Then they'll take you to Cloughprior and shove you in the ground (Mingle)

[notinflictthem]

CHARACTERS: Hawkeye and the Veteran’s Poker Club
DATE: March
LOCATION: Hawkeye’s clinic
SITUATION: Poker game (for veterans)
WARNINGS: Presumably discussion of conflict and ptsd

You need one more drop of poison and you'll dream of foreign lands

A notice goes up on the board, and Hawkeye sets up the clinic for the occasion. Obviously he’s not moving all his medical supplies out- at the back of his mind is always the possibility that something could happen that demands he put his doctor hat on again. Not choppers, but something.

But he sets up a table and chairs in the middle of the main room, with a stack of cards and some ‘chips’ (acorns, he went out and gathered some acorns, which he’s painted different colours). There’s a flask of his homemade gin, some finger food from the Oak and Iron, and he got a box of cigars for the occasion. Feels just like the conferences from home, only without sandwiches that move and Frank. So, y’know, infinitely better.

Prior to starting, while Hawkeye’s setting up, he’ll engage in some small talk with anyone who shows up early- which, they’ll all be military, it will probably be all of them.
“Ever played poker?”

Or

“Can I get you a drink?”

Or

“Can you grab that tray of implements for me?”

At the sick bed of Cuchulainn we'll kneel and say a prayer

When everyone who’s arriving arrives, Hawk sets himself at the table, one of his surgical lights over top of the table to set the mood.

“Alright- this is poker, it’s a little game we like to play back on earth, because we like losing money. I’m gonna teach you five card draw, just to get us started. I’m going to deal each of you five cards. What you’re looking for is to have the highest hand at the end of the round, then you take the pot. Easy. Hands are ranked by how hard they are to do- if you get numbered cards in order and they’re all the same suit, that’s a straight flush. Then we go four of a kind, which is just that- four of the same number. Full house is if you have three of the same number and a pair of a different numbers in the same hand. Flush is if you have all your cards in the same suit. Then straight, which is by number order but not the same suit, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and then if you have absolutely nothing we score it by your highest card.”

Hawkeye clears his throat, takes a sip of gin.

“I'll deal to start with, we all bet based on our hands and how confident we are that we’ll have the highest ranking hand, then we discard any cards we want and redraw back up to five. Then we place our final bets, and reveal our hands. You get lost at any point, just ask. Questions?”

And the ghosts are rattling at the door and the devil's in the chair

Shittalking, chewing the fat, commiseration, and general socializing with Hawkeye during games goes under this header. Tls for your characters welcome in the comments.

Comments

[lightconductor]

"It's good to meet you, Starr."

Watson realises, with a sort of faint resignation, that he's expected to know what an airforce consists of and looks like, and he does not. Flying machines? Maybe? Surely they aren't so far out of reach in his time. His expression flickers a little at the mention of Afghanistan; it is both useful and painful to have that be recognised. That it's never recognised here has been interesting and novel.

"I was. Second Anglo-Afghan War. And, I'll save you the next question and say that yes, I was at Maiwand. Invalided out after that."

[be_seeing_you]

"Then you have my condolences, though I understand you may not want them," Number 6 answers somberly. "If it comes as any consolation, the exceptional bravery of you and the rest of those men has not been forgotten by time." He knows that one of the hardest parts of his line of work was knowing none of it would be honored or even known about. He truly hopes this comes as a comfort.

"But here, now, I seem to recall that you later became an author, did you not? I confess, I am a fan of your literary works."

[lightconductor]

He's not sure if that's consolation or not. It's hard to know what he wants to hear about any of that, after the fact.

"You're a -- no, not really. Are you?" Watson beams all the same, pleased as anything. "To think anyone here might know my stories. It's... gratifying to hear. Thank you."

[be_seeing_you]

This was the reaction he hoped for after bringing up Watson's tender past. He's delighted to report it's more than Watson could have ever dreamed.

"I am. I have read every one of your stories twice over. And not just me, your works are some of the most beloved of all time." He almost says most beloved fiction but he stops himself before it reaches his tongue.

"Your exploits alongside your friend thoroughly captured the imaginations of many generations that followed you."

[lightconductor]

Watson is quite overwhelmed, and it shows.

"I'd done some writing, and had some success -- but beloved? Really?" His expression shines through a faint, humble bashfulness. "I can't -- goodness. Thank you, that's very kind of you to say."

[be_seeing_you]

"It is rare to be able to tell an artist of his future success, but I am gratified to be able to do so. It's all true, I swear it. And, I must tell you, those stories were a great comfort to me during a tumultuous boyhood. I feel it is I who should be thanking you for sharing them."

[lightconductor]

"I feel like I have to live up to quite the reputation I never knew I had," Watson says. "Well, I have little enough opportunity to do any writing here, or at least any seriously writing. I'm afraid you'll have to learn about my talents as a physician instead."

[be_seeing_you]

"I have every confidence that your talents as a physician are worthy, and I'm afraid they likely are going to be much more in demand here."

[lightconductor]

"Very likely," he sighs. "I can see the work ahead of me, and I can only hope to be ready for it. Well, at least if I lose a patient, it will be temporary. Oh, I'm sorry," Watson grimaces, "perhaps that was in poor taste."

[be_seeing_you]

"Not at all," Number 6 answers. "It's that very fact which gives me any peace of mind here and now." He glances aside at Ava as he says this.

[lightconductor]

"It was a comment in bad taste, at least until I know how you feel about gallows humour."

Watson follows his gaze, frowning thoughtfully. "You know that my office remains open if there is anything I can do to be of help," he says.

[be_seeing_you]

"Perhaps. But what veteran does not develop a little gallows humor?" It's how so many, including Number 6, cope.

"I may yet encourage my wife to visit you, to seek remedies for her discomfort, but I'm afraid no doctor can cure what ails her."