At least he's not the only one staring. That, at least is something. It's driving him to distraction, trying to put his finger on the pulse of where he's met this doctor. Each instance comes up short and he's left questioning himself more and more. It's even harder each time he looks too hard at the man behind the desk and thinks that that wasn't where this man was supposed to be. He wasn't supposed to be sedentary, trapped behind a desk all day. He's supposed to be moving, smooth, fluid, graceful, a shadow right next to him. A shadow with those slim hips brimming with knives. It makes him almost want to get off the couch and walk over to peek, to see if that belt is there. It's a stupid thought though. Of course it's not.
He huffs to himself and lounges a little more. There's an echo of another man there. That somber stately lean that takes up far too much space, making him look more important than he really is as well as more open and friendly. Only one arm moves to drape across the couch and it feels like all the world like someone should be leaning up against it. He ignores that feeling for the task at hand.
"You're not wrong." He says after a moment. "I have been to more than just a few of these. I know the drill, doc." He's about to give his well rehearsed answer when he's told to actually extrapolate and for a moment, he just stares, before he's laughing, a rich warm guffaw that fills up the room, just as it had done far too long ago in those rare occasions that he could actually laugh.
"Doc Smith warmed me all about you didn't he. Bet he left you a note that said 'this one won't shut the hell up, even when asked nicely'. Sad to say it's true and it'll take more than my allotted hour if I really get going." He's avoiding the question though. Outright avoiding it. For the most part.
"But I really am fine. Everything is just like I remember it from last time I was back. I feel great. I sleep great." He doesn't, but he knows what to say and he knows how to make it sound believable. "Everything is great. Except for the food, but what can you do, hmm? Army food is army food, no matter where you go. "It's all great." He pauses a little, and anticipates the fact that the question always comes. If it's so great, then why do you want to go back so soon? So he's just going to head it off. "It's just...a little boring, you know. And there are still guys over there. Guys like me that I can help out. I heard there was a unit going over in a couple weeks and I was going to put in for it. They have a slot for me open and I'm ready to go back. They get someone whose been there already and already been trained. It's a win win all around, don't you think so, Doc?"
no subject
He huffs to himself and lounges a little more. There's an echo of another man there. That somber stately lean that takes up far too much space, making him look more important than he really is as well as more open and friendly. Only one arm moves to drape across the couch and it feels like all the world like someone should be leaning up against it. He ignores that feeling for the task at hand.
"You're not wrong." He says after a moment. "I have been to more than just a few of these. I know the drill, doc." He's about to give his well rehearsed answer when he's told to actually extrapolate and for a moment, he just stares, before he's laughing, a rich warm guffaw that fills up the room, just as it had done far too long ago in those rare occasions that he could actually laugh.
"Doc Smith warmed me all about you didn't he. Bet he left you a note that said 'this one won't shut the hell up, even when asked nicely'. Sad to say it's true and it'll take more than my allotted hour if I really get going." He's avoiding the question though. Outright avoiding it. For the most part.
"But I really am fine. Everything is just like I remember it from last time I was back. I feel great. I sleep great." He doesn't, but he knows what to say and he knows how to make it sound believable. "Everything is great. Except for the food, but what can you do, hmm? Army food is army food, no matter where you go. "It's all great." He pauses a little, and anticipates the fact that the question always comes. If it's so great, then why do you want to go back so soon? So he's just going to head it off. "It's just...a little boring, you know. And there are still guys over there. Guys like me that I can help out. I heard there was a unit going over in a couple weeks and I was going to put in for it. They have a slot for me open and I'm ready to go back. They get someone whose been there already and already been trained. It's a win win all around, don't you think so, Doc?"