OOM: Room #100 - for Doc Scurlock

[ikissdhimbck]

[following this:]


It's been a while since Kate has spent any considerable amount of time in her own room, so it has remained rather tidy. The only real exceptions are a stack of clean laundry on her desk chair she hasn't gotten to yet, and the bedspread, which is a little disheveled from stolen naps here and there between checking on and being with Doc. On her desk is the book of poetry she had taken from his room, along with the little orange paper crane that marks her place. The poetry and favors from the wake are spread out, including several little steel green cranes, which sit awkward and deformed in some small way ('first attempts' at origami that weren't so bad as to throw away). There's also a rather extraordinary little music box, and a half-eaten box of chocolate. On the table in the corner, there are a few newspapers and posters, handmade notes about Cuero, and the like.

The real focus of attention, however, is the bathroom; complete with all its fancy little soaps, and relaxing scents, and nice, hot water. That's Kate's focus, at least, once she unlocks her door and steps inside.

.

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[ikissdhimbck]

Kate slips on her silk dressing gown so she can wrap her towel around her hair, and distractedly makes her way around the room.

She can't concentrate on any one thing.

Eventually, she manages clean knickers and sets herself on the edge of her bed to apply lotion to her skin, relieved when the tremble finally leaves her fingertips.

[scurlock]

For awhile, the only sound that is in the bathroom is that of the running water.

Until he starts to sing, that is.

It's quiet, at first, but if she listens close enough she might be able to make out the words; it's an old cowboy ballad he doesn't know the name of, but it doesn't matter.

[ikissdhimbck]

Her hands pause over her knee when she thinks she hears his voice.





She smiles when she realizes he's singing.

She finishes up with the lotion, singing along -- she knows the song, because Jim would sometimes sing while working in the stables alone -- and then moves for the bathroom door.

She leans back against the doorjamb and closes her eyes, just savoring the moment.

[scurlock]

He knows he's going to smell like her, once he's through -- even though Bar sent up soap, with those hot towels -- but he doesn't mind.

(He loves the way she smells after she steps out of the shower, which might explain why he always offers to fix her hair.)

The shower shuts off a moment later, and he continues to sing as he grabs a towel and dries his skin.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Y'missed yer calling," she calls from the other side of the door, laughing quietly.

[scurlock]

He cuts off singing, and then laughs.

"I did not," he protests.

His back is to the door as he reaches up to towel off his hair.

[ikissdhimbck]

She catches a flash of skin from the crack in the door, before snapping her attention forward again. She bites her lip, and grins.

"You did," she argues, moving back toward the bed. "I love your voice."

[scurlock]

He wraps the towel around his shoulders after pulling on the pajama pants, toweling his arms dry before he tosses the towel down onto the rack.

(He still doesn't bother with a shirt.)

[ikissdhimbck]

"Y'better not leave a mess!"

That's right, Doc. Fear the angry!wife voice.



She'll more than make up for it with the vision she presents, once he leaves the bathroom. She's stretched out on her bed in that silk robe, with her brush laying next to her.

Just calling his name.

[scurlock]

He stops in the doorway, brushing the hair back out of his eyes.

And then he smiles.

"...y'always take my breath away."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Always?"

She pats the empty (lonely) side of the bed.

[scurlock]

"Always. Even when I'm dreamin' of you."

He makes his way over to the bed and crawls onto the empty side, settling against the headboard.

[ikissdhimbck]

She kisses his bare shoulder tenderly.

"Would y'hold it against me if I said I'm glad t'hear it?"

[scurlock]

"I don't see why I would, because it makes me happy."

He smiles as she presses her lips against his shoulder.

[ikissdhimbck]

She gently nuzzles his healing scar, a secret smile on her face.

She lets him settle on the side of the bed farthest from the door, closest the wall; she'll always let him have that side.

To protect him.

Yours.

"M'glad you're happy, Josiah."

[scurlock]

"I am, I promise y'that. So very happy."

He leans into her gently, wanting to be closer.

He'll get to brushing out her hair, in a moment.

[ikissdhimbck]

It's her turn to breathe deep, as she nuzzles into his neck after he shifts.

She smirks.

"Y'smell nice."

[scurlock]

Doc laughs at that, gently.

"Thank yourself for that."

[ikissdhimbck]

"I will."

She grins against his skin, letting her hand come to rest over his heart.

"Ain't y'cold? There should'a been a couple shirts y'could've pulled on..."

[scurlock]

"I saw there were some," he says. "But I ain't cold, not when I got you t'keep me warm."

He smiles at her, then nods his hair towards the brush, a silent 'go on and grab that' in the motion.

[ikissdhimbck]

She eyes him dubiously, but returns the smile.

Sitting up a little straighter, she reaches for the brush and then hands it to him while she unwraps the towel from around her head. Her blonde hair blooms out in damp, sweet-smelling ringlets (it's always a little curlier when wet) that come down past her shoulder blades.

"Where d'you want me?" she asks as she towels off the ends, looking for a suitable place to put the damp terrycloth.

[scurlock]

"Just sit in front of me?"

He draws his legs up, crossing them in front of him as he sits 'indian-style' against the headboard.

"Y'can lean back 'gainst my legs."

Doc snags a pillow to rest over his knees, to make it comfortable.

[ikissdhimbck]

She eventually slips off the bed to lay her neatly folded towel across the back of her desk chair, before returning to the little nest Doc's building for her.

One hand clutches her robe closed at the neck as she crawls over to him, trying not to let her mind wander.

"This good?" she murmurs as she leans against him, carefully pulling her hair back for him.

[scurlock]

He doesn't track her with his eyes as she leaves the bed to hang her towel up -- but he does sneak a glance or two, while she returns and sits down once again.

"S'perfect."

He doesn't start in with the brush right away, instead gently taking her hair into his hands, letting his fingers separate the strands a bit, finding sections.

[ikissdhimbck]

She sighs deeply, and if he's looking closely he'll see the way his touch makes goosebumps rise on her skin. She smiles, and closes her eyes.

"Y'know, most men'd consider this menial work."