some chores to finish up though. Ships overbooked, we’re makin’ room. But after? Ah’ll be glad to visit Gil. Don’t worry, Ah might be inclined tah share tha parts ah’d tell a big brother,” she teased.

The medic lifted an eyebrow. “Mistah Gill is recoverin’ from surgery,” he said. “He’s got a leg in traction. As his doctah, Ah request yah limit those ‘parts’ tah holdin’ his hand? Dohn mah?”

Serena rolled her eyes. “He has Yeva for a nurse. Like he’d want to do more than hold hands with me anyway. Dohn mah. I’ll act appropriate.”

Adler folded his arms. “Ah appreciate yah forbearance. An’ don’t worry ‘bout Yeva; she’s becomin’ a doctah like me...that makes her boring. A very pretty girl like yah will be noticed soon enough. Now, if yah’ll excuse me, there’s anothah very pretty girl Ah promised a night out.” He glanced at the chromatic tie. “Thanks, mei-mei.”

“You are welcome, Mistah Doctah Dàgē Adluh!” Serena offered him a wave, and after a quick check in on Gil, skipped back to help the crew chief in the cargo bay, the new crew quarters.