Phoenix (new Who fic)
Title: Phoenix
Characters/Pairing: Ten
Rating: G
Spoilers: None (unless you were unaware of a certain announcement made last October)
Summary: He feels the fire gathering...
A/N: This is a triple drabble, or a tribble. I actually hadn't set out to do one, but when I was done, I looked at the word count and it was 301, so I took out one "it". I *think* I made this as RTD-proof as possible, but well, you never know.
He feels the fire gathering in his blood and his bones, sparking in the paths of each nerve, in every single nucleus of every single cell. As always, it is much too soon, but this time he is helpless to prevent it. This time there is no handy spare hand. This time, again, he must burn or die.
It should be getting easier, through virtue of repetition, like playing the piano or fencing. But it never has.
Resigned, he makes an effort to clear his mind, to prepare. It will be scrambled enough without the haze of pain and fear to add to the agitation. For him, this has always been a haphazard business at best. Perhaps because he tends to undertake it only when under extreme duress and without the luxury of time or choice. He would laugh bitterly, if he were able to draw breath. A Time Lord without time.
He's going to miss this body. Will the next one be as slender? Hopefully it won't be too much bigger, or it's going to be mighty uncomfortable, possibly even embarrassing, for him until he finds new clothes. Will he have teeth nearly this excellent? Will he lose the molto bene taste buds and the fine hands and the brilliant gob?
Maybe he'll get better eyes in exchange. Maybe he'll even be ginger.
One more moment of remembering. Golden strawberry-scented hair tickling his nose. Candlelight glowing against mocha-colored skin. Warm hands atop his, pressing down together.
Snogs and sacrifices. Shouting and embracing. Regrets and running. Tears he couldn't hold back. People he couldn't save. Companions he couldn't keep.
Please, he thinks. Make this a good one.
And the flames take him, and make him new.
~end