Support Stacie Fic: The Feather and the Mountain -- for The Shadow Proclamation
Title: The Feather and the Mountain (4/11) [Chapter Three: The Futon and the Bath House]
Author: ladychi
Graphic: amyxaphania
Rating: Older Teen
Characters: Ten/Jack/Rose
Summary: Written to the prompt "Ten, Jack and Rose figure out how to have a relationship together". Just after Children of Earth, Ten, Jack and Rose must heal their individual wounds and come together.
Author's Notes: I've played a little fast-and-loose in this chapter, both with Japanese history at this time and traditional customs. However, it should be noted that public bathing is not a universal taboo.
Japan experts, please feel free to PM me if I've used the wrong terminology for something. I've tried to be as accurate as is attainable for me with both my time-budget and my ability.
Previous Chapters: Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two
Chapter Three: The Futon and the Bath House
Leaving the strange woman with blonde hair on a futon with a blanket laid over her, Himura Kenshin ran out of the dojo and down to the yard where he could hear Kaoru and the Captain practicing swordsmanship. Unwilling to interrupt or startle them, he scanned the area until he saw who he was looking for: the Doctor, leaned up against the trunk of a tree, contemplating, it looked like, a blade of grass.
“This humble one begs pardon for interrupting you,” Kenshin began, “but I think your friend needs your help.”
“Rose?” The Doctor pushed off the tree and immediately stood straight. “Where is she? What happened?”
“This humble one is not sure, but believes, sir, that she might have fainted.”
The Doctor stilled. “Where is she?”
“Sleeping in the futon in this humble one's bedroom,” Kenshin said meekly. “There is no other place to put her; this humble one apologizes.”
“Can you take me to her?” The Doctor's voice was low.
“Yes, of course.”
Kenshin led him back to the dojo, and slid open the door to his bedroom. “This humble one will leave you two to your privacy.”
“Thanks,” the Doctor said absent-mindedly, but Kenshin could tell his mind was elsewhere. Just as soon as he'd made it back to the kitchen, he was met by the Captain.
“What happened?”
“This humble one begs your pardon.”
“What happened? The Doc doesn't take off like that unless it's something serious.”
“This humble one did not wish to disturb your afternoon with Miss Kaoru, but it appears your friend Miss Rose has taken a bit ill. This humble one thought to get the attention of your Doctor.”
The Captain's face settled into a stern expression. For the first time, Kenshin could believe this man had been in the army. He had that look, that understanding that only came from understanding death - and from knowing when it was close.
“Thanks, Kenshin,” the Captain said lowly, and stepped towards the bedroom. Kenshin's arm shot out, fast as lightning, and gripped the man's sleeve.
“This humble one does not wish to intrude, but perhaps you would prefer having a cup of tea and waiting while your Doctor performs his examination?”
“You're a quick piece of work, aren't you,” Jack said mildly, looking down at the hand which hadn't let go of him yet. “It's... complicated. Trust me, Rose will want me in there. But thanks.”
“This humble one apologizes,” Kenshin said meekly, and bowed. The door slid open, and the Captain stepped inside.
Fighting against a natural curiosity, Kenshin headed back to the kitchen and began to slowly prepare the tea.
**
Rose was pale and sweaty - abnormally small against the pillow. The Doctor crouched next to her and glanced up when Jack entered. The futon Kenshin had referred to was little more than a thin mattress on the ground, and Jack found his back twinging in sympathy. No wonder the little man moved so carefully.
“How's she doing, Doc?”
“For someone being pulled apart at the subatomic level, she's doing remarkably well.” The Doctor put away a stethoscope Jack hadn't even noticed him having, tucking it in one of his pockets and reaching for Rose's hand. “Jack, I...”
“Hey, Doc. We're going to figure this out. Should we pack her up and head for the TARDIS?”
The Doctor shook his head. “I'm afraid to transfer her. We should walk back to the ship and bring it here.”
“Have you tried --”
“I've tried everything, Jack.” The Doctor's voice was tired, firm and final. Jack folded himself to the ground and crossed his legs Indian-style. “I've tried everything.”
“Does she know what's happening?”
“No.” The Doctor shook his head. “I can't... I'm going to figure it out, and then I'm going to tell her.”
“Tell me what?”
“Seems you've contracted a bit of a fever,” Jack said smoothly, reaching for a piece of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. “The Doctor and I haven't figured out just how it got past the TARDIS's defenses.”
“Oh. Well, that's not so bad. Give me a couple aspirin and let me sleep a few days.”
“No aspirin,” the Doctor said firmly. “Not unless you want us both to die.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in!” Rose called before either of the boys could respond. “Smile, yeah? I've been sick before. Mind you, it's been a while... Still.”
Miss Kaoru entered, dressed in a more traditional Japanese kimono. “Miss Rose. I heard you were unwell.”
“Got a bit of a fever,” Rose said apologetically. “I've never done that before. I apologize if I scared anyone.”
“I just came to see if there was anything I could do for you,” Miss Kaoru said, still standing at the door. “Kenshin has made tea, if you would like some.”
“Oh, yes please,” Rose said, nodding her head emphatically. “A bit of tea would set me right, I think.”
“Good, I'll tell Kenshin.” Kaoru lingered at the door, before she turned and left.
Rose yawned suddenly and covered her mouth, falling back onto the futon and closing her eyes. “Listen. Maybe you should go have tea in the kitchen, yeah? I'll have a cuppa when I wake up again.”
The Doctor's eyebrows flew up in alarm but Jack simply leaned over her kissed her forehead. “Of course, Rose. Have a good nap.”
“Thank you, Jack.” Rose curled up on her side and reached for his face, caressing his cheek. “Take care of the Doctor for me, yeah?”
“Always, Rose.”
“Good,” she said decisively. “That's the way it should be.”
Jack got to his feet and left, standing just outside the sliding doors until the Doctor emerged after several minutes of hushed conversation. He grabbed the Doctor's arm and leaned in close. “We're going to fix this, Doctor. We're not going to let her give up.”
Something like relief passed across the Doctor's face. “You're right. Absolutely. Brilliant. Yes.” He cleared his throat and headed off towards the kitchen, whistling cheerfully.
**
It was falling into evening before Rose woke again, alone in the strange room. She felt queer all over - achy and sore, as though she were being pulled in a million directions at once, and her stomach roiled and turned in her gut.
The door slid open and Rose could see the socked feet of the Japanese woman cross the floor. “Miss Rose?”
“Miss Kaoru?” she asked back, half-sitting.
“Oh good, you're awake. Kenshin and I have been worried. Your friends said you might sleep for a while.”
“Where'd they go?”
“They said they went back for your ship,” Kaoru's voice clearly conveyed her confusion. “They said you would know what that meant.”
“Ah,” Rose said, pushing herself until she was seated completely upright. “They should be back soon enough then, I guess.”
“Kenshin thinks they probably have medicine for you there and that's why they went back.”
Rose shrugged. “The Doctor said he was going to try something to bring down the fever but I thought...” She sighed. “I guess I should get used to waking up and not knowing where he is. It happened often enough before.”
“Miss Rose? Perhaps you would like a bath. Please do not mistake my meaning - I just find when I'm ill and my mind goes in these patterns, taking a bath can be relaxing and refreshing. Kenshin's already filled the bathhouse and started the fire, if you'd like.”
“I just...” Rose wiped her eyes. “I just don't have anything to...”
“You may certainly borrow one of my kimono,” Kaoru said, waving her hand. “It is no inconvenience.”
“I don't want to make trouble. I tell you what, though,” Rose beamed, in spite of her splitting headache. “A bath sounds just lovely.”
She struggled to her feet, and together, she and Miss Kaoru made their way to the wooden building that was the small bathhouse on the dojo grounds. They both undressed and slipped into the water. Rose had been in enough foreign countries and planets not to care that they were sharing the same space.
After a long pause, Rose worked up the energy to ask after her host. “So that Kenshin bloke, is he yours, then?”
“It's hard to imagine anyone having a claim on Kenshin,” Kaoru said carefully. “But if anyone could make such a claim, it would be myself.”
“He's got lovely hair.” Rose gestured with one hand, and sunk into the water for a second before coming up. “I've got a thing for hair.”
“Your Doctor... he's yours, then, as you say?” Miss Kaoru soaped a foot idly.
“This... particular... well. With the Doctor it's always a bit complicated. At one time we were.” Rose closed her eyes. “We have before and we probably will again, you know.”
“I'm sorry to say I find that very confusing,” Miss Kaoru admitted.
“Me too,” Rose said on a laugh, and then sobered, squeezing her hand. “I just... I lost the man who was going to be my husband.”
“Oh, Miss Rose. I'm so sorry.”
“My fiancé... he was very like the Doctor,” Rose said. “Exactly the same, in most respects, yet...”
“All men are different,” Miss Kaoru said, “no matter how similar they appear to be.”
Rose nodded. “Exactly.”
“Well.” Miss Kaoru held out her hand and took Rose's in easy friendship. “You should stay, Miss Rose, right here. You won't be the first person to figure out where to go in life at this dojo. It was my father's personal mission, and besides. I'd love to have a friend here.”
Rose smiled. “I'd love to have a friend in you too, Miss Kaoru.”
Author: ladychi
Graphic: amyxaphania
Rating: Older Teen
Characters: Ten/Jack/Rose
Summary: Written to the prompt "Ten, Jack and Rose figure out how to have a relationship together". Just after Children of Earth, Ten, Jack and Rose must heal their individual wounds and come together.
Author's Notes: I've played a little fast-and-loose in this chapter, both with Japanese history at this time and traditional customs. However, it should be noted that public bathing is not a universal taboo.
Japan experts, please feel free to PM me if I've used the wrong terminology for something. I've tried to be as accurate as is attainable for me with both my time-budget and my ability.
Previous Chapters: Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two
Chapter Three: The Futon and the Bath House
Leaving the strange woman with blonde hair on a futon with a blanket laid over her, Himura Kenshin ran out of the dojo and down to the yard where he could hear Kaoru and the Captain practicing swordsmanship. Unwilling to interrupt or startle them, he scanned the area until he saw who he was looking for: the Doctor, leaned up against the trunk of a tree, contemplating, it looked like, a blade of grass.
“This humble one begs pardon for interrupting you,” Kenshin began, “but I think your friend needs your help.”
“Rose?” The Doctor pushed off the tree and immediately stood straight. “Where is she? What happened?”
“This humble one is not sure, but believes, sir, that she might have fainted.”
The Doctor stilled. “Where is she?”
“Sleeping in the futon in this humble one's bedroom,” Kenshin said meekly. “There is no other place to put her; this humble one apologizes.”
“Can you take me to her?” The Doctor's voice was low.
“Yes, of course.”
Kenshin led him back to the dojo, and slid open the door to his bedroom. “This humble one will leave you two to your privacy.”
“Thanks,” the Doctor said absent-mindedly, but Kenshin could tell his mind was elsewhere. Just as soon as he'd made it back to the kitchen, he was met by the Captain.
“What happened?”
“This humble one begs your pardon.”
“What happened? The Doc doesn't take off like that unless it's something serious.”
“This humble one did not wish to disturb your afternoon with Miss Kaoru, but it appears your friend Miss Rose has taken a bit ill. This humble one thought to get the attention of your Doctor.”
The Captain's face settled into a stern expression. For the first time, Kenshin could believe this man had been in the army. He had that look, that understanding that only came from understanding death - and from knowing when it was close.
“Thanks, Kenshin,” the Captain said lowly, and stepped towards the bedroom. Kenshin's arm shot out, fast as lightning, and gripped the man's sleeve.
“This humble one does not wish to intrude, but perhaps you would prefer having a cup of tea and waiting while your Doctor performs his examination?”
“You're a quick piece of work, aren't you,” Jack said mildly, looking down at the hand which hadn't let go of him yet. “It's... complicated. Trust me, Rose will want me in there. But thanks.”
“This humble one apologizes,” Kenshin said meekly, and bowed. The door slid open, and the Captain stepped inside.
Fighting against a natural curiosity, Kenshin headed back to the kitchen and began to slowly prepare the tea.
**
Rose was pale and sweaty - abnormally small against the pillow. The Doctor crouched next to her and glanced up when Jack entered. The futon Kenshin had referred to was little more than a thin mattress on the ground, and Jack found his back twinging in sympathy. No wonder the little man moved so carefully.
“How's she doing, Doc?”
“For someone being pulled apart at the subatomic level, she's doing remarkably well.” The Doctor put away a stethoscope Jack hadn't even noticed him having, tucking it in one of his pockets and reaching for Rose's hand. “Jack, I...”
“Hey, Doc. We're going to figure this out. Should we pack her up and head for the TARDIS?”
The Doctor shook his head. “I'm afraid to transfer her. We should walk back to the ship and bring it here.”
“Have you tried --”
“I've tried everything, Jack.” The Doctor's voice was tired, firm and final. Jack folded himself to the ground and crossed his legs Indian-style. “I've tried everything.”
“Does she know what's happening?”
“No.” The Doctor shook his head. “I can't... I'm going to figure it out, and then I'm going to tell her.”
“Tell me what?”
“Seems you've contracted a bit of a fever,” Jack said smoothly, reaching for a piece of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. “The Doctor and I haven't figured out just how it got past the TARDIS's defenses.”
“Oh. Well, that's not so bad. Give me a couple aspirin and let me sleep a few days.”
“No aspirin,” the Doctor said firmly. “Not unless you want us both to die.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in!” Rose called before either of the boys could respond. “Smile, yeah? I've been sick before. Mind you, it's been a while... Still.”
Miss Kaoru entered, dressed in a more traditional Japanese kimono. “Miss Rose. I heard you were unwell.”
“Got a bit of a fever,” Rose said apologetically. “I've never done that before. I apologize if I scared anyone.”
“I just came to see if there was anything I could do for you,” Miss Kaoru said, still standing at the door. “Kenshin has made tea, if you would like some.”
“Oh, yes please,” Rose said, nodding her head emphatically. “A bit of tea would set me right, I think.”
“Good, I'll tell Kenshin.” Kaoru lingered at the door, before she turned and left.
Rose yawned suddenly and covered her mouth, falling back onto the futon and closing her eyes. “Listen. Maybe you should go have tea in the kitchen, yeah? I'll have a cuppa when I wake up again.”
The Doctor's eyebrows flew up in alarm but Jack simply leaned over her kissed her forehead. “Of course, Rose. Have a good nap.”
“Thank you, Jack.” Rose curled up on her side and reached for his face, caressing his cheek. “Take care of the Doctor for me, yeah?”
“Always, Rose.”
“Good,” she said decisively. “That's the way it should be.”
Jack got to his feet and left, standing just outside the sliding doors until the Doctor emerged after several minutes of hushed conversation. He grabbed the Doctor's arm and leaned in close. “We're going to fix this, Doctor. We're not going to let her give up.”
Something like relief passed across the Doctor's face. “You're right. Absolutely. Brilliant. Yes.” He cleared his throat and headed off towards the kitchen, whistling cheerfully.
**
It was falling into evening before Rose woke again, alone in the strange room. She felt queer all over - achy and sore, as though she were being pulled in a million directions at once, and her stomach roiled and turned in her gut.
The door slid open and Rose could see the socked feet of the Japanese woman cross the floor. “Miss Rose?”
“Miss Kaoru?” she asked back, half-sitting.
“Oh good, you're awake. Kenshin and I have been worried. Your friends said you might sleep for a while.”
“Where'd they go?”
“They said they went back for your ship,” Kaoru's voice clearly conveyed her confusion. “They said you would know what that meant.”
“Ah,” Rose said, pushing herself until she was seated completely upright. “They should be back soon enough then, I guess.”
“Kenshin thinks they probably have medicine for you there and that's why they went back.”
Rose shrugged. “The Doctor said he was going to try something to bring down the fever but I thought...” She sighed. “I guess I should get used to waking up and not knowing where he is. It happened often enough before.”
“Miss Rose? Perhaps you would like a bath. Please do not mistake my meaning - I just find when I'm ill and my mind goes in these patterns, taking a bath can be relaxing and refreshing. Kenshin's already filled the bathhouse and started the fire, if you'd like.”
“I just...” Rose wiped her eyes. “I just don't have anything to...”
“You may certainly borrow one of my kimono,” Kaoru said, waving her hand. “It is no inconvenience.”
“I don't want to make trouble. I tell you what, though,” Rose beamed, in spite of her splitting headache. “A bath sounds just lovely.”
She struggled to her feet, and together, she and Miss Kaoru made their way to the wooden building that was the small bathhouse on the dojo grounds. They both undressed and slipped into the water. Rose had been in enough foreign countries and planets not to care that they were sharing the same space.
After a long pause, Rose worked up the energy to ask after her host. “So that Kenshin bloke, is he yours, then?”
“It's hard to imagine anyone having a claim on Kenshin,” Kaoru said carefully. “But if anyone could make such a claim, it would be myself.”
“He's got lovely hair.” Rose gestured with one hand, and sunk into the water for a second before coming up. “I've got a thing for hair.”
“Your Doctor... he's yours, then, as you say?” Miss Kaoru soaped a foot idly.
“This... particular... well. With the Doctor it's always a bit complicated. At one time we were.” Rose closed her eyes. “We have before and we probably will again, you know.”
“I'm sorry to say I find that very confusing,” Miss Kaoru admitted.
“Me too,” Rose said on a laugh, and then sobered, squeezing her hand. “I just... I lost the man who was going to be my husband.”
“Oh, Miss Rose. I'm so sorry.”
“My fiancé... he was very like the Doctor,” Rose said. “Exactly the same, in most respects, yet...”
“All men are different,” Miss Kaoru said, “no matter how similar they appear to be.”
Rose nodded. “Exactly.”
“Well.” Miss Kaoru held out her hand and took Rose's in easy friendship. “You should stay, Miss Rose, right here. You won't be the first person to figure out where to go in life at this dojo. It was my father's personal mission, and besides. I'd love to have a friend here.”
Rose smiled. “I'd love to have a friend in you too, Miss Kaoru.”