The Tokugawa Doctor

[okitasojisatsuninken]

Sleepless Night | Souji and [Open]

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

okitasojisatsuninken:

It was already night time, where there was supposedly no noises were made but you could hear the sound of bokken piercing and slashing the air in a swift and quick motion. Someone hasn’t fallen into a deep slumber it would seem; or perhaps, rather, unable to sleep. Sleeved arm was pulled, his hands united by the grip of the wooden sword before it made a thrust forward to an invisible enemy ahead of him. The sound of his breath caught as he pulled it back to perform another thrust then a slash. It was essential for everyone to practice this move, knowing that the places they often had to be engaged with the rogue warriors leaves small places that slashes wouldn’t always do the job.

Souji retreated his feet then, moving the bokken to his left hand—when he finally noticed someone appearing on the corner; or rather, have they been hiding from him and watch him practice since earlier? 

"Do you have a business with me? It’s rude to just sneak around the corner like that, you know.~"

Matsumoto didn't expect to be discovered. He had been silently observing, hidden by a corner so that he could see what Souji was doing--or rather, how he was doing. He had stayed the night after checking up on the other members. In a time like this, the health of everyone is important. Especially with living quarters demanding the rank and file soldiers to share rooms, one cannot afford to be sick. Just one sick person can be the reason for a depleted division, and the Shinsengumi cannot have that. Hijikata had made sure Matsumoto understood the position they were in, and being a doctor, he could not turn away such a request. He would not be proud of himself if he knew that someone was potentially sick and he turned his eyes away.

Though he had already examined everyone, Matsumoto's job wasn't finished. There was one he needed to keep watch on, and that was Souji.

He was not sure yet, but he could see signs of sicknesses on the first division captain, and because of that he wanted to observe a little bit. Hearing the sound of a bokken from the room that had been given to him for the night, Matsumoto wondered who it was, and had been met with luck when he found out it was Souji. The doctor debated with himself whether he wanted to disturb the other and make him go back to sleep or to observe his health when he thought he was alone. The latter won.

Once he was called out, though, Matsumoto assumed a sheepish smile. "I've been discovered. I couldn't sleep..." He lied.

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

Akane dashed through the corridor like a rocket, not minding the strange glances she was receiving from the people she zoomed past. She must look so strange for them, a grown woman in a nurse uniform running down the hallways with a huge box in her arms and a grin plastered on her face. She skidded to halt in front of the last door in a corner & opened it quickly, face shining as she saw the man there. He's here. She thought he went on duty already. "Happy Father's day, Father. I brought cake!"

Matsumoto was just about to head out for his rounds when he heard a familiar voice shouting excitedly after just opening his door with equal energy. "Akane," he greeted with a smile at his daughter, who seemed to have ran through the corridors, like a child eager to bring some good news.

"Thank you," he responded with a wide smile as he saw the cake she was holding. "Every year, you never fail to greet me so warmly," he noted as he tried to hide the moistening of his eyes from the unexpected emotions his daughter always brought to the surface. It was a hard thing raising a daughter all on his own, and the best reward for doing it was seeing her grow into such a good and intelligent young woman. 

[the-faded-kouhi]

She threw the man a curious look in the middle of hanging his coat for him. When he finally said the source of the tin can, Akane nearly dropped the piece of cloth she was holding and only merely managed to hook one side of it with her finger to save it from touching the floor.

Have the crows gone white? Did her father actually pull a trick over someone else?

"You go it from Liam-san…" she drawled slowly, letting the idea of what he just said sink in to her. Liam is a young British doctor who have been working with her father for the past half year. He is popular around the hospital for his treasured cookies cooked by his wife. Working there herself, Akane had heard gossips about the golden food a couple of times already. As far as she knew, however, he doesn’t put them up for sale nor give his snacks away even to friends.

"You stole it, father," she mumbled again, wonder now lacing her voice. She almost smirked and rushed to his side, eyes round as she looked at the tin can. "I can’t believe you did that!"

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

As he smiled proudly at the prank he had just pulled, Matsumoto looked a couple of years younger, if only for a moment. It wasn't that he was looking for trouble, it's just that sometimes the mind cannot resist a good joke.

"Yes, my daughter, I stole them," and then a proud grin as he opened the can and inhaled the smell of chocolate cookies filling the air. "It's just, they smell so good, and he doesn't share them with anyone." he laughed. He knew that he didn't have to explain himself, but the words came easy when he was talking to his daughter. 

Resisting the urge to take one before washing his hands, he closed the container again and proceeded into the house, one affectionate hand flying towards Akane's shoulder as he urged her to walk with him. "Plus, it's payment for making me go home for those files." Okay, now he was just justifying his actions, even though there was no denying that he has done something wrong.

"Come, let us eat," he started for the table and placed the cookie container there, ready and willing to take the first bite. "But first, be a good girl and wash your hands." The father made an example of washing his hands thoroughly so that he might not be scolded. 

[the-faded-kouhi]

"A-Anou.. no, everything is fine father. I was just a little surprised to see you here. Aren’t you supposed to be at the hospital around this hour?"

She tried to wipe the overly delighted expression on her face as fast as she could. He had always commented on her being a lively child but that is a whole lot different from being simply crazy, is it not? And yes, she could see him thinking about his baldness again with the way his eyes shone. Akane, however,merely pursed her lips together to prevent herself from cracking a smile. 

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

A kind smile settled on the older man's lips. Akane always gave him the impression that his presence was a very welcoming sight. It was different from a doctor being wanted around by his patients or, in the case of unconscious ones, of their relatives.

I guess it's a good feeling that only loving daughters can give, he spoke to himself. 

"Yes, I only came back for some files Liam-san was requesting from me," the beefy man explained as he took off his shoes. Oh, that reminded him of something. "Akane," he spoke in a rather conspiratorial voice, both hands going through his bag for something. When his hands reemerged, he was holding a tin can, and when his eyes looked at her, an expression of unexplained glee could be seen on them. "I stole these cookies from Liam-san. Would you like to share them with me before I go back?" The young doctor he was referring to would surely miss his cookies, but he would not suspect him...would he? Matsumoto was almost close to grinning. 

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

//I have like three icons of Matsu-san, so gomen. >.<

[the-faded-kouhi]

And this is her reaction for seeing the Matsumoto papa around.

[ryoujunmatsumoto]

"Akane," the man looked at his daughter with a worried glance as he tried to assess her reaction. "Is something wrong? Should I not be here?" He asked, alarmed, and wanting to scratch his head in confusion, but the image of scratching his baldness was not a good sight to see--at least for him.