The morning was starting quietly. Vastra was still ensconced in five blankets, snoring gently. Jenny couldn't hear any bangs from downstairs, which was the usual indicator that Strax had woken up. And the Irregulars and Parker wouldn't be coming on Christmas Day. Mentally, she ran over the list of chores she'd have to do. Stoking the fires, feeding Alice and doing the washing up. She wondered how much she'd be able to teach Strax to do. Mrs Blackett's idea of him being their butler had taken root in Jenny's head. It wasn't that the Sontaran was stupid after all, she reasoned to herself. He was certainly inventive enough with explosives. It was just a question of getting him to latch onto an idea and then not want to blow something up. Persistence, no doubt, would be key. But, having saved him, he was her responsibility. She grinned, remembering Vastra first telling her that. It seemed an age ago. She turned onto her side, gazing at the vaguely discernible lump that was her…her partner? Her Silurian? Her stupid lizard? It was difficult to know what to call Vastra in relation to her. Her sweetheart sounded corny and mildly trivial. Her partner, too formal.
Leaving such questions in bed, she got up to start on her chores. With any luck she could get them all done before Vastra was awake. It was still a left-over habit of hers, to bring a cup of tea to Vastra in bed. As it was Christmas, she didn't bother putting on one of her maid dresses, instead dressing in the same outfit she had yesterday, with a clean shirt. The image of Vastra wearing one of her shirts wasn't something she'd forget soon, and she hoped Vastra would also choose more casual wear for the day.
Strax was up by the time she came back in from feeding Alice and she decided to begin his instruction then. She made him watch carefully whilst she made tea. There was moment when the kettle started whistling and Strax almost shot it, thinking it was weapon arming itself but apart from that he seemed to understand the process, although he looked very bored.
She'd test him tomorrow, to see if he remembered but for the moment she took the tea up to Vastra, setting it down on the bedside table and sitting next to the lump of blankets, resting an arm gently over where she guessed Vastra's shoulders were. There was a wriggle and then a small upheaval of blankets and a scaly face emerged, blinking sleepily at her.
"Mornin'." Jenny stroked Vastra's head crests, smiling fondly as she remembered a bloody nose. A scaly nose twitched as it scented tea.
"Good morning, little ape."
"Oi!" Jenny tugged playfully at Vastra's head crest, earning her a hiss and then a headbutt to the hand. She resumed stroking it. "Gonna get up then?"
Vastra sighed. "But it is so pleasant like this."
"Wellll," Jenny drawled. "I was jus' thinking, seein' as how there's no-one here, you could show me them courtship dances you was on about yesterday."
Vastra gave her a look and then, with a complicated shrugging motion, shed all her blankets in one go. Never once breaking eye contact, she reached for her tea and sat, slowly sipping it.
"Very well." She said eventually, placing her now empty cup down. "I think the training room would be best."
"For a courtship dance?" Jenny made a face. "Don't sound very romantic."
"Wait and see." Vastra leaned over and whispered in her ear before getting up and walking to the wardrobe. Jenny watched as Vastra drew out an outfit she'd only seen a few times before, back when they'd been living in the gin shop. It looked a little ragged and half worn. "My old armour." Vastra explained, catching Jenny's curious face. She hesitated and then slipped off her nightgown, getting changed. Jenny smiled at the intimate gesture. "Come!" Vastra held out her hand and Jenny took it.
They walked down to the basement in silence, Jenny still bemused but her confusion cleared when Vastra picked up her sword.
"Oh!"
"You remarked once that my fighting looked like dancing." Vastra laid the flat of the blade against her arm. "As a warrior, my courtship dance is more…"
"Violent?" Jenny eyed the sword somewhat apprehensively.
"Fierce." Vastra sounded hurt.
Jenny rolled her eyes and picked up her own sword, mirroring Vastra's stance.
Vastra tilted her head. "The performance is a solo, not a duet."
"You show me yours; I'll show you mine." Jenny returned her sword to its stand and stood leaning against the wall, watching.
Vastra's eyes positively glowed at the suggestion and she nodded once before setting off in a whirlwind. The metal of her sword and chainmail flashed in the light and Jenny's eyes went wide at leaps that seemed to defy gravity and a sword that blurred, seeming to leave a trail through the air.
When Vastra came to a halt, kneeling before her, sword laid on the ground, Jenny pushed off from the wall whooping and clapping. "That was amazin' my love."
"I'm glad you approve." Vastra smiled, still breathing heavily. She didn't get up. Jenny came over and gently clasped her two outer head crests, pressing her forehead to Vastra's, a soft smile on her lips, closing her eyes. She hadn't expected anything. Every other time they'd tried had been a failure. So when she got an intense sensation of exhilaration and pride and love she almost jerked back. Vastra's hands wrapped around her head, keeping her close. Surprise and joy mingled in, and when Vastra finally let go, she was surprised to find tears on her cheeks. Vastra gave a small keen, and Jenny enveloped her in a hug, squeezing her tight.
"My turn." She wiped away the tears, kissed Vastra and got up, sweeping up Vastra's sword. The Silurian remained on the floor, folding herself to sit and to watch Jenny move to the centre of the training mat.
Jenny's sword dance wasn't half as fluid or practiced, she was still beginning to learn sword craft, but as Vastra watched she was struck by the fierce protectiveness in Jenny's expression. Her stances, though amateur, were filled with a determined energy. An enemy that attacked, wanting to pass her, would best be committed to the fight. She finished, exhausted and almost bent double.
"Bravo, my dear." Vastra rose from the floor and walked over to Jenny, cupping her face in her hands. Jenny straightened, pulling on Vastra's arm for support with her free hand. Vastra waited until Jenny had steadied her breathing before taking her breath away with a kiss, moving a hand and placing it over where Jenny's still gripped the hilt of the sword.
"Is this when the dance moves back upstairs?" Jenny whispered against Vastra's lips when the Silurian broke the kiss.
"Hmm." Jenny felt Vastra's grin.
The door to the basement crashed open. "Boy!" Strax bellowed then paused. "Is the lizard scum trying to eat you?"
"No." Jenny sighed and moved away, taking the sword with her to replace it on the rack, lest Vastra use it for murder. "What is it Strax?"
"The Doctor's box has appeared in the yard. Would you like me to pulverise it?"
Jenny heard the faint knocking from the back door. "Let 'im in Strax. But be polite about it. No blowin' anything up. Or threatenin' to."
Strax hmphed in disgust and stomped off, Jenny hoped, to open the door. She looked back at Vastra who was glowering after Strax in disgust.
"I'm going to kill that man." She said when Jenny walked back over to her.
"He'd only regenerate."
Vastra let out a very Strax like hmph. "Well," she took Jenny's hand. "at least he didn't walk in on us this time."
Jenny snorted with laughter, leaning against Vastra's shoulder. "Shall we go see what 'e wants this time then?"
There were two surprises waiting for them. Strax hadn't blown anything up and the Doctor had brought a guest.
"Jenny!" River swooped over and hugged the young woman, planted a kiss with a loud 'mwah' on her cheek, ignoring the daggers in Vastra's glare.
"Hey! Hi! Hey. River told me about what you two did with this one." The Doctor had Strax pulled tightly to his side and was patting him on the head. "Thought I'd just call in to see how he was settling in. Any problems? Unintended warfare?"
"A few minor victims." Vastra shrugged.
The Doctor blanched.
Jenny rolled her eyes. "He broke a few vases when he was learning how ter dust."
There was a moment's stunned silence as the Doctor flicked his gaze between the two of them. Even River was looking at them appraisingly.
"I'm sorry. You got a Sontaran warrior to…dust."
"It were Mrs Parker. She told 'im dust was an enemy she could never defeat. 'e took it as a challenge." Jenny explained.
"Right! Good. Sounds like he's being…useful. Good, good."
"I taught 'im to make tea this morning." Jenny was aware of how the Doctor's visits usually went.
"Yes. Tea. I'd love a cup."
"C'mon then Strax." Jenny beckoned him to follow her. Then again, she wondered, with River there, would the Doctor and Vastra be able to have their usual natter? She heard footsteps behind her and figured that River had been evicted along with them, so she was surprised when she heard the Doctor talking instead.
"Right then! C'mon Strax-y! Show us your stuff!"
The Doctor had apparently been unable to take the tension between her and River and had promptly followed Jenny and Strax into the kitchen. Vastra took the opportunity to intensify her glare. But River seemed mildly impervious to it, merely raising an eyebrow and smiling at her before wandering about the living room.
"Well! This is cosy. I wouldn't mind having a house like this one day." She perched on the back of the sofa, running her hand over the blanket thrown over it.
In one swift movement, Vastra moved forward and removed the blanket from under River's hand. She neatly folded it, placing it on the sofa arm furthest away from River. The lack of reaction beyond a knowing smirk riled Vastra more than she wanted it to. She took a breath, reminding herself that this was the woman whose life she and Jenny had fought to save and that the Doctor would probably not be most impressed if he came back to find Vastra had attacked her.
"Do you think Jenny needs a hand with the tea? I don't exactly trust the Doctor and if Strax only learnt this morning…" River abruptly stood up and made for the door.
Vastra blocked her. "Jenny is more than capable of making tea."
"And much more beyond that, I don't doubt." River grinned, leaning in towards Vastra. "I can see why she likes you."
Vastra jerked backwards with a hiss. She wasn't comfortable with anyone being that close to her she realised. Anyone except Jenny. She sobered at the thought of precisely how much she'd come to trust her little ape.
"Aren't you going to be all obnoxious and warn me off? Tell me to stay away from her?"
Vastra stiffened. "It is her choice who she chooses to be around." That was what the Doctor had told her long ago, that it would always be Jenny's choice.
"You are a romantic aren't you." River smiled, looking pleased.
Vastra showed her teeth in her return smile. Stepped close and leaned in to whisper in River's ear. "Be that as it may, stay away from her." She stood back, drawing to her full height and stalked away towards the door.
"Oh, come now Vastra. It's not as if you're married."
Shock brought her to a halt. River had said it far too purposefully, either as a challenge, or a hint. Vastra had brought up marriage to Jenny, but the young woman hadn't seemed overly keen. She glanced over her shoulder to see River smiling, almost fondly. "Jenny is sometimes as uncomfortable as myself with displays of intimacy and affection. And has the reflexes of a warrior. That is the only reason I cautioned you. Blood stains are so difficult to get out the carpet." When there was no reply, beyond a twitch of the lips in acknowledgement, Vastra continued towards the kitchen.
Strax looked very put upon as he filled the kettle, although stoking up the fire in the stove seemed to perk him up a bit. Jenny decided that for the first attempt, she'd deal with arranging the best china on the tea tray. It was a competition between who was most impatient whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Strax at least was taciturn in his boredom, the Doctor bounced, randomly investigating cupboards, pointing out a door that needed fixing and, having found a squeak in the larder door, pulling it back and forth to elicit the noise.
Jenny was just about to break and yell at him about it when Vastra strode into the kitchen.
"Everythin' alright ma'am?" Jenny asked, seeing as Vastra looked on edge herself.
"Fine." The Silurian glowered at the Doctor who took one look at her expression and stopped. "How is Strax doing?"
"Doin' well so far. Hopefully 'e won't declare war on the kettle this time. Loud unexpected noises seem to be a trigger." Jenny explained when Vastra looked questioningly at her.
They all watched, on tenterhooks, as Strax lifted the kettle off and poured hot water into the waiting teapot. Jenny found herself unconsciously leaning in and was relieved when she saw the Doctor and Vastra doing the same. The lid was placed with the most delicate of clinks and Jenny let out the breath she'd been holding in relief as Strax stepped away.
"More waiting." He sneered, never taking his eyes off the teapot. The silence became so complete Jenny could hear the clock ticking in the other room. The Doctor stifled a cough, wincing as he did so. She could feel her heartbeat in her chest, her breath becoming short, counting mentally in her head.
"Time." She whispered. Strax had obviously been counting too and nodded at her. Jenny grabbed hold of Vastra's sleeve as he picked up the tea strainer and placed it over a cup with another gentle clink. The real test was pouring though. Her grip on Vastra tightened as he picked up the tea pot awkwardly with his hands. She was impressed as he tilted the pot at the precise angle that she'd shown him; not too far else it would spill from around the lid, not too little as to make the pouring process slow. Strax repeated the process for the other four cups, not spilling a single drop.
Now for the final flourish. She bit her lip. Would he remember?
"How much lactic fluid do you take? I can produce any quantity you desire." He declared proudly.
