Fic: Trust
Title: Trust
Rating: G
Pairing: Five/Turlough
Summary: Shortly after Enlightenment, the Doctor and Turlough go for a walk on a quiet alien world. Turlough wonders if they have anything they need to discuss, but the Doctor is far more interested in the scenery.
Length: 1,172 words
Notes: _medley_ asked for Five and Turlough and trust. Sorry about the unimaginative title. And the fact that this is the fluffiest piece of fluff that ever fluffed.
It was a nice enough planet, Turlough supposed. Lots of trees and things. Three pin-prick suns in the pink sky, somehow providing more than enough warmth that he wasn’t shivering in his blazer.
He was walking one step behind the Doctor, who had his hat at a more dapper angle than usual, and was providing Turlough with a commentary on the planet’s history and culture. Apparently, they were about two thousand miles from civilisation. This was good. Turlough had had enough of alien cultures lately.
They were in a deciduous forest, with large, broad-leafed trees. It seemed to be autumn, and the ground was scattered with red and orange, the sky just visible in the jigsaw puzzle of branches. There was a very slight breeze, and the subtle hint of wood smoke in the air suggested rural settlements nearby.
“Oh, yes,” said the Doctor, when Turlough pointed that out. “There are some remarkable tribal cultures here. The same race as those that live in the cities, but worshippers of nature and the spirit world. Quite harmless!” he added, as Turlough glanced back in the direction of the TARDIS.
“If you’re sure…”
“I’m always sure. I think.”
The Doctor flashed him a brilliant smile, and Turlough had to grin in response. It was impossible not to react to the Doctor’s infectious joy.
They walked together for some time, the Doctor occasionally pointing out things that he found interesting. Turlough received an education on tree frogs, three types of moss, and the apparently famous wandering trees - although they seemed to be stationary for now. The Doctor kept his hands tucked in his pockets, except for his occasional gesticulations and the one time he paused to tug a knobbly-looking fruit from a small tree. He took a bite before handing it to Turlough, who wrinkled his nose and promised to save it for later.
The Doctor was thoroughly relaxed and at ease. His eyes shone with the sheer pleasure of being in the fresh, clean air of an alien planet, surrounded by unique natural phenomena, and accompanied by a friend.
Turlough could hardly believe he was for real.
The Doctor hardly paused when they reached a sharp downward slope. For several minutes, Turlough had been able to hear the soft swish of running water, and now he could see a shallow stream at the bottom of a wide ditch. The Doctor hopped down the slope, easily finding footholds, and holding his arms out for balance. Turlough sighed, took a breath, and followed. He skidded, and slid, and almost toppled at the bottom, but the Doctor caught his arm and steadied him.
Together, they wandered along the edge of the river, where the rocks were damp, and the water tumbled along a foot or so to their left. Turlough had to concentrate on where he put his feet, but the Doctor ambled along with his usual confidence. Turlough was vaguely aware that they were walking in a wide arc, so that if they followed the curve of the river up ahead, where it vanished behind a rocky outcrop, they would soon be going back in the direction of the TARDIS.
Turlough slowed down. Tegan was back on board the ship, and probably awake now. He had the distinct impression that Tegan didn’t like him. And, besides, he didn’t often get the chance to spend time alone with the Doctor.
“All right?” said the Doctor, glancing back. He waited until Turlough was level with him, and they walked side-by-side for a while, with the river on the Doctor’s left. It was deeper here, and fast-flowing. Turlough felt his cheeks redden.
“Look,” he said, “are we ever going to talk?”
“We talk all the time,” said the Doctor. “In fact, you seldom stop. Between you and Tegan, I never get a moment’s peace and quiet any more.”
“I mean about… Oh, you know what about!”
The Doctor walked in silence for a while. His face was still calm, but rather more serious.
“I wasn’t planning to,” he said, “but if you have anything to say-”
“No. Well. I thought you might… I don’t know. Don’t you want to warn me, or… Anything?”
The Doctor casually kicked a pebble into the stream. It bounced off the edge of his trainer and skimmed three times on the skin of the water before vanishing below the surface.
“Impressive,” said Turlough. “How’d you do it?”
“I’m rather a good judge of these things,” said the Doctor, softly.
Turlough looked down at his feet, pretending to watch where he was putting them on the slippery surface. The trees were thinning now, and the river bed was widening. Up above, two of the three suns were dipping towards the horizon. The third sun looked as if it was following a much more complicated path across the sky, which the Doctor could probably explain to him, if he asked.
“We’re nearly back at the TARDIS,” said Turlough.
The Doctor was looking up at the bank, trying to find a good place to climb back up amongst the trees.
He said, “We can walk a bit further, if you like.”
“Well, we aren’t in any hurry, are we?”
The Doctor spotted a shallower place in the bank, and planted his foot on a sturdy root. He tested its strength, then pulled himself up with the aid of a branch. Then he offered his hand. Turlough, who could have climbed the slope easily by himself, took hold of it.
There was open country beyond the forest. Turlough could see a towering rock formation in the middle distance, sticking up from the otherwise flat ground.
“Shall we see what that is?” he said.
The Doctor’s eyes lit up. “A monolith!” he said. “Probably artificial, erected by the ancestors of the city-dwelling races if I’m as knowledgeable as I think I am.”
“And are you?” said Turlough, unable to hide his grin.
The Doctor looked positively radiant in the suns-set. There was absolutely nothing better than being on the receiving end of his playful, adventurous smile. Now that there was something to discover, something to learn, he was more energetic and boyish than ever.
To Turlough’s surprise and unexpected delight, the Doctor grabbed his hand as he quickened his pace, tugging Turlough out of the forest and up the slight rise towards the monolith.
“Of course I am! Have I been wrong about anything so far?”
“Well,” Turlough teased. “Shall I compose a list?”
“Oh, Turlough. Trust me!”
As he caught up, the Doctor kept hold of his hand, and Turlough wondered if he’d forgotten he was holding it. He didn’t mind, though. He was trying to think of something to say in response, but somehow, making light of that remark didn’t seem right. And nothing felt significant enough, either. Because the one thing the Doctor would never have to ask of him was trust.
So he kept quiet, just as the Doctor had done, and he did the best anyone could do in the Doctor’s company; he followed.
Rating: G
Pairing: Five/Turlough
Summary: Shortly after Enlightenment, the Doctor and Turlough go for a walk on a quiet alien world. Turlough wonders if they have anything they need to discuss, but the Doctor is far more interested in the scenery.
Length: 1,172 words
Notes: _medley_ asked for Five and Turlough and trust. Sorry about the unimaginative title. And the fact that this is the fluffiest piece of fluff that ever fluffed.
It was a nice enough planet, Turlough supposed. Lots of trees and things. Three pin-prick suns in the pink sky, somehow providing more than enough warmth that he wasn’t shivering in his blazer.
He was walking one step behind the Doctor, who had his hat at a more dapper angle than usual, and was providing Turlough with a commentary on the planet’s history and culture. Apparently, they were about two thousand miles from civilisation. This was good. Turlough had had enough of alien cultures lately.
They were in a deciduous forest, with large, broad-leafed trees. It seemed to be autumn, and the ground was scattered with red and orange, the sky just visible in the jigsaw puzzle of branches. There was a very slight breeze, and the subtle hint of wood smoke in the air suggested rural settlements nearby.
“Oh, yes,” said the Doctor, when Turlough pointed that out. “There are some remarkable tribal cultures here. The same race as those that live in the cities, but worshippers of nature and the spirit world. Quite harmless!” he added, as Turlough glanced back in the direction of the TARDIS.
“If you’re sure…”
“I’m always sure. I think.”
The Doctor flashed him a brilliant smile, and Turlough had to grin in response. It was impossible not to react to the Doctor’s infectious joy.
They walked together for some time, the Doctor occasionally pointing out things that he found interesting. Turlough received an education on tree frogs, three types of moss, and the apparently famous wandering trees - although they seemed to be stationary for now. The Doctor kept his hands tucked in his pockets, except for his occasional gesticulations and the one time he paused to tug a knobbly-looking fruit from a small tree. He took a bite before handing it to Turlough, who wrinkled his nose and promised to save it for later.
The Doctor was thoroughly relaxed and at ease. His eyes shone with the sheer pleasure of being in the fresh, clean air of an alien planet, surrounded by unique natural phenomena, and accompanied by a friend.
Turlough could hardly believe he was for real.
The Doctor hardly paused when they reached a sharp downward slope. For several minutes, Turlough had been able to hear the soft swish of running water, and now he could see a shallow stream at the bottom of a wide ditch. The Doctor hopped down the slope, easily finding footholds, and holding his arms out for balance. Turlough sighed, took a breath, and followed. He skidded, and slid, and almost toppled at the bottom, but the Doctor caught his arm and steadied him.
Together, they wandered along the edge of the river, where the rocks were damp, and the water tumbled along a foot or so to their left. Turlough had to concentrate on where he put his feet, but the Doctor ambled along with his usual confidence. Turlough was vaguely aware that they were walking in a wide arc, so that if they followed the curve of the river up ahead, where it vanished behind a rocky outcrop, they would soon be going back in the direction of the TARDIS.
Turlough slowed down. Tegan was back on board the ship, and probably awake now. He had the distinct impression that Tegan didn’t like him. And, besides, he didn’t often get the chance to spend time alone with the Doctor.
“All right?” said the Doctor, glancing back. He waited until Turlough was level with him, and they walked side-by-side for a while, with the river on the Doctor’s left. It was deeper here, and fast-flowing. Turlough felt his cheeks redden.
“Look,” he said, “are we ever going to talk?”
“We talk all the time,” said the Doctor. “In fact, you seldom stop. Between you and Tegan, I never get a moment’s peace and quiet any more.”
“I mean about… Oh, you know what about!”
The Doctor walked in silence for a while. His face was still calm, but rather more serious.
“I wasn’t planning to,” he said, “but if you have anything to say-”
“No. Well. I thought you might… I don’t know. Don’t you want to warn me, or… Anything?”
The Doctor casually kicked a pebble into the stream. It bounced off the edge of his trainer and skimmed three times on the skin of the water before vanishing below the surface.
“Impressive,” said Turlough. “How’d you do it?”
“I’m rather a good judge of these things,” said the Doctor, softly.
Turlough looked down at his feet, pretending to watch where he was putting them on the slippery surface. The trees were thinning now, and the river bed was widening. Up above, two of the three suns were dipping towards the horizon. The third sun looked as if it was following a much more complicated path across the sky, which the Doctor could probably explain to him, if he asked.
“We’re nearly back at the TARDIS,” said Turlough.
The Doctor was looking up at the bank, trying to find a good place to climb back up amongst the trees.
He said, “We can walk a bit further, if you like.”
“Well, we aren’t in any hurry, are we?”
The Doctor spotted a shallower place in the bank, and planted his foot on a sturdy root. He tested its strength, then pulled himself up with the aid of a branch. Then he offered his hand. Turlough, who could have climbed the slope easily by himself, took hold of it.
There was open country beyond the forest. Turlough could see a towering rock formation in the middle distance, sticking up from the otherwise flat ground.
“Shall we see what that is?” he said.
The Doctor’s eyes lit up. “A monolith!” he said. “Probably artificial, erected by the ancestors of the city-dwelling races if I’m as knowledgeable as I think I am.”
“And are you?” said Turlough, unable to hide his grin.
The Doctor looked positively radiant in the suns-set. There was absolutely nothing better than being on the receiving end of his playful, adventurous smile. Now that there was something to discover, something to learn, he was more energetic and boyish than ever.
To Turlough’s surprise and unexpected delight, the Doctor grabbed his hand as he quickened his pace, tugging Turlough out of the forest and up the slight rise towards the monolith.
“Of course I am! Have I been wrong about anything so far?”
“Well,” Turlough teased. “Shall I compose a list?”
“Oh, Turlough. Trust me!”
As he caught up, the Doctor kept hold of his hand, and Turlough wondered if he’d forgotten he was holding it. He didn’t mind, though. He was trying to think of something to say in response, but somehow, making light of that remark didn’t seem right. And nothing felt significant enough, either. Because the one thing the Doctor would never have to ask of him was trust.
So he kept quiet, just as the Doctor had done, and he did the best anyone could do in the Doctor’s company; he followed.