{ I hunt for you with bloodied feet: part II }
I hunt for you with bloodied feet
pre-series; doctor, river, doctor/river (dr who)
"I would do anything for you." / "I know."
Be careful of the curse that haunts all young lovers
Starts so tender and sweet and turns them into hunters
- 'Howl' by Florence and the Machine
“I would do anything for you, River.”
“I know.”
*
River heals, but there are days she retreats into one of the tardis’ many rooms and stays for hours. The doctor follows her once, and hides behind one of the bookshelves. He watches as she curls into a chair, a book on her lap, but she doesn’t read. Instead, she merely sits, unmoving, her eyes fixed on a point ahead though her eyes glaze and he knows she has taken herself somewhere else.
The tardis lurches and River leaps to her feet, instantly alert, her body poised for defense.
Finding no danger, she sits back down and the doctor leans against the shelves, wondering what had happened before he had found her on the street.
Much of him doesn’t want to know the answer.
*
She has a ruthless streak (of that he had never been in any doubt) but it comes into sharp relief when he takes her to New New York and she shoots a Adramaleck at point blank range.
He doesn’t reprimand her (he knows that would be a futile effort) though he does pose the question ‘why?’
Her answer is simple.
“I didn’t like how he looked at me.”
He nods, then sees the Adramaleck’s mate, hidden in the shadows, ready to pounce.
He doesn’t think as he takes the gun she has strapped to her thigh and points it at the creature. The thrill that runs through his veins when it falls to the ground, bleeding onto the pavement, is unexpected, though one he would like to feel again.
It is the beginning of a downward spiral.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?”
He flinches at River’s voice, soft and seductive in his ear, but doesn’t pull away.
“It’s all right,” she continues, her breath hot and quick against his skin, “there is nothing to be ashamed of.”
She places her hand flat against his chest and any guilt he might have felt disappears in an instant.
*
It is she who makes the first move, almost a full year after he had found her in the street. She appears in his bedroom, clad only in a bathrobe and he sits upright, suddenly afraid. River keeps moving forward, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, until she stands before him.
“River-” he begins, getting quickly to his feet. “Please-”
She silences him without words and her fingers twist themselves in the tale of his shirt as she moves nearer to him. The doctor opens his mouth, to protest, but words die in his throat. She’s pleading with him, but her lips aren’t moving and he’s exhausted his resolve so his mouth crashes against her own. Cliches such as ‘fireworks’ and ‘explosions’ come to mind, but pale in comparison to this, whatever this was. River’s unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it over his shoulders, and he shivers when the cool air comes in contact with warm skin. He breaks their kiss, dropping his lips to her neck, and she arches away as he unties the sash of the bathrobe, white silk falling in a puddle on the ground.
“Please,” she whispers, her breath hot and quick against his skin.
He says nothing, instead reaching around and resting his hands on her hips.
*
He takes her to Canaan, a place which exudes serenity and peace, and isn’t entirely surprised when she appears bored, her eyes lingering only briefly on the breath-taking scenery.
“Not enough for you?” he asks, only half-joking.
She shakes her head as he pulls her close, her hair tickling his chin.
“Not nearly enough.”
*
Peklo proves to be more to her taste and the doctor watches, enthralled, as she hides behind a wall, counting her every breath before she leaps out and to the ground, rolling some six feet until she is behind a Chimera and able to fasten a collar around its neck.
“They don’t make good pets,” he says drily, folding his arms across his chest.
“No,” she agrees, hoisting the Chimera upright, “but they fetch a fortune on the black market.”
He can’t help but grin.
*
They continue like this, her taking what she wants, him standing guard, and one night as he leans against one elbow, simply watching her sleep, he wonders how long this can go on.
“Do you ever stop thinking?” she mutters, threading her fingers through his.
“I’m sorry?”
She tightens her grip, fingernails digging into his skin, and he lets out a hiss of pain. Scowling, he pulls her backward until her back rests flush against his chest and wraps his arms around her, hard.
In one sharp movement he finds himself on his back, River's hand tight around his throat.
Pleasure on the brink of pain.
And he loves it.
--
part I / part III
pre-series; doctor, river, doctor/river (dr who)
"I would do anything for you." / "I know."
Be careful of the curse that haunts all young lovers
Starts so tender and sweet and turns them into hunters
- 'Howl' by Florence and the Machine
“I would do anything for you, River.”
“I know.”
*
River heals, but there are days she retreats into one of the tardis’ many rooms and stays for hours. The doctor follows her once, and hides behind one of the bookshelves. He watches as she curls into a chair, a book on her lap, but she doesn’t read. Instead, she merely sits, unmoving, her eyes fixed on a point ahead though her eyes glaze and he knows she has taken herself somewhere else.
The tardis lurches and River leaps to her feet, instantly alert, her body poised for defense.
Finding no danger, she sits back down and the doctor leans against the shelves, wondering what had happened before he had found her on the street.
Much of him doesn’t want to know the answer.
*
She has a ruthless streak (of that he had never been in any doubt) but it comes into sharp relief when he takes her to New New York and she shoots a Adramaleck at point blank range.
He doesn’t reprimand her (he knows that would be a futile effort) though he does pose the question ‘why?’
Her answer is simple.
“I didn’t like how he looked at me.”
He nods, then sees the Adramaleck’s mate, hidden in the shadows, ready to pounce.
He doesn’t think as he takes the gun she has strapped to her thigh and points it at the creature. The thrill that runs through his veins when it falls to the ground, bleeding onto the pavement, is unexpected, though one he would like to feel again.
It is the beginning of a downward spiral.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?”
He flinches at River’s voice, soft and seductive in his ear, but doesn’t pull away.
“It’s all right,” she continues, her breath hot and quick against his skin, “there is nothing to be ashamed of.”
She places her hand flat against his chest and any guilt he might have felt disappears in an instant.
*
It is she who makes the first move, almost a full year after he had found her in the street. She appears in his bedroom, clad only in a bathrobe and he sits upright, suddenly afraid. River keeps moving forward, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, until she stands before him.
“River-” he begins, getting quickly to his feet. “Please-”
She silences him without words and her fingers twist themselves in the tale of his shirt as she moves nearer to him. The doctor opens his mouth, to protest, but words die in his throat. She’s pleading with him, but her lips aren’t moving and he’s exhausted his resolve so his mouth crashes against her own. Cliches such as ‘fireworks’ and ‘explosions’ come to mind, but pale in comparison to this, whatever this was. River’s unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it over his shoulders, and he shivers when the cool air comes in contact with warm skin. He breaks their kiss, dropping his lips to her neck, and she arches away as he unties the sash of the bathrobe, white silk falling in a puddle on the ground.
“Please,” she whispers, her breath hot and quick against his skin.
He says nothing, instead reaching around and resting his hands on her hips.
*
He takes her to Canaan, a place which exudes serenity and peace, and isn’t entirely surprised when she appears bored, her eyes lingering only briefly on the breath-taking scenery.
“Not enough for you?” he asks, only half-joking.
She shakes her head as he pulls her close, her hair tickling his chin.
“Not nearly enough.”
*
Peklo proves to be more to her taste and the doctor watches, enthralled, as she hides behind a wall, counting her every breath before she leaps out and to the ground, rolling some six feet until she is behind a Chimera and able to fasten a collar around its neck.
“They don’t make good pets,” he says drily, folding his arms across his chest.
“No,” she agrees, hoisting the Chimera upright, “but they fetch a fortune on the black market.”
He can’t help but grin.
*
They continue like this, her taking what she wants, him standing guard, and one night as he leans against one elbow, simply watching her sleep, he wonders how long this can go on.
“Do you ever stop thinking?” she mutters, threading her fingers through his.
“I’m sorry?”
She tightens her grip, fingernails digging into his skin, and he lets out a hiss of pain. Scowling, he pulls her backward until her back rests flush against his chest and wraps his arms around her, hard.
In one sharp movement he finds himself on his back, River's hand tight around his throat.
Pleasure on the brink of pain.
And he loves it.
--
part I / part III