Fic. Mud, Moonlight, and Magic (1/3)
“Come on, Rose! Get a move on!”
Rose was, most definitely, not happy. The Doctor was marching ahead of her, not at all perturbed by the fact it was raining heavily, or that the ground had turned to dark grey gloop that seemed to want to cover every inch of her. Added to that, she was cold and hungry too, having missed lunch on account of being chased by the locals after the Doctor had inadvertently insulted their chief by inquiring after his health. She began to mutter under her breath as she walked.
“Stupid alien. Run. I’ll give him run when I get my hands on him. Let’s go to Aradia, he said. It’s lovely at this time of year, he said. The natives are very friendly, he said. Put your best dress on, we’ll go and see my old mate the chief, he said. He’ll probably throw a feast in our honour he said. Oh yes, old mate my arse! What do I get? Run for your life, Rose. Oh well, no feast for us, Rose. Come on, Rose. Get a move on, Rose. He just had to insult the poor man...alien...thing, didn’t he? Opened his mouth and had to put both those huge feet into it, didn’t he? Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s listening to me now, whinging about him. Ears like that are bound to act like satellite dishes. Sodding rain, sodding, sodding mud...sodding bloody useless alien!”
“Oi! I heard that! No need to be personal.” He stopped suddenly in front of her, causing her to crash into him, unable to see through the dripping of her hair into her face. He began to grin at her, quickly smothering it when he saw her expression. She looked like a soggy kitten, her mascara running down her face, smudges and splashes of mud all over her. Still gorgeous, though, he thought. He hugged her, enjoying the feeling of her wet form against his rather more than he probably should, and leaning back slightly, pushed her wet hair out of her eyes and spoke softly.
“Sorry. Make it up to you. Promise.”
“I’m cold, wet, hungry and covered in this horrible, sticky gloopy mud. You’ll have to go some to make up for this one. At least you didn’t blame it on the Tardis this time.”
He hung his head and said quietly,
“I know. I’m sorry, Rose.”
Rose ducked her head until she could look him in the eyes, smiled gently and took his cool hand in her colder one.
“ I’m sorry too. Wasn’t anyone’s fault, just another day for the Doctor and Rose, yeah? ‘s okay, really. Come on, then. Let’s go home.”
His hearts jumped when he realised what she had just said. Home. She had called the Tardis home. His smile was like the sun coming out.
They trudged through the mud hand-in-hand, a comfortable silence between them, each thinking about the other, and how much they each wished their relationship would develop, but neither knowing how to go about making it happen; wondering if they should.
Back in the Tardis, the Doctor urged Rose to go and shower, and told her he’d put the kettle on and make the tea while he thought about where they could go and eat. She smiled, stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before rushing off to her room. His hand touched his cheek wonderingly. She had kissed him. Did that mean...no, it couldn’t.
Could it?
He leant against the console, arms folded across his chest, feet crossed at his ankles and pondered the question for a while, only realising how long he had stood there when he heard Rose emerge from her room, the scent of her jasmine shampoo and vanilla body lotion preceding her. He turned his head at the sound of her footsteps in the corridor, and watched a vision in silky pink pyjamas approach. He stopped breathing as she drew nearer to him, puzzlement evident on her face as she saw him unusually motionless. She didn’t realise that although the body was still, the mind inside was racing.
‘Rassilon and Omega! She’s...gorgeous .I shouldn’t feel this way. She’s a child, a human child...she can’t want me. I’m too old for her, too scarred and damaged, and I’d only dim her brilliance. I can’t corrupt her soul with my darkness. It’s for the best..I have to stop. Now. She’s saved me more times than she could ever know; now I have to save her...from me.’
“Hey. Thought you were making tea?” She cocked her head slightly as she saw his expression and frowned. “What’re you brooding about?” She reached out and took one of his hands in hers; making him unfold his arms, although the pensive look on his face didn’t seem to recede very much. She stood beside him, breathing in the scent of leather, spice and something indefinable...something essentially Doctor. It was a scent that had seared itself into her brain, and she was certain she would smell it for the rest of her life. Nudging his shoulder with her own, she squeezed his hand and said quietly,
“Tell me?”
He shrugged, trying to look as if there was absolutely nothing wrong in his world...and failing miserably.
“Nothing. ‘S nothing. Really. Suppose you want that cuppa then?” He grinned manically at her, setting off to the kitchen to put on the kettle, and coming to a halt when he realised that Rose still had hold of his hand tightly.
“Oi. ‘S attached, that, you know. Might need it if I’m brewing tea.” He jiggled his arm, making hers shake, and gave her his best pointed look when she didn’t release his hand.
“Y’sure?”
“Course. It takes two hands to fill the kettle and turn on the tap, Rose. Didn’t think you were that unobservant.” He smirked at her, hoping to distract her from the real answer to her question. He knew his attempt had failed when he watched her eyebrows raise, and her foot tap-tapping the grating. He sighed.
“I’m okay, Rose. Honest. Was just thinking, that’s all. Got a bit side-tracked, t’be honest.” He shrugged as best he could, with one hand fastened in hers still, and gave her a sheepish smile.
Rose knew better than push it any further. If she did, he’d most likely clam up for the next few days and give her what she had labelled ‘The Oncoming Sulky Glare’ at every opportunity. She hated it when he was like that, and more so when she had caused it; so she did the only thing she could in the circumstances. She used humour to defuse it, stuck her tongue between her teeth and grinned hugely at him.
“Y’mean the great and mighty Timelord lost track of Time? Is it that hard to decide where we’re gonna eat?”
“Rose Tyler,” he blustered, “are you trying to get a rise out of me?”
Rose looked pointedly down, then looked into his eyes innocently.
“Dunno. Maybe. Did it work?” She let go of his hand and headed off into the corridor, leaving him gaping after her, his mouth working like a goldfish out of water. She blushed, smirked, then grinned as she headed off to the kitchen to make the tea. She hoped that had a been a big enough hint.
Rose was, most definitely, not happy. The Doctor was marching ahead of her, not at all perturbed by the fact it was raining heavily, or that the ground had turned to dark grey gloop that seemed to want to cover every inch of her. Added to that, she was cold and hungry too, having missed lunch on account of being chased by the locals after the Doctor had inadvertently insulted their chief by inquiring after his health. She began to mutter under her breath as she walked.
“Stupid alien. Run. I’ll give him run when I get my hands on him. Let’s go to Aradia, he said. It’s lovely at this time of year, he said. The natives are very friendly, he said. Put your best dress on, we’ll go and see my old mate the chief, he said. He’ll probably throw a feast in our honour he said. Oh yes, old mate my arse! What do I get? Run for your life, Rose. Oh well, no feast for us, Rose. Come on, Rose. Get a move on, Rose. He just had to insult the poor man...alien...thing, didn’t he? Opened his mouth and had to put both those huge feet into it, didn’t he? Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s listening to me now, whinging about him. Ears like that are bound to act like satellite dishes. Sodding rain, sodding, sodding mud...sodding bloody useless alien!”
“Oi! I heard that! No need to be personal.” He stopped suddenly in front of her, causing her to crash into him, unable to see through the dripping of her hair into her face. He began to grin at her, quickly smothering it when he saw her expression. She looked like a soggy kitten, her mascara running down her face, smudges and splashes of mud all over her. Still gorgeous, though, he thought. He hugged her, enjoying the feeling of her wet form against his rather more than he probably should, and leaning back slightly, pushed her wet hair out of her eyes and spoke softly.
“Sorry. Make it up to you. Promise.”
“I’m cold, wet, hungry and covered in this horrible, sticky gloopy mud. You’ll have to go some to make up for this one. At least you didn’t blame it on the Tardis this time.”
He hung his head and said quietly,
“I know. I’m sorry, Rose.”
Rose ducked her head until she could look him in the eyes, smiled gently and took his cool hand in her colder one.
“ I’m sorry too. Wasn’t anyone’s fault, just another day for the Doctor and Rose, yeah? ‘s okay, really. Come on, then. Let’s go home.”
His hearts jumped when he realised what she had just said. Home. She had called the Tardis home. His smile was like the sun coming out.
They trudged through the mud hand-in-hand, a comfortable silence between them, each thinking about the other, and how much they each wished their relationship would develop, but neither knowing how to go about making it happen; wondering if they should.
Back in the Tardis, the Doctor urged Rose to go and shower, and told her he’d put the kettle on and make the tea while he thought about where they could go and eat. She smiled, stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before rushing off to her room. His hand touched his cheek wonderingly. She had kissed him. Did that mean...no, it couldn’t.
Could it?
He leant against the console, arms folded across his chest, feet crossed at his ankles and pondered the question for a while, only realising how long he had stood there when he heard Rose emerge from her room, the scent of her jasmine shampoo and vanilla body lotion preceding her. He turned his head at the sound of her footsteps in the corridor, and watched a vision in silky pink pyjamas approach. He stopped breathing as she drew nearer to him, puzzlement evident on her face as she saw him unusually motionless. She didn’t realise that although the body was still, the mind inside was racing.
‘Rassilon and Omega! She’s...gorgeous .I shouldn’t feel this way. She’s a child, a human child...she can’t want me. I’m too old for her, too scarred and damaged, and I’d only dim her brilliance. I can’t corrupt her soul with my darkness. It’s for the best..I have to stop. Now. She’s saved me more times than she could ever know; now I have to save her...from me.’
“Hey. Thought you were making tea?” She cocked her head slightly as she saw his expression and frowned. “What’re you brooding about?” She reached out and took one of his hands in hers; making him unfold his arms, although the pensive look on his face didn’t seem to recede very much. She stood beside him, breathing in the scent of leather, spice and something indefinable...something essentially Doctor. It was a scent that had seared itself into her brain, and she was certain she would smell it for the rest of her life. Nudging his shoulder with her own, she squeezed his hand and said quietly,
“Tell me?”
He shrugged, trying to look as if there was absolutely nothing wrong in his world...and failing miserably.
“Nothing. ‘S nothing. Really. Suppose you want that cuppa then?” He grinned manically at her, setting off to the kitchen to put on the kettle, and coming to a halt when he realised that Rose still had hold of his hand tightly.
“Oi. ‘S attached, that, you know. Might need it if I’m brewing tea.” He jiggled his arm, making hers shake, and gave her his best pointed look when she didn’t release his hand.
“Y’sure?”
“Course. It takes two hands to fill the kettle and turn on the tap, Rose. Didn’t think you were that unobservant.” He smirked at her, hoping to distract her from the real answer to her question. He knew his attempt had failed when he watched her eyebrows raise, and her foot tap-tapping the grating. He sighed.
“I’m okay, Rose. Honest. Was just thinking, that’s all. Got a bit side-tracked, t’be honest.” He shrugged as best he could, with one hand fastened in hers still, and gave her a sheepish smile.
Rose knew better than push it any further. If she did, he’d most likely clam up for the next few days and give her what she had labelled ‘The Oncoming Sulky Glare’ at every opportunity. She hated it when he was like that, and more so when she had caused it; so she did the only thing she could in the circumstances. She used humour to defuse it, stuck her tongue between her teeth and grinned hugely at him.
“Y’mean the great and mighty Timelord lost track of Time? Is it that hard to decide where we’re gonna eat?”
“Rose Tyler,” he blustered, “are you trying to get a rise out of me?”
Rose looked pointedly down, then looked into his eyes innocently.
“Dunno. Maybe. Did it work?” She let go of his hand and headed off into the corridor, leaving him gaping after her, his mouth working like a goldfish out of water. She blushed, smirked, then grinned as she headed off to the kitchen to make the tea. She hoped that had a been a big enough hint.