(Doctor Who/Heroes) My Professor Is An Alien for wayoffbase
Title: My Professor is an Alien
Author: ibonekoen
Fandoms: Doctor Who/Heroes
Characters: The Tenth Doctor; Peter
Pairings: None
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 3,433
Spoilers: None for either fandom
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Doctor Who and Heroes belong to their respective creators
A/N: Thank you to godiloveslash for being my beta
Summary: Peter's got a crush on his Astronomy professor, but he finds out that the British man isn't all that he seems.
Twenty year old Peter Petrelli let his backpack slip off his shoulder, catching the shoulder strap in his hand and depositing the black bag on the floor. Then he settled into his seat and began pulling the necessary accoutrements for his astronomy class out of his bag. The college sophomore was seated in the front row of the auditorium so that he could be as close to Professor Smith as he could get; he thoroughly enjoyed listening to the man's lectures.
Astronomy wasn't a class that Arthur Petrelli had approved of his youngest son taking, but Peter was grateful that his mother had convinced his father to let him attend. Peter found the Professor's lectures to be fascinating and enjoyed listening to the man's heavy English accent. Professor Smith was also very animated and easily excited, so unlike the other, stuffier professors at the esteemed college. Peter could've easily spent hours listening and watching Professor Smith.
Did Peter have a little bit of a crush on the tall, skinny man who favored blue pinstriped suits, brown overcoats and red Converses? He would deny it -- think of the scandal he'd bring on his family! The prestigious Petrellis begat a homosexual son? Gasp! Horror! -- but the truth was that yes, yes he did. He chose to sit in the front row because it gave him a better view of Smith, who gave a toothy grin that lit up his entire face whenever someone gave him the correct answer to a question. The man's hair was always impeccable, short and spiky, and he wore black square framed glasses which he adjusted quite frequently. To put it simply, he was gorgeous.
Peter was sure that he wasn't the only student to have a crush on Professor Smith, but he had a feeling that Smith noticed him a little more than he did the others. He caught Smith watching him sometimes, and he always called on Peter first whenever he raised his hand to answer a question. It didn't take a genius to see the admiration in Smith's eyes, and it had led to more than one erotic fantasy that played in Peter's mind as he lay in bed. It made concentrating on homework difficult when one was focused on figuring out why thoughts of stripping one's male professor naked and ravishing him had replaced fantasies of plump breasts and toned legs.
It made for a very confusing time in Peter's young life, but it also didn't stop him from attending Professor Smith's class. He sat up a little straighter as the Professor entered the classroom, and he flashed a crooked grin. Paying attention to Smith's class and taking notes was easy; this was Peter's favorite class, after all.
The hour seemed to go by far too quickly, and Peter was dismayed when Smith announced that their time was up. He reluctantly packed up his things, his eyes on the professor. He was the last student out of the class, and he hesitated a moment, glancing at his watch. His next class wasn't for a couple of hours, so he had plenty of time to grab a bite to eat. As he was contemplating this, Professor Smith suddenly rushed out of the classroom, an excited look on his face as he consulted a strange, bright yellow rectangular device in his hand. There were five green lights rapidly blinking on the top edge, and Peter arched a curious eyebrow. He started to speak to the professor, but the Englishman took off in a run before Peter could even open his mouth.
His curiosity getting the best of him, Peter followed the professor, trying to stay far enough back that the other man wouldn't see him. The professor left the science building, making his way across the campus, oblivious to being followed. He was too busy staring at that blinking device in his hand, and the hairs on the back of Peter’s neck rose as he followed Smith into the student union. The first floor was mostly deserted, as the majority of classes were currently in session, and Smith ignored the food court and the lounge area, opting to take the stairs up to higher levels.
Peter, of course, followed, although that feeling that something was wrong escalated the more stairs they climbed. Finally, Smith reached the third floor, which held large conference rooms, another set of public restrooms and, oddly enough, the janitorial staff’s supply closet. Peter could hear thrashing sounds coming from one of the conference rooms, and his worry and unease ratcheted up a notch. He was staring so intently at the doors that he didn’t seem to realize Smith had stopped walking until he bumped right into him.
“Oi, watch where you’re-” Smith abruptly cut off, eyes widening behind his glasses. “Peter? What? What are you doing here?”
Peter audibly gulped and then gave the professor a sheepish grin. “Um, I thought I heard a noise?” he said, looking and feeling awkward. He was pretty sure that Smith wasn’t going to buy that.
It was clear from the disapproving look on Smith’s face that Peter’s assumption was correct, but then the professor flashed that familiar toothy grin and Peter felt something tight in his stomach ease. “Well then, since you’re here, we might as well find out what’s going on in there, eh?” He nodded his head toward the closed double doors leading into the conference room. Then his smile faded a bit and he fixed Peter with a stern, serious glare. “You stay behind me though, alright? Juuuuust in case, it’s a big beasty.”
Peter could only numbly nod, staring at the other man. He was starting to wonder what he’d gotten himself into, and that thought only reaffirmed itself as the professor opened one of the doors and cautiously peered inside. Just over Smith’s shoulder, Peter could see a young female, probably about his age. She was being held still by two males, and one was leaning in toward her. At first, Peter thought that the man was kissing the girl, and his temper flared. It was obvious that the girl was being held against her will, and he wasn’t going to let anybody rape a young woman if he could do something about it.
He started to surge forward, but the professor must have sensed his intent, because he turned and placed a hand against Peter’s chest. “There’s nothing you can do for her, Peter,” he said in a grave, grim tone. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Peter blinked, startled by this attitude, and he frowned, glancing into the room again. He’d heard an unmistakeable slurping sound and was trying to suss out the source. With a start, he realized that there was a thin, pink, tube-like object snaking into the girl’s ear, and his eyes followed it back to the man’s mouth. Peter’s face contorted with disgust and he leaned in, whispering in the professor’s ear. “What is he doing?”
Smith, who had turned back to peer into the room, tensed a bit, seeming as though he didn’t want to answer that question, and then he reluctantly sighed. “He’s a Sansasmagull, they feed by, erm, sucking a person’s brain out through their ear.” He frowned a bit as he heard a noise behind him, and he turned to find his student gone. His frown deepened as he cast a glance around the hall, and he caught sight of the men’s bathroom door slowly swinging closed. Wincing a bit, he ran over to the bathroom, slipping inside. He winced again as he heard retching noises coming from one of the stalls.
“Ah, sorry about that, mate,” he said apologetically. “I always forget that some humans have weak constitutions.” He started to say more when he heard the toilet flush, and a pale-faced Peter stumbled out of the stall. Smith watched the young man make his way over to a sink, where he turned on the cold water faucet and splashed some of the liquid on his face. Then he cupped his hands together, gathered some water and drank it.
“I’ve never- I mean, they- How did you-” There were so many questions tumbling around inside Peter’s head that he didn’t know which one to ask first. He could only stare at the professor’s reflection in the mirror as he continued to rinse out his mouth.
“Well, you see, Peter, I-” Before Smith could say anything more, the device in his hand began to beep. He looked alarmed and then grabbed Peter, hauling him into the nearest stall. The door was latched and he shooed Peter up onto the back of the toilet seconds before exiting to the neighboring stall. He climbed up on the back of the toilet and crouched down, silencing the device in his hand and stowing it in a pocket.
Peter’s heart thumped wildly against his chest as he tried to figure out what was going on here, and then he drew in a breath as he heard the bathroom door open. He heard someone enter and, since there was no one on that floor but Smith, Peter, the strange men and that poor girl, Peter assumed it was one of the men. He just hoped that the man didn’t get the bright idea of searching the stalls. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed as he heard the stall door next to him, the one where Smith was hiding, being pushed open. The next instant, he heard a strange, high-pitched whistling, and the man gave a shrill scream. Peter had no idea what was going on, but he heard the bathroom door slammed closed a moment later, and that odd whistling fell silent a moment after that.
Confused, but grateful that he hadn’t been found, Peter felt his stomach roll again and feared that he was about to be sick. He was just scrambling down off the toilet when the stall door opened and the Professor gave him a grin. “Well, that was close,” he said. His face took on a concerned look and he stepped closer to Peter, adjusting his glasses. “You alright there? You look a bit pale.”
Peter’s eyes widened slightly and he nodded a little, realizing that Smith was well into his personal space, which he normally would’ve enjoyed, but...oh god, his breath probably smelled terrible! He looked embarrassed and tried to turn his head away. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he managed to say weakly, willing himself not to hurl again. That would just make things even more embarrassing.
“Let’s get out of here, shall we?” Smith said, a look of sympathy on his face. “I’ll explain everything in a moment. Hold on a tick.” He reached into the pocket of his overcoat and rummaged about for a moment before pulling out a packet of two saltine crackers wrapped in cellophane. “Ah! Here we go! Knew I’d saved these for a reason.” He handed the crackers to Peter, grinning.
Peter looked sheepish as he took the crackers and opened the little packet, extracting a cracker. “Thanks,” he said, feeling embarrassed as he munched on the cracker. He watched the other man move over to the door and cautiously ease it open, peeking out into the hall. Something clicked in Peter’s mind, and he flashed on a question. “Hey, what was that weird whistling?”
“Oh, that,” Smith said with a gleaming smile as he pulled a strange, sleek, cylindrical object out of an inner pocket in his suit jacket. “Sonic screwdriver. The Sansasmagulls are susceptible to high-pitched noises. It’s irritating for us, but it drives them bonkers.” He flipped the sonic screwdriver up in the air, watched it twirl a couple of times and then caught it, flashing Peter another bright smile as he pocketed it.
Peter’s head was still spinning a bit as he nibbled on the cracker again. “And those guys, those Sansma...”
“Sansasmagulls,” Smith helpfully finished as he opened the door wider and stepped out into the hall. “Who are gone, by the way. Coast’s clear.” He moved toward the conference room and opened the door, frowning a bit. “They took the body with them...”
Peter followed after him, frowning. “They looked human, but you said they eat people’s brains?” He felt a bit queasy again and finished the cracker in his hand.
Smith turned to Peter, seeming to size him up for a moment, and then nodded a bit, as if confirming something to himself. “They aren’t human, Peter. The Sansasmagulls...that isn’t their last name, it’s their species.”
Peter’s eyes widened impossibly larger at that, what little bit of color that had returned to his face draining away again. “So they’re...they’re aliens?” He wasn’t running in terror or screaming, so the professor took that as a good sign.
“That’s right,” the Professor said with a nod. “I’ve been hunting them for weeks. They’d done a very clever job of disguising themselves. My scanner couldn’t even pick them up until a couple of days ago.” He patted his pocket in which he’d slipped the device with the beeping lights.
Pieces began to fit together in Peter’s mind as he remembered that the professor was a new teacher this semester, the old Astronomy professor having retired at the end of the previous semester. He idly wondered if Smith had anything to do with that decision. “You said ‘some humans,’ like you’re not one of us,” he said, tilting his head to the side.
Smith grinned again and nodded a bit. “Nothing gets past you, does it, Peter?” he said. “That’s a story for another time though. We’ve got to stop these Sansasmagulls before they kill off any more students.” He started walking toward the staircase, and Peter quickly followed, frowning as he stuffed the second cracker into his mouth and chewed.
“But you said that they’re feeding on the brains,” he said once he’d swallowed his mouthful and could talk again without being rude. “I mean, it’s admittedly very disgusting, but it’s their food source. How can you stop them from eating it? Wouldn’t they die?”
“That is very astute, Peter,” Smith said with a nod. “However, I suppose you could say that I have a predilection to humans, a certain fondness for them.”
“Oh,” Peter said, frowning slightly. “So...what are you going to do then? They can’t eat human brains, but they need brains to survive.”
“I’ll try to find them another food source,” Smith said. “Humans are just one of their delicacies. Any old lifeform will do though.”
Peter paused a moment, looking troubled. “But...what gives you the right to decide one lifeform is worth saving over another?” he asked quietly. Suddenly, he wasn’t thinking that Professor Smith was so cute after all.
Smith looked taken aback, as if he’d never had anybody question him like that before, and then his face softened. “It’s a long story, Peter,” he said quietly. “Essentially, that’s -- as you Earth dwellers would say -- my job. Humanity’s got a long way to go in this universe, and I won’t see them preyed upon, not if I can stop it.”
“But you’re just trading one species’ deaths for another. How is that ethical?” Peter asked, trying to understand how the Professor, someone he’d looked up to, could even remotely consider such a thing.
Smith frowned, reaching out to touch Peter’s shoulder. “Would you rather they feed on humans?” he asked quietly.
Peter frowned and shook his head. “Well, no, but-”
Smith cut him off, continuing “Would you rather I killed them then?”
Peter hesitated at that and then slowly shook his head. That would be even more unethical. Yes, they terrified him and he wouldn’t want to be the one they fed on, but that didn’t mean that he wanted to see them dead. “Taking a life, any life, especially one that’s just trying to survive, is wrong,” he said quietly.
“Then I have no other choice,” Smith said softly. “I’ll take them somewhere else, far from Earth.”
Peter gave him an intrigued look, one eyebrow lifting. “How?” he asked.
The other man gave him a secretive, mischievous smile. “In my ship, of course. Spaceship. Well, time and space ship.” He looked Peter over, giving him another assessing look. “Normally, I wouldn’t make this offer to just anyone, but you are my best student...would you like to help me capture the Sansasmagulls?”
Peter hesitated, chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment, and then took a step back, shaking his head. “No.”
The professor’s face seemed to fall a bit but then he nodded, straightening up. “Right then. I’d best be off. Much to do, little time to do it.” He gave Peter a bright grin. “Allons-y!”
Peter watched the professor walk away and frowned, wondering if he’d made the right decision. He just didn’t think that he could bear taking part in the capture of the aliens, knowing that Smith intended to unleash them on some other unsuspecting lifeform. He sighed and shouldered his backpack, trudging off to the library. He still had a bit of time before his next class, but he wasn’t in the mood to eat anymore.
******
The Astronomy class had been cancelled for the past three days, and Peter had a sinking feeling that he’d seen the last of Professor Smith. After his final class of the day, he trudged back to his apartment, which was empty; his roommate had traveled back to his home state because of a family emergency, and Peter was grateful for the lack of company. He was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, when he heard a strange whirring noise coming from the living room. Spitting his mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and rinsing his mouth out, he put his toothbrush back in its holder and dashed out of the room.
When he entered the living room, he gasped, eyes widening at the sight of a blue police box blocking the front door into the apartment. “What the hell?” he exclaimed. He drew in a breath when the door opened and out stepped Professor Smith. “Professor Smith? What the- This-” He gaped at the police box, Smith’s words from before clicking in his mind. “Is this your spaceship?”
Smith nodded and grinned. “The TARDIS -- Time and Relative Dimensions in Space,” he said proudly. He pushed open the door a little further and motioned inside the box. “Go on in, have a look.”
Peter hesitated, frowning slightly, and then shook his head. “What about the Sansasmagulls?” he asked, wanting to know exactly what had happened to them.
“I’ve taken care of them,” Smith said quietly. “Found them a different food source that gives them the same nutritional value of brains without actually being brains.”
Peter’s face lit up a little at that, a hopeful look on his face. “Really? That’s great.” He hesitated a moment and then moved forward, peeking into the police box. He blinked as he stared at the cavernous room inside and shot a quizzical look at Smith.
Smith gave Peter a mischievous smirk. “It’s bigger on the inside than the out, yes,” he said with a nod, seeming to know what Peter was thinking. “Would you like to see what she can do?”
“I don’t get it. Who are you? You’re obviously not just an astronomy teacher. You have way too much knowledge about aliens,” Peter said with a shake of his head.
Smith shook his head. “You’re right, I’m not,” he said. “That was just a cover to get me on campus so I could hunt for the Sansasmagulls. My name’s the Doctor. Just the Doctor. As to what I am and how I have all this knowledge...how about I take you for a spin first and I’ll explain everything when we get back?”
Peter hesitated for a long moment, glancing from the professor -- no, the Doctor -- to the interior of the ship and back. Then, his curiosity getting the best of him, he nodded. “Alright, Doctor,” he said as he stepped into the TARDIS. “One quick spin, and then you tell me everything.”
The Doctor grinned as he followed Peter, closing the door behind him. “Alright then, where would you like to go?” he asked, making sure to brush against Peter as he passed the young man.
Peter shivered a little, feeling an electric tingle race through him at the contact. “Anywhere,” he breathed, knowing that he truly meant it, heart and soul.
-END-
Prompt:
college AU
Author: ibonekoen
Fandoms: Doctor Who/Heroes
Characters: The Tenth Doctor; Peter
Pairings: None
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 3,433
Spoilers: None for either fandom
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Doctor Who and Heroes belong to their respective creators
A/N: Thank you to godiloveslash for being my beta
Summary: Peter's got a crush on his Astronomy professor, but he finds out that the British man isn't all that he seems.
Twenty year old Peter Petrelli let his backpack slip off his shoulder, catching the shoulder strap in his hand and depositing the black bag on the floor. Then he settled into his seat and began pulling the necessary accoutrements for his astronomy class out of his bag. The college sophomore was seated in the front row of the auditorium so that he could be as close to Professor Smith as he could get; he thoroughly enjoyed listening to the man's lectures.
Astronomy wasn't a class that Arthur Petrelli had approved of his youngest son taking, but Peter was grateful that his mother had convinced his father to let him attend. Peter found the Professor's lectures to be fascinating and enjoyed listening to the man's heavy English accent. Professor Smith was also very animated and easily excited, so unlike the other, stuffier professors at the esteemed college. Peter could've easily spent hours listening and watching Professor Smith.
Did Peter have a little bit of a crush on the tall, skinny man who favored blue pinstriped suits, brown overcoats and red Converses? He would deny it -- think of the scandal he'd bring on his family! The prestigious Petrellis begat a homosexual son? Gasp! Horror! -- but the truth was that yes, yes he did. He chose to sit in the front row because it gave him a better view of Smith, who gave a toothy grin that lit up his entire face whenever someone gave him the correct answer to a question. The man's hair was always impeccable, short and spiky, and he wore black square framed glasses which he adjusted quite frequently. To put it simply, he was gorgeous.
Peter was sure that he wasn't the only student to have a crush on Professor Smith, but he had a feeling that Smith noticed him a little more than he did the others. He caught Smith watching him sometimes, and he always called on Peter first whenever he raised his hand to answer a question. It didn't take a genius to see the admiration in Smith's eyes, and it had led to more than one erotic fantasy that played in Peter's mind as he lay in bed. It made concentrating on homework difficult when one was focused on figuring out why thoughts of stripping one's male professor naked and ravishing him had replaced fantasies of plump breasts and toned legs.
It made for a very confusing time in Peter's young life, but it also didn't stop him from attending Professor Smith's class. He sat up a little straighter as the Professor entered the classroom, and he flashed a crooked grin. Paying attention to Smith's class and taking notes was easy; this was Peter's favorite class, after all.
The hour seemed to go by far too quickly, and Peter was dismayed when Smith announced that their time was up. He reluctantly packed up his things, his eyes on the professor. He was the last student out of the class, and he hesitated a moment, glancing at his watch. His next class wasn't for a couple of hours, so he had plenty of time to grab a bite to eat. As he was contemplating this, Professor Smith suddenly rushed out of the classroom, an excited look on his face as he consulted a strange, bright yellow rectangular device in his hand. There were five green lights rapidly blinking on the top edge, and Peter arched a curious eyebrow. He started to speak to the professor, but the Englishman took off in a run before Peter could even open his mouth.
His curiosity getting the best of him, Peter followed the professor, trying to stay far enough back that the other man wouldn't see him. The professor left the science building, making his way across the campus, oblivious to being followed. He was too busy staring at that blinking device in his hand, and the hairs on the back of Peter’s neck rose as he followed Smith into the student union. The first floor was mostly deserted, as the majority of classes were currently in session, and Smith ignored the food court and the lounge area, opting to take the stairs up to higher levels.
Peter, of course, followed, although that feeling that something was wrong escalated the more stairs they climbed. Finally, Smith reached the third floor, which held large conference rooms, another set of public restrooms and, oddly enough, the janitorial staff’s supply closet. Peter could hear thrashing sounds coming from one of the conference rooms, and his worry and unease ratcheted up a notch. He was staring so intently at the doors that he didn’t seem to realize Smith had stopped walking until he bumped right into him.
“Oi, watch where you’re-” Smith abruptly cut off, eyes widening behind his glasses. “Peter? What? What are you doing here?”
Peter audibly gulped and then gave the professor a sheepish grin. “Um, I thought I heard a noise?” he said, looking and feeling awkward. He was pretty sure that Smith wasn’t going to buy that.
It was clear from the disapproving look on Smith’s face that Peter’s assumption was correct, but then the professor flashed that familiar toothy grin and Peter felt something tight in his stomach ease. “Well then, since you’re here, we might as well find out what’s going on in there, eh?” He nodded his head toward the closed double doors leading into the conference room. Then his smile faded a bit and he fixed Peter with a stern, serious glare. “You stay behind me though, alright? Juuuuust in case, it’s a big beasty.”
Peter could only numbly nod, staring at the other man. He was starting to wonder what he’d gotten himself into, and that thought only reaffirmed itself as the professor opened one of the doors and cautiously peered inside. Just over Smith’s shoulder, Peter could see a young female, probably about his age. She was being held still by two males, and one was leaning in toward her. At first, Peter thought that the man was kissing the girl, and his temper flared. It was obvious that the girl was being held against her will, and he wasn’t going to let anybody rape a young woman if he could do something about it.
He started to surge forward, but the professor must have sensed his intent, because he turned and placed a hand against Peter’s chest. “There’s nothing you can do for her, Peter,” he said in a grave, grim tone. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Peter blinked, startled by this attitude, and he frowned, glancing into the room again. He’d heard an unmistakeable slurping sound and was trying to suss out the source. With a start, he realized that there was a thin, pink, tube-like object snaking into the girl’s ear, and his eyes followed it back to the man’s mouth. Peter’s face contorted with disgust and he leaned in, whispering in the professor’s ear. “What is he doing?”
Smith, who had turned back to peer into the room, tensed a bit, seeming as though he didn’t want to answer that question, and then he reluctantly sighed. “He’s a Sansasmagull, they feed by, erm, sucking a person’s brain out through their ear.” He frowned a bit as he heard a noise behind him, and he turned to find his student gone. His frown deepened as he cast a glance around the hall, and he caught sight of the men’s bathroom door slowly swinging closed. Wincing a bit, he ran over to the bathroom, slipping inside. He winced again as he heard retching noises coming from one of the stalls.
“Ah, sorry about that, mate,” he said apologetically. “I always forget that some humans have weak constitutions.” He started to say more when he heard the toilet flush, and a pale-faced Peter stumbled out of the stall. Smith watched the young man make his way over to a sink, where he turned on the cold water faucet and splashed some of the liquid on his face. Then he cupped his hands together, gathered some water and drank it.
“I’ve never- I mean, they- How did you-” There were so many questions tumbling around inside Peter’s head that he didn’t know which one to ask first. He could only stare at the professor’s reflection in the mirror as he continued to rinse out his mouth.
“Well, you see, Peter, I-” Before Smith could say anything more, the device in his hand began to beep. He looked alarmed and then grabbed Peter, hauling him into the nearest stall. The door was latched and he shooed Peter up onto the back of the toilet seconds before exiting to the neighboring stall. He climbed up on the back of the toilet and crouched down, silencing the device in his hand and stowing it in a pocket.
Peter’s heart thumped wildly against his chest as he tried to figure out what was going on here, and then he drew in a breath as he heard the bathroom door open. He heard someone enter and, since there was no one on that floor but Smith, Peter, the strange men and that poor girl, Peter assumed it was one of the men. He just hoped that the man didn’t get the bright idea of searching the stalls. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed as he heard the stall door next to him, the one where Smith was hiding, being pushed open. The next instant, he heard a strange, high-pitched whistling, and the man gave a shrill scream. Peter had no idea what was going on, but he heard the bathroom door slammed closed a moment later, and that odd whistling fell silent a moment after that.
Confused, but grateful that he hadn’t been found, Peter felt his stomach roll again and feared that he was about to be sick. He was just scrambling down off the toilet when the stall door opened and the Professor gave him a grin. “Well, that was close,” he said. His face took on a concerned look and he stepped closer to Peter, adjusting his glasses. “You alright there? You look a bit pale.”
Peter’s eyes widened slightly and he nodded a little, realizing that Smith was well into his personal space, which he normally would’ve enjoyed, but...oh god, his breath probably smelled terrible! He looked embarrassed and tried to turn his head away. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he managed to say weakly, willing himself not to hurl again. That would just make things even more embarrassing.
“Let’s get out of here, shall we?” Smith said, a look of sympathy on his face. “I’ll explain everything in a moment. Hold on a tick.” He reached into the pocket of his overcoat and rummaged about for a moment before pulling out a packet of two saltine crackers wrapped in cellophane. “Ah! Here we go! Knew I’d saved these for a reason.” He handed the crackers to Peter, grinning.
Peter looked sheepish as he took the crackers and opened the little packet, extracting a cracker. “Thanks,” he said, feeling embarrassed as he munched on the cracker. He watched the other man move over to the door and cautiously ease it open, peeking out into the hall. Something clicked in Peter’s mind, and he flashed on a question. “Hey, what was that weird whistling?”
“Oh, that,” Smith said with a gleaming smile as he pulled a strange, sleek, cylindrical object out of an inner pocket in his suit jacket. “Sonic screwdriver. The Sansasmagulls are susceptible to high-pitched noises. It’s irritating for us, but it drives them bonkers.” He flipped the sonic screwdriver up in the air, watched it twirl a couple of times and then caught it, flashing Peter another bright smile as he pocketed it.
Peter’s head was still spinning a bit as he nibbled on the cracker again. “And those guys, those Sansma...”
“Sansasmagulls,” Smith helpfully finished as he opened the door wider and stepped out into the hall. “Who are gone, by the way. Coast’s clear.” He moved toward the conference room and opened the door, frowning a bit. “They took the body with them...”
Peter followed after him, frowning. “They looked human, but you said they eat people’s brains?” He felt a bit queasy again and finished the cracker in his hand.
Smith turned to Peter, seeming to size him up for a moment, and then nodded a bit, as if confirming something to himself. “They aren’t human, Peter. The Sansasmagulls...that isn’t their last name, it’s their species.”
Peter’s eyes widened impossibly larger at that, what little bit of color that had returned to his face draining away again. “So they’re...they’re aliens?” He wasn’t running in terror or screaming, so the professor took that as a good sign.
“That’s right,” the Professor said with a nod. “I’ve been hunting them for weeks. They’d done a very clever job of disguising themselves. My scanner couldn’t even pick them up until a couple of days ago.” He patted his pocket in which he’d slipped the device with the beeping lights.
Pieces began to fit together in Peter’s mind as he remembered that the professor was a new teacher this semester, the old Astronomy professor having retired at the end of the previous semester. He idly wondered if Smith had anything to do with that decision. “You said ‘some humans,’ like you’re not one of us,” he said, tilting his head to the side.
Smith grinned again and nodded a bit. “Nothing gets past you, does it, Peter?” he said. “That’s a story for another time though. We’ve got to stop these Sansasmagulls before they kill off any more students.” He started walking toward the staircase, and Peter quickly followed, frowning as he stuffed the second cracker into his mouth and chewed.
“But you said that they’re feeding on the brains,” he said once he’d swallowed his mouthful and could talk again without being rude. “I mean, it’s admittedly very disgusting, but it’s their food source. How can you stop them from eating it? Wouldn’t they die?”
“That is very astute, Peter,” Smith said with a nod. “However, I suppose you could say that I have a predilection to humans, a certain fondness for them.”
“Oh,” Peter said, frowning slightly. “So...what are you going to do then? They can’t eat human brains, but they need brains to survive.”
“I’ll try to find them another food source,” Smith said. “Humans are just one of their delicacies. Any old lifeform will do though.”
Peter paused a moment, looking troubled. “But...what gives you the right to decide one lifeform is worth saving over another?” he asked quietly. Suddenly, he wasn’t thinking that Professor Smith was so cute after all.
Smith looked taken aback, as if he’d never had anybody question him like that before, and then his face softened. “It’s a long story, Peter,” he said quietly. “Essentially, that’s -- as you Earth dwellers would say -- my job. Humanity’s got a long way to go in this universe, and I won’t see them preyed upon, not if I can stop it.”
“But you’re just trading one species’ deaths for another. How is that ethical?” Peter asked, trying to understand how the Professor, someone he’d looked up to, could even remotely consider such a thing.
Smith frowned, reaching out to touch Peter’s shoulder. “Would you rather they feed on humans?” he asked quietly.
Peter frowned and shook his head. “Well, no, but-”
Smith cut him off, continuing “Would you rather I killed them then?”
Peter hesitated at that and then slowly shook his head. That would be even more unethical. Yes, they terrified him and he wouldn’t want to be the one they fed on, but that didn’t mean that he wanted to see them dead. “Taking a life, any life, especially one that’s just trying to survive, is wrong,” he said quietly.
“Then I have no other choice,” Smith said softly. “I’ll take them somewhere else, far from Earth.”
Peter gave him an intrigued look, one eyebrow lifting. “How?” he asked.
The other man gave him a secretive, mischievous smile. “In my ship, of course. Spaceship. Well, time and space ship.” He looked Peter over, giving him another assessing look. “Normally, I wouldn’t make this offer to just anyone, but you are my best student...would you like to help me capture the Sansasmagulls?”
Peter hesitated, chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment, and then took a step back, shaking his head. “No.”
The professor’s face seemed to fall a bit but then he nodded, straightening up. “Right then. I’d best be off. Much to do, little time to do it.” He gave Peter a bright grin. “Allons-y!”
Peter watched the professor walk away and frowned, wondering if he’d made the right decision. He just didn’t think that he could bear taking part in the capture of the aliens, knowing that Smith intended to unleash them on some other unsuspecting lifeform. He sighed and shouldered his backpack, trudging off to the library. He still had a bit of time before his next class, but he wasn’t in the mood to eat anymore.
******
The Astronomy class had been cancelled for the past three days, and Peter had a sinking feeling that he’d seen the last of Professor Smith. After his final class of the day, he trudged back to his apartment, which was empty; his roommate had traveled back to his home state because of a family emergency, and Peter was grateful for the lack of company. He was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, when he heard a strange whirring noise coming from the living room. Spitting his mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and rinsing his mouth out, he put his toothbrush back in its holder and dashed out of the room.
When he entered the living room, he gasped, eyes widening at the sight of a blue police box blocking the front door into the apartment. “What the hell?” he exclaimed. He drew in a breath when the door opened and out stepped Professor Smith. “Professor Smith? What the- This-” He gaped at the police box, Smith’s words from before clicking in his mind. “Is this your spaceship?”
Smith nodded and grinned. “The TARDIS -- Time and Relative Dimensions in Space,” he said proudly. He pushed open the door a little further and motioned inside the box. “Go on in, have a look.”
Peter hesitated, frowning slightly, and then shook his head. “What about the Sansasmagulls?” he asked, wanting to know exactly what had happened to them.
“I’ve taken care of them,” Smith said quietly. “Found them a different food source that gives them the same nutritional value of brains without actually being brains.”
Peter’s face lit up a little at that, a hopeful look on his face. “Really? That’s great.” He hesitated a moment and then moved forward, peeking into the police box. He blinked as he stared at the cavernous room inside and shot a quizzical look at Smith.
Smith gave Peter a mischievous smirk. “It’s bigger on the inside than the out, yes,” he said with a nod, seeming to know what Peter was thinking. “Would you like to see what she can do?”
“I don’t get it. Who are you? You’re obviously not just an astronomy teacher. You have way too much knowledge about aliens,” Peter said with a shake of his head.
Smith shook his head. “You’re right, I’m not,” he said. “That was just a cover to get me on campus so I could hunt for the Sansasmagulls. My name’s the Doctor. Just the Doctor. As to what I am and how I have all this knowledge...how about I take you for a spin first and I’ll explain everything when we get back?”
Peter hesitated for a long moment, glancing from the professor -- no, the Doctor -- to the interior of the ship and back. Then, his curiosity getting the best of him, he nodded. “Alright, Doctor,” he said as he stepped into the TARDIS. “One quick spin, and then you tell me everything.”
The Doctor grinned as he followed Peter, closing the door behind him. “Alright then, where would you like to go?” he asked, making sure to brush against Peter as he passed the young man.
Peter shivered a little, feeling an electric tingle race through him at the contact. “Anywhere,” he breathed, knowing that he truly meant it, heart and soul.
-END-
Prompt:
college AU