leonard mccoy (dammitjim) wrote in paradisolog, @ 2016-10-02 17:34:00 |
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Peggy spent some time that morning helping at the community center, and though she probably needed to take a shower or cool off in the pool at the waterfall, she instead chose to head back to her camp, thinking that a nap in her hammock might be just as refreshing, given the loveliness of the day’s breeze. As she walked, she reached up to retie her hair off the back of her neck, brushing it out of her eyes. When she was nearly at her shelter, she spotted someone else out of the corner of her eye. Peggy turned and smiled. “Dr. McCoy,” she greeted. “Fancy running into you here. Did you know that my shelter is just down around this bend?” she asked, teasing. “Would you care to see just how bug-infested it really is?” McCoy had missed Peggy at the bonfire last night, much to his regret. He’d gone wanting to see her after enjoying their conversation at the last one and he’d been disappointed when he hadn’t had the chance to actually speak with her this time. His night hadn’t been a bad one, but he couldn’t help thinking it would have been better if he’d spent the evening with her. When he heard Peggy’s voice moments after leaving the medical center, he smiled and turned to face her. “Is that right?” he asked, his smile just growing bigger. “That’s awfully convenient. I think I would like to see that very much.” She stood up a little straighter and smiled. “This way then,” she said, motioning for him to join her down the narrow trail that twisted around to the place where she had set up her minimalistic camp. “Were you at the medical center?” Peggy asked. “I imagine you have a lot of work to do there and that the women who are expecting are glad to have you around.” Her thoughts hadn’t yet even touched the edge of the thought of having a baby, but she was certain that those who had were glad to have any additional help. McCoy followed her happily, appreciating the view from behind as she walked. “Yeah, I thought I’d give Christine a hand down there,” he said. There were a handful of pregnant women, some who’d recently given birth and files on the general health information that Christine had gotten started. There didn’t seem to be much sickness in this place, but he’d agreed it was good information to have, just in case. “What have you been up to today?” he asked her as he caught up to walk beside her, a little closer than friendship would dictate, but he didn’t think she’d mind that much. He might not have Jim’s skill with women, but he was positive the attraction between them was mutual. “I’m sure she appreciates the help,” Peggy said. She glanced at him once he stepped up to walk beside her. Her arm brushed against his. She smiled. “I was helping out at the community center. I try to do that every morning, find out what needs to be done and lend a hand as much as I can.” She turned a corner and led him into a small glade where she had fitted a small lean-to and hammock to one side and had a half-finished bench and blanket out in the open. It was a cozy set up, but it was private and it suited her just fine for now. “It's partly selfish on my part,” he admitted. “Christine’s one of my oldest friends, but we hadn't seen each other in a while at home. I'm glad to have an excuse to rectify that now.” He nodded, understanding what she meant about wanting to help out as much as possible. “It's good that you do that,” he said. “I feel much the same way.” His hand drifted to the small of her back, just resting there since she was guiding their direction. As the turned the corner and her shelter came into view, he smiled. “This is gorgeous, Peggy,” he breathed and he meant it. She'd done very well with it. She flushed prettily. “Thank you,” she said. “I like it. It’s fitting, I think.” Peggy turned to face him. “I like that it’s out of the way and comfortable for me. And if I need to see other people, everyone’s just a short walk away. How about you?” she asked, setting a hand on his chest. “Have you chosen a place to work on a shelter with your friends?” He agreed that it suited her. It wasn’t overly complicated, but it was beautiful. He could see why she liked it so much. “Jim and I have been working on something,” he admitted. “We’re having to go a little bigger with Uhura and Sulu joining us now, but we all thought it would be nice to stick together.” He settled a hand at her hip, holding her there in case she had any bright ideas about moving away again. “That’s probably kinda unusual around here, but we’re all family. It would feel weirder to live apart.” For a moment, Peggy said nothing, lost in her thoughts that that could have been her and Steve and any of his friends from the future too, and yet while she felt accepted and even welcome with them, she didn’t feel the same kind of camaraderie that she assumed Dr. McCoy had with his crew. “That sounds nice,” she finally said, settling a hand against his chest and looking up at him. “It is,” he admitted, showing a rare glimpse of his more sentimental side. “Jim’s a real pain in the ass sometimes, but he’s also my best friend. Having him and the others here is pretty great. It’s almost like we’re all on shore leave, having a good vacation.” He reached a hand up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he looked at her. “What about you?” he asked. “How have you been settling in? Really impressive shelters aside.” She nodded and slipped the corner of her mouth between her teeth for a moment. "It certainly is a lot like being on vacation. I only hope it doesn't fade. It's one thing to not be busy for a few days, but for a long while? I'm still getting used to that. Any minute I think I'll get a call that I need to get back to work." It wasn't completely true, but it felt like she should be feeling that way. Peggy had never been the type of woman to sit back and do nothing. She rubbed her thumb against his shirt. "Settling in just fine," Peggy said. "And glad that I get to continually meet new people, like you." “There are other ways to keep busy, you know,” he commented. “You’ll just have to find enough things to fill your time here. It’s different from the work either of us does at home, but I don’t think I’ve found myself bored a single day here.” The medical center had been occupying him quite a bit as had building a shelter of his own. His was larger, to be shared with his crewmates and it took a lot of work. Standing here with Peggy now, though, he was thinking of a few completely unrelated ways he could be occupying himself. “If you do find yourself getting bored, though,” he suggested, “I bet I can find some ways to entertain you.” "Ah but you're still working as a doctor, practicing medicine here, aren't you? You're needed, and so are your skills. I don't see much use here for my skillset." It didn't bother her. She had the survival skills necessary to help out and the physical stamina and strength to work alongside some of the others in working on the community center and shelters. Peggy arched an eyebrow. "Is that so, doctor," she murmured. "I can think of a few myself." She tipped her chin up closer to him, meeting his eyes. “I guess I am, but delivering goats isn’t usually in my job description.” He smiled fondly at the memory. It had been an unexpected adventure, but not an unpleasant one. Natasha had surprised him with how well she’d handled it. He’d enjoyed it more than he would have expected. “Don’t sell yourself short though,” he said. “I think have plenty of skills we can use here. We need more than just doctors here.” He grinned as she looked up at him. “I think we should compare notes,” he said, lowering his head just slightly to bring their faces closer together. “-see if we can find any common ground in our ideas.” Peggy knew there was more to it. She thought of the need for strategy and survival and friendship and companionship. All of these things she was able to easily provide. She smiled. "I never sell myself short," she said confidently. Then, confidently again, she took his advancement and comment to heart and closed the space between them to tilt her face up to kiss him gently, then a moment later to deepen it though hesitantly. While she was fairly certain they were on the same page, she didn't want to be wrong, and she wanted to give him enough time to pull back. Not that she wanted him to. They were absolutely on the same page. If she hadn’t kissed him just then, he would have kissed her and he didn’t hesitate for even a second in pulling her closer to him as he kissed her back. Truth be told, he’d been wanting to do this since he’d met her, especially after that night at the bonfire. He didn’t know why he hadn’t yet, but now definitely wasn’t the time to focus on that. “Instead, he pressed one hand to the small of her back, pulling her even closer while the other hand moved into her hair. Good, Peggy thought. She hadn't read anything wrong and he had wanted to kiss her just as much as she wanted to kiss him. As he took control of the kiss, she met him halfway. Peggy looped an arm around his neck and spread her fingertips into his hair. She leaned up into the kiss, opening her mouth against his. The one drawback to Peggy’s shelter, McCoy realized, was the lack of a bed, but as his hands started to wander a little more, he decide they’d just have to improvise. Somehow, he thought they were both probably up to the task. Posted via Journaler. |