Prompt for July 2nd - Doctor Who, Five/Turlough, PG
The prompt for July 2nd was: these are the frequently asked questions. Bit of angst, mostly just silliness, Five/Turlough, blah blah blah. Two down!
PS: I can has username tag plz?
“Stop asking questions,” The Doctor frowns over the top of his glasses at Turlough, who continues to walk around the console and run his hand over various buttons and switches. The Doctor jams back a lever and Turlough makes his way beside him again.
“But then I'll never learn,” Turlough complains and turns around, leaning against the console and crossing his arms.
“Who said you were going to learn anyway?”
“I've seen you fly, it's a two man job,” Turlough points out and the Doctor frowns at him again, putting a hand on his shoulder but not looking at him. His eyes are fixed on the screen and the swirling universe it shows.
“I can manage quite well on my own, but I do thank you for your interest,” He tells Turlough lightly, punching at a button while the screen shudders. There's a screeching noise then, and Turlough whirls around to see the Doctor scratching his head, eyes darting from the screen to the console. Then he looks at Turlough, eyes narrowed. “I need you to push this,” He starts, pointing at a glowing blue button while Turlough raises an eyebrow and nods slowly.
“What was it you were saying? Managing on your own?” The Doctor doesn't have time to answer before he dashes around to the other side of the console.
“Don't,” The Doctor glances up at him, turning a crank and pushing a series of buttons at the same time.
“Where are we going, anyway? You still haven't told me.”
“Push it again,” The Doctor orders sternly, ignoring the question. Turlough complies, but doesn't take his eyes off the Doctor.
“Well?”
The Doctor continues ignoring him until they land half a minute later, the force sending them both flying. The Doctor shoves out a hand to steady himself against the wall and Turlough looks up darkly from where he landed, sprawled over the console.
“We're here,” The Doctor tells him, and Turlough glances at the screen behind him, at the lush green landscape.
“Where, exactly?” Turlough straightens himself up, hand moving to his tie to tug it a little. Again, the Doctor doesn't answer but strides over and opens the door, peering out. Turlough walks up beside him, crossing his arms and looking out the door as well. “Do I have to guess, Doctor?”
“Yes,” The Doctor answers him wearily, shoving his hands in his pockets and starting out the door. “Yes, I think you should guess.”
Turlough follows him, sniffing at the air and looking around. The grass is tall and reedy and he can smell oranges. “Is it Earth?”
“It isn't.” The Doctor tells him, glancing back to make sure he's following. “Hurry up,” He chides as Turlough falls behind, inspecting a fully grown tree that comes up to his chin.
“Hyspero?” Turlough guesses again, and then shakes his head at his own answer, “No, I can't see the markets, you can see them first thing, they're huge.”
“They are, good guess.”
“We should have gone there,” He tells the Doctor, catching up beside him. “All that stuff to buy, Tegan would have...” He trails off awkwardly, sliding a hand onto the Doctor's shoulder. “I'm sorry, I didn't - “
“Quite alright, Turlough,” The Doctor tells him after a deep breath, and looks up with a tight smile. “Keep guessing.”
“Can't you just tell me?” Turlough demands, moving his hand to the Doctor's arm, linking theirs together. “There's too many planets. At least give me a hint, can't you?”
“Fine,” The Doctor relents and stops, fishing through his jacket pocket with his free hand and holding it out. He opens it, and Turlough grabs the coin from his palm, turning it over in his hands.
“You said we weren't on Earth, this is Roman.”
“Exactly.”
The Doctor grabs the coin from him and puts in back in his pocket. He shoots an impatient look back at Turlough and starts off walking again.
“That wasn't any help,” Turlough calls, racing to catch up again. “We aren't on Earth, we aren't in Rome, we - “
“Aren't we?”
“You said we weren't on Earth,” Turlough reminds him, shoving his own hands in his pockets as he walks, head down. “So we can't be in Rome.”
“Not in Rome,” The Doctor in a tone he feels is helpful, waiting for Turlough to get it.
“Doctor, I don't - “
“The planet, Turlough, is called...” He trails off and waits for Turlough again.
“Rome?”
“There we are!” The Doctor tells him cheerfully, and Turlough grabs for his arm again.
“This planet is called Rome?”
“It is. In fact, this planet was called Rome before Rome was.”
“Why?”
“You know, I'm not sure,” The Doctor stops again suddenly, and Turlough has to double back to him. “It's empty now, mostly. All the Romarii disappeared.”
“Romarii? Why weren't they called...Romans?”
“I told you,” The Doctor starts again, looking impatiently at him, “It's not the same Rome.”
“So, where'd you get the coin?” Turlough looks around at the empty landscape, devoid of ruins. It's grass as far as his eye can see, grass and the tiny little trees that smell like oranges.
“Rome.”
“Well, can we go there?”
“We are here.” The Doctor tells him evenly, and Turlough shakes his head.
“You know what I mean, Doctor.”
“Yes, I do,” He answers almost tiredly, then turns back to Turlough with a smile. “Tell you what, first one back to the TARDIS gets to pick the next spot, since you aren't terribly excited about it here.”
Turlough narrows his eyes at the Doctor, glancing from him to the TARDIS and back again; it isn't a very far distance, at least, but he's a little wary. The Doctor watches him earnestly, glint of excitement in his eyes.
“No cheating,” Turlough half-asks, and the Doctor raises his hands, palms facing him.
“Of course not.”
“Alright,” he agrees, and the Doctor smiles at him happily, almost carelessly, almost like before. He counts off the start, and they both dash off. Halfway there, the Doctor overtakes him though, speeding ahead and beating him to the TARDIS by a few good lengths. Turlough doesn't slow the whole way and the Doctor has to hold out his arms to stop them from bashing together.
“I swear...you cheated,” Turlough huffs out and the Doctor, also puffing, shakes his head with his hands on Turlough's shoulders.
“I did no such thing! I'm just faster, that's all.”
“I suppose,” Turlough sighs, glancing from his shoes to the Doctor, who is still smiling at him, for once. “It isn't bad, just us.”
“No,” The Doctor answers him, smile only fading a little, “It isn't bad at all.”
“Are you really alright, though?” He asks lightly, and the Doctor doesn't react, just continues looking at him.
“You always ask the same questions,” He says, disapproving tone mismatched with his still rather jovial expression.
“It's easier that way,” Turlough admits quietly, and the Doctor does frown at that, moving one hand from Turlough's shoulder to his face.
“I know.”
“I won't run away, Doctor,” Turlough says urgently, like he's been meaning to for a while, and the Doctor repeats himself. “I mean it.”
“I know,” The Doctor says for a third time and forces a smile again. “Rome, then, you were saying?”
Turlough stares at him for a moment more, mostly with questions that are new, things he's never asked the Doctor, and things he never will.
“But you won,” He points out, and the Doctor shrugs, moving his arms to his sides.
“Well, maybe I want to go to Rome.”
“The city, I hope you mean.”
“Oh, I do,” The Doctor spins around and opens the door to he TARDIS, but steps aside and lets Turlough go through first. “You can even fly, if you'd like.”
Halfway through the door, Turlough stops and shakes his head at the Doctor.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” The Doctor tells him, drawing out the vowel and nodding towards the inside, “But only if you ask me something new, once a day.”
Turlough frowns, but then nods anyway, despite how nervous the thought makes him. He continues forward into the TARDIS, pushing the button to close the door once the Doctor is in as well.
“Starting tomorrow?”
“Starting now.” The Doctor crosses his arms, leaning against the console in front of Turlough. “Go on.”
“Alright,” Turlough starts, frowning at the buttons in front of him, and then looking up to the Doctor. “How do I fly this thing?”
“That's not a new question, Turlough.”
“I promise you won't like - “
“Whether I like it or not, Turlough, come on.”
“Fine,” He mutters under his breath, walking away from the Doctor to the other side of the console. “Fine. But you mustn't get mad at me.”
“I won't.” The Doctor turns around, leaning against the console and waiting. “Turlough?”
“Did you sleep with her?” Turlough says at once, plainly like it isn't even a question, no hint of an inflection at the end. The Doctor frowns at him, and Turlough sighs, “I told you.”
“Who do you mean?”
“You know.”
“Then no. No, I didn't.” He answers darkly, and Turlough doesn't look up yet, doesn't ever want to again.
“Did you want to?” He asks, quieter, and the Doctor doesn't answer, eyebrows drawing together and eyes drifting away before he suddenly stands up straight and looks right at Turlough.
“It's the brass lever, to your left. That ought to get it started.”
“Doctor...”
“Just one, Turlough,” He says seriously, holding up a finger. “One new question a day. We have to ease into it.”
“Right,” Turlough says grimly, pulling at the indicated lever and bracing himself while the TARDIS starts whirring. The Doctor watches him start flying, nodding approvingly when he hits he right buttons and clearing his throat when he doesn't. “Just one more?” Turlough asks, mid-flight, and the Doctor looks up from the screen where he was watching the flight path, and doesn't say no right away.
“One more.”
“How long can I stay for?”
“What do you mean?” The Doctor frowns at him, then looks back to the flight path, pulling out his glasses.
“I mean, how long can I travel with you?”
“As long as you want, I suppose,” The Doctor answers after a moment's pause.
“Well, I always want to.” Turlough says a little hesitantly, and the Doctor slides his glasses on, still not looking up.
“Then always it is.”
“You won't...throw me over for someone else?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I don't know.”
“Re-check your calculations for the spacial differential, we're going too far back.”
Turlough walks towards him, tapping the buttons on the keyboard and watching the Doctor from the corner of his eye.
“You've had other people travel with you before Tegan and I, haven't you?”
“I have. Now you're too far forward, did you carry the root?”
“No,” He mutters at the Doctor, recalculating and carrying on the conversation, all at the same time. “What happened to them?”
“That will have to wait until tomorrow,” The Doctor tells him, straightening up and nodding at Turlough, “Get the brake or we'll be landing in the ocean.”
“Which brake?” Turlough asks him, looking around. The Doctor points just beside the keyboard, right in front of him and Turlough hops to reach it. It's still a bumpy landing once he shoves the glowing stick forward; the Doctor mashes into his back, and he's pitched forward over the console, wind knocked out of him.
“Alright?” The Doctor asks him, still mashed up behind Turlough, one arm on his shoulder and the other looped around his waist, presumably to hold him up.
“Fine,” Turlough says back, but neither of them move. It's an awkward half-minute, but when Turlough spins around and catches the startled look on the Doctor's face, he smiles to himself. At least he knows what to ask tomorrow, he thinks, and files it away for just after midnight.
PS: I can has username tag plz?
“Stop asking questions,” The Doctor frowns over the top of his glasses at Turlough, who continues to walk around the console and run his hand over various buttons and switches. The Doctor jams back a lever and Turlough makes his way beside him again.
“But then I'll never learn,” Turlough complains and turns around, leaning against the console and crossing his arms.
“Who said you were going to learn anyway?”
“I've seen you fly, it's a two man job,” Turlough points out and the Doctor frowns at him again, putting a hand on his shoulder but not looking at him. His eyes are fixed on the screen and the swirling universe it shows.
“I can manage quite well on my own, but I do thank you for your interest,” He tells Turlough lightly, punching at a button while the screen shudders. There's a screeching noise then, and Turlough whirls around to see the Doctor scratching his head, eyes darting from the screen to the console. Then he looks at Turlough, eyes narrowed. “I need you to push this,” He starts, pointing at a glowing blue button while Turlough raises an eyebrow and nods slowly.
“What was it you were saying? Managing on your own?” The Doctor doesn't have time to answer before he dashes around to the other side of the console.
“Don't,” The Doctor glances up at him, turning a crank and pushing a series of buttons at the same time.
“Where are we going, anyway? You still haven't told me.”
“Push it again,” The Doctor orders sternly, ignoring the question. Turlough complies, but doesn't take his eyes off the Doctor.
“Well?”
The Doctor continues ignoring him until they land half a minute later, the force sending them both flying. The Doctor shoves out a hand to steady himself against the wall and Turlough looks up darkly from where he landed, sprawled over the console.
“We're here,” The Doctor tells him, and Turlough glances at the screen behind him, at the lush green landscape.
“Where, exactly?” Turlough straightens himself up, hand moving to his tie to tug it a little. Again, the Doctor doesn't answer but strides over and opens the door, peering out. Turlough walks up beside him, crossing his arms and looking out the door as well. “Do I have to guess, Doctor?”
“Yes,” The Doctor answers him wearily, shoving his hands in his pockets and starting out the door. “Yes, I think you should guess.”
Turlough follows him, sniffing at the air and looking around. The grass is tall and reedy and he can smell oranges. “Is it Earth?”
“It isn't.” The Doctor tells him, glancing back to make sure he's following. “Hurry up,” He chides as Turlough falls behind, inspecting a fully grown tree that comes up to his chin.
“Hyspero?” Turlough guesses again, and then shakes his head at his own answer, “No, I can't see the markets, you can see them first thing, they're huge.”
“They are, good guess.”
“We should have gone there,” He tells the Doctor, catching up beside him. “All that stuff to buy, Tegan would have...” He trails off awkwardly, sliding a hand onto the Doctor's shoulder. “I'm sorry, I didn't - “
“Quite alright, Turlough,” The Doctor tells him after a deep breath, and looks up with a tight smile. “Keep guessing.”
“Can't you just tell me?” Turlough demands, moving his hand to the Doctor's arm, linking theirs together. “There's too many planets. At least give me a hint, can't you?”
“Fine,” The Doctor relents and stops, fishing through his jacket pocket with his free hand and holding it out. He opens it, and Turlough grabs the coin from his palm, turning it over in his hands.
“You said we weren't on Earth, this is Roman.”
“Exactly.”
The Doctor grabs the coin from him and puts in back in his pocket. He shoots an impatient look back at Turlough and starts off walking again.
“That wasn't any help,” Turlough calls, racing to catch up again. “We aren't on Earth, we aren't in Rome, we - “
“Aren't we?”
“You said we weren't on Earth,” Turlough reminds him, shoving his own hands in his pockets as he walks, head down. “So we can't be in Rome.”
“Not in Rome,” The Doctor in a tone he feels is helpful, waiting for Turlough to get it.
“Doctor, I don't - “
“The planet, Turlough, is called...” He trails off and waits for Turlough again.
“Rome?”
“There we are!” The Doctor tells him cheerfully, and Turlough grabs for his arm again.
“This planet is called Rome?”
“It is. In fact, this planet was called Rome before Rome was.”
“Why?”
“You know, I'm not sure,” The Doctor stops again suddenly, and Turlough has to double back to him. “It's empty now, mostly. All the Romarii disappeared.”
“Romarii? Why weren't they called...Romans?”
“I told you,” The Doctor starts again, looking impatiently at him, “It's not the same Rome.”
“So, where'd you get the coin?” Turlough looks around at the empty landscape, devoid of ruins. It's grass as far as his eye can see, grass and the tiny little trees that smell like oranges.
“Rome.”
“Well, can we go there?”
“We are here.” The Doctor tells him evenly, and Turlough shakes his head.
“You know what I mean, Doctor.”
“Yes, I do,” He answers almost tiredly, then turns back to Turlough with a smile. “Tell you what, first one back to the TARDIS gets to pick the next spot, since you aren't terribly excited about it here.”
Turlough narrows his eyes at the Doctor, glancing from him to the TARDIS and back again; it isn't a very far distance, at least, but he's a little wary. The Doctor watches him earnestly, glint of excitement in his eyes.
“No cheating,” Turlough half-asks, and the Doctor raises his hands, palms facing him.
“Of course not.”
“Alright,” he agrees, and the Doctor smiles at him happily, almost carelessly, almost like before. He counts off the start, and they both dash off. Halfway there, the Doctor overtakes him though, speeding ahead and beating him to the TARDIS by a few good lengths. Turlough doesn't slow the whole way and the Doctor has to hold out his arms to stop them from bashing together.
“I swear...you cheated,” Turlough huffs out and the Doctor, also puffing, shakes his head with his hands on Turlough's shoulders.
“I did no such thing! I'm just faster, that's all.”
“I suppose,” Turlough sighs, glancing from his shoes to the Doctor, who is still smiling at him, for once. “It isn't bad, just us.”
“No,” The Doctor answers him, smile only fading a little, “It isn't bad at all.”
“Are you really alright, though?” He asks lightly, and the Doctor doesn't react, just continues looking at him.
“You always ask the same questions,” He says, disapproving tone mismatched with his still rather jovial expression.
“It's easier that way,” Turlough admits quietly, and the Doctor does frown at that, moving one hand from Turlough's shoulder to his face.
“I know.”
“I won't run away, Doctor,” Turlough says urgently, like he's been meaning to for a while, and the Doctor repeats himself. “I mean it.”
“I know,” The Doctor says for a third time and forces a smile again. “Rome, then, you were saying?”
Turlough stares at him for a moment more, mostly with questions that are new, things he's never asked the Doctor, and things he never will.
“But you won,” He points out, and the Doctor shrugs, moving his arms to his sides.
“Well, maybe I want to go to Rome.”
“The city, I hope you mean.”
“Oh, I do,” The Doctor spins around and opens the door to he TARDIS, but steps aside and lets Turlough go through first. “You can even fly, if you'd like.”
Halfway through the door, Turlough stops and shakes his head at the Doctor.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” The Doctor tells him, drawing out the vowel and nodding towards the inside, “But only if you ask me something new, once a day.”
Turlough frowns, but then nods anyway, despite how nervous the thought makes him. He continues forward into the TARDIS, pushing the button to close the door once the Doctor is in as well.
“Starting tomorrow?”
“Starting now.” The Doctor crosses his arms, leaning against the console in front of Turlough. “Go on.”
“Alright,” Turlough starts, frowning at the buttons in front of him, and then looking up to the Doctor. “How do I fly this thing?”
“That's not a new question, Turlough.”
“I promise you won't like - “
“Whether I like it or not, Turlough, come on.”
“Fine,” He mutters under his breath, walking away from the Doctor to the other side of the console. “Fine. But you mustn't get mad at me.”
“I won't.” The Doctor turns around, leaning against the console and waiting. “Turlough?”
“Did you sleep with her?” Turlough says at once, plainly like it isn't even a question, no hint of an inflection at the end. The Doctor frowns at him, and Turlough sighs, “I told you.”
“Who do you mean?”
“You know.”
“Then no. No, I didn't.” He answers darkly, and Turlough doesn't look up yet, doesn't ever want to again.
“Did you want to?” He asks, quieter, and the Doctor doesn't answer, eyebrows drawing together and eyes drifting away before he suddenly stands up straight and looks right at Turlough.
“It's the brass lever, to your left. That ought to get it started.”
“Doctor...”
“Just one, Turlough,” He says seriously, holding up a finger. “One new question a day. We have to ease into it.”
“Right,” Turlough says grimly, pulling at the indicated lever and bracing himself while the TARDIS starts whirring. The Doctor watches him start flying, nodding approvingly when he hits he right buttons and clearing his throat when he doesn't. “Just one more?” Turlough asks, mid-flight, and the Doctor looks up from the screen where he was watching the flight path, and doesn't say no right away.
“One more.”
“How long can I stay for?”
“What do you mean?” The Doctor frowns at him, then looks back to the flight path, pulling out his glasses.
“I mean, how long can I travel with you?”
“As long as you want, I suppose,” The Doctor answers after a moment's pause.
“Well, I always want to.” Turlough says a little hesitantly, and the Doctor slides his glasses on, still not looking up.
“Then always it is.”
“You won't...throw me over for someone else?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I don't know.”
“Re-check your calculations for the spacial differential, we're going too far back.”
Turlough walks towards him, tapping the buttons on the keyboard and watching the Doctor from the corner of his eye.
“You've had other people travel with you before Tegan and I, haven't you?”
“I have. Now you're too far forward, did you carry the root?”
“No,” He mutters at the Doctor, recalculating and carrying on the conversation, all at the same time. “What happened to them?”
“That will have to wait until tomorrow,” The Doctor tells him, straightening up and nodding at Turlough, “Get the brake or we'll be landing in the ocean.”
“Which brake?” Turlough asks him, looking around. The Doctor points just beside the keyboard, right in front of him and Turlough hops to reach it. It's still a bumpy landing once he shoves the glowing stick forward; the Doctor mashes into his back, and he's pitched forward over the console, wind knocked out of him.
“Alright?” The Doctor asks him, still mashed up behind Turlough, one arm on his shoulder and the other looped around his waist, presumably to hold him up.
“Fine,” Turlough says back, but neither of them move. It's an awkward half-minute, but when Turlough spins around and catches the startled look on the Doctor's face, he smiles to himself. At least he knows what to ask tomorrow, he thinks, and files it away for just after midnight.