bis zu den sternen geh'n, bis in die zukunft seh'n; open to holycrap2hearts
((Continuation of this.))
In the end, he's not sure if it really was the virus or merely hysteria. He takes the pills that the Doctor quietly insists he take and rests when the Doctor breaks the awkward silence to ask if he's rested. He could test his blood in the sick bay or just ask the Doctor, but he doesn't think he wants to know. He wants to know a lot of things, but not that.
He packs when he's not resting until finally he stands under the Seal of Rassilon in the Cloister Room, staring at the doors. It's just a break. It's not forever. The doors open for him and he steps into the console room. He can see the back of the Doctor's head just over the top of his armchair. He doesn't turn around, but Ianto sees him sit up.
"I'm ready."
The Doctor turns his head. He looks like he's about to say something else, but instead he says simply, "All right," and puts his book down, crossing to the console. "It's a small planet, very nice, in the--"
"Doesn't matter."
The Doctor looks up, confused, surprised, concerned. "You don't want to know where you're going?"
"Nope."
The Doctor looks like he's about to say something else. "All right."
The groaning sound of dematerialization momentarily fills the awkward silence between them. Then, with a drumbeat and a few more wheezes, the TARDIS lands. Ianto waits by the globe stand until the Doctor opens the doors and steps out onto sand.
He stops a few meters away from the TARDIS and turns back. The wind off the ocean whips his hair in the opposite direction. He needs a haircut.
"Don't just hop forward as soon as you've closed the doors." He tugs on the strap of his rucksack, adjusting it on his shoulder. The Doctor watches from the doorway. "I mean it. Take some time. Travel. A few days, a few weeks, a few... whatever. Just don't..." Don't forget about me. "Don't get into too much trouble without me, yeah?" He squints in the sunlight and smiles. He has two shadows.
The Doctor looks like he's about to say something else.
"This isn't goodbye, Doctor."
The Doctor smiles in return and raises a hand in (temporary) farewell. "Three weeks," he promises.
"Three weeks. You'll be back."
In the end, he's not sure if it really was the virus or merely hysteria. He takes the pills that the Doctor quietly insists he take and rests when the Doctor breaks the awkward silence to ask if he's rested. He could test his blood in the sick bay or just ask the Doctor, but he doesn't think he wants to know. He wants to know a lot of things, but not that.
He packs when he's not resting until finally he stands under the Seal of Rassilon in the Cloister Room, staring at the doors. It's just a break. It's not forever. The doors open for him and he steps into the console room. He can see the back of the Doctor's head just over the top of his armchair. He doesn't turn around, but Ianto sees him sit up.
"I'm ready."
The Doctor turns his head. He looks like he's about to say something else, but instead he says simply, "All right," and puts his book down, crossing to the console. "It's a small planet, very nice, in the--"
"Doesn't matter."
The Doctor looks up, confused, surprised, concerned. "You don't want to know where you're going?"
"Nope."
The Doctor looks like he's about to say something else. "All right."
The groaning sound of dematerialization momentarily fills the awkward silence between them. Then, with a drumbeat and a few more wheezes, the TARDIS lands. Ianto waits by the globe stand until the Doctor opens the doors and steps out onto sand.
He stops a few meters away from the TARDIS and turns back. The wind off the ocean whips his hair in the opposite direction. He needs a haircut.
"Don't just hop forward as soon as you've closed the doors." He tugs on the strap of his rucksack, adjusting it on his shoulder. The Doctor watches from the doorway. "I mean it. Take some time. Travel. A few days, a few weeks, a few... whatever. Just don't..." Don't forget about me. "Don't get into too much trouble without me, yeah?" He squints in the sunlight and smiles. He has two shadows.
The Doctor looks like he's about to say something else.
"This isn't goodbye, Doctor."
The Doctor smiles in return and raises a hand in (temporary) farewell. "Three weeks," he promises.
"Three weeks. You'll be back."