A Lupercalia Thing (1/6)
Title: A Lupercalia Thing (1/6)
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Characters: Rose Tyler; Peter Carlisle
Disclaimer: Characters from Doctor Who and Blackpool are the property of BBC, and are used with the greatest of love and respect. No personal profit is intended from the writing or sharing of this story.
Summary: Peter and Rose celebrate Lupercalia-Pete’s World-style.
Notes: This was written for The Gang of Many Generous People who won my services through a (ridiculously large) winning bid in the April Support Stacie auction. This is one of the stories they won, and the prompt was “Anything involving the substitution of Lupercalia (or, as we've been calling it, Happy Horny Werewolf Days) for Valentine's Day in Pete's World.”
Thank you to
earlgreytea68 and
chicklet73 for their beta. Any and all errors in this tale are mine, and mine alone.
ETA--I'm getting caught up post-vacation, and noted that my account appears to have been paid to January. I'm embarrassed I didn't notice sooner, and want to send a belated THANK YOU to whomever was kind enough to do that. *hugs*
Part I
Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit. ~ Seneca
Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding.
“You’re sure you want to do this?” Rose squeezed his hand, pulling his gaze towards her from where it had been locked, wide-eyed.
Peter paused a beat. “Yes,” he finally answered, giving her a small smile which was no doubt meant to show how sincere he was.
She sighed, shaking her head. “As you wish, then.” She leaned in, placing a quick kiss against his cheek, and led the way into happy crowd.
~ - ~
Just a couple of days before, Peter had been filling out paperwork-piles upon piles of paperwork-in preparation for his starting at the Met in a few weeks' time. It was during the process, while Peter filled in blanks as his soon-to-be-partner patiently waited, that Elias had mentioned the festival being held over the weekend.
“Lupercalia. You do celebrate that up in the hinterlands, don’t you?”
Peter paused, the pen hovering over the page. “I’d be careful of those stones ye’re casting, McCoy-they may yet land near your own house.”
Elias laughed. “I meant Kendal, not the motherland.”
“Kendal might have heard of the holiday as well. Haven’t really had reason to celebrate it for a wee while, mind.”
That gave Elias pause, but only briefly. “Had you thought of perhaps-”
“If you’re going to ask me what plans I have with Rose-”
“Not particulars, Peter, relax.” Elias’s tone was placating, and Peter tossed the pen down.
“Still not quite used to-this.” Peter gestured around them, indicating the walls with sheets of paper hanging crookedly, and the haphazard piles of paper scattered across the desk.
“If you’re going to tell me you’re anal retentive about your papers, too-”
“Nae, y’eedjit. This. Not having to look for the long knives before they plunge into my back. Wondering if the lads are inquiring as to my plans so they can tell the zanzare to be there.”
Elias looked horrified. “They did that? Your co-workers?”
“Not Penny, no, but a few of the others. I might have told them a mistruth a time or two, simply to see if they were behind things.”
“Good God, Peter, no wonder you were such a prick when first we met.”
“Thanks, McCoy.” Peter’s tone was dry as he once again took up his pen and resumed filling in blanks.
Elias was quiet for a moment, then continued with his original point. “The thing is, London has the most remarkable festival for the holiday. You can’t imagine what it’s like. Like…like…a street fair, only without the rides but with more scantily-clad women and candy floss.”
“And you’re suggesting I take Rose to this?”
Elias huffed. “It’s not a den of debauchery. Well, not if you’re there early enough, not that I’d know anything about that.”
Peter couldn’t help but smile at that, as Elias had no doubt known. “And?”
“And, not that I’m suggesting what you do with your fine partner, but I think maybe it would be a fun time.”
“Are you going?”
“We always go, Rue and I.” Elias seemed offended at the suggestion he’d miss the festivities.
“Will I be embarrassed to see you there, Elias?”
“Never! Paragons of virtue, the missus and me.”
Peter arched an eyebrow, holding Elias’s gaze until the other man blushed. Peter cracked a smile, and continued with the paperwork.
It was later, as they were seated at the Costa which was rapidly becoming their de-facto haunt, that Peter picked the conversation back up. “So, this festival. Where is it?”
“Does this mean you’re intrigued enough to go?” Elias asked mischievously, taking a sip of tea.
“Intrigued, yes. Enough to go?” He shrugged. “Depends, I suppose. I’ll certainly not take Rose anywhere she’d rather not be.”
“I wonder if she’s ever been…” Elias mused, setting the teacup down.
“Alone? To what is, effectively, a fertility festival?”
“Some women do!”
Peter gazed evenly at Elias.
“Not Rose, of course, but some women.” Elias hastily picked the tea back up and took a gulp, avoiding meeting Peter’s eye. He swallowed, and upon seeing that Peter wasn’t inclined to speak, tentatively offered, “It’s not just the fertility thing. The papers love to play it up, of course-men running naked through the streets, women stripping off their tops-but the truth is that’s not really the whole festival. Which, no doubt, you’ll learn when you go home tonight and look this thing up.”
Peter sniffed. “What makes you think I’ll be doing that?”
Elias grinned. “Because you’re curious, now.”
Peter wanted to prove him wrong, desperately-but the next morning he found himself flicking through the paper with an eye for information on the forthcoming festival.
“Looking for something?” Rose asked sleepily, her mug of coffee cradled in her hands. He had the morning free, but Rose had to go to work, and so he’d arisen early enough to have breakfast with her.
The idea of researching the festival Elias had mentioned had nothing to do with his being up early. Not at all.
Peter closed the paper, folding it before placing it on the table. “Nae.”
Rose raised her eyebrows. “Really?” Her tone belied her bemusement.
“Elias mentioned the festival this weekend, yesterday. I was curious about it.”
“The Lupercalia festival.”
“Aye, ‘tis the one.”
“The festival celebrating Lupercalia.”
“Yes,” he replied slowly, not sure he liked the amusement now colouring Rose’s voice.
“You are aware that there’s a bit of…rowdiness involved in that.”
“I hardly said I was going, Rose. I’d thought you’d want to do something more…intimate.”
A slow smile crept across Rose’s face. “I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive, Peter.” She set the mug down, and gently tugged the paper towards her. “Who told you about the festival, again?”
“It’s not a state secret, Rose. We’ve got remarkably advanced technology up in Kendal called a ‘telly’, and they broadcast coverage of it every year.”
She looked surprised at his sarcasm; abandoning the paper, she slid a hand across the small table to take his. “I didn’t mean-”
“I know.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I…it’s been so long since I’ve done anything for it; told myself I hated it, in truth, because it made it easier.”
Rose squeezed his hand, her eyes warm. “I’ve never celebrated it, Peter.”
“What, never?”
“Never ever. We…we didn’t have it, back home. And since I’ve been here, well-‘s not like I had anyone to celebrate with, is it?” Her tongue was peeping from the corner of her lips, and she had a small smile.
“You’ve never been to a festival for Lupercalia?”
“Well…” She drew the word out, piquing his curiosity.
“On another planet,” he guessed.
“No, actually. Got to go to a proper Lupercalia, once. I think I can promise you that anything they’ve got up their sleeve just down the river will be tame, compared to that.” She winked at him.
“That almost sounds like a challenge, Tyler.”
“Would I ever do such a thing, Carlisle?”
“That’s just the sort of thing you’d do to manipulate me into doing something I didn’t want to.” Rose’s smile fell, and he felt immediately like a prat. “I-no, Rose, I didn’t mean…That was meant to be a joke, but the humour fell flat.” He took a deep breath. “I’d love to go; I’d love to go with you. I think…I think it would be a grand time.”
~ - ~
Part II
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Characters: Rose Tyler; Peter Carlisle
Disclaimer: Characters from Doctor Who and Blackpool are the property of BBC, and are used with the greatest of love and respect. No personal profit is intended from the writing or sharing of this story.
Summary: Peter and Rose celebrate Lupercalia-Pete’s World-style.
Notes: This was written for The Gang of Many Generous People who won my services through a (ridiculously large) winning bid in the April Support Stacie auction. This is one of the stories they won, and the prompt was “Anything involving the substitution of Lupercalia (or, as we've been calling it, Happy Horny Werewolf Days) for Valentine's Day in Pete's World.”
Thank you to
earlgreytea68 and
chicklet73 for their beta. Any and all errors in this tale are mine, and mine alone.
ETA--I'm getting caught up post-vacation, and noted that my account appears to have been paid to January. I'm embarrassed I didn't notice sooner, and want to send a belated THANK YOU to whomever was kind enough to do that. *hugs*
Part I
Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit. ~ Seneca
Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding.
“You’re sure you want to do this?” Rose squeezed his hand, pulling his gaze towards her from where it had been locked, wide-eyed.
Peter paused a beat. “Yes,” he finally answered, giving her a small smile which was no doubt meant to show how sincere he was.
She sighed, shaking her head. “As you wish, then.” She leaned in, placing a quick kiss against his cheek, and led the way into happy crowd.
~ - ~
Just a couple of days before, Peter had been filling out paperwork-piles upon piles of paperwork-in preparation for his starting at the Met in a few weeks' time. It was during the process, while Peter filled in blanks as his soon-to-be-partner patiently waited, that Elias had mentioned the festival being held over the weekend.
“Lupercalia. You do celebrate that up in the hinterlands, don’t you?”
Peter paused, the pen hovering over the page. “I’d be careful of those stones ye’re casting, McCoy-they may yet land near your own house.”
Elias laughed. “I meant Kendal, not the motherland.”
“Kendal might have heard of the holiday as well. Haven’t really had reason to celebrate it for a wee while, mind.”
That gave Elias pause, but only briefly. “Had you thought of perhaps-”
“If you’re going to ask me what plans I have with Rose-”
“Not particulars, Peter, relax.” Elias’s tone was placating, and Peter tossed the pen down.
“Still not quite used to-this.” Peter gestured around them, indicating the walls with sheets of paper hanging crookedly, and the haphazard piles of paper scattered across the desk.
“If you’re going to tell me you’re anal retentive about your papers, too-”
“Nae, y’eedjit. This. Not having to look for the long knives before they plunge into my back. Wondering if the lads are inquiring as to my plans so they can tell the zanzare to be there.”
Elias looked horrified. “They did that? Your co-workers?”
“Not Penny, no, but a few of the others. I might have told them a mistruth a time or two, simply to see if they were behind things.”
“Good God, Peter, no wonder you were such a prick when first we met.”
“Thanks, McCoy.” Peter’s tone was dry as he once again took up his pen and resumed filling in blanks.
Elias was quiet for a moment, then continued with his original point. “The thing is, London has the most remarkable festival for the holiday. You can’t imagine what it’s like. Like…like…a street fair, only without the rides but with more scantily-clad women and candy floss.”
“And you’re suggesting I take Rose to this?”
Elias huffed. “It’s not a den of debauchery. Well, not if you’re there early enough, not that I’d know anything about that.”
Peter couldn’t help but smile at that, as Elias had no doubt known. “And?”
“And, not that I’m suggesting what you do with your fine partner, but I think maybe it would be a fun time.”
“Are you going?”
“We always go, Rue and I.” Elias seemed offended at the suggestion he’d miss the festivities.
“Will I be embarrassed to see you there, Elias?”
“Never! Paragons of virtue, the missus and me.”
Peter arched an eyebrow, holding Elias’s gaze until the other man blushed. Peter cracked a smile, and continued with the paperwork.
It was later, as they were seated at the Costa which was rapidly becoming their de-facto haunt, that Peter picked the conversation back up. “So, this festival. Where is it?”
“Does this mean you’re intrigued enough to go?” Elias asked mischievously, taking a sip of tea.
“Intrigued, yes. Enough to go?” He shrugged. “Depends, I suppose. I’ll certainly not take Rose anywhere she’d rather not be.”
“I wonder if she’s ever been…” Elias mused, setting the teacup down.
“Alone? To what is, effectively, a fertility festival?”
“Some women do!”
Peter gazed evenly at Elias.
“Not Rose, of course, but some women.” Elias hastily picked the tea back up and took a gulp, avoiding meeting Peter’s eye. He swallowed, and upon seeing that Peter wasn’t inclined to speak, tentatively offered, “It’s not just the fertility thing. The papers love to play it up, of course-men running naked through the streets, women stripping off their tops-but the truth is that’s not really the whole festival. Which, no doubt, you’ll learn when you go home tonight and look this thing up.”
Peter sniffed. “What makes you think I’ll be doing that?”
Elias grinned. “Because you’re curious, now.”
Peter wanted to prove him wrong, desperately-but the next morning he found himself flicking through the paper with an eye for information on the forthcoming festival.
“Looking for something?” Rose asked sleepily, her mug of coffee cradled in her hands. He had the morning free, but Rose had to go to work, and so he’d arisen early enough to have breakfast with her.
The idea of researching the festival Elias had mentioned had nothing to do with his being up early. Not at all.
Peter closed the paper, folding it before placing it on the table. “Nae.”
Rose raised her eyebrows. “Really?” Her tone belied her bemusement.
“Elias mentioned the festival this weekend, yesterday. I was curious about it.”
“The Lupercalia festival.”
“Aye, ‘tis the one.”
“The festival celebrating Lupercalia.”
“Yes,” he replied slowly, not sure he liked the amusement now colouring Rose’s voice.
“You are aware that there’s a bit of…rowdiness involved in that.”
“I hardly said I was going, Rose. I’d thought you’d want to do something more…intimate.”
A slow smile crept across Rose’s face. “I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive, Peter.” She set the mug down, and gently tugged the paper towards her. “Who told you about the festival, again?”
“It’s not a state secret, Rose. We’ve got remarkably advanced technology up in Kendal called a ‘telly’, and they broadcast coverage of it every year.”
She looked surprised at his sarcasm; abandoning the paper, she slid a hand across the small table to take his. “I didn’t mean-”
“I know.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I…it’s been so long since I’ve done anything for it; told myself I hated it, in truth, because it made it easier.”
Rose squeezed his hand, her eyes warm. “I’ve never celebrated it, Peter.”
“What, never?”
“Never ever. We…we didn’t have it, back home. And since I’ve been here, well-‘s not like I had anyone to celebrate with, is it?” Her tongue was peeping from the corner of her lips, and she had a small smile.
“You’ve never been to a festival for Lupercalia?”
“Well…” She drew the word out, piquing his curiosity.
“On another planet,” he guessed.
“No, actually. Got to go to a proper Lupercalia, once. I think I can promise you that anything they’ve got up their sleeve just down the river will be tame, compared to that.” She winked at him.
“That almost sounds like a challenge, Tyler.”
“Would I ever do such a thing, Carlisle?”
“That’s just the sort of thing you’d do to manipulate me into doing something I didn’t want to.” Rose’s smile fell, and he felt immediately like a prat. “I-no, Rose, I didn’t mean…That was meant to be a joke, but the humour fell flat.” He took a deep breath. “I’d love to go; I’d love to go with you. I think…I think it would be a grand time.”
~ - ~
Part II