Everyday Fantastic: A Time Lord's Guide to the Slow Path (13/15)
Title: Everyday Fantastic: A Time Lord's Guide to the Slow Path (13/15)
Author: Roxyk630
WARNING: There are S4 spoilers beyond this point.
Character/Pairing: Ten II (10.5, Human!Ten, Blue!Ten)/Rose, Appearances by: Jackie, Jake, Pete, Tony and others
Rating: PG-13 (for sexual situations)
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who nor any of the characters contained within. All rights belong to the BBC. I do inflict humiliation upon my dalek action figures and make them wear silly hats and aprons. So... even more concern than the BBC coming after me... is the Cult of Skaro, an encounter I definitely would not survive.
Betas: otahyoniand
mtemplar_ficfor this chapter. Thank you both! <3 Special thanks to swankkat, who cheered me on through this entire thing!
Summary: The Doctor learning to live day by day on the slow path with Rose.
Author's Notes: The Doctor learns about the complications of dating.
Previous Chapters: Teaspoon, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
CHAPTER 13
“Did I ever tell you that you have finely arched nostrils?”
Rose looks up from her paperwork to find the Doctor grinning from ear to ear. She’s not completely sure what to say about having finely arched nostrils but assumes it’s a compliment, even if it is laughable. His mood has obviously changed from his earlier sulking. His grin fades, and she realizes she’s been staring at him blankly for several seconds when he’s expecting a response.
“What about something more-nevermind. Today a special occasion or something?” Rose mocks playfully.
“Am I doing it wrong? There’s no real wrong way to do this, is there? “ He sighs. “Because I would like to take you out tonight.”
She racks her brain, trying to think of what possible reason she might have missed as to why he would want to take her to dinner. She silently looks back to her calendar, searching for a missed family event, holiday, or birthday. Not that he needs a reason, but they’ve spent the past few weeks doing nothing but watching telly on her mum’s couch and enjoying time with the family. Admittedly, she’d prefer more time alone with him, but it’s nice to finally have more than the minimal amount of interaction with her family where the Doctor is involved. And since the day with her mother and the nightstand, he’s been a bit skittish toward any physical advancement.
“Finely arched nostrils?” She tilts her head in thought. “Definitely not one I’ve heard before. Impressive. What’s the occasion?”
“Do I have to have one?” The question shoots out quickly and defensively.
“No, I just figured- “ she begins, watching his nervousness intently.
“We’ve been here about a month, almost, and I finally signed those papers for Pete. Don’t humans usually commemorate things like anniversaries and reconfiguring their identity?” The way he says it sounds, even to his ears, not only like he’s nervous, but that he’s trying desperately to convince himself. He’s making a commitment; one he made the moment he offered her his heart, but now it’s in writing. He’s resolved to make this work, enjoy his human life, not curse its limitations. Because it has limitations. Many. “I know it’s not Barcelona-the planet, not the city-or Woman Wept or- “
“Doctor?”
“Yes, Rose?”
“I’d love to.” Rose grins as she stands to leave the room and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be ready at seven. Don’t be late.”
He decides the smile she gives him is better than previous smiles, because even with all the things he’s shown her in the other universe, she’s never smiled at him quite like that. It makes him want to hop out of his skin and kiss her breathless all at the same time. He decides not to point out that they’ll be getting ready for their evening out in the same room.
That’s when it hits him. He has no clue where to go in this universe for a date. No idea where to take Rose that isn’t the chip shop they stopped at in Norway. He’s not sure he can count on locations and places being exactly the same as the other universe. He cringes, knowing exactly who to call but wanting to avoid it at all costs. Jackie.
Luckily he finds Jake as he leaves Rose’s now empty desk area.
“How did it go, then?” Jake asks in his familiar lilt.
“Good. Supper at seven. Know any good places? Nice, not takeaway.”
“Sorry, mate.” Jake shakes his head. “Haven’t had time to go out with all this bloody field work. Love it, but I’m gonna bullock Mickey if he ever does pop back in. Left me with all his bloody paperwork. Goodbye, my arse. Could at least finish up doin’ the shite he had left in this universe before findin’ a new one. Bloody bastard.” Jake smiles, hiding any sadness behind his gruff humor.
“I take it you miss him? Call it a hunch.” That must have come from Donna, the sensitivity to human emotions-or rather, not the sensitivity but the open response to it.
“Saved the world with a van once, wha’s to miss? Anyway, paperwork.” With a gesture to the papers in his hand and roll of his eyes, Jake mutters about Mickey as he goes.
The Doctor got the idea from Rose and Jake that he and Mickey had been rather close. Not in the same manner that Rickey and Jake had been. Rose said they were friends but were both looking for different things in each other. Jake wanted Rickey. Mickey wanted a friend. They were friends, good friends, but never what either of them wanted in the end, a similar fate to Rose and Mickey. Neither Rose nor the Doctor know what really happened between the two, but the Doctor hopes Mickey misses a bit of what he left behind, and not the paperwork.
In the hunt for an appropriate date night venue, the Doctor refers to co-workers, most of which use either the pizza or curry courier down the road or just pop out to the fish and chip shop around the corner. None really participate in fine dining, no time. Online reviews prove to be too scattered, with both positive and negative reviews. He wants someplace a bit posh, a proper date, not just chips after watching the world die.
He’s staring at the phone, reasoning with it, thinking of every possible worst case scenario his imagination can devise for this evening while trying to keep from phoning Jackie for help. He covers everything from the restaurant blowing up, to being forced to replant the entirety of the hedge that lines the front garden of the Tyler home.
Maybe, just looking at the restaurants on one of the main streets would be best. He always did enjoy taking things as they came along. However, posh generally means nice clothing; nice clothing means horribly impractical shoes for women. Impractical shoes factors out walking, unless he wants to carry Rose back to the jeep at the end of the night. He pauses at the thought. It sounds like a fantastic idea, but he’s not had to carry her in this body yet. He’s not completely sure he could.
His eyes move to the coral sitting on the edge of his desk. If this were the other universe, if he still had his TARDIS, he knows exactly where he’d take her, impractical shoes be damned. Granted, he knows that with universe wide dates it’s highly possible they’d get into danger for using the wrong fork and end up running from strange alien customs. It’s just as likely they would end up saving the day and a patron or two from an errant flying piece of escargot, or even a planet inhabited by snails.
Best to stick with his current situation then, limited to Earth restaurants, though escargot may still be part of the adventure. With a heavy sigh and a bit of a grumble, he picks up the phone and dials Jackie.
“See you at seven, then?” The Doctor grins before leaving the jeep. She barely has time to shift the car out of gear and set the handbrake before he’s out the door and trotting up to the house, disappearing inside.
“Yep, seven.” She manages to get out after seeing the front door close. Tossing her annoyingly practical handbag over her shoulder and blowing a piece of hair out of her face, Rose trudges up to the doorway, only to meet her mum on the other side of the door.
“Mum?” Rose looks at her curiously as Jackie hangs, Doctor’s coat up in the hall closet. “-What the hell is going on? I’d wonder if you’d been replaced with a clone but I think I know better at this point.”
“Oh for- “ Jackie looks at Rose rather sternly before slamming the hanger onto the rack and shutting the door with a bang. “Don’t you have a date to get ready for tonight?”
Rose rolls her eyes as she makes her way to the stairs.
“Dress smart!” Jackie adds to Rose’s retreating form.
“Doctor? Do you know why…” Rose pauses as she opens the door to find no one in their room, nor any trace that the Doctor’s even been there since this morning. “Why mum’s acting so strange?” She finishes the sentence slowly as she observes their room and the en-suite. Not only does it look like he’s not been there, half of his things are missing. She smiles when she notices his new hair gel and comb are gone as well.
Rose is ready at exactly five to seven; the Doctor doesn’t arrive till seven minutes after seven, announcing his presence with a slight tap on the door she’d left open.
She’s surprised to see him in a dress shirt, its collar open, a pair of slim-fitting trousers, and a jacket they’d picked up from their initial shopping adventure. He tends to dress more formally for work and daily life, generally preferring his suits, the blue still his favorite. She’s not surprised, however, that he’s wearing the same outfit he’d suggested was sexy. It is sexy. Her face flushes.
“New hairstyle. S’nice.” She grins, noticing his slight faux hawk.
“Nah, done this before. You, Rose, look stunning. Been awhile since I’ve seen you in a dress. It’s nice. Red lipstick as well…” He trails off as he observes the rest of her attire.
She blushes as she looks down at the dress she’s wearing. Her mum said to dress smart, but she hadn’t been told where they were going, so she’d put on one of the few cocktail dresses she had in her closet, bright red with a rather low cut top and a semi-flounce skirt that came to mid-calf. Her mum had loved it, expressing her jealousy that Rose could wear both warm and cool colors so beautifully. Jackie purchased it on the spot and Rose wore it to one of the few Vitex functions she’d actually attended. It had been in her closet ever since.
“Thanks. You look quite foxy yourself.” She smiles gently.
“I do, don’t I?” With a wink, he takes her hand and with a light tug, pulls her down the hallway.
“Still have the ego as well, then,” Rose adds with sarcasm.
“You found everything!” Jackie beams when she comes out of the kitchen, stopping them at the door as they’re putting on their coats. “I’m surprised… the velvet jacket isn’t as bad as all that. Looked bloody awful on the hanger.”
“Yes, thank you.” His response is curt as he helps Rose with her coat. When Jackie walks towards him. “Your mum helped me out a bit-well-a lot, actually.” He whispers the last part to Rose.
“I thought this was a little too well planned for you!” Rose manages to sneak a word in between the Doctor and her mother.
“Don’t you both look smart? The reservation is under Tyler.” Jackie grins.
“Jackie, We’re not-“
“What? Married? ‘Course not! Not yet.” Jackie gives him a gentle laugh. “Still part of the family. ‘Sides, it’s easier.”
Pete bustles in the room, chasing after Tony. He waves in greeting to the Doctor and Rose before he finally catches up and grabs the young boy around the waist, tickling at his sides and retreating back into the lounge.
“Pete and I go all the time. It’s a lovely little spot. Went there the night Tony was conceived,” Jackie continues.
“That was significantly more than I needed to know. I’d say that’s our cue, Rose.”
His hand leaves her waist and extends to his side. She smirks for a moment as he wiggles his fingers before she takes it.
Rose is amazed when they stop at a small thatched roof cottage. It stands off to the side of a larger cottage in a nearby town, less than twenty minutes away from her home. It’s a short distance outside of London, as is the Tyler estate, but within driving distance of a train station into the city.
She’s never even heard of the place nor has her mother ever mentioned it. Instead of small, intimate dinners with Pete, she tends to talk about the airs and graces at the large Vitex functions. How she finds them altogether interesting but exhausting. Instead of the larger galas of her predecessor, this Jackie Tyler is known for her small, intimate gatherings. She can throw a party with the best of them, but it’s the friendly conversations that have the investors interested in Jackie Tyler and her “down to earth” nature. So when Rose was asked out on a date, her mother as the hidden advisor, she’d expected-she didn’t really know what to expect. Some posh restaurant in the city, intimate and dark, with tiny portions and a few details of it in the paper the following day, not this.
“Mum told you about this place?” Rose asks, looking about as the Doctor helps her from the jeep.
“Yeah. All right?”
She takes his arm with a grin, walking the short distance to the door, which he opens. If she thought it was perfect before, the inside is splendid. It’s small and intimate, formal but not too formal. She loves it and instantly understands Jackie’s reason in recommending it. It’s the type of place for a formal dinner with a formal setting, but not always for formal people. Quiet enough that they won’t be bothered beyond the occasional bit of service. In fact, during the day, she could see it with a much more casual atmosphere. Gorgeous. Simple.
“’S perfect,” she replies softly before clutching his arm again. “You know this everyday thing with you?”
Her hand slides into his when he straightens his arms. His eyes meet hers, and she squeezes his hand lightly.
“I love it.”
He blushes. He’s not sure how he feels about this human blushing. He doesn’t remember his previous biology allowing for such things, doesn’t recall the need. While staring at Rose, red-faced, he realizes that maybe blushing is part of being human. Part of his transition. He’s still not sure how he feels about it. It’s a bit blatant.
“Doctor and Rose Tyler?”
Their eyes both turn to the host. They must look surprised because he gives a small chuckle before escorting them to their table.
“I’m Barnaby. Pete and Jackie told us you’d be joining us for the evening. I see you wore the jacket, as well!”
The Doctor gives the older man an aghast look before turning his eyes back to Rose. She can’t help but laugh.
They arrive at their table before he has the chance to reply. It’s in a corner area of the restaurant almost sectioned off from where they entered. Small, intimate, and candle-lit, it’s definitely everything she never expected. Barnaby seats them with a friendly smile, promising to attend to their every need before disappearing again around the corner.
"What’s wrong with the jacket? Mum sounded-" Rose starts before she’s stopped by his rather loud groan.
"No more with the jacket. She wouldn't drop it! Spent ten minutes trying to tell me what else I could wear and how ‘bloody awful’ this jacket was! ‘Can’t believe Rose let you buy this! I wouldn’t let you leave the flat…’ I quite like this jacket. It accentuates my shoulders. Wonder who else she told about this ‘bleeding jacket’?" he replies in good-natured frustration.
Rose can’t help but laugh at his comical pout and rather accurate imitation of her mum. She places her elbows on the table and leans forward with an indulgent grin.
“I dunno.” Her head tilts and rests on one hand as she reaches forward to stroke his arm. She pauses for a few seconds to pick at a bit of fuzz stuck to the sleeve. “I think it’s quite sexy. Makes me want to touch you…more.” She blurts it out before she realizes what she’s saying.
Her hand pulls away quickly, but he grabs it before she can draw back too far. He leans forward and presses a small kiss to her palm before laying it back on his sleeve with a shuddering breath. “You can, you know.”
“What?” she whispers softly.
“Touch me.”
Author: Roxyk630
WARNING: There are S4 spoilers beyond this point.
Character/Pairing: Ten II (10.5, Human!Ten, Blue!Ten)/Rose, Appearances by: Jackie, Jake, Pete, Tony and others
Rating: PG-13 (for sexual situations)
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who nor any of the characters contained within. All rights belong to the BBC. I do inflict humiliation upon my dalek action figures and make them wear silly hats and aprons. So... even more concern than the BBC coming after me... is the Cult of Skaro, an encounter I definitely would not survive.
Betas: otahyoniand
mtemplar_ficfor this chapter. Thank you both! <3 Special thanks to swankkat, who cheered me on through this entire thing!
Summary: The Doctor learning to live day by day on the slow path with Rose.
Author's Notes: The Doctor learns about the complications of dating.
Previous Chapters: Teaspoon, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
CHAPTER 13
“Did I ever tell you that you have finely arched nostrils?”
Rose looks up from her paperwork to find the Doctor grinning from ear to ear. She’s not completely sure what to say about having finely arched nostrils but assumes it’s a compliment, even if it is laughable. His mood has obviously changed from his earlier sulking. His grin fades, and she realizes she’s been staring at him blankly for several seconds when he’s expecting a response.
“What about something more-nevermind. Today a special occasion or something?” Rose mocks playfully.
“Am I doing it wrong? There’s no real wrong way to do this, is there? “ He sighs. “Because I would like to take you out tonight.”
She racks her brain, trying to think of what possible reason she might have missed as to why he would want to take her to dinner. She silently looks back to her calendar, searching for a missed family event, holiday, or birthday. Not that he needs a reason, but they’ve spent the past few weeks doing nothing but watching telly on her mum’s couch and enjoying time with the family. Admittedly, she’d prefer more time alone with him, but it’s nice to finally have more than the minimal amount of interaction with her family where the Doctor is involved. And since the day with her mother and the nightstand, he’s been a bit skittish toward any physical advancement.
“Finely arched nostrils?” She tilts her head in thought. “Definitely not one I’ve heard before. Impressive. What’s the occasion?”
“Do I have to have one?” The question shoots out quickly and defensively.
“No, I just figured- “ she begins, watching his nervousness intently.
“We’ve been here about a month, almost, and I finally signed those papers for Pete. Don’t humans usually commemorate things like anniversaries and reconfiguring their identity?” The way he says it sounds, even to his ears, not only like he’s nervous, but that he’s trying desperately to convince himself. He’s making a commitment; one he made the moment he offered her his heart, but now it’s in writing. He’s resolved to make this work, enjoy his human life, not curse its limitations. Because it has limitations. Many. “I know it’s not Barcelona-the planet, not the city-or Woman Wept or- “
“Doctor?”
“Yes, Rose?”
“I’d love to.” Rose grins as she stands to leave the room and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be ready at seven. Don’t be late.”
He decides the smile she gives him is better than previous smiles, because even with all the things he’s shown her in the other universe, she’s never smiled at him quite like that. It makes him want to hop out of his skin and kiss her breathless all at the same time. He decides not to point out that they’ll be getting ready for their evening out in the same room.
That’s when it hits him. He has no clue where to go in this universe for a date. No idea where to take Rose that isn’t the chip shop they stopped at in Norway. He’s not sure he can count on locations and places being exactly the same as the other universe. He cringes, knowing exactly who to call but wanting to avoid it at all costs. Jackie.
Luckily he finds Jake as he leaves Rose’s now empty desk area.
“How did it go, then?” Jake asks in his familiar lilt.
“Good. Supper at seven. Know any good places? Nice, not takeaway.”
“Sorry, mate.” Jake shakes his head. “Haven’t had time to go out with all this bloody field work. Love it, but I’m gonna bullock Mickey if he ever does pop back in. Left me with all his bloody paperwork. Goodbye, my arse. Could at least finish up doin’ the shite he had left in this universe before findin’ a new one. Bloody bastard.” Jake smiles, hiding any sadness behind his gruff humor.
“I take it you miss him? Call it a hunch.” That must have come from Donna, the sensitivity to human emotions-or rather, not the sensitivity but the open response to it.
“Saved the world with a van once, wha’s to miss? Anyway, paperwork.” With a gesture to the papers in his hand and roll of his eyes, Jake mutters about Mickey as he goes.
The Doctor got the idea from Rose and Jake that he and Mickey had been rather close. Not in the same manner that Rickey and Jake had been. Rose said they were friends but were both looking for different things in each other. Jake wanted Rickey. Mickey wanted a friend. They were friends, good friends, but never what either of them wanted in the end, a similar fate to Rose and Mickey. Neither Rose nor the Doctor know what really happened between the two, but the Doctor hopes Mickey misses a bit of what he left behind, and not the paperwork.
In the hunt for an appropriate date night venue, the Doctor refers to co-workers, most of which use either the pizza or curry courier down the road or just pop out to the fish and chip shop around the corner. None really participate in fine dining, no time. Online reviews prove to be too scattered, with both positive and negative reviews. He wants someplace a bit posh, a proper date, not just chips after watching the world die.
He’s staring at the phone, reasoning with it, thinking of every possible worst case scenario his imagination can devise for this evening while trying to keep from phoning Jackie for help. He covers everything from the restaurant blowing up, to being forced to replant the entirety of the hedge that lines the front garden of the Tyler home.
Maybe, just looking at the restaurants on one of the main streets would be best. He always did enjoy taking things as they came along. However, posh generally means nice clothing; nice clothing means horribly impractical shoes for women. Impractical shoes factors out walking, unless he wants to carry Rose back to the jeep at the end of the night. He pauses at the thought. It sounds like a fantastic idea, but he’s not had to carry her in this body yet. He’s not completely sure he could.
His eyes move to the coral sitting on the edge of his desk. If this were the other universe, if he still had his TARDIS, he knows exactly where he’d take her, impractical shoes be damned. Granted, he knows that with universe wide dates it’s highly possible they’d get into danger for using the wrong fork and end up running from strange alien customs. It’s just as likely they would end up saving the day and a patron or two from an errant flying piece of escargot, or even a planet inhabited by snails.
Best to stick with his current situation then, limited to Earth restaurants, though escargot may still be part of the adventure. With a heavy sigh and a bit of a grumble, he picks up the phone and dials Jackie.
“See you at seven, then?” The Doctor grins before leaving the jeep. She barely has time to shift the car out of gear and set the handbrake before he’s out the door and trotting up to the house, disappearing inside.
“Yep, seven.” She manages to get out after seeing the front door close. Tossing her annoyingly practical handbag over her shoulder and blowing a piece of hair out of her face, Rose trudges up to the doorway, only to meet her mum on the other side of the door.
“Mum?” Rose looks at her curiously as Jackie hangs, Doctor’s coat up in the hall closet. “-What the hell is going on? I’d wonder if you’d been replaced with a clone but I think I know better at this point.”
“Oh for- “ Jackie looks at Rose rather sternly before slamming the hanger onto the rack and shutting the door with a bang. “Don’t you have a date to get ready for tonight?”
Rose rolls her eyes as she makes her way to the stairs.
“Dress smart!” Jackie adds to Rose’s retreating form.
“Doctor? Do you know why…” Rose pauses as she opens the door to find no one in their room, nor any trace that the Doctor’s even been there since this morning. “Why mum’s acting so strange?” She finishes the sentence slowly as she observes their room and the en-suite. Not only does it look like he’s not been there, half of his things are missing. She smiles when she notices his new hair gel and comb are gone as well.
Rose is ready at exactly five to seven; the Doctor doesn’t arrive till seven minutes after seven, announcing his presence with a slight tap on the door she’d left open.
She’s surprised to see him in a dress shirt, its collar open, a pair of slim-fitting trousers, and a jacket they’d picked up from their initial shopping adventure. He tends to dress more formally for work and daily life, generally preferring his suits, the blue still his favorite. She’s not surprised, however, that he’s wearing the same outfit he’d suggested was sexy. It is sexy. Her face flushes.
“New hairstyle. S’nice.” She grins, noticing his slight faux hawk.
“Nah, done this before. You, Rose, look stunning. Been awhile since I’ve seen you in a dress. It’s nice. Red lipstick as well…” He trails off as he observes the rest of her attire.
She blushes as she looks down at the dress she’s wearing. Her mum said to dress smart, but she hadn’t been told where they were going, so she’d put on one of the few cocktail dresses she had in her closet, bright red with a rather low cut top and a semi-flounce skirt that came to mid-calf. Her mum had loved it, expressing her jealousy that Rose could wear both warm and cool colors so beautifully. Jackie purchased it on the spot and Rose wore it to one of the few Vitex functions she’d actually attended. It had been in her closet ever since.
“Thanks. You look quite foxy yourself.” She smiles gently.
“I do, don’t I?” With a wink, he takes her hand and with a light tug, pulls her down the hallway.
“Still have the ego as well, then,” Rose adds with sarcasm.
“You found everything!” Jackie beams when she comes out of the kitchen, stopping them at the door as they’re putting on their coats. “I’m surprised… the velvet jacket isn’t as bad as all that. Looked bloody awful on the hanger.”
“Yes, thank you.” His response is curt as he helps Rose with her coat. When Jackie walks towards him. “Your mum helped me out a bit-well-a lot, actually.” He whispers the last part to Rose.
“I thought this was a little too well planned for you!” Rose manages to sneak a word in between the Doctor and her mother.
“Don’t you both look smart? The reservation is under Tyler.” Jackie grins.
“Jackie, We’re not-“
“What? Married? ‘Course not! Not yet.” Jackie gives him a gentle laugh. “Still part of the family. ‘Sides, it’s easier.”
Pete bustles in the room, chasing after Tony. He waves in greeting to the Doctor and Rose before he finally catches up and grabs the young boy around the waist, tickling at his sides and retreating back into the lounge.
“Pete and I go all the time. It’s a lovely little spot. Went there the night Tony was conceived,” Jackie continues.
“That was significantly more than I needed to know. I’d say that’s our cue, Rose.”
His hand leaves her waist and extends to his side. She smirks for a moment as he wiggles his fingers before she takes it.
Rose is amazed when they stop at a small thatched roof cottage. It stands off to the side of a larger cottage in a nearby town, less than twenty minutes away from her home. It’s a short distance outside of London, as is the Tyler estate, but within driving distance of a train station into the city.
She’s never even heard of the place nor has her mother ever mentioned it. Instead of small, intimate dinners with Pete, she tends to talk about the airs and graces at the large Vitex functions. How she finds them altogether interesting but exhausting. Instead of the larger galas of her predecessor, this Jackie Tyler is known for her small, intimate gatherings. She can throw a party with the best of them, but it’s the friendly conversations that have the investors interested in Jackie Tyler and her “down to earth” nature. So when Rose was asked out on a date, her mother as the hidden advisor, she’d expected-she didn’t really know what to expect. Some posh restaurant in the city, intimate and dark, with tiny portions and a few details of it in the paper the following day, not this.
“Mum told you about this place?” Rose asks, looking about as the Doctor helps her from the jeep.
“Yeah. All right?”
She takes his arm with a grin, walking the short distance to the door, which he opens. If she thought it was perfect before, the inside is splendid. It’s small and intimate, formal but not too formal. She loves it and instantly understands Jackie’s reason in recommending it. It’s the type of place for a formal dinner with a formal setting, but not always for formal people. Quiet enough that they won’t be bothered beyond the occasional bit of service. In fact, during the day, she could see it with a much more casual atmosphere. Gorgeous. Simple.
“’S perfect,” she replies softly before clutching his arm again. “You know this everyday thing with you?”
Her hand slides into his when he straightens his arms. His eyes meet hers, and she squeezes his hand lightly.
“I love it.”
He blushes. He’s not sure how he feels about this human blushing. He doesn’t remember his previous biology allowing for such things, doesn’t recall the need. While staring at Rose, red-faced, he realizes that maybe blushing is part of being human. Part of his transition. He’s still not sure how he feels about it. It’s a bit blatant.
“Doctor and Rose Tyler?”
Their eyes both turn to the host. They must look surprised because he gives a small chuckle before escorting them to their table.
“I’m Barnaby. Pete and Jackie told us you’d be joining us for the evening. I see you wore the jacket, as well!”
The Doctor gives the older man an aghast look before turning his eyes back to Rose. She can’t help but laugh.
They arrive at their table before he has the chance to reply. It’s in a corner area of the restaurant almost sectioned off from where they entered. Small, intimate, and candle-lit, it’s definitely everything she never expected. Barnaby seats them with a friendly smile, promising to attend to their every need before disappearing again around the corner.
"What’s wrong with the jacket? Mum sounded-" Rose starts before she’s stopped by his rather loud groan.
"No more with the jacket. She wouldn't drop it! Spent ten minutes trying to tell me what else I could wear and how ‘bloody awful’ this jacket was! ‘Can’t believe Rose let you buy this! I wouldn’t let you leave the flat…’ I quite like this jacket. It accentuates my shoulders. Wonder who else she told about this ‘bleeding jacket’?" he replies in good-natured frustration.
Rose can’t help but laugh at his comical pout and rather accurate imitation of her mum. She places her elbows on the table and leans forward with an indulgent grin.
“I dunno.” Her head tilts and rests on one hand as she reaches forward to stroke his arm. She pauses for a few seconds to pick at a bit of fuzz stuck to the sleeve. “I think it’s quite sexy. Makes me want to touch you…more.” She blurts it out before she realizes what she’s saying.
Her hand pulls away quickly, but he grabs it before she can draw back too far. He leans forward and presses a small kiss to her palm before laying it back on his sleeve with a shuddering breath. “You can, you know.”
“What?” she whispers softly.
“Touch me.”