my doctor
Title: my doctor
Characters/AU setting: river x doctor, 18th or 19th century period drama
Rating: K+
Wordcount: 1,592
A/N: Another AU ficlet. Graphic is here at Tumblr.
my doctor
“Is there a physician in the house?”
The Doctor sighed and waited a moment, as was proper, before pushing through the throng of people milling about the lobby in the direction the voice had called from. A footman eyed him nervously as he stopped before him. “I’m a surgeon. Might I be of assistance?” The footman hesitated, his eyes shooting beyond the Doctor’s shoulder for a moment before he nodded.
“Follow me, sir. The Lady Song has fallen into a fit - we are quite concerned.” The Doctor followed him to one of the boxes, curious. Lady Song was notorious in London. A widow who did as she pleased and yet somehow managed to escape society’s scathing. Everyone knew her, and discussed her, but no one dared speak anything untoward to her directly.
When he entered the box, he saw her in a heap on the floor, several upper class idiots hovering around and looking suitably shocked and scandalised. He knelt beside her, pressing a hand against her forehead and lifting her lids to peer at her pupils in the dim light. “You should clear the box,” he spoke in an aside to the footman hovering close by. “She’ll need the air.” No sooner had he spoken than it seemed as if the box was emptied magically. He loosened her bodice considerably, his hands brushing against her skin intimately. She was as lovely as he’d heard - masses of magnificent curly hair, and her skin was pale and smooth. She had a wide, generous mouth and her cheeks were full. He thought she would probably have a lovely smile, though he couldn’t be sure. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped, struggling to sit up.
“Calm down.” He spoke in a quiet voice, with a kind smile. “You fell unconscious - I’m a surgeon, I came from down below.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to have bothered you, Doctor. I feel - well honestly a bit weak, but thank you for assisting me.” He helped lift her to her seat and she looked up at him, taking him in properly. “I don’t believe we’ve met...”
“Well we hardly would have, now would we Lady Song? Name’s Smith - John.”
“Such a common name for such an uncommon man.” She murmured, her eyes trailing over him before she smiled fully. His heart tripped in his chest - he was right. It was lovely. “I feel as though I can breathe a bit easier now, Doctor.”
“No small wonder, your bodice was ridiculously tight.” He pointed out, picking up her hand and pulling out his fob watch so he could count her heartbeats. “You also seem to have a slight fever, Lady Song.”
“Yes, I know. My physician has been treating me for it.” The Doctor sighed harshly in annoyance. Physicians and their treatments.
“Blood letting, I suppose?” He snapped and she looked up at him with widened eyes.
“Well yes-”
“Might I give you a piece of advice, Lady Song?” He crouched before her, his fingers still wrapped loosely around her wrist even though he was no longer counting her heartbeats. He was aware, however, of her pulse quickening under his fingertips and he felt the oddest tension in his chest at the sensation.
“Is that not your job, Doctor?” She teased, arching a brow and he found himself suppressing a smile, reducing it to only a twitch in the corner of his mouth as he looked down for a moment.
“I went to university you know, but they wouldn’t graduate me because I was incredibly disagreeable. Refused to adhere to Stahl’s treatments. This is only the opinion of a lowly surgeon, my lady, but blood letting is an unsafe practice, and in fact will make you more ill. It weakens the body.”
She leaned forward, interest lighting her eyes as she stared at him intently. “And what might you prescribe for my fever, Doctor?”
“Rest. Exercise - daily walks greatly improve the constitution. Cool baths to help your body reach a more normalized temperature.” He answered, despite knowing that she would ignore everything he was saying. She bit her lip, and behind her the curtain opened, admitting her friends.
“Thank you Doctor, I shall try your suggestions.” She spoke quietly, and leaned in ever closer, the fingers of her left hand curling up to brush against his own. “Might I know your direction, in case I should need clarification or further treatment?”
He studied her with surprise, before detaching his hand from hers and pulling out a small notepad from his pocket. He scribbled his address down for her, before tearing it out and handing it over. She accepted it with a demure smile and he stood, walking over to her footman who was hovering near the door. “I’d recommend an early evening for her ladyship. Wouldn’t want a repeat performance.” He clapped the man on the shoulder before wandering out of the door, his hands in his pockets as he pondered the probability of ever encountering her again.
xx
The probability was quite high, as it turned out. He received a note not a fortnight later, and at her request made his way over to her home.
“Ah Doctor Smith,” she smiled as he entered her chambers, she was standing by the windows and looked quite a bit less pale than the last time he’d seen her.
“Lady Song,” he greeted her and she waved a hand, making a scoffing noise in the back of her throat. The look she gave him made his skin tighten and he glanced around nervously, suddenly feeling very much like a lamb in a lion’s den.
“Please, call me River. I’ve called you here to give you an update.” She smiled as she glided across the room to settle down in one of the small chairs by the fireplace, indicating the other with a wave of her hand and waiting until he’d settled in. “Your advice was very excellent, Doctor. My fever has been gone for nearly ten days now, and I have come to the conclusion that I should dispose of my physician’s services. Do you take on new patients, Doctor?”
He swallowed in surprise, sitting straighter. “Lady Song-”
“River.” She corrected and he frowned at her familiarity.
“River,” he conceded and her bright smile felt like a reward for the capitulation, “women of your class do not have surgeons as their Doctors.”
“But I like you. You’re bright, and intelligent and unafraid to stand up for what you clearly believe is best for your patients. You’re also far more pleasing to look at than my previous Doctor. Are you married?” She questioned suddenly and he shifted in his seat nervously.
“No, Lady - River,” he corrected at her glare, “I am not.”
“Excellent.” He smile was even more predatory then, and he felt like he should be feeling a response of fear or discomfort. His body however, seemed to disagree, instead shooting thrills along his nerve endings until he felt a strange tingling sensation all over. “So you’ll accept then? And take over as my Doctor?”
“I, uh-” He stammered and she glanced over at him flirtatiously.
“Of course you will.”
xx
She was by no means shy. Her forthrightness was something he hadn’t expected, and he was shocked and titillated by it all at once. His third visit, she outright invited him into her bed, and he’d stood, staring at her in shock.
“Oh come now, Doctor. We’re both grownups, and I am no shy virginal debutante. You’re attracted to me, I can tell. And that is all very fine because I find you excessively pleasing.”
“I am your Doctor!” He protested and she grinned lasciviously.
“Yes, you are. Shall you not examine me more thoroughly?” He stared at her for a beat and shook his head in disbelief.
“I am below your station my lady.”
“Stupid thing, isn’t it? If you must be below me, I’d much rather it be in more enjoyable ways, Doctor.” Her hand slid up his leg and her fingers brushed against him intimately and he found himself leaning forward in anticipation, despite all his protests.
“This would be madness.” He breathed the words out and she smiled, victory hovering around the edge of her lips as she moved even closer.
“Madness can be enjoyable, Doctor.”
“Of that I’ve no doubt, River. But if anyone were to find out...” He almost couldn’t believe the words he was speaking, and she smiled in triumph, her hand sliding along his chest as she pressed her body against his. He felt a strange sense of absolute rightness settle over him at the sensation. Like she fit into him - like she was something he had been missing, his whole life. His heart pounded and he knew there was no point in fighting her.
“Then don’t tell anyone, Doctor,” she whispered, her lips so close to the skin of his jaw that he felt them brush against him as she spoke. She never addressed him by name. Always by title. And yet insisted he use her first name, at all times. It was a deliberate shift of power between them that thrilled him more than it should. She glanced up at him with a smile. “Confidentiality, right? And I feel suddenly ill, and in need of your near constant service, my Doctor.” She pulled his head down and kissed him, her mouth eliciting reactions within him that he’d never felt before. When she finally released him, her eyes were bright and her skin flushed.
“Now let’s see about that bedside manner.”
Characters/AU setting: river x doctor, 18th or 19th century period drama
Rating: K+
Wordcount: 1,592
A/N: Another AU ficlet. Graphic is here at Tumblr.
my doctor
“Is there a physician in the house?”
The Doctor sighed and waited a moment, as was proper, before pushing through the throng of people milling about the lobby in the direction the voice had called from. A footman eyed him nervously as he stopped before him. “I’m a surgeon. Might I be of assistance?” The footman hesitated, his eyes shooting beyond the Doctor’s shoulder for a moment before he nodded.
“Follow me, sir. The Lady Song has fallen into a fit - we are quite concerned.” The Doctor followed him to one of the boxes, curious. Lady Song was notorious in London. A widow who did as she pleased and yet somehow managed to escape society’s scathing. Everyone knew her, and discussed her, but no one dared speak anything untoward to her directly.
When he entered the box, he saw her in a heap on the floor, several upper class idiots hovering around and looking suitably shocked and scandalised. He knelt beside her, pressing a hand against her forehead and lifting her lids to peer at her pupils in the dim light. “You should clear the box,” he spoke in an aside to the footman hovering close by. “She’ll need the air.” No sooner had he spoken than it seemed as if the box was emptied magically. He loosened her bodice considerably, his hands brushing against her skin intimately. She was as lovely as he’d heard - masses of magnificent curly hair, and her skin was pale and smooth. She had a wide, generous mouth and her cheeks were full. He thought she would probably have a lovely smile, though he couldn’t be sure. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped, struggling to sit up.
“Calm down.” He spoke in a quiet voice, with a kind smile. “You fell unconscious - I’m a surgeon, I came from down below.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to have bothered you, Doctor. I feel - well honestly a bit weak, but thank you for assisting me.” He helped lift her to her seat and she looked up at him, taking him in properly. “I don’t believe we’ve met...”
“Well we hardly would have, now would we Lady Song? Name’s Smith - John.”
“Such a common name for such an uncommon man.” She murmured, her eyes trailing over him before she smiled fully. His heart tripped in his chest - he was right. It was lovely. “I feel as though I can breathe a bit easier now, Doctor.”
“No small wonder, your bodice was ridiculously tight.” He pointed out, picking up her hand and pulling out his fob watch so he could count her heartbeats. “You also seem to have a slight fever, Lady Song.”
“Yes, I know. My physician has been treating me for it.” The Doctor sighed harshly in annoyance. Physicians and their treatments.
“Blood letting, I suppose?” He snapped and she looked up at him with widened eyes.
“Well yes-”
“Might I give you a piece of advice, Lady Song?” He crouched before her, his fingers still wrapped loosely around her wrist even though he was no longer counting her heartbeats. He was aware, however, of her pulse quickening under his fingertips and he felt the oddest tension in his chest at the sensation.
“Is that not your job, Doctor?” She teased, arching a brow and he found himself suppressing a smile, reducing it to only a twitch in the corner of his mouth as he looked down for a moment.
“I went to university you know, but they wouldn’t graduate me because I was incredibly disagreeable. Refused to adhere to Stahl’s treatments. This is only the opinion of a lowly surgeon, my lady, but blood letting is an unsafe practice, and in fact will make you more ill. It weakens the body.”
She leaned forward, interest lighting her eyes as she stared at him intently. “And what might you prescribe for my fever, Doctor?”
“Rest. Exercise - daily walks greatly improve the constitution. Cool baths to help your body reach a more normalized temperature.” He answered, despite knowing that she would ignore everything he was saying. She bit her lip, and behind her the curtain opened, admitting her friends.
“Thank you Doctor, I shall try your suggestions.” She spoke quietly, and leaned in ever closer, the fingers of her left hand curling up to brush against his own. “Might I know your direction, in case I should need clarification or further treatment?”
He studied her with surprise, before detaching his hand from hers and pulling out a small notepad from his pocket. He scribbled his address down for her, before tearing it out and handing it over. She accepted it with a demure smile and he stood, walking over to her footman who was hovering near the door. “I’d recommend an early evening for her ladyship. Wouldn’t want a repeat performance.” He clapped the man on the shoulder before wandering out of the door, his hands in his pockets as he pondered the probability of ever encountering her again.
xx
The probability was quite high, as it turned out. He received a note not a fortnight later, and at her request made his way over to her home.
“Ah Doctor Smith,” she smiled as he entered her chambers, she was standing by the windows and looked quite a bit less pale than the last time he’d seen her.
“Lady Song,” he greeted her and she waved a hand, making a scoffing noise in the back of her throat. The look she gave him made his skin tighten and he glanced around nervously, suddenly feeling very much like a lamb in a lion’s den.
“Please, call me River. I’ve called you here to give you an update.” She smiled as she glided across the room to settle down in one of the small chairs by the fireplace, indicating the other with a wave of her hand and waiting until he’d settled in. “Your advice was very excellent, Doctor. My fever has been gone for nearly ten days now, and I have come to the conclusion that I should dispose of my physician’s services. Do you take on new patients, Doctor?”
He swallowed in surprise, sitting straighter. “Lady Song-”
“River.” She corrected and he frowned at her familiarity.
“River,” he conceded and her bright smile felt like a reward for the capitulation, “women of your class do not have surgeons as their Doctors.”
“But I like you. You’re bright, and intelligent and unafraid to stand up for what you clearly believe is best for your patients. You’re also far more pleasing to look at than my previous Doctor. Are you married?” She questioned suddenly and he shifted in his seat nervously.
“No, Lady - River,” he corrected at her glare, “I am not.”
“Excellent.” He smile was even more predatory then, and he felt like he should be feeling a response of fear or discomfort. His body however, seemed to disagree, instead shooting thrills along his nerve endings until he felt a strange tingling sensation all over. “So you’ll accept then? And take over as my Doctor?”
“I, uh-” He stammered and she glanced over at him flirtatiously.
“Of course you will.”
xx
She was by no means shy. Her forthrightness was something he hadn’t expected, and he was shocked and titillated by it all at once. His third visit, she outright invited him into her bed, and he’d stood, staring at her in shock.
“Oh come now, Doctor. We’re both grownups, and I am no shy virginal debutante. You’re attracted to me, I can tell. And that is all very fine because I find you excessively pleasing.”
“I am your Doctor!” He protested and she grinned lasciviously.
“Yes, you are. Shall you not examine me more thoroughly?” He stared at her for a beat and shook his head in disbelief.
“I am below your station my lady.”
“Stupid thing, isn’t it? If you must be below me, I’d much rather it be in more enjoyable ways, Doctor.” Her hand slid up his leg and her fingers brushed against him intimately and he found himself leaning forward in anticipation, despite all his protests.
“This would be madness.” He breathed the words out and she smiled, victory hovering around the edge of her lips as she moved even closer.
“Madness can be enjoyable, Doctor.”
“Of that I’ve no doubt, River. But if anyone were to find out...” He almost couldn’t believe the words he was speaking, and she smiled in triumph, her hand sliding along his chest as she pressed her body against his. He felt a strange sense of absolute rightness settle over him at the sensation. Like she fit into him - like she was something he had been missing, his whole life. His heart pounded and he knew there was no point in fighting her.
“Then don’t tell anyone, Doctor,” she whispered, her lips so close to the skin of his jaw that he felt them brush against him as she spoke. She never addressed him by name. Always by title. And yet insisted he use her first name, at all times. It was a deliberate shift of power between them that thrilled him more than it should. She glanced up at him with a smile. “Confidentiality, right? And I feel suddenly ill, and in need of your near constant service, my Doctor.” She pulled his head down and kissed him, her mouth eliciting reactions within him that he’d never felt before. When she finally released him, her eyes were bright and her skin flushed.
“Now let’s see about that bedside manner.”