ext_158887 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
31_days2009-12-27 03:22 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2009-12-27 03:22 pm
[Dec. 27] [Suikoden III] Different Bedside Manners
Title: Different Bedside Manners
Day/Theme: Dec. 27, 2009 "until we're ash overseas"
Series: Suikoden III (more of my 'bridge burning' story)
Character/Pairing: Sasarai, Forte, Kaya & Tasoko
Rating: PG
The doctor was a better draw than Sasarai had realized he would be. Even more surprising was the way he was immediately recognized as such in so many cases. Doors that had not opened a crack to Sasarai's inquiring knocks welcomed Forte. It never occurred to him that some other factor could be driving their response- a heightened desperation caused by the passage of time or a fascination with the large, dark-skinned stranger on the doorstep.
Forte was very business-like in his manner of speaking with the people. He was also significantly more skilled in giving the same spiel over and over at each new residence regardless of the nature of the greeting he received there. Sasarai was embarrassed to realize how he favored certain types of sufferers with a gentler touch. Was objectivity a virtue or a vice?
"I can give you some medicine to use at home if you tell me who you need it for, but it'd be better for you to let any sick people in your house be moved to the hospital I'm setting up at Kiheiji's place," Dr. Ismeiro explained for the tenth time in a row.
"If I bring my daughter there, will I be able to stay with her? I couldn't bear to leave her side while she's like this," a young mother questioned.
"As long as you try and stay out of the way." Forte was interested in seeing the daughter now that he was aware of a sick person being in the house. Sasarai observed how he used his height to peer past the woman, Kaya, into her home. It was impolite, the way he spoke to her without ever looking her in the eye.
"I'll go get her right away then," she hastened into the interior to throw together some spare clothes and other basics she and her daughter would require while staying outside of their house. Sasarai swayed nervously on his heels as they waited on the porch.
Forte was not about to let any scrap of his time go unused and he continued to call in after her, asking questions and jotting down her responses on his notepad. "What's your daughter's name? How old is she?"
"Tasoko. She's six."
"How many days has she been sick?"
"Two."
"Is there anyone else in the household who's sick or was sick? Did anyone die here?"
"No, no one. There's only Tasoko and me," she approached, her arms full with the fretful and feverish young girl and a hastily packed bag.
"Can I help you carry anything?" Sasarai offered, holding out his two empty hands. He would feel better to be doing something tangible to assist. He did not feel his tagging along like this was doing much to endear him to the doctor. With a sigh of relief, Kaya pushed the bag into his arms.
Forte began to give Tasoko a rough visual examination as they walked swiftly back to Kiheiji's house. "Puffy cheeks, fever blotches, a general redness to her skin," he listed signs to himself, marking them off in shorthand on his notepad. Each additional remark only frightened Kaya further and her strides lengthened until she was clipping along faster and faster as though she could outrun fear and disease and death itself if only she stayed a certain distance ahead of Forte's ominous cataloguing.
Sasarai felt his own level of tension similarly racheted up by her behavior.
Tasoko was taken into the makeshift hospital with care to prevent either her or Kaya from seeing the body that had occupied the bed two hours before it was passed on to the girl. The carpenter, Kipsfar, was covered with a sheet for a shroud. Nika and Kiheiji were out trying to speak with his family to see if they would consent to cremation. They were not the best sellers of the idea, as especially Kiheiji found the whole process a little creepy, but Sasarai had coached them on a variety of tactics to employ (speed, convenience, not without religious precedent). When it came to actually saving lives, there was an overabundance of useless hands, but to merely speak with Viela's inhabitants and managed the simple logistics of the small hospital, they were well-equipped.
Forte caught sight of Sina sniffling in the hallway and felt a momentary twinge of apprehension, but when he spared a moment to look at her, he found reassurance in the simple colds that children always managed to acquire at the least opportune times. For now, at least, Kiheiji's children continued to evade the grip of the plague.
"Don't sneeze in your hands," Forte instructed her, "And wash your hands before you touch your face."
"I just needta find a han'kerchief," she answered, "But I need some help."
"Uh? Stephen? Mareesa?" the doctor looked around for someone else he could pass this tiny problem off onto. While he dallied with this girl, he was making Kaya and Tasoko wait. A handful of minutes didn't mean much in the course of this disease, so Tasoko's life or death did not verge on his tardiness, but the mental state of both mother and child certainly did.
"Let me," Annie picked up her sister, freeing Forte to move on.
"Thanks," he nodded.
Day/Theme: Dec. 27, 2009 "until we're ash overseas"
Series: Suikoden III (more of my 'bridge burning' story)
Character/Pairing: Sasarai, Forte, Kaya & Tasoko
Rating: PG
The doctor was a better draw than Sasarai had realized he would be. Even more surprising was the way he was immediately recognized as such in so many cases. Doors that had not opened a crack to Sasarai's inquiring knocks welcomed Forte. It never occurred to him that some other factor could be driving their response- a heightened desperation caused by the passage of time or a fascination with the large, dark-skinned stranger on the doorstep.
Forte was very business-like in his manner of speaking with the people. He was also significantly more skilled in giving the same spiel over and over at each new residence regardless of the nature of the greeting he received there. Sasarai was embarrassed to realize how he favored certain types of sufferers with a gentler touch. Was objectivity a virtue or a vice?
"I can give you some medicine to use at home if you tell me who you need it for, but it'd be better for you to let any sick people in your house be moved to the hospital I'm setting up at Kiheiji's place," Dr. Ismeiro explained for the tenth time in a row.
"If I bring my daughter there, will I be able to stay with her? I couldn't bear to leave her side while she's like this," a young mother questioned.
"As long as you try and stay out of the way." Forte was interested in seeing the daughter now that he was aware of a sick person being in the house. Sasarai observed how he used his height to peer past the woman, Kaya, into her home. It was impolite, the way he spoke to her without ever looking her in the eye.
"I'll go get her right away then," she hastened into the interior to throw together some spare clothes and other basics she and her daughter would require while staying outside of their house. Sasarai swayed nervously on his heels as they waited on the porch.
Forte was not about to let any scrap of his time go unused and he continued to call in after her, asking questions and jotting down her responses on his notepad. "What's your daughter's name? How old is she?"
"Tasoko. She's six."
"How many days has she been sick?"
"Two."
"Is there anyone else in the household who's sick or was sick? Did anyone die here?"
"No, no one. There's only Tasoko and me," she approached, her arms full with the fretful and feverish young girl and a hastily packed bag.
"Can I help you carry anything?" Sasarai offered, holding out his two empty hands. He would feel better to be doing something tangible to assist. He did not feel his tagging along like this was doing much to endear him to the doctor. With a sigh of relief, Kaya pushed the bag into his arms.
Forte began to give Tasoko a rough visual examination as they walked swiftly back to Kiheiji's house. "Puffy cheeks, fever blotches, a general redness to her skin," he listed signs to himself, marking them off in shorthand on his notepad. Each additional remark only frightened Kaya further and her strides lengthened until she was clipping along faster and faster as though she could outrun fear and disease and death itself if only she stayed a certain distance ahead of Forte's ominous cataloguing.
Sasarai felt his own level of tension similarly racheted up by her behavior.
Tasoko was taken into the makeshift hospital with care to prevent either her or Kaya from seeing the body that had occupied the bed two hours before it was passed on to the girl. The carpenter, Kipsfar, was covered with a sheet for a shroud. Nika and Kiheiji were out trying to speak with his family to see if they would consent to cremation. They were not the best sellers of the idea, as especially Kiheiji found the whole process a little creepy, but Sasarai had coached them on a variety of tactics to employ (speed, convenience, not without religious precedent). When it came to actually saving lives, there was an overabundance of useless hands, but to merely speak with Viela's inhabitants and managed the simple logistics of the small hospital, they were well-equipped.
Forte caught sight of Sina sniffling in the hallway and felt a momentary twinge of apprehension, but when he spared a moment to look at her, he found reassurance in the simple colds that children always managed to acquire at the least opportune times. For now, at least, Kiheiji's children continued to evade the grip of the plague.
"Don't sneeze in your hands," Forte instructed her, "And wash your hands before you touch your face."
"I just needta find a han'kerchief," she answered, "But I need some help."
"Uh? Stephen? Mareesa?" the doctor looked around for someone else he could pass this tiny problem off onto. While he dallied with this girl, he was making Kaya and Tasoko wait. A handful of minutes didn't mean much in the course of this disease, so Tasoko's life or death did not verge on his tardiness, but the mental state of both mother and child certainly did.
"Let me," Annie picked up her sister, freeing Forte to move on.
"Thanks," he nodded.