(no subject)
Title: I Think You Need A Doctor
Fandom: The Social Network RPF
Pairings: Jesse/Andrew
Summary: Jesse is a guest writer for the new Doctor Who series and Andrew is the new Doctor.
A/N: Written for my friend Emily for being a doll and getting me back into the fandom.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Jesse hates actors. They’re just so…dramatic. All the time.
After Jesse wrote the mini series about steampunk blimp pirates and was nominated for the award he became well known. People everywhere started waiting for his next move. He’s currently trying to write the sequel but can’t figure out how to make the story work with the network, so when the call came from the Doctor Who people asking him to do a guest writing role he said yes.
Jesse actually feels a kinship with actors but it’s the first day and the girl keeps improvising a conversation that had taken Jesse two hours to get to the point he felt it was good enough and the PA gave him the wrong drink and Jesse had been too polite to say so and now he keeps on getting the wrong drink and Moffat won’t stop talking about killing off the boy companion and he knows for sure now doesn’t hate actors. He hates everything.
The call for lunch finally comes and Jesse thanks whatever God might have been listening. He hops off his chair and starts walking to the girl to try and convince her that these lines are non-negotiable but he’s blocked by the Doctor himself.
There were small whispers going around about Andrew, that the role had been taken by someone else and then suddenly Andrew showed up and usurped it and how terrible he was for it. Jesse can’t figure out what they are talking about. He only had to take one look at Andrew to see that he was more than worthy of the role.
“Hello,” Andrew smiles. He has a nice smile. It’s much more…real in real life than on TV.
“Hi,” Jesse says, resisting the urge to duck his head but is unable to meet Andrew’s eyes.
“I wanted to tell you how excited I am to work with you! I am a big fan of your work.”
Jesse looks at him then. He doesn’t seem like the kind to kiss up and certainly looks sincere.
“Uh, thank you?” That wasn’t meant to be a question. Andrew just smiles brighter then turns when someone calls his name and Jesse ducks away before Andrew can realize he’s leaving.
*
Andrew finds Jesse the next day while he is scribbling away in his notebook about air speed and treasure and tragic love and wait, that’s not-
“Hello again.” Jesse jumps at the voice behind him and drops his pencil. Andrew picks it up and smiles apologetically.
“Sorry,” he says. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Jesse nods and takes the pencil back. “It’s fine,” he answers as he fiddles with it.
Andrew sits down next to him. He is wearing the Doctor uniform although the bow tie is missing. Jesse notices he has the sonic screwdriver in his pants pocket.
“I meant what I said, you know. I really do like your work.” Andrew says. Jesse almost looks behind him to see if Andrew is speaking to someone else. “The relationship between Tom and Bernard was lovely.”
Jesse can’t help but smile. Yeah he probably only watched it because he heard Jesse was coming aboard for an episode, maybe just read a summary, but it’s still nice to hear. “Thank you.”
“I couldn’t help but notice Tom’s name in your writing. Are you writing another?” He looks nonchalant, overly so, but he keeps leaning over trying to read Jesse’s words. Jesse turns the notebook over.
“I’m trying,” is all he says.
“Is there a problem?” Andrew asks. Andrew’s face flips and suddenly looks so earnest for a moment Jesse can’t help but open his mouth to tell him. Then someone calls out to Andrew to get on set and the moment is over.
*
Jesse’s episode is about the Doctor landing on a planet with a ruined atmosphere and the cities live in bubbles to protect themselves. The company that produces the clean air has become corrupt and it’s up to the Doctor to save the world. It is all very dramatic in Jesse’s opinion, and Andrew suits the role perfectly. Jesse might be a little biased since Andrew never strays from the script once.
He does, however, keep looking over at Jesse. It’s the moment where the other boy is locked in a separate city from the Doctor and the girl and in a show of power the corporation filters in the bad air and they watch as the boy dies tragically (Moffat convinced Jesse. It’ll turn out the resistance had saved him in the last minute). But they keep having to cut because Andrew isn’t paying attention.
It’s after the 20th cut that the director calls for a break. “Andrew, I don’t know what has gotten into you!” She says angrily. “You are meant to look scared, not besotted!” Jesse tenses at that.
Andrew looks pleased and goes over to Jesse. “Would you care to get a coffee with me?”
Jesse, used to the actors wanting to change something, nods sadly and follows him to the table where refreshments are kept.
“What are your problems with the script?” Jesse asks, his hands shoved in his pockets, while Andrew pours the coffee. He easily could have gotten much better coffee from one of the PAs and Jesse is confused at that.
“Hm? What?” Andrew looks at him curiously. “I don’t have any. It’s a wonderful script.” Jesse knew in the future he would look back on this moment and conveniently forget he blushed.
Andrew just grins and passes him over a Styrofoam cup. “How do you like the show so far?” Jesse talks about how comfortable everyone is and doesn’t talk about how he feels like an intruder on the peace. Andrew talks about how everyone is really pleased with Jesse’s script.
Andrew starts talking about the last guest writer when Jesse blurts out, “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Wait, for what?” Andrew asks when he realizes what Jesse said.
“For not messing around with the lines. It takes, well, it’s just - those lines are really hard to get right. And you say them really well. So, uh, thank you.” Andrew grins like Jesse has just given him the moon. Jesse blushes again and mutters some excuse and ducks away.
When they are called back to set Jesse hides in the shadows this time. The girl never improvises once.
*
Jesse is lurking in a diner a few blocks away from where they had just finished shooting the scene where the rebels lead the charge against the corporation. He is mindlessly writing dialog between Tom and Bernard that would never make it in the final draft on a napkin. He hears some footsteps behind him and ignores them until they stop at his table.
He looks up to see Andrew standing there. He’s wearing an unattractive, puffy coat and his hair has mud in it. He looks gorgeous.
“May I sit?” Jesse nods and Andrew slides smoothly into the seat across from him.
“What are you doing?” Andrew asks. Jesse crumples the napkin in his hand and slides it out of sight.
“Nothing really. What are you doing here?”
Andrew smiles and changes the subject. They end up aimlessly flitting through topics and when the waitress refills their coffees for what must be the tenth time Jesse realizes he is completely at ease. He doesn’t think he’s been even remotely at ease outside of his apartment for years.
Andrew continues talking about his high school drama classes, unaware of Jesse’s revelation. Jesse places his chin into the palm of his hand and smiles behind his fingers.
*
They start meeting after the shoots every day. It’s mostly different places and always at some random, ungodly hour. That suits them fine because they’re never interrupted.
They talk about everything, Jesse’s cats and Andrew’s fear of dentists and the show and writing and acting. Jesse tells Andrew about playing Oliver when he was a kid and Andrew is delighted. For days after he randomly sings ‘Food, Glorious Food’ (the only song he knows) whenever Jesse is in his line of sight. Jesse feels he should be annoyed but instead is amused.
It’s on one of these outings at 2:00 in the morning when Andrew asks, “Why are you having such a hard time with the sequel?”
Jesse feels a bit like a deer caught in headlights. He let it slip that he was working on it and Andrew badgered him for details for ages. It turns out Andrew really is a big fan. He even has an exact replica of Tom’s coat stashed away but he wore it to work for Jesse one time and Jesse smiled goofily all day long.
Jesse bites his lip and thinks about his answer. He wishes he were writing. It’s so much easier finding the right words when he has a keyboard and days to figure it out.
“It’s just…There’s only one way the story can go. And it - there’s no way, it can’t happen.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” Jesse looks at Andrew’s face and he’s like Jesse but isn’t at all. Andrew’s emotions run wild and show easily on his face, but he is freed by it rather than chained. Jesse wonders how he can live such a vulnerable life and not get crushed.
“Because,” Jesse continues. “The right way for the story to continue is if Tom and Bernard end up…together.”
“Oh,” Andrew says. Jesse doesn’t look at his face and instead fidgets with the handle of his mug. He starts when Andrew places his hand over Jesse’s and he’s glad the cafe has terrible service otherwise he would have spilled coffee over both of them.
“Jesse.” Jesse looks up through his eyelashes at Andrew. “I think that would be perfect.”
Jesse pulls his hand away but smiles. Andrew’s returning grin is somehow brighter than usual.
*
“Hey,” Jesse says as Andrew walks up. It’s the second to last day of shooting. Andrew is meant to have a day off but he showed up to the set anyway. He was much later than he would normally be and brought a box of donuts but still, he’s here.
They’re shooting the reunion scene between the two companions. It’s meant to be a touching scene but after so many deaths Jesse is afraid it’ll be forced. Andrew assured him it was still moving but Jesse is beginning to think that Andrew would tell Jesse the sky was zebra striped if he thought it was what Jesse wanted to hear.
“Hi there,” Andrew responds. Jesse scoots over to give him room in his secluded corner and Andrew flops down gracefully beside him.
“I read the script you gave me,” Andrew says. Jesse chews on his lip nervously. It was only a few pages but he’s been working on them in his head for a while. It felt weird to finally get them out on paper and if he’s honest with himself he wants to hear Andrew tell him he’s not making a mistake with this.
“It’s fantastic, Jess.” He sounds…almost awed, like he can’t believe his luck. Jesse understands the feeling. He’s felt it every day Andrew decided he was someone worth talking to.
Jesse whispers a thank you because he can’t convey his thoughts right at all. They’re silent for a moment, watching the scene in front of them. Or at least Jesse is. When he looks over at Andrew he’s staring right back.
“Andrew?” Jesse asks, still in a whisper.
“Jesse,” Andrew whispers back. Jesse feels Andrew’s hand over his and he looks down in time to see Andrew entwine their fingers together.
“Jesse,” Andrew says again. Jesse’s heart starts beating fast in his chest at the way his voice sounds.
“This isn’t right,” Jesse breathes. “I’m not the kind of guy who…This stuff doesn’t happen to me. I write the happy endings,” his voice catches and he tries to collect his thoughts but they remain scattered. “People like you, you get epic love stories, you’re the hero who rides off into the sunset. You GET the happy endings.”
“Then,” Andrew says. “Let this be mine.” He rests his forehead against Jesse’s, and Jesse closes his eyes and stays.