Things go wrong in several ways. The cavalry comes to rescue the day, but yells a bit first. ^_^ Here's where the rating I gave it starts to show. _____
Hatori stood up and looked at her back, clipboard in hand, writing down notes. He prodded spots on her back, some of which hurt.
"You are mildly allergic to grass, poplar, and mold, but nothing that would give you more than a mild headache on a bad day. You might itch if Kyou licked or scratched you as a cat, but nothing more. No other common animal allergies, except pigeon a little. But........ it looks like evergreen sap gives you some trouble. And juniper," he very lightly touched the sorest spot, and she gaped, "dramatically so."
"Oh! A sheet blew off the line! I picked it up near a juniper, so I guess I got it form that."
"Yes. That may be what's aggravating your lungs. I still think they're a little weak, but not as bad as I suspected. Another shot is in order, but otherwise I'm done. Go ahead and get dressed, and I'll prepare the shot."
"I've been around Junipers before, and I've never had that trouble," she said.
"Allergies are strange like that. You never react to the first exposure, but form then on, you may be sick from it. Sometimes, you can be exposed to it for years before the allergy shows up. They can even go away for almost no reason. Not even the experts know why."
"Wow, that's kind of neat! No wonder you became a doctor!" Tohru put on her undershirt on the table. That wasn't so bad. Hatori had been almost animated at times. Well, for Hatori.
"Yes, I'm fortunate it turned out so interesting. Tohru-kun, while I think of it, you are going to be eighteen in a little over a year, I see? There is a type of checkup that you no doubt were told about in health class that you will need at that time. I am obligated as a doctor to mention something about this to a girl your age. Even if some doctors in Japan don't out of embarrassment, I find that attitude unprofessional."
"Uhhhh, yeah. I guess it would be." Tohru's ears turned red.
"I have delivered children, but I'm not a specialist. I would refer you to someone outside the family."
"Oh?" she started to turn pinker in the face as well.
"There are a number of reasons someone would want to see one early. Some just want to. Others suffer from reoccurring infection, are not virgins, or have irregular menstrual cycles," Tohru was almost glowing red as he continued "All of these mean that you should see one, because all can lead to some trouble if you are not checked out. If you ask to be referred early, there would be no way for me to definitely know either way on any of these matters. Do you understand?" He had the shot ready, with the cap on the needle.
"Yes, but...... it uh, isn't necessary, I'm.... on all of them it isn't needed."
Hatori's jawline flexed, but he otherwise didn't react.
"All right," he said more flatly than he had been speaking earlier. He had hoped she would've taken the hint, "You'd rather stand for shots, you said before?"
"Y-yes" Tohru stood up and stumbled a little.
"You'll have to be near a table to support yourself, I'm afraid this one can't be in your- are you okeh, Tohru-kun?"
"Yes, I'm- I'm just.... too hot........" she began to fall forward. Hatori yelled sharply. His first instinct was to catch her, but he stopped himself before he did. She thudded dully onto the ground.
He turned her on her back and straightened her legs out from under her. He then put his ear near her mouth and took her pulse. The pulse was steady, but weaker than it should have been. And too fast. He could hear her breath rattling as it left her mouth. He grabbed the case with the stethoscope and knocked it over, but he took it off the ground and just left the rest lying there. He listened to her chest, no different from earlier. Her mouth was very dry, then. He ran his hand across her forehead and rubbed his fingers together. Hot, but barely moist.
"Damn," he said. Hatori ran to the phone.
---- The phone rang a few times before Momiji picked up.
"Momiji, is Kagura here?" Kagura used Momiji's phone when she needed to because she didn't talk to anyone regularly enough to have one.
"No she's out today. You sound weird, Ha'ri, is there-"
"Where's the nearest family-" he thought for a second and corrected himself, "the nearest Juunishi member?"
"Ne? Well, Aya isn't back from gardening I think. What's wron-"
"Ayame! Of course!" said Hatori and hung up.
Hatori marched quickly to the wall, messing up the raked sand, "Ayame! Ayame come here!" he barked. There was no answer.
"I know you're there, Ayame! Honda-san's in trouble and I need help! Now!"
"Tohru-kun?" yelled Ayame from over the wall. Half a minute later, Ayame pulled himself onto the roof and scrambled down the tree. He was dirty and his hair a little out of place from climbing the wall.
"She's in here. She's fainted. I should have checked her blood pressure, I would have caught it right then. Dammit."
Ayame didn't ask questions, or comment on Tohru's state of undress. He did look shocked, for a second, at the medical instruments on the floor, but turned to the matter at hand.
"What do I do?" Ayame kneeled by Tohru, watching Hatori. Hatori bent over her feet.
"I need you to-"
The door to Hatori's office was thrown open, and Kyou barged in followed by Momiji, both breathing hard. Momiji was in puffy shorts, a lacy powder blue blouse, and little cap that matched the shorts.
"You shouldn't just come in-" whined Momiji.
"What the hell is- is...." Kyou saw Tohru passed out on the floor in her underwear. Hatori was at her feet, and Ayame next to her, had a hand on her stomach. Kyou turned a deep red, but didn't transform. He turned and faced a wall. "What the hell is happening? Why's she in your room, with that perverted bastard Ayame here?! Of all the-"
"She's sick." said Ayame.
"She's dehydrated, and her breathing is bad, so she fainted. We need to get her cooled down." said Hatori.
"Answer my question!"
"He does my checkup here," said Momiji.
"And mine," said Ayame.
"I do non-Juunishi members at the office, Kyou."
"Why's she here, then?"
"I have no time to explain myself, she's sick."
"Well, it sounds like just a cold to me!"
"People with fevers complain of feeling cold, but she felt hot. She was out in the sun for a long time, and her breathing is from an allergic reaction to something scratching her neck." Kyou looked back at Hatori, remembering the scratch he saw, "I know she's dehydrated because she isn't sweating enough for how hot she is, and her blood pressure is a little low from lack of fluids. That means , along with her having trouble breathing, not enough air is getting to her brain, and she can't cool herself off. Momiji, Kyou, you're here now, so you're both going to help."
"Right," said Momiji. Ayame, and Momiji kneeled at her legs, and Hatori stood next to her left arm.
"Can we help her breathe?" Ayame asked.
"I would give her oxygen, but I don't have a tank. Come here and help Kyou,"
"I..... I can't just-"
"If she gets dropped, or we transform, it will be a great deal harder. She might stroke out if we don't do this, and wet towels aren't a safe enough bet. Keep your mind clear, and you won't get so embarrassed you transform. Now Kyou,"
Kyou scowled and went to her other arm. They all lifted and carried her towards the bathroom. Hatori wrapped his arm around hers when he lifted, dangerously close for a Juunishi, so he could have a hand free to support her head. Kyou started to readjust his so he could help hold it up too, but Hatori told him not to.
"Ayame and Momiji are too weak to do this without one of us. One of us can risk it, but not both."
They got into the bathroom and Kyou started to move to put her in the tub.
"No, the shower."
"The bath's already full of cold water!"
"That was in case she tried to hug me. It's salty, and too narrow for one person." Kyou stopped, and so did everyone else, to prevent wrenching her limbs, "One person! There's gonna be-"
"We will both be clothed, Kyou and someone has to hold an I.V. bag. I also have to monitor the water temperature, because too cold could make her shiver, which would make her hotter. Do you know any of this? So it can't be you, can it? Shut up and do what you're told."
They all helped her in the shower, Kyou grinding his teeth, and Hatori turned on the water.
"Ayame, get me an I. V. bag that says 'saline' on it and a needle marked 18 gauge form the drawer. It's in the medical closet and the drawer's labeled. Momiji, find the syringe I dropped, then put the instruments on the floor in my bag and bring them to me. The shot'll help allot, but this came first." Ayame and Momiji walked into the other room.
Hatori stripped to an undershirt and his long trousers, setting his glasses on the sink, and sat in the shower next to her. Her clothes were already soaking wet, and neither of them looked at her out of modesty.
"And what about me huh? The stupid cat not good enough to-"
"Hush Kyou. You're chaperone."
"You didn't need a chaperone when you were doing you're checkup. In your room!" "That was for discretion. You know I only treat family members, and it would be remarked on if I took in other cases. But if this becomes widely known some in the family might say she is now in no position to refuse anything improper. There are some things that people would whisper about, even If I was alone with her for thirty seconds like this."
"What about before Ayame showed up?"
"Can't be helped. Besides, which would make a better story? Me doing something before you got here, or molesting Honda-san after, when I sent people away with my authority as a doctor? No one would accuse me of rape, but perversion is a plausible charge. You can imagine them being horrified and saying 'It's only natural, a half naked girl and a healthy grown man. Especially a doctor, who sees so much in his work, but can't do anything. She may have even pretended to have been passed out, and enjoyed every little-'"
"Shut up! I get it! Besides who _can_ accuse you of rape?"
Hatori looked at Kyou, eyes half lidded, "Most don't know of the curse. As for the Juunishi, I will say no more than that you must be more creative in your approach, Kyou," Kyou choked, and flushed crimson.
Hatori continued, "The real trick is not to ever kiss or embrace the girl, but it has been done without the secret being revealed. Intimacy is a large factor in transformation, so it is less difficult if you don't care about the woman as well. It is a largely empty experience, because of that, and one reason marriages are so rare. Can you say I care about Tohru?"
"Y-you don't need to be graphic!"
"You did listen, and I am a doctor. I know about these things. I wasn't in any way graphic, simply making sure you got my point. It will be very inconvenient if I ask you to do something in a situation like this again, and you end up killing someone because you are suspicious of me. I'm not a saint, but I wouldn't physically endanger or harm anyone, and I wouldn't directly give a brat like you an order unless I needed it to be done. I know better than to tell you to do anything and depend on you to obey unless I have no choice."
Kyou's hair stood on end, "You're right, I don't take orders! Especially not from you, when I know who's the next rung up! You never helped anyone you weren't made to by Akito, or some Goddamed duty to the fami-"
Ayame brought his hand hard across Kyou's face hard and then forced his own face in so close to Kyou's that their noses touched. Ayame's glowing eyes were narrowed. He had both his hands on Kyou's cheeks, nails dug in to prevent Kyou from drawing back.
"Never question his duty. Nor his suffering. And never think he wouldn't do anything to help Tohru, because I would too. Anything for her. If you want to hit me back, I can't stop you. But later, boy, when I know I won't be needed."
Ayame spoke slowly and didn't draw breath, so the last few sentences were hissed lowly. He let Kyou go, and Kyou rubbed his cheekbones where Ayame's nails had broken the skin.
Momiji came in, with the case and the shot, "It rolled under the desk in the commotion. Sorry I was so long. Here's the case, too."
"Just the syringe, for now," Hatori took off the cap and propped her so that he could reach her bottom "Has to be the gluteus. It's the biggest muscle close to the skin's surface, and this shot's useless in a smaller muscle like the arm." he said without being asked.
He lifted up the leg hole as discreetly as possible and inserted the needle. He shut his eyes for a moment, like he was feeling for something, then pushed the plunger. He saw Kyou's expression when he opened his eyes again.
"I did it only to help me visualize. It has to go between two layers of-"
"That's not it! How can you be so cold about this? Can't you act a little embarrassed about it? Not as much as me, maybe, but a little?"
"I'm her doctor. I have no intentions of courting her or sleeping with her. I act as if I am a different class of person when I act as a doctor." He sat her back up and took the I. V. bag and needle from Ayame, "Turn the nozzle away while I do this, I don't want to contaminate the needle."
Momiji pointed the showerhead at the floor of the shower, and Hatori ripped open the sealed package. Hatori attached the needle to the tube, letting some fluid dribble out before turning off a tap at the top. He brought the crook of her arm in close to his eyes, and put a thumb on a blue vein in her arm. He inserted the needle right below where his thumb marked. He started the I. V. and held the bag above his head, squeezing it a little at first. He looked detached, like he didn't know who this girl was, or think it much mattered.
"That's what I mean, like you don't care! And who said anything about- about courting her?"
"Kyon-kichi, it isn't unheard of," said Ayame, still serious, but less worried, "It's very common, really. It may be old fashioned, but hardly anyone bats an eyelash when a woman graduates from highschool and marries someone ten years older, even a teacher. Ha'ri, Shigure, and even I would be the right age to provoke rumors. It'd have to happen when women not married who are our age get called 'old maids,' and young men who get married before 25 wouldn't be educated enough for a good job. Your generation may be a little different, a little more tolerant of unmarried girls and less of age difference, but we're a very old fashioned family, ne? It would make a lovely tale, but alas and alak, the casting's wrong."
"He means Hatori's not like that," said Momiji.
"_Hatori_ isn't?!" Kyou shouted.
"What? I thought you knew that Tohru wasn't!"
"I do!"
"I also think Ha'ri just means he wouldn't be able to help Tohru if he ran around like the Meshou lady when stuff went wrong." Momiji said.
Hatori nodded, "If I hadn't stopped myself from catching her, I wouldn't have been able to get Ayame. And........"
"But you got me and the others came and all is now well! Let us be glad of it!" said Ayame he clapped his hands formally, with closed eyes. He said, "We give thanks for our good health!"
Hatori, Momiji and, a split second after them, Kyou, also repeated the gesture. Hatori's hand was full, so he took his free hand and moved it as if the other was clapping as well, sweeping his hand around and stopping when it reached the middle of his chest.
"Thanks," they chorused.
They were silent for twenty minutes, and the saline ran out. Hatori felt her head and pulse and took out the needle.
"She's cool again. Get out the spare mattress, someone, and bring a towel, one of my shirts and a clean pair of my shorts. I'd check if Kagura were here, but the fewer involved, the better. Tohru can't stay in wet clothes."
"What about Yuki?" said Ayame, "I'm not close with him, but he would want to at least know. And 'Gure-san shouldn't worry."
"Yuki was too chicken to go to Momiji's place with me to wait for her. I don't think he'd come."
"Nevertheless, they should be called. But you shouldn't be the one to do it Ayame. You tend to react unfortunately when serious matters and Yuki are involved." said Hatori.
"Oh..... yeah. You're right, as usual," Ayame said. Momiji and Aya left the room to do what they were told, and Kyou was again, chaperone.
Hatori stood up and looked at her back, clipboard in hand, writing down notes. He prodded spots on her back, some of which hurt.
"You are mildly allergic to grass, poplar, and mold, but nothing that would give you more than a mild headache on a bad day. You might itch if Kyou licked or scratched you as a cat, but nothing more. No other common animal allergies, except pigeon a little. But........ it looks like evergreen sap gives you some trouble. And juniper," he very lightly touched the sorest spot, and she gaped, "dramatically so."
"Oh! A sheet blew off the line! I picked it up near a juniper, so I guess I got it form that."
"Yes. That may be what's aggravating your lungs. I still think they're a little weak, but not as bad as I suspected. Another shot is in order, but otherwise I'm done. Go ahead and get dressed, and I'll prepare the shot."
"I've been around Junipers before, and I've never had that trouble," she said.
"Allergies are strange like that. You never react to the first exposure, but form then on, you may be sick from it. Sometimes, you can be exposed to it for years before the allergy shows up. They can even go away for almost no reason. Not even the experts know why."
"Wow, that's kind of neat! No wonder you became a doctor!" Tohru put on her undershirt on the table. That wasn't so bad. Hatori had been almost animated at times. Well, for Hatori.
"Yes, I'm fortunate it turned out so interesting. Tohru-kun, while I think of it, you are going to be eighteen in a little over a year, I see? There is a type of checkup that you no doubt were told about in health class that you will need at that time. I am obligated as a doctor to mention something about this to a girl your age. Even if some doctors in Japan don't out of embarrassment, I find that attitude unprofessional."
"Uhhhh, yeah. I guess it would be." Tohru's ears turned red.
"I have delivered children, but I'm not a specialist. I would refer you to someone outside the family."
"Oh?" she started to turn pinker in the face as well.
"There are a number of reasons someone would want to see one early. Some just want to. Others suffer from reoccurring infection, are not virgins, or have irregular menstrual cycles," Tohru was almost glowing red as he continued "All of these mean that you should see one, because all can lead to some trouble if you are not checked out. If you ask to be referred early, there would be no way for me to definitely know either way on any of these matters. Do you understand?" He had the shot ready, with the cap on the needle.
"Yes, but...... it uh, isn't necessary, I'm.... on all of them it isn't needed."
Hatori's jawline flexed, but he otherwise didn't react.
"All right," he said more flatly than he had been speaking earlier. He had hoped she would've taken the hint, "You'd rather stand for shots, you said before?"
"Y-yes" Tohru stood up and stumbled a little.
"You'll have to be near a table to support yourself, I'm afraid this one can't be in your- are you okeh, Tohru-kun?"
"Yes, I'm- I'm just.... too hot........" she began to fall forward. Hatori yelled sharply. His first instinct was to catch her, but he stopped himself before he did. She thudded dully onto the ground.
He turned her on her back and straightened her legs out from under her. He then put his ear near her mouth and took her pulse. The pulse was steady, but weaker than it should have been. And too fast. He could hear her breath rattling as it left her mouth. He grabbed the case with the stethoscope and knocked it over, but he took it off the ground and just left the rest lying there. He listened to her chest, no different from earlier. Her mouth was very dry, then. He ran his hand across her forehead and rubbed his fingers together. Hot, but barely moist.
"Damn," he said. Hatori ran to the phone.
---- The phone rang a few times before Momiji picked up.
"Momiji, is Kagura here?" Kagura used Momiji's phone when she needed to because she didn't talk to anyone regularly enough to have one.
"No she's out today. You sound weird, Ha'ri, is there-"
"Where's the nearest family-" he thought for a second and corrected himself, "the nearest Juunishi member?"
"Ne? Well, Aya isn't back from gardening I think. What's wron-"
"Ayame! Of course!" said Hatori and hung up.
Hatori marched quickly to the wall, messing up the raked sand, "Ayame! Ayame come here!" he barked. There was no answer.
"I know you're there, Ayame! Honda-san's in trouble and I need help! Now!"
"Tohru-kun?" yelled Ayame from over the wall. Half a minute later, Ayame pulled himself onto the roof and scrambled down the tree. He was dirty and his hair a little out of place from climbing the wall.
"She's in here. She's fainted. I should have checked her blood pressure, I would have caught it right then. Dammit."
Ayame didn't ask questions, or comment on Tohru's state of undress. He did look shocked, for a second, at the medical instruments on the floor, but turned to the matter at hand.
"What do I do?" Ayame kneeled by Tohru, watching Hatori. Hatori bent over her feet.
"I need you to-"
The door to Hatori's office was thrown open, and Kyou barged in followed by Momiji, both breathing hard. Momiji was in puffy shorts, a lacy powder blue blouse, and little cap that matched the shorts.
"You shouldn't just come in-" whined Momiji.
"What the hell is- is...." Kyou saw Tohru passed out on the floor in her underwear. Hatori was at her feet, and Ayame next to her, had a hand on her stomach. Kyou turned a deep red, but didn't transform. He turned and faced a wall. "What the hell is happening? Why's she in your room, with that perverted bastard Ayame here?! Of all the-"
"She's sick." said Ayame.
"She's dehydrated, and her breathing is bad, so she fainted. We need to get her cooled down." said Hatori.
"Answer my question!"
"He does my checkup here," said Momiji.
"And mine," said Ayame.
"I do non-Juunishi members at the office, Kyou."
"Why's she here, then?"
"I have no time to explain myself, she's sick."
"Well, it sounds like just a cold to me!"
"People with fevers complain of feeling cold, but she felt hot. She was out in the sun for a long time, and her breathing is from an allergic reaction to something scratching her neck." Kyou looked back at Hatori, remembering the scratch he saw, "I know she's dehydrated because she isn't sweating enough for how hot she is, and her blood pressure is a little low from lack of fluids. That means , along with her having trouble breathing, not enough air is getting to her brain, and she can't cool herself off. Momiji, Kyou, you're here now, so you're both going to help."
"Right," said Momiji. Ayame, and Momiji kneeled at her legs, and Hatori stood next to her left arm.
"Can we help her breathe?" Ayame asked.
"I would give her oxygen, but I don't have a tank. Come here and help Kyou,"
"I..... I can't just-"
"If she gets dropped, or we transform, it will be a great deal harder. She might stroke out if we don't do this, and wet towels aren't a safe enough bet. Keep your mind clear, and you won't get so embarrassed you transform. Now Kyou,"
Kyou scowled and went to her other arm. They all lifted and carried her towards the bathroom. Hatori wrapped his arm around hers when he lifted, dangerously close for a Juunishi, so he could have a hand free to support her head. Kyou started to readjust his so he could help hold it up too, but Hatori told him not to.
"Ayame and Momiji are too weak to do this without one of us. One of us can risk it, but not both."
They got into the bathroom and Kyou started to move to put her in the tub.
"No, the shower."
"The bath's already full of cold water!"
"That was in case she tried to hug me. It's salty, and too narrow for one person." Kyou stopped, and so did everyone else, to prevent wrenching her limbs, "One person! There's gonna be-"
"We will both be clothed, Kyou and someone has to hold an I.V. bag. I also have to monitor the water temperature, because too cold could make her shiver, which would make her hotter. Do you know any of this? So it can't be you, can it? Shut up and do what you're told."
They all helped her in the shower, Kyou grinding his teeth, and Hatori turned on the water.
"Ayame, get me an I. V. bag that says 'saline' on it and a needle marked 18 gauge form the drawer. It's in the medical closet and the drawer's labeled. Momiji, find the syringe I dropped, then put the instruments on the floor in my bag and bring them to me. The shot'll help allot, but this came first." Ayame and Momiji walked into the other room.
Hatori stripped to an undershirt and his long trousers, setting his glasses on the sink, and sat in the shower next to her. Her clothes were already soaking wet, and neither of them looked at her out of modesty.
"And what about me huh? The stupid cat not good enough to-"
"Hush Kyou. You're chaperone."
"You didn't need a chaperone when you were doing you're checkup. In your room!" "That was for discretion. You know I only treat family members, and it would be remarked on if I took in other cases. But if this becomes widely known some in the family might say she is now in no position to refuse anything improper. There are some things that people would whisper about, even If I was alone with her for thirty seconds like this."
"What about before Ayame showed up?"
"Can't be helped. Besides, which would make a better story? Me doing something before you got here, or molesting Honda-san after, when I sent people away with my authority as a doctor? No one would accuse me of rape, but perversion is a plausible charge. You can imagine them being horrified and saying 'It's only natural, a half naked girl and a healthy grown man. Especially a doctor, who sees so much in his work, but can't do anything. She may have even pretended to have been passed out, and enjoyed every little-'"
"Shut up! I get it! Besides who _can_ accuse you of rape?"
Hatori looked at Kyou, eyes half lidded, "Most don't know of the curse. As for the Juunishi, I will say no more than that you must be more creative in your approach, Kyou," Kyou choked, and flushed crimson.
Hatori continued, "The real trick is not to ever kiss or embrace the girl, but it has been done without the secret being revealed. Intimacy is a large factor in transformation, so it is less difficult if you don't care about the woman as well. It is a largely empty experience, because of that, and one reason marriages are so rare. Can you say I care about Tohru?"
"Y-you don't need to be graphic!"
"You did listen, and I am a doctor. I know about these things. I wasn't in any way graphic, simply making sure you got my point. It will be very inconvenient if I ask you to do something in a situation like this again, and you end up killing someone because you are suspicious of me. I'm not a saint, but I wouldn't physically endanger or harm anyone, and I wouldn't directly give a brat like you an order unless I needed it to be done. I know better than to tell you to do anything and depend on you to obey unless I have no choice."
Kyou's hair stood on end, "You're right, I don't take orders! Especially not from you, when I know who's the next rung up! You never helped anyone you weren't made to by Akito, or some Goddamed duty to the fami-"
Ayame brought his hand hard across Kyou's face hard and then forced his own face in so close to Kyou's that their noses touched. Ayame's glowing eyes were narrowed. He had both his hands on Kyou's cheeks, nails dug in to prevent Kyou from drawing back.
"Never question his duty. Nor his suffering. And never think he wouldn't do anything to help Tohru, because I would too. Anything for her. If you want to hit me back, I can't stop you. But later, boy, when I know I won't be needed."
Ayame spoke slowly and didn't draw breath, so the last few sentences were hissed lowly. He let Kyou go, and Kyou rubbed his cheekbones where Ayame's nails had broken the skin.
Momiji came in, with the case and the shot, "It rolled under the desk in the commotion. Sorry I was so long. Here's the case, too."
"Just the syringe, for now," Hatori took off the cap and propped her so that he could reach her bottom "Has to be the gluteus. It's the biggest muscle close to the skin's surface, and this shot's useless in a smaller muscle like the arm." he said without being asked.
He lifted up the leg hole as discreetly as possible and inserted the needle. He shut his eyes for a moment, like he was feeling for something, then pushed the plunger. He saw Kyou's expression when he opened his eyes again.
"I did it only to help me visualize. It has to go between two layers of-"
"That's not it! How can you be so cold about this? Can't you act a little embarrassed about it? Not as much as me, maybe, but a little?"
"I'm her doctor. I have no intentions of courting her or sleeping with her. I act as if I am a different class of person when I act as a doctor." He sat her back up and took the I. V. bag and needle from Ayame, "Turn the nozzle away while I do this, I don't want to contaminate the needle."
Momiji pointed the showerhead at the floor of the shower, and Hatori ripped open the sealed package. Hatori attached the needle to the tube, letting some fluid dribble out before turning off a tap at the top. He brought the crook of her arm in close to his eyes, and put a thumb on a blue vein in her arm. He inserted the needle right below where his thumb marked. He started the I. V. and held the bag above his head, squeezing it a little at first. He looked detached, like he didn't know who this girl was, or think it much mattered.
"That's what I mean, like you don't care! And who said anything about- about courting her?"
"Kyon-kichi, it isn't unheard of," said Ayame, still serious, but less worried, "It's very common, really. It may be old fashioned, but hardly anyone bats an eyelash when a woman graduates from highschool and marries someone ten years older, even a teacher. Ha'ri, Shigure, and even I would be the right age to provoke rumors. It'd have to happen when women not married who are our age get called 'old maids,' and young men who get married before 25 wouldn't be educated enough for a good job. Your generation may be a little different, a little more tolerant of unmarried girls and less of age difference, but we're a very old fashioned family, ne? It would make a lovely tale, but alas and alak, the casting's wrong."
"He means Hatori's not like that," said Momiji.
"_Hatori_ isn't?!" Kyou shouted.
"What? I thought you knew that Tohru wasn't!"
"I do!"
"I also think Ha'ri just means he wouldn't be able to help Tohru if he ran around like the Meshou lady when stuff went wrong." Momiji said.
Hatori nodded, "If I hadn't stopped myself from catching her, I wouldn't have been able to get Ayame. And........"
"But you got me and the others came and all is now well! Let us be glad of it!" said Ayame he clapped his hands formally, with closed eyes. He said, "We give thanks for our good health!"
Hatori, Momiji and, a split second after them, Kyou, also repeated the gesture. Hatori's hand was full, so he took his free hand and moved it as if the other was clapping as well, sweeping his hand around and stopping when it reached the middle of his chest.
"Thanks," they chorused.
They were silent for twenty minutes, and the saline ran out. Hatori felt her head and pulse and took out the needle.
"She's cool again. Get out the spare mattress, someone, and bring a towel, one of my shirts and a clean pair of my shorts. I'd check if Kagura were here, but the fewer involved, the better. Tohru can't stay in wet clothes."
"What about Yuki?" said Ayame, "I'm not close with him, but he would want to at least know. And 'Gure-san shouldn't worry."
"Yuki was too chicken to go to Momiji's place with me to wait for her. I don't think he'd come."
"Nevertheless, they should be called. But you shouldn't be the one to do it Ayame. You tend to react unfortunately when serious matters and Yuki are involved." said Hatori.
"Oh..... yeah. You're right, as usual," Ayame said. Momiji and Aya left the room to do what they were told, and Kyou was again, chaperone.
