Brilliance, Ten2/Rose PG
He woke her long before the sun had pierced the horizon. The sky was a deep purple, fading to light on the edge, showing it was on its way, and the slight dance of light on city windows could be seen. 2,407
He woke her long before the sun had pierced the horizon. The sky was a deep purple, fading to light on the edge, showing it was on its way, and the slight dance of light on city windows could be seen. He nudged her, lips brushing over her cheek. She thought he was just doing his routine pre-dawn ritual where he woke up incredibly horny and wouldn’t leave her be, so she rolled over onto her side, back to him.
He went after her, lining her back with his torso. His arm snaked over her waist and he twined his fingers with hers.
“Rose,” he whispered, breath dancing over her ear. Her hair stirred and she smiled vaguely in her sleep. She gave a slight shrug before relaxing again.
He squeezed her hand, kissing her shoulder lightly, lips catching on the thin strap of her nightgown.
“Rose, wake up.”
“Doctor I’m tired,” Rose mumbled, pulling the covers up around her ears.
The Doctor got out of bed with a rustle of thin cotton and walked to the small closet exploding with their clothes. He pulled on a random pair of blue suit trousers from the floor, giving his legs a dismissive once over, trying to smooth out the wrinkles. He pulled a light pink summer dress off a hanger hooked lazily over the top of the door. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking back over at the bed, where the smooth shape of Rose’s still body lay beneath their sheets.
He crossed the room again, and tossed the dress onto the bed. Sitting down on the edge, the Doctor picked up a single red trainer from the floor and began lacing it up. Rose stirred and sleepily rolled over towards him. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, grabbing his shirt fabric. He smiled at her and pried her hands away. Taking them in his own he stood up and pulled her into a sloppy sitting position.
“Up you go Rose,” he grunted.
Rose blinked slowly, glancing at the clock.
“Shit Doctor, what time is it?”
“It’s time to go Rose.” The Doctor smiled in the predawn darkness. “We’re going on an adventure. Just get dressed and let’s go.”
Rose picked up the dress, turning it around right ways. She looked at the Doctor. “Yes?”
The Doctor craned his neck around, peering at her cheekily.
She punched his arm lightly and slid the dress on. Turning around she pulled the hair back from her neck, watching the Doctor out of the corner of her eye.
“Little help?”
The Doctor’s mouth quirked slightly and he helped tug the small zipper pull up over the even line of her spine, taking his time and slipping his hands amply.
Rose stood up, twirling around and fiddling with the dress to get it just so.
“Do you know where those shoes are?”
“Which ones?” The Doctor asked, getting up and looking around the room.
“The pink heels.”
“You were wearing them that time when we decided-”
“That was last month.”
“Didn’t I throw them across the room because they kept stabbing me?”
“I think so.”
“So then they’d be-” The Doctor pivoted around and strode over to a pile of books. Rummaging around he emerged with two pink heels with big yellow buttons on the ankles. He shuffled over to Rose, and sitting down and lifted up her feet, one after the other, sliding them on. Tilting his head up he watched her, eyes round and bright.
“Look at you Rose, all pink and yellow.”
Rose bent down and pecked him on the lips. “Take me away Doctor.”
They left the flat hand in hand, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He led the way down the hall to the stairs, the thick carpeting squishing beneath their feet. It muffled the noise and gave the air a thick, sneaky mood that made them both wriggle excitedly. The Doctor gripped the banister, pushing Rose against the railing and kissing her. She giggled softly, tugging at his hair.
They tiptoed downstairs and out into the empty street. The air was cool and the Doctor put his suit jacket around Rose who grabbed him by the front of his shirt and kissed him on the stoop, standing on tiptoes to reach him. A small patch of wrinkled fabric was appearing when she let go, and he smoothed it out, but the cloth bunched up again as soon as he had released it.
“Wait here!” he said, holding up one finger. He ran off, turning a corner into an alley.
Rose bounced on the balls of her feet and hummed, waiting.
The Doctor soon reappeared in a tottering car painted white that was flaking off to show rusted steel beneath. Pulling up along the sidewalk, he rolled down the windows and leaned across the passenger seat to look out the window.
“Need a ride?”
“Oh, I’m waiting for this bloke I know.” Rose said coyly.
“Must be some bloke to get a bird like you,” The Doctor winked, playing it up.
“He sure is.” Rose moved from side to side, her skirt swirling out around her legs. “Where to?”
“Somewhere brilliant.”
She beamed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Good. I could do with a little brilliance.”
She hurried down the stoop and slid into the car, which sped away from the curb with a grumpy sputtering. The sky in front of them was exploding with color, and vestiges of blue could be seen, filigreed with gold.
She fell asleep not long after they set out. Her head rested on his shoulder and a small spot of drool darkened the Doctor’s lapel. He didn’t mind, just shifted so she could be more comfortable. With the amount of salivary fluids they shared, he doubted a speckle of drool could matter.
The sky shone in a great arcing dome above them like oil-slicked water and the Doctor rolled down all the windows, breathing deeply. The air was sharp from the thunderstorm-laden summer days, and the smell of uncut grass was rich and heavy, mingling with the car’s heat and Rose’s sleep smell.
The Doctor glanced at Rose, looking at the mesmerizing sight of her eyelashes (he knew only a fool like him could be entranced by her eyelashes, it was his first time being a fool, but it didn’t bother him as much as he had always expected it would). It was very impressive how human women could draw out their lashes to such incredible lengths with mascara. They had colors too. Rose had bought some blue stuff once. He’d liked it. It had matched the TARDIS. He brought his attention back to the road and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the deer.
He swerved wildly, wondering when tires had become so slippery.
“ROSE!” he screamed. “ROSE!”
Rose jolted awake, looking around frantically as the car zigzagged across the road.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING DOCTOR!” she yelled, clutching the dashboard.
“IT’S A DEER! IT’S A DEER! I’M GOING TO HIT IT!”
“WHY THE HELL WEREN’T YOU LOOKING AT THE CAR!”
“I JUST WASN’T OK!”
“WERE YOU TRYING TO GROPE ME AGAIN!”
“NO! I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR EYELASHES! THEY’RE LOVELY!” The Doctor threw his hands up and Rose blanched, leaning across him and grabbing the wheel.
“WHY THE HELL DID I EVER LET YOU DRIVE!”
“YOU WERE ASLEEP!” The Doctor took the wheel again.
“I COULD DRIVE BETTER THAN YOU IN MY SLEEP!”
“CAN YOU DRIVE A SIX PERSON TIME MACHINE? I THINK NOT!”
“HE COULD! YOU CAN’T! YOU CAN’T EVEN DRIVE A BIKE!”
The Doctor slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a stop in the dust on the side of the road. They were both pushed forward, seat-belts taught across their chests. Rose’s hands had knotted her dress and laid in her lap. The Doctor gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white. The two of them were breathing heavily as the dust settled and silence engulfed them. Rose broke into shaking sobs and extended her arms towards the Doctor. He pulled her into a tight hug.
“Sorry I yelled,” she murmured into his neck.
“Sorry I wasn’t looking at the road.”
“Is the deer OK?”
The Doctor looked up.
“It’s run off.”
Rose put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him down to her, giving him many rapid kisses.
“Ah! Doctor!” she giggled, pulling back and rubbing her cheek. “What was that?”
The Doctor smiled. “I wanted to know how your tears tasted.”
“Did you have to lick me?”
“You usually don’t mind.”
Rose leaned forward and licked the Doctor’s cheek. “There. Now we’re even.”
The Doctor grinned and turned the key in the ignition, pressing the gas. They winced as a loud grating sound filled the air, but otherwise the car remained unresponsive.
Rose doubled over, laughing. “So much for that,” she wheezed.
The Doctor flung open his door and stomped around the front to Rose’s side. Pulling her door open he extended a hand to help her out.
“It’s not far. We can go on a walk. Walks are brilliant.”
Rose took his hand but didn’t get out of the car. “Or we can just stay here...” she smiled flirtatiously.
“No. I have something to show you. Come on.” The Doctor tugged her up and she gave his hand a squeeze, slamming the door.
He led her down a small indiscreet path and felt her tighten her grip on his hand. It was cobble-stoned in places, but interspersed with wide stretches of dirt as if the maker of the path had grown bored with constructing the walkway. Running parallel to the path on their left was a rundown wall that reached to about Rose’s hip. It was crumbled in places, spry, green saplings taking the place of stone. The air was fruitily fragrant with the heavy smell of the thick pink flowers growing on long stalks around them. The sky was mostly blue now, fading to purple at the horizon.
They followed the path for awhile in silence, focusing on the rough ground below them so as not to trip.
Rose sat on the edge of the wall and kicked off her heels. She hopped down and picked them up, holding them by the back of the heel. She continued walking beside the Doctor.
The further they went, the thicker and taller the flowers became until everything was cast in a pink glow. Rose craned her neck upwards, searching the pink latticework for a scrap of sky.
The Doctor put an arm out in front of Rose, stopping her.
“Rose, hold on.”
“What, Doctor?”
The Doctor put his hand over her eyes. “I won’t let you fall. Trust me.”
“I do,” Rose whispered.
The Doctor guided her forward around a bend and then stopped.
“Eyes still closed?”
“Yes.”
The Doctor removed his hand from her eyes and twined his fingers with hers.
“Okay, on the count of three, open them.”
Rose nodded.
“One.
“Two.
“Three.”
Rose opened her eyes and gasped. A few yards in front of them, nestled in a patch of fuzzy green grass was a ramshackle studio cottage. It was painted TARDIS blue, brush strokes odd and uneven, and here and there sections of primer peeked through. Towards the eaves the color grew less vibrant and Rose smiled, knowing he had had to water it down to make the paint last.
She squeezed the Doctor’s hand, and he smiled, deep crinkles forming around his eyes.
“When...”
“Months now.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“I love you.”
The Doctor gave her a light kiss. Rose put her free hand on his chest, feeling his single heartbeat.
“Me too,” he said softly, and pulled her towards the cottage.
It was small, in the most wonderful and spacious of ways. There was one large room, occupied by a huge wooden worktable already strewn with papers. At its center was a slender glass vase filled with some of the pink flowers from outside. The walls were a light cream color and a piece of fabric printed like the night sky hung from a doorway to separate the rooms.
Rose lifted a corner of the star cloth and peered into a tiny hallway. On the left was a small alcove with a cramped kitchen that was terribly vertical, the appliances and shelves stacked one on top of the other. Opposite the kitchen-nook on her right was a small door, Rose twisted the glass knob and found a bathroom, still in its fresh snow-colored primer. It held a small toilet pressed right up against a sink and a shower stall. Judging from the width of the stall’s door Rose could tell they might not be taking showers together anymore. Pulling the door carefully shut behind her, Rose approached the ladder at the end. Climbing up it, she emerged in an attic-room the size of the whole first floor. A squat bookshelf stood at one end and in the corner next to a row of windows on the east wall a mattress was inserted into the floor. The sheets and blanket were the same TARDIS blue as the outside of the building.
Rose turned around as the Doctor’s head poked up from the hole in the floor.
“Hello there,” Rose smiled.
The Doctor climbed the rest of the way into the room and sidled over to Rose, bringing his face close to hers. He was grinning ear to ear.
“You think you’re so impressive Doctor.”
“I am so impressive Rose.”
“I’ll give you that.” Rose wrinkled her nose and slung her arms around the Doctor’s shoulders. The sun shifted and wide bands of golden light danced through the windows and across the floor, striping their forms as the Doctor pushed her onto the bed. Rose grinned a wide, toothy grin.
“Did I mention I’m also brilliant?” The Doctor asked.
“Not as brilliant as me.”
“How so, Rose?” The Doctor scoffed.
“You can’t do this.”
Rose kissed him openly, twining her fingers into his hair. After a long moment she pulled back, smiling.
The Doctor looked at her breathlessly. “Suppose you’re right.”
“Hey,” Rose said softly, sitting up and straightening her dress. She looked at the Doctor, expression soft and warm.
The Doctor raised his eyebrows, brown eyes matching her feelings. “What?”
“We’re home.”