Fic: Christmas in George Square (Peri/Erimem, PG)
My contribution to the Rare Ships Month over on who_otp :o)
Title: Christmas in George Square
Rating: PG
Timeline: Between The Axis of Insanity and Roof of the World
Spoilers: None
Words: ~950
Characters/Pairing: Peri/Erimem, Five
Summary: During a seemingly quiet visit to Scotland, Peri takes the opportunity to introduce Erimem to a new experience.
Beta: Many thanks to agapi42 and sellars88 for their help.
"These lights are very beautiful," Erimem said softly, staring up at the blanket of artificial stars spanning the walkway. Peri had to agree; the lights overhead, combined with the dazzling display of other Christmas decorations in the streets around them, were quite impressive.
As they came out into a busy open square, full of tourists, shoppers, families, small fairground rides, fast food stalls and tacky souvenir booths, Erimem gasped in amazement. Her reactions to everything so far had made Peri smile almost constantly. It was the first time Erimem had ever seen snow, Christmas lights, or even a celebration of Christmas itself, and her childlike wonder was a joy to observe.
Now they crossed the square, squeezing through the crowds hand-in-hand until they reached the edge of the ice rink. Peri watched with a grin as Erimem simply stared at the expanse of blue-white ice and the dozens of people gliding around on it.
"That is amazing!" she said, turning to Peri, that adorable look of surprise and delight still on her face. "How do they do that?"
"It's simple," Peri said with a laugh. "I can teach you if you want."
Erimem was like a newborn foal on the ice. One hand gripping the side of the rink and the other holding tightly to Peri, she wobbled slowly along, beaming all the way. Her gloves impeded her grip a little, but she refused to take them off and expose her fingers to the cold.
Peri eventually managed to coax her away from the edge, holding both her hands firmly and going as slowly as she could. Erimem still wobbled with every step, and squeaked a little as young boys sped past, laughing, but Peri kept up a litany of encouragment, and the delight in Erimem's eyes at this new experience did not fade.
Peri found it easiest, for the moment, to just turn in slow circles with Erimem, directing her blades to the right angles and spinning them around in gentle revolutions in the middle of the ice. This way they could face each other and talk more easily.
"Having fun?"
Erimem nodded enthusiastically, keeping a wary eye on the skaters who passed near them. "It is brilliant, Peri! I wish we had time for you to teach me how to skate properly."
Peri grinned, an idea slowly forming in her mind that involved the TARDIS swimming pool and the ship's store of liquid nitrogen. "Leave it with me, I'll see what I can do."
Sensing the mischievous tone to Peri's thoughts, Erimem grinned back, but as someone whizzed past a little too close to them, she wobbled violently and her blades slipped. Peri, still holding onto her hands, pulled her back up quickly and wrapped an arm around her to stop her falling.
They both laughed as Erimem regained her footing, and their breath clouded in the air between their faces. Holding the younger girl securely to her with one arm, Peri reached up and brushed some of Erimem's hair out of her eyes. The small, intimate smile she received nearly interfered with her own balance, and she was suddenly aware of how close they were, and how quickly and shallowly the other girl's chest rose and fell. Erimem's eyes never left hers, and she made no move to disentangle herself.
"Peri?" she breathed, and it wasn't so much questioning as prompting. The dark eyes moved slightly closer, and as they blurred together, Peri tried to decide whether closing her own eyes was presumptuous or not.
"Peri! Erimem!"
Peri pulled away from Erimem with a start as the Doctor's shout carried across the hubbub of the crowd. The sudden movement caused Erimem to lose her balance again, and she slipped to her backside on the ice, pulling Peri part of the way down with her by a hastily grabbed hand. After a moment of mild shock, she laughed loudly and scrabbled around a little to get back on her feet. Peri joined in the laughter, awkwardly pulling Erimem up while trying not to fall herself.
Their giggles lasted until they reached the exit gate, Peri's at least partially fueled by the butterflies now panicking in her stomach. The Doctor was waiting impatiently, beige and out-of-place in the middle of a crowd of scarves and gloves and thick coats, and even sounding out-of-place amid the strong accents surrounding them.
"What is it, Doctor?" Erimem asked as they pulled off their skates and hurriedly swapped them for their shoes, stripping off their gloves in order to be able to tie the laces. Her dark skin was flushed slightly, and Peri hoped she wasn't blushing as much as it felt like she was.
"Klepton invasion in Queen St Station," the Doctor replied concisely, before turning and hurrying away through the crowd, motioning for them to follow. "Come on!"
Peri rolled her eyes at Erimem, who grinned back and took her hand. Finding that the smile crossing her face was unwilling to leave anytime soon, Peri turned and began to follow after the Doctor, pulling Erimem by the hand. After a few steps, however, she was pulled back by that hand and spun round, almost colliding with the other girl.
Before she could even get a word out, Erimem pressed a warm kiss to her lips, one ungloved hand on the side of her neck and the other still holding hers tightly.
When Erimem released her, she blinked for a few moments, knowing a silly smile was on her face but too surprised to do anything about it. Erimem giggled at her, pulled her gloves back on, then dragged Peri off through the crowd in pursuit of the Doctor.
Title: Christmas in George Square
Rating: PG
Timeline: Between The Axis of Insanity and Roof of the World
Spoilers: None
Words: ~950
Characters/Pairing: Peri/Erimem, Five
Summary: During a seemingly quiet visit to Scotland, Peri takes the opportunity to introduce Erimem to a new experience.
Beta: Many thanks to agapi42 and sellars88 for their help.
"These lights are very beautiful," Erimem said softly, staring up at the blanket of artificial stars spanning the walkway. Peri had to agree; the lights overhead, combined with the dazzling display of other Christmas decorations in the streets around them, were quite impressive.
As they came out into a busy open square, full of tourists, shoppers, families, small fairground rides, fast food stalls and tacky souvenir booths, Erimem gasped in amazement. Her reactions to everything so far had made Peri smile almost constantly. It was the first time Erimem had ever seen snow, Christmas lights, or even a celebration of Christmas itself, and her childlike wonder was a joy to observe.
Now they crossed the square, squeezing through the crowds hand-in-hand until they reached the edge of the ice rink. Peri watched with a grin as Erimem simply stared at the expanse of blue-white ice and the dozens of people gliding around on it.
"That is amazing!" she said, turning to Peri, that adorable look of surprise and delight still on her face. "How do they do that?"
"It's simple," Peri said with a laugh. "I can teach you if you want."
Erimem was like a newborn foal on the ice. One hand gripping the side of the rink and the other holding tightly to Peri, she wobbled slowly along, beaming all the way. Her gloves impeded her grip a little, but she refused to take them off and expose her fingers to the cold.
Peri eventually managed to coax her away from the edge, holding both her hands firmly and going as slowly as she could. Erimem still wobbled with every step, and squeaked a little as young boys sped past, laughing, but Peri kept up a litany of encouragment, and the delight in Erimem's eyes at this new experience did not fade.
Peri found it easiest, for the moment, to just turn in slow circles with Erimem, directing her blades to the right angles and spinning them around in gentle revolutions in the middle of the ice. This way they could face each other and talk more easily.
"Having fun?"
Erimem nodded enthusiastically, keeping a wary eye on the skaters who passed near them. "It is brilliant, Peri! I wish we had time for you to teach me how to skate properly."
Peri grinned, an idea slowly forming in her mind that involved the TARDIS swimming pool and the ship's store of liquid nitrogen. "Leave it with me, I'll see what I can do."
Sensing the mischievous tone to Peri's thoughts, Erimem grinned back, but as someone whizzed past a little too close to them, she wobbled violently and her blades slipped. Peri, still holding onto her hands, pulled her back up quickly and wrapped an arm around her to stop her falling.
They both laughed as Erimem regained her footing, and their breath clouded in the air between their faces. Holding the younger girl securely to her with one arm, Peri reached up and brushed some of Erimem's hair out of her eyes. The small, intimate smile she received nearly interfered with her own balance, and she was suddenly aware of how close they were, and how quickly and shallowly the other girl's chest rose and fell. Erimem's eyes never left hers, and she made no move to disentangle herself.
"Peri?" she breathed, and it wasn't so much questioning as prompting. The dark eyes moved slightly closer, and as they blurred together, Peri tried to decide whether closing her own eyes was presumptuous or not.
"Peri! Erimem!"
Peri pulled away from Erimem with a start as the Doctor's shout carried across the hubbub of the crowd. The sudden movement caused Erimem to lose her balance again, and she slipped to her backside on the ice, pulling Peri part of the way down with her by a hastily grabbed hand. After a moment of mild shock, she laughed loudly and scrabbled around a little to get back on her feet. Peri joined in the laughter, awkwardly pulling Erimem up while trying not to fall herself.
Their giggles lasted until they reached the exit gate, Peri's at least partially fueled by the butterflies now panicking in her stomach. The Doctor was waiting impatiently, beige and out-of-place in the middle of a crowd of scarves and gloves and thick coats, and even sounding out-of-place amid the strong accents surrounding them.
"What is it, Doctor?" Erimem asked as they pulled off their skates and hurriedly swapped them for their shoes, stripping off their gloves in order to be able to tie the laces. Her dark skin was flushed slightly, and Peri hoped she wasn't blushing as much as it felt like she was.
"Klepton invasion in Queen St Station," the Doctor replied concisely, before turning and hurrying away through the crowd, motioning for them to follow. "Come on!"
Peri rolled her eyes at Erimem, who grinned back and took her hand. Finding that the smile crossing her face was unwilling to leave anytime soon, Peri turned and began to follow after the Doctor, pulling Erimem by the hand. After a few steps, however, she was pulled back by that hand and spun round, almost colliding with the other girl.
Before she could even get a word out, Erimem pressed a warm kiss to her lips, one ungloved hand on the side of her neck and the other still holding hers tightly.
When Erimem released her, she blinked for a few moments, knowing a silly smile was on her face but too surprised to do anything about it. Erimem giggled at her, pulled her gloves back on, then dragged Peri off through the crowd in pursuit of the Doctor.