Summary:Ā Ā Wandering through a rather busy night market on the boundaries of Gusu after a successful night hunt, Wei Wuxian with his son and nephew chance on a mysterious cultivator who rivals him at talismans. Curious as to the wares she has spread out over her table, he forgets the simple rule - you break it, you buy it. AKA Wei Wuxian gets turned into a child and because it is Wei Wuxian, no one has any idea what to expect.
---
āPretty-gege.ā
SiZhui flushes at the doe eyes shining at him. āA-Ying is prettier,ā he replies without thinking.
āYou know my name?ā
āWe are family.ā
āOhā¦ā the boy scrunches his nose, his expression vaguely apologetic. āBut I donāt know your name.ā
āItās ok. You can call meā¦ā SiZhui pauses for a moment at the sudden lump in his throat. He clears it, his voice rough with emotion. āYou can call me Yuan-gege.ā
My comments:Ā Ā Wherein Wei Wuxian is de-aged (by accidentally bleeding on a powerful talisman) to about 4 years old. He's with the juniors at the time, who freak out, but take care of him. He remembers enough to know that Lan Zhan 'belongs to him', but that's about it. The talisman was intended to repair a very broken soul (mo xuanyu, as it turns out) and they figure that's why wwx regressed to just after his parents died but before the dogs harried him in the streets. The talisman's creator turns out to be Baoshen Sanren, and the newly de-aged wwx gets a piece of her very powerful, immortal core as well as regaining his original body.
He ages quickly, in spurts, and by halfway through the story is about ten. He and lwj have an interesting relationship, as they are still tightly bound soulmates. (The silver and gold of the title refer to the colors of their eyes, but also of their spiritual energies, which mix and mingle and get up to things in a very visual fashion -- like a Vulcan mindmeld-scape. They also broadcast their intense love for each other to bystanders, since wwx can't control his energies; this embarrasses and pains everyone else, lol, but wwx and lwj give no fucks.)
The story covers everyone: Jiang Cheng's strained relationship with wwx and lwj's antipathy towards him; Nie Huaisang's shameless and relentless pursuit of Lan Xichen and friendship with jc; all four juniors, who are pairing off; lan qiren and his poisonous, abusive ways [when 15-yrs wwx sees lwj's scars, cures them and then goes ballistic, woo whee]; Baoshen Sanren's history with and regrets about wwx.... But primary focus is on wangxian and the push-pull as their relationship keeps changing as wwx ages. [He is shameless and extremely horny when puberty hits. There's basically a six-week sleepover of ALL of them at the jingshi to preserve lwj's virtue.]
But everyone fears what will happen when he hits 20. Reliving the excision of his golden core was traumatic enough... What will happen when he relives his death?
post canon, age-regression/de-aging, fix it of sorts, adorable juniors, child wei wuxian, kid fic, curses, telepathic bonding, telepathic affection, a-ying, domestic, fluff, hurt/comfort, family bonding, family feels, cuddling, non-sexual intimacy, literal sleeping together, bamf wei wuxian, pining, kissing, established relationship, powerful wei wuxian, baoshan sanren, talismans, dual cultivation, soulmates, 33 lashes, scars, protective lan wangji, protective wei wuxian, protective juniors, brotherly feels, xisang, golden core, immortal core, parent-child relationship, betrothal, wedding, @beeswaxing
(You may wish to REBLOG as a signal boost for this author if you like ā or think others might like ā this story.)
*This is a repost from Saturday, since it was accidentally concealed under a shadowban.*
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Hi, so Iām writing an original novel and two of the characters have a telepathic marriage bond. Do you have any suggestions as to how to make this healthy and respectful? Or any general suggestions that you might have as to writing telepathic bonds? I greatly appreciate it and admire your work.
Thank you, both for the compliment and for giving me a chance to talk about one of my favourite topics. Before I start, Iām going to link to a post I wrote last year about actual bonding ceremonies. I donāt know if youāre planning to include that or not.
The biggest piece of advice I can give is that their marriage bond can only be as healthy and respectful as their marriage. If one partner manipulates the other and ignores their boundaries, those patterns will spill over into their bond.Ā
My Doctor and Rose have a healthy bond because they have a healthy marriage. They listen to one another, respect each otherās differing opinions and experience, work as partners with both of them taking the lead when appropriate... The Doctor doesnāt use the bond to barge into Roseās painful memories, and she doesnāt force him to tell her things heās not ready to share.Ā
The whole idea of respecting boundaries is why I created the rule that bond mates donāt lie to each other. In my mind, lying to someone youāre connected to telepathically should be pretty much pointless. And if youāre lying to someone even though you knowĀ they will know, thatās hugely disrespectful.Ā
But at the same time, itās important to respect that your partner might not want to share everything right away, so I also gave them a way to indicate to each other that,Ā āYes, youāre right, I am upset. But I donāt want to talk about it right now.ā
And now to my second piece of advice. Figure out exactly how telepathy and telepathic bonds work in your world. Is it just for communication? Communication and empathically sensing each otherās emotions? Or can they actually see each otherās thoughts inside their head?Ā The degree to which telepathy works will guide you as you figure out how your couple can set respectful boundaries.Ā
I chose to make it possibleĀ for bond mates to follow each otherās train of thought, but I made it something that takes a little bit of effort. Outside of not wanting to deal with writing characters who always know every single thought in the other characterās mind, I wanted them to be able to keep fun surprises. How boring would holidays and birthdays be if you always knew exactly what you were getting?Ā
And because it takes effort to pick up on your partnerās every thought, itās possible to mark a thought as private so it isnāt intruded upon. Thereās the built-in boundary.
Thereās one other thing that can affect how respectful your characters are of each other. If the bond is mandatory or a biological compulsion, instead of being a choice, the whole respect angle can be tricky. It sounds like youāre planning for your characters to have a healthy relationship, or you probably wouldnāt be asking how to write their bond to match that.Ā
But. If there were a situation where two people who donāt respect each other are bonded, it could very easily be exploited. Or if they have an inherent, culturally ingrained respect for telepathy but donāt have personal feelings for each other, the bond might be cold and distant. My Doctor and Rose have an intimate bond because they chose it as a way to express their love for each other.
Truly, the most important fact is that their bond will mirror their relationship. If your couple loves each other and respects each other, the bond will show that. They will treat each other telepathically the same way they treat each other outside of their own heads.Ā
But if theyāre constantly trading barbs or tromping on boundaries or selfishly doing what they want without thinking about what the other wants... Then the bond will be another way for them to snap at each other and take advantage of each other and use each other.Ā
Thanks again for asking!
(I think in the end I could have just written the first two paragraphs and the last two... hopefully thereās some helpful stuff in the middle, too.)
Summary:Ā Ā Wandering through a rather busy night market on the boundaries of Gusu after a successful night hunt, Wei Wuxian with his son and nephew chance on a mysterious cultivator who rivals him at talismans. Curious as to the wares she has spread out over her table, he forgets the simple rule - you break it, you buy it. AKA Wei Wuxian gets turned into a child and because it is Wei Wuxian, no one has any idea what to expect.
---
āPretty-gege.ā
SiZhui flushes at the doe eyes shining at him. āA-Ying is prettier,ā he replies without thinking.
āYou know my name?ā
āWe are family.ā
āOhā¦ā the boy scrunches his nose, his expression vaguely apologetic. āBut I donāt know your name.ā
āItās ok. You can call meā¦ā SiZhui pauses for a moment at the sudden lump in his throat. He clears it, his voice rough with emotion. āYou can call me Yuan-gege.ā
My comments:Ā Ā Wherein Wei Wuxian is de-aged (by accidentally bleeding on a powerful talisman) to about 4 years old. He's with the juniors at the time, who freak out, but take care of him. He remembers enough to know that Lan Zhan 'belongs to him', but that's about it. The talisman was intended to repair a very broken soul (mo xuanyu, as it turns out) and they figure that's why wwx regressed to just after his parents died but before the dogs harried him in the streets. The talisman's creator turns out to be Baoshen Sanren, and the newly de-aged wwx gets a piece of her very powerful, immortal core as well as regaining his original body.
He ages quickly, in spurts, and by halfway through the story is about ten. He and lwj have an interesting relationship, as they are still tightly bound soulmates. (The silver and gold of the title refer to the colors of their eyes, but also of their spiritual energies, which mix and mingle and get up to things in a very visual fashion -- like a Vulcan mindmeld-scape. They also broadcast their intense love for each other to bystanders, since wwx can't control his energies; this embarrasses and pains everyone else, lol, but wwx and lwj give no fucks.)
The story covers everyone: Jiang Cheng's strained relationship with wwx and lwj's antipathy towards him; Nie Huaisang's shameless and relentless pursuit of Lan Xichen and friendship with jc; all four juniors, who are pairing off; lan qiren and his poisonous, abusive ways [when 15-yrs wwx sees lwj's scars, cures them and then goes ballistic, woo whee]; Baoshen Sanren's history with and regrets about wwx.... But primary focus is on wangxian and the push-pull as their relationship keeps changing as wwx ages. [He is shameless and extremely horny when puberty hits. There's basically a six-week sleepover of ALL of them at the jingshi to preserve lwj's virtue.]
But everyone fears what will happen when he hits 20. Reliving the excision of his golden core was traumatic enough... What will happen when he relives his death?
post canon, age-regression/de-aging, fix it of sorts, adorable juniors, child wei wuxian, kid fic, curses, telepathic bonding, telepathic affection, a-ying, domestic, fluff, hurt/comfort, family bonding, family feels, cuddling, non-sexual intimacy, literal sleeping together, bamf wei wuxian, pining, kissing, established relationship, powerful wei wuxian, baoshan sanren, talismans, dual cultivation, soulmates, 33 lashes, scars, protective lan wangji, protective wei wuxian, protective juniors, brotherly feels, xisang, golden core, immortal core, parent-child relationship, betrothal, wedding, @beeswaxing
(You may wish to REBLOG as a signal boost for this author if you like ā or think others might like ā this story.)
When Rose is able to connect telepathically with their unborn baby, the Doctor realises she's more telepathic than he thought-which means she might be able to share a telepathic bond.
Part of How Does She Know?Ā Sequel to More Than Words Can Say. Pregnancy fic, post Doomsday fixit.
This is for @doctorroseprompts 31 Days of Ficmas, using the word,Ā ācandy cane.āĀ This is day 2 on my personal 31 Days of Ficmas.
AO3 | FF
Rose rolled over in bed and pressed her lips together to hold back a whimper. Sheād started getting headaches about a week ago, when sheād entered what the Doctor had called the second semester of her pregnancy.
She grimaced; at twenty-six weeks pregnant, she didnāt fancy the notion of being pregnant for another twenty-four. The Doctor had offered the possibility that the babyās gestation period might be slightly shorter than a typical Gallifreyan pregnancy, but so far, everything had progressed exactly as heād expected.
What to Expect When Youāre Expecting, alien edition, Rose thought wryly.
Another pain stabbed through her temple, and this time she didnāt succeed in stifling her cry of pain. The Doctor, who had been asleep at her side, sat up so quickly the pain was still radiating through her scalp when he rested his hand on her shoulder.
āRose? Whatās wrong, love?ā His hand hovered over her belly. āIs it the baby?ā
She shook her head carefully. āWell, not like youāre thinking,ā she amended. āIāve been getting headaches ever since I entered semester two. Theyāre worse tonight than they have been, though.ā
āHeadaches? Why didnāt you say something?ā He swung his legs out of bed and reached for his dressing gown.
Rose groaned. āBecause I knew youād want to run tests and stuff and Iām pretty sure theyāre just because of my hormones. I know some women get headaches when theyāre pregnant.ā
The Doctor froze with one arm halfway in the sleeve of his dressing gown. The panic seemed to have faded, but Rose couldnāt read the new expression on his face at all.
A frisson of worry trembled down her back. Maybe sheād been wrong? Maybe a headache was a big deal when you were carrying a Gallifreyan baby?
He slowly lowered his arm and let the dressing gown fall to the floor. āYouāre right,ā he mumbled. āSome women get headaches when theyāre pregnant.ā He tugged on his ear. āEr, can I askā¦ where is your head hurting?ā
Rose sighed and pushed herself upright so she could recline against the cushioned headboard. āSorta in my temple,ā she said, pointing to the spot just behind her eyes.
The Doctorās hands spasmed at his sides. āAndā¦ And what kind of pain is it?ā he asked, his voice faint. āThrobbing, stabbingā¦ā
His constant questions would have made her nervous, except his fear seemed to have been replaced by eagerness. Rose bit her lip, trying to figure out the best word to describe it.
āStabbing sometimes,ā she said slowly. āThatās what woke me up tonight. But alsoā¦ thereās just this constant pressure, like something is pushing against the inside of my skull right here.ā She tapped her temple.
The Doctor slid back into bed and sat in front of her with his legs crossed. āWould you mindā¦ could I?ā He held his hand up to her temple.
Rose studied him for a moment. His hand was trembling ever so slightly, and there was a light in his eyes that she wanted to call excitement. None of it made any sense, but despite that, she trusted the Doctor implicitly.
āOf course, Doctor.ā
He smiled, then took a deep breath and cupped her face between his hands.
Rose closed her eyes, and a moment later, she felt the Doctor enter her mind. Heād used telepathy with her a few times, typically when sheād had nightmares that wouldnāt give up. Every time they did, she was amazed by how much he loved her.
The Doctor in her mind chuckled, making Rose feel like joy was being poured into her mind. Believe me, Rose, if anyone is blown away by how much love they feel when weāre connected like this, itās me.
Rose rolled her eyes and started to argue, but before she could, she felt something else in her mind. It felt a little like the Doctor, but softer and less defined.
Is thatā¦
The Doctor nodded. Thatās our daughter.
Rose blinked, and a tear ran down her cheek. Can we talk to her?
He took her hand, or the mental version of her hand, and led her towards the new presence. I think sheās been waiting for you to talk to her, he said.
As soon as they got close enough for the developing telepathic consciousness to sense them, it slowly floated towards them until they met somewhere in the middle. Rose wasnāt sure what to do, but she trusted the Doctor to stop her if she tried anything that would hurt their child.
She held her hand out, and the baby came forward until it was resting in the palm of Roseās hand. Hello, little one, Rose cooed. Iām your Mummy, and this is your Daddy.
The Doctor rested a gentle hand on top of the tiny mind, and they both gasped when they felt the babyās happiness wash over them. Hello, darling, he said, his voice choked with tears. Sorry we didnāt realise you were trying to say hello, but weāre here now.
Rose blinked up at him. You mean thatās why I was getting headaches? The baby wanted to say hello?
The Doctor nodded, then took his hand away from their daughter. Here, letās open our eyes and Iāll explain more.
Even when the Doctor opened his eyes, he could still feel his daughter in his mind. Now that theyād formed the initial parent-child bond, she would be able to reach out to him without physical contactāwhich was a good thing, since he didnāt have an easy way of initiating contact until she was born.
Roseās eyes fluttered open, and the lines of tension he hadnāt noticed until this evening melted away. āI can still feel her,ā she breathed. āItās likeā¦ I can see her in my mindās eye, and hold her and touch her.ā
The Doctor nodded. āThatās exactly what itās like,ā he agreed. āGallifreyan babies develop their telepathy at the beginning of the second semester. They reach out for their parents, trying to form a connection with the closest, most familiar minds.ā
Rose raised an eyebrow, and the Doctor was pretty sure he knew what question was coming next.
āThen how come you didnāt tell me to expect it?ā she asked, as he predicted. āI mean, I wasnāt really worried, because I figured it was just hormones like I said. But I know you could feel how relieved she was when we finally connected with her. Sheās been waiting a whole week and I just ignored her because I didnāt realise what was going on.ā
The Doctor flinched. He had indeed felt the babyās anxiousnessāthough thankfully it had faded quickly when theyād formed their connection.
āIām sorry,ā he said sincerely. āIt just didnāt occur to me that you would be able to connect with the baby at all, since youāreā¦ā
His voice trailed off before he could finish the sentence. āBut youāre not really human, are you?ā he mumbled to himself. āStupid Doctor, missing the obvious things.ā
Rose reached out and rested her hand on his knee, and he opened his eyes to meet her gaze. āItās all right, Doctor,ā she assured him. āThereās still a lot we both have to learn about all the changes to me.ā
The Doctor sighed and raked his hand through his hair. āI know,ā he agreed. āAnyway, thatās what was happening. The baby started reaching out for you, and because you didnāt realise what was happening, you didnāt reply the way she expected. And the longer you went without reaching out for her in return, the more insistent she became. Your headaches have gone worse, havenāt they?ā
Rose nodded. āYeah, it barely hurt at first, but tonightā¦ā She flinched and pressed her hand to her temple.
A second later, they both felt a wave of apology from the baby. The Doctor watched in awe as Rose soothed their daughterās guilt automatically, without even realising what she was doing.
āOh, Rose.ā His voice was thick, and he had to swallow hard before he could continue.āIām so excited to share this with you.ā
He scooted around on the bed until he was sitting next to Rose, hip to hip. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and her happy little sigh when she cuddled into his arms made his hearts skip a beat.
āDoctorā¦ā she whispered, playing with the buttons on his pyjama top.
āYes, love?ā
She turned her head so she could look into his eyes. āWeāre having a daughter,ā she said, her voice soft with wonder.
The Doctorās eyes widened. Her gender had been so obvious to them when they were connected telepathically that he hadnāt even noticed they were learning information they hadnāt had before.
āYeah, we are,ā he agreed, his voice raspy.
oOoOo
The Doctor lay awake long after Rose had drifted to sleep, his mind buzzing with the connection with his daughter. The baby was asleep as well, but that didnāt mean he couldnāt be amazed by her presence, by the simple fact that she existed.
He felt a pang of guilt when he remembered how relieved the tiny mind had been when theyād first connected with her. Womb-born Gallifreyan babies were rare, but Time Tots who were loomed sought that telepathic connection as well. It wasnāt that he hadnāt known it was neededā¦
Rose scooted closer in her sleep and draped an arm over his chest. āNot your fault,ā she mumbled in her sleep.
The Doctorās eyes widened, and he wondered how many times he would be shocked in the course of one day. How many more surprises could his mind handle?
Rose had picked up on his building guilt, in her sleep. Sheād sensed where his mind was wandering and had managed to wake up just enough to tell him to stop feeling guilty before going back to sleep.
The Doctor ran his hands through her hair, careful to keep his touch light enough that it wouldnāt wake her up. All the events of the evening made him wonder ifā¦
He took a shaky breath. If Rose was telepathic enough to connect with the baby as easily as she had, then maybe she could also form a bond.
The tiny baby pressed against his mind, and the Doctor chuckled when he realised the message his daughter was passing onāhis thoughts were too loud, and he needed to stop so she could sleep.
Oh, darling, Iām afraid your daddy is rarely quiet, even in his own mind. He imagined pressing a kiss to her forehead. But for you Iāll try.
oOoOo
When Rose woke up the next morning, the unfamiliar tickle in her mind caught her off guard for a few moments, until she remembered the events of the night before. As soon as she remembered, she closed her eyes and focused on the sensation, and a moment later, she had her daughter cradled close to her.
The baby was still too young to communicate anything but basic emotions, but the contentment Rose felt from the tiny mind was the most incredible thing sheād ever experienced. It reminded her of the way she could feel the presence of the Doctorās love when they used telepathy, and as she held their daughter, Rose wondered if it was possible to share a connection similar with the Doctor.
Speaking of, where is he? Sheād woken up wrapped in blankets instead of his arms, and though that was enough to keep the chill off her skin, it wasnāt the intimacy she craved.
Rose shoved the blankets off and sat up, pushing her hair out of her face as she did. A hint of festive red and white caught her eye, and she picked up the candy cane sitting on her bedside table. There was a note attached to it, and something told her she was in for an adventure.
Get dressed, then follow the candy canes. Youāll find the next one in the room where you told me we were having a baby.
A giggle escaped Rose as she pulled on the comfy flannel jim jams heād left out for her. After breaking off a chunk of the candy cane to suck on, she followed the instructions and went to the console room.
Another candy cane was sitting on the jump seat. Rose put it in her breast pocket and read the note. Her stomach growled as she unfolded it, and she hoped there was breakfast waiting for her at some point.
I know youāre hungry, love. Thereās tea and toast waiting for you in the galley.
Rose sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. āBloody hormones,ā she muttered as she walked through the ship to the galley. āOf course heās taking care of meāof us. He always does. Nothing to cry about.ā
The toast settled her stomach and the special caffeine free tea blend evened out her emotions. When sheād drained the cup, she reached for the candy cane dangling from the kettle.
Come find me in our favourite spot.
Rose slid both the note and the sweet into her pocket and set out for the library. She and the Doctor had numerous āfavourite spots,ā but when they wanted to relax in the evenings on the ship, they went to the library.
As she approached the room, she could hear faint strains of Christmas music spilling out into the corridor. The door was open a crack, and she took a moment to peer in and study the Doctor.
A smile tugged at her lips as she watched him pace in front of the fireplace. He didnāt look nervous, justā¦ too wound up to sit still for long. Just like the Doctor, she thought fondly.
āRose, I know youāre there,ā he said, only raising his voice a little. āI can smell your shampoo.ā
Rose rolled her eyes and pushed the door open all the way. āYou know,ā she groused teasingly, āyour superior senses really make stealth difficult.ā
He shrugged unrepentantly. āThere are benefits though,ā he pointed out.
āYeahā¦ I supposed.ā Not wanting to sidetrack him from whatever heād brought her there for, Rose pulled the candy cane out of her pocket. āSo, whatās going on?ā she asked, waving the red-and-white striped confection at him. āThank you for breakfast, by the way.ā
His smile was almost shy as he reached for her hand and led her to the couch. āYou followed all my hints easily enough I take it?ā
Rose nodded as she cuddled into his side. āIt was a fun little scavenger hunt. But why candy canes?ā She turned slightly so she could watch the Doctor.
He tugged on his ear and his neck turned red. āWell, for one thing, it is the season.ā He gestured at the library, decked out for the holidays. āBut alsoā¦ itās a good analogy for what I wanted to talk to you about.ā
Rose felt her forehead crease in a frown. āWhat do you mean?ā She looked down at the candy cane, trying to imagine what the hook could represent.
The Doctor took it from her and held it out in front of them. āWellā¦ thereās the white stripe,ā he said, twisting his finger around the candy cane, āand then the red stripe.ā He ran his finger back down to the bottom, following the bright red this time. āTheyāre completely separate, but in the candy cane, theyāre inseparable.ā
Roseās heart beat a little faster. āTwined together permanently,ā she agreed.
His knee started bouncing, and she rested her hand on it until she could feel some of his tension ease. āThank you,ā he whispered. āIām a bit nervous.ā
Despite her own nerves, Rose smiled up at him and pressed her palm to his cheek. āDonāt be,ā she told him firmly. āI love you.ā
His brown eyes warmed. āAnd I love you,ā he agreed. The words werenāt rare, but after months of wondering if he would ever say them, they still sent a thrill through Rose.
The Doctor reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. āWeāve never talked about any kind ofā¦ formal commitment to each other,ā he said, and she could feel how carefully he was choosing his words. āYou promised to stay with me forever, and Iāve told you how much of a commitment just saying āI love youā is. I really donāt feel like we need any kind of legal acknowledgement of our relationship, especially since weāre from different planets.ā
Rose nodded. Theyād never actually discussed it, but sheād guessed that was how he felt, and honestly, she agreed. But if she was reading him rightā¦
āWhat about something thatā¦ maybe is more important, more personal than a legal agreement?ā she asked, stumbling slightly over the words. āSomething more permanent, like the red and white stripes of a candy cane.ā
The Doctorās eyes widened. āHow did you know?ā he asked. āIāve never mentionedā¦ā
Rose shrugged. āIt just occurred to me this morning when I woke up. The baby was right there in my mind, but you werenāt anywhere nearbyā¦ and I wondered if maybe it would be possible to have some kind of telepathic connection with you like we do with the baby.ā
He swallowed hard, then nodded. āIt was called a bond,ā he explained. āA marriage bond. A bond would tie our minds together permanently, letting us share our thoughts and feelings.ā
The Doctor tapped his fingers on his knee as he watched Rose. He desperately wanted a bond with her, but if there was one thing that would dissuade her, it was the fact heād just mentionedāa bond would take away the sensation of being alone in her own mind.
Rose looked up at him, a hint of a smile in her raised eyebrow. āI know what youāre thinking,ā she told him, ābut youāre wrong. I might have been upset with you for not telling me the TARDIS would be in my head, but it was the lack of consent that bothered me most, not the telepathy.ā
The Doctorās eyes widened. āOh?ā he squeaked.
She nodded and took his hand. āI told you last night that I love the way it feels to have you in my head. If it would feel like that all the timeā¦ā
āBetter,ā the Doctor said in a rush. āOh, so much better, Rose. Having a bond with you would meanā¦ knowing each other, inside and out. Being able to see and understand when your bondmate is upset, and offer them the most intimate consolation possible. Holding each other close and never letting go.ā
Rose took a shaky breath. āCould weā¦ could we do it now?ā
Her apparent agreement made the Doctor ache to just run into her mind and never leave. But before he could rush ahead and create a permanent bond with Rose, he double-checked. āAre you sure? This isnāt something that can be undone.ā
Rose frowned at him. āWhy dāya think Iād want to undo it?ā she asked bluntly. She reached up and stroked his jawline. āPlease, Doctor. I want that so much. I love you, and I want to share a bond with you.ā
Joy exploded in the Doctorās hearts. āMe, too,ā he whispered. āOh, Rose. Me too.ā He reached for her hands and moved them up so her fingers were resting on his temples, then he copied the same position.
Moving into her mind felt as natural as breathing, and a moment later, he felt Rose in his mind. Youāre hardwired for this, she realised. Whyāve you never said anything before?
The Doctor tugged on his ear. I didnāt think youād be able to bond, just like I didnāt realise youād be able to connect with the baby. It was shortsighted of me, but thatās the only answer I have. But now I know, and here we are.
Rose stepped closer to him in their telepathic landscape. She tilted her head and smiled up at him, he tongue teasing him. Here we are, she agreed. So werenāt we about to do something?
The Doctor laughed. Rose Tyler, I love you. He could feel how much joy those words gave her, and he resolved to say them more often.
Focusing on more than her presence around him, the Doctor found the strand of consciousness that was at the core of who Rose was. Are you ready, love? A moment later, he gasped when Rose reached for him, sending a bolt of pleasure through him. I guess you are.
He reached out for that strand that represented Rose and twisted his own mind around it. The tiny presence of their daughter was there too, not part of their bond, but part of who they were.
Rose reached out for her mind as the Doctor bound them together. Sheās like the thin red stripe in the candy cane, she observed. The big red and white stripes are what really make up the candy cane, but that thin stripe is there too, just like our baby.
The Doctor paused and looked down at her. Youāre brilliant, love, he told her, amazed once again by her instinctive understanding of something that was brand new to her. He shook his head and focused on completing the almost-complete bond.
Rose was so happy, she almost couldnāt breathe. Looking around her mind now, she could see the red and white twisted strands of their new bond, tying them together.
She tilted her head and looked up at the Doctor when she caught him thinking of the bond as almost-complete. Thereās more? She couldnāt imagine anything more intimate than having his mind wrapped around her own.
He smiled, then closed his eyes and pressed his hand to her heart. Do what Iām doing, he encouraged her.
Rose didnāt understand what the purpose was, but she put her hand on the Doctorās chest and pressed lightly, just as he was doing.
A moment later, she gasped when she felt him take her hand. Her eyes flew open and she looked at her hand, but it was still on the Doctorās chest.
Donāt stop, he told her urgently. Oh, God Roseādonāt stop.
Rose took a shaky breath and tried again, and this time, when she felt his hand, she took it firmly in her own. As she did, she felt the twisted cord of their bond attach itself to the very centre of her mind.
The faint impression sheād had before of the Doctorās thoughts and emotions sharpened. It reminded Rose of the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opened her door and her black and white life was suddenly replaced with Technicolour.
Yes, the Doctor agreed. Oh, Rose.
A moment later, Rose felt his nonverbal request to pull back from the telepathic connection. She hesitated for a moment, afraid to lose the incredible feeling of oneness. But when she finally blinked and looked up at his face, illuminated by the lights from the Christmas tree, she realised he was still in her mind.
Rose closed her eyes for a moment, struggling to handle the intensity of feeling the Doctor in her mind and also seeing him physically sitting in front of her. She felt his fingers on her cheeks, brushing tears away, and that gave her the focus she needed to open her eyes.
āBloody hormones,ā she muttered, smiling up at the Doctor through her tears. āOf course Iād end up crying in the middle of ourā¦ wedding?ā
A wide, goofy smile stretched across the Doctorās face, and his head bobbed enthusiastically. āReally, thereās only one thing missing for it to be a perfect wedding,ā he mused.
With his mind twined around hers in a red and white stripe that would bind them together forever, Rose knew exactly where he was going. Still, it was fun to pretend. āOh?ā She slid her hands over his shoulders and watched his eyes darken as she scraped her nails through his hair.
The Doctor blinked twice, then he smirked down at her, making Roseās heart race. A moment later, heād pulled her into his lap before she even realised what was happening.
āMm-hmm.ā He leaned in slowly, and Roseās breath caught. āI think it goes something likeā¦ āYou may now kiss the bride.āā
John Tyler is a teacher at Farringham, but he's been dreaming of another life--the life of an adventure known as the Doctor. When Marion Smith appears in Farringham, he's immediately drawn to her. And why not? Marion Smith is the mirror image of Rose Tyler--the Doctor's wife.Ā
Reunion set during Human Nature/Family of Blood, with Christmas overtones.
This is part of @doctorroseprompts 31 Days of Ficmas. I used the word āHope.ā This is day 1 on my personal 31 Days of Ficmas.
AO3 | FF.NETĀ | TSP | Ch 2 | Ch 3
The Doctor watched as the rays soared overhead. He had Roseās hand clasped firmly in his, and if he moved his thumb, heād be able to feel her pulse beating in her wrist.
After Krop Tor, he needed the reassurance that she was still here beside him. After the threats of the Beast, he needed a promise that she wouldnāt leave him.
He took a deep breath. āHow long are you going to stay with me?ā
He felt Rose shift, and turned slightly to meet her gaze. The love in her eyes nearly brought him to his knees, but it was her promise that broke down the last of his walls.
āForever.ā
The Doctor nodded, then licked his lips. āThenā¦ would youā¦ Thereās something Time Lords would do with their partners, and Iād like to share it with you, if you agree.ā
Rose stepped closer to him and took both of his hands. āWhat is it, Doctor?ā
āA telepathic bond. A permanent connection between our minds, tying us together for as long as weāre both alive.ā
The Doctor waited for Rose to decline, or ask for more information. A bond was far more than most humans ever considered, and Rose liked the privacy of her own mind.
āIs that as intimate as it sounds?ā Rose asked.
āMore than,ā the Doctor answered honestly. āItāsā¦ we would know each other completely, in a way most couples canāt even imagine.ā
She pursed her lips and looked up at him, a little furrow between her brows. āAndā¦ and youād want that, with me?ā she asked.
āOh, Rose.ā The Doctor brushed his knuckles over her cheekbone, then cupped her face in his hand. āI want it so much I ache,ā he confessed in a whisper. Ā
Rose turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm. āThen yes. If you want a bond with me, then I want it with you.ā
It was still dark when a muffled thud in the corridor woke John Tyler from a sound slumber. He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, unsurprised to find his cheeks were damp. He often woke up crying when he dreamed of Rose.
Tonight thoughā¦ this dream had been different. Instead of dreaming of white walls and barren beaches, heād been transported to one of the happiest moments in the Doctorās life. He could still feel the joy in his heartsāheart, he amendedāwhen Rose agreed to share her mind with him.
Despite the early hour, he swung himself out of bed. Experience told him that when he woke up from a dream of Rose, there was no going back to sleep. Instead, he pulled his dressing gown on and shuffled over to his desk.
John sat down and turned the lamp on, then reached into the drawer for the leather journal that held his most precious memoriesāno, his favourite dreams. He flipped slowly through the pages, filled mostly with images of his Rose.
Then he settled on a blank page and picked up his pen. He could still see the look of absolute joy and wonder on Roseās face as she and the Doctor had formed their bond, while the strange creatures flew overhead. Her wide smile, the shimmer of tears in her eyes, the way sheād gasped his true name after heād whispered it into her mindā¦
And then, the feeling of her small hands on his collar, tugging him down as she pushed up on her toes to press her lips to his. John felt his cheeks heat up as he remembered the texture of her jacket beneath his palm when he pulled Rose as close as possible. Heād woken up tonight before the embrace had gone beyond a passionate kiss, but there had been other nights when his dreams had been decidedly moreā¦ lustful. Ā
With an effort, he pushed those dreams to the back of his mind, refusing to give in to the temptation to draw Rose lying in his bed with kiss-swollen lips and passion-glazed eyes. It would be hard enough to explain this journal to anyone should they find it. Adding sketches of a naked woman would be beyond the pale.
Instead, he focused on adding as much detail to the scene from tonightās dream as he could, getting lost in that world, where he was a traveler and Rose was hisā¦
A knock on the door pulled him back to reality, and he blinked a few times when he realised grey dawn light was coming in through the curtains. He stood up and reached for his dressing gown, then said, āCome in.ā
Martha pushed the door open, his breakfast tray in her hands. She paused when she saw him. āPardon me, Mr. Tyler. Youāre not dressed yet. I can come back later.ā
John tied his dressing gown closed. āNo, itās all right, itās all right.ā He shifted papers around on his desk to make room for his breakfast. āPut it down. I wasā¦ā He raked a hand through his hair, feeling the need to explain himself. Normally, he would be dressed and ready for classes before she arrived. āSorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams.ā
Martha smiled uncertainly at the man who was, and yet was not, the Doctor. āWhat about, sir?ā she asked as she set his tray down on his desk, then moved to open the curtains.
āI dream Iām this adventurer,ā Mr. Tyler explained. āThis daredevilāa madman. The Doctor, Iām called.ā
Marthaās hands shook as she opened the curtains on the other side of the room. āThatās very creative, sir,ā she said, then went back to the desk to pour his tea.
Mr. Tyler hummed noncommittally, and Martha wracked her brain, looking for something to say that would rid him of the notion that he was actually a time travelling alien.
An journal on the desk distracted her. It was open to a portrait of a young woman, about Marthaās age. āI didnāt know you drew, sir,ā she said before she paused to consider if that was an appropriate thing for a maid in 1913 to say to her employer.
Mr. Tyler sighed, and a rock settled in Marthaās stomach. Suddenly she knew what he was going to say, and she didnāt want to hear it. The one good thing about spending three months in the past with a Doctor who didnāt know who he was was that she wouldnāt have to hear Roseās name every other day.
āThatās Rose,ā he said, resting his fingers gently on the sketch. āRose Tyler.ā
Marthaās eyes widened; sheād never thought to wonder how heād landed on Tyler as his human last name.
āSheās there, in my dreams.ā He cleared his throat. āSheāsā¦ wellā¦ the Doctor is an alien, but I suppose in human terms, youād say Rose is his wife.ā
It was a good thing Martha had finished pouring the tea before John Tyler dropped that bombshell, or she would have dropped the pot.
oOoOo
Rose bent over when she came through the Void, trying to catch her breath after all the air had been knocked out of her lungs. Even after ten trips with the dimension cannon, she still hadnāt gotten used to the way it felt to be propelled from one universe to another.
But this time, as the lightheaded feeling passed, she felt another uncomfortable sensation dissipate along with it. The dull throbbing sheād felt between her temples from the moment the walls between the worlds had closed was gone.
The Doctor was close by.
Rose spun wildly, throwing out a telepathic greeting as she moved. Doctor! Oh, God. Where are you?
He didnāt reply, and she realised almost immediately that he didnāt even feel like heād realised she was close by. In fact, he feltā¦ distant, or off somehow. Almost like he was unconscious.
Rose put her hands to her temples and focused on the bond, trying to get a bearing. She started walking, adjusting her direction a few times as she got a better sense of where he was. Whatever was wrong with him, they could figure it out together, now that she was here.
A fine mist started after she had walked about a quarter of a mile, and it wasnāt long before her jeans were soaked through and her hair was sticking to the side of her face. Rose sighed and wished in futility for a warm shower and dry clothes before being reunited with the Doctor.
Warmth radiated out from beneath her leather jacket, and her steps slowed. She reached inside her coat and pulled out the chain that carried her TARDIS keyāthe key that was now glowing.
Of course. If the Doctor was here, the TARDIS would be, too. A faint song hummed at the edge of her mind, coming from a slightly different direction than she sensed the Doctor was in. The idea of going home for that hot shower was tempting, but after a moment, Rose shook her head and took another step towards the Doctor. He wouldnāt care if she looked like a drowned rat, and theyād waited for this reunion long enough.
Sheād only gone a few more steps when the TARDISā song swelled in her mind, and she knew the ship wanted her to come home first. Rose bit her lip, then changed direction. Maybe the shipās persistence was related to the slightly off feeling of the Doctorās presence over the bond.
The song led her to a small shed on the edge of a woody glen. Rose pushed the door open carefully, wishing she had her Torchwood-issued sidearm with her. Entering an unknown situation without backup or a weapon went against every bit of training sheād gotten in the last three years.
But outside of the tall, blue box standing in the middle of the shed, the building was empty. Roseās fingers shook as she pulled her key out for a second time, this time sliding it into the lock.
She blinked a few times when she stepped into the dark console room. But when she walked over to the console and reached for the light switch, the shipās hum changed from welcoming to warning.
Rose pulled her hand back. Does this have something to do with why the Doctor feels wrong in my head?
The hum pulsed slightly.
All right. Do you have enough power to heat water for my shower?
The light to the corridor brightened, and Rose walked the familiar path to the bedroom she and the Doctor had shared. She paused at the door, bracing herself for the memories that lay on the other side.
Then she turned the knob and stepped inside. The Doctorās familiar scent hit her first, pulling her back to the nine months this room had been theirs, before she was trapped in Peteās World. Two ties were tossed haphazardly over her vanity, and she smiled, remembering the way he tended to drop his ties wherever they fell.
Looking around, she could tell at a glance that the room hadnāt been used much since sheād been gone. Her makeup and jewellery was still strewn out on the vanity, just like sheād left it. The book sheād been reading was on her nightstand underneath a battered copy of The Little Prince. Judging by the depression in the pillow, the Doctor had slept on her side of the bed after losing her. Ā
Rose blinked back tears as she stripped out of her wet clothes and climbed into the shower. Sheād known the Doctor would take their separation hard, but it hurt to see evidence of how much he was struggling.
But Iām home now, she reminded herself as she combed her favourite conditioner through her hair. Iām home, and Iāll find him, and everything will be okay.
That belief was challenged when she stepped out of the shower and found an Edwardian dress hanging on the bathroom door. Rose stared at the garment, a subtle hint from the TARDIS about what she was about to step into, and wondered what on Earth the Doctor had gotten himself into this time.
oOoOo
Marthaās numbness as she rode her bike down the lane had little to do with the late November chill.
The Doctor was married?
It was tempting to tell herself that John Tylerās dreams werenāt real, that he was only imagining what heād wished had been his life with Rose Tyler. But Martha was through with lying to herself about the Doctorās feelings. Whether he and Rose had actually been married, it was obvious he still loved her.
āHe couldnāt have said something, though?ā Martha muttered as her path branched off towards the tiny shed the TARDIS was parked in. āNot one little mention that heād been married?ā
Her conscience pricked at her, reminding her that he had told her he and Rose had been together, and heād been very clear that she, Martha, would not be replacing Rose in his affections.
When she reached the ship five minutes later, Martha shook her head, trying to get rid of the self-pity clouding her thoughts. There was no point thinking about the Doctor and his love life right now anyway. Despite appearance, John Tyler was not the Doctor, and the Doctor wouldnāt be back for another two months.
The TARDIS door creaked open, and Martha sighed when she stepped into the ship. Even with only the emergency power on, the ship still felt more familiar than anything sheād encountered in 1913. She ran her fingers over one of the coral struts, remembering the way the Doctor would stroke and caress the ship as he walked by.
Then she lifted her chin and turned back to the centre console. Sheād come here for a reason, and it wasnāt to get lost in her own memories. The Doctorās apparent memory recovery worried her, and she wanted to watch the video again to see if heād covered that possibility.
But as she moved to turn the monitor on, a sound caught her ear and she froze. Footsteps. There was someone else in the TARDIS.
Martha looked around wildly for a weapon and lunged for the mallet the Doctor kept hanging from the console. She remembered green laser beams going over her head as she and the Doctor had run into the TARDIS, and she swallowed hard. A mallet wouldnāt do her any good if the Family had found her.
She adjusted her hold on the mallet as a woman appeared at the end of the corridor. The stranger paused and stared at her, and Martha tilted her head, trying to pin down why she looked so familiar.
It only took her a momentāsheād just seen that face a few hours ago, sketched by the Doctorās hand. āYou!ā she gasped.
Roseās forehead wrinkled. āI donāt think weāve met.ā She pulled her hands out of the pockets of the navy blue coat she wore. āIāmāā
āYouāre Rose Tyler,ā Martha spat out. Maybe if sheād had more time to process the Doctorās marriage before meeting the wife whoād abandoned him, she could have been pleasantā¦ but she hadnāt had more time. āWeāve never met, but Iāve heard all about you.ā
Rose nodded and took another step, then pointed at the mallet. āDāyou mind putting that thing down?ā She shook her head. āIāve told him over and over that she doesnāt like being hit, but I see he still hasnāt listened.ā
Martha started to obey, but then she remembered what the Doctor had told her about the Family. They could take over a body, living inside it.
She narrowed her eyes and hefted the weapon again. āHow do I know youāre really you?ā
To her surprise, every light and whistle in the console room went off, just for a few seconds. Martha blinked against the sudden change in lighting, then blinked again when they were back in the half dark.
Rose was patting the wall. āThanks, girl,ā she murmured, before looking at Martha. āBest character witness there is,ā she said. āIf you canāt believe a sentient, telepathic ship, who can you believe?ā
Martha grunted and tossed the mallet down on the grating, then crossed her arms over her chest. She watched through narrowed eyes as Rose walked down the ramp to join her by the console.
āSo you know who I am, but you still havenāt told me who you are,ā Rose pointed out.
āMartha Jones.ā Rose started to hold her hand out to shake, but Martha stepped back from it. Roseās loss had devastated the Doctor, and Martha wouldnāt let her pretend otherwise. āIāve got to ask, what the hell are you doing here?ā
Roseās smile disappeared. āI live here.ā
Martha heard the hint of warning in the other womanās voice, but she ignored it. āYou did live here,ā she corrected, āuntil you left the Doctor. Iāve spent the last nine months trying to put those pieces back together again. Do you even care how much losing you hurt him? He tried to get a Dalek to shoot him. Twice!ā Roseās face paled, and Martha felt a spark of vindictive pleasure at scoring a hit.
Then the muscle in Roseās jaw flexed, and Martha felt the balance of power shift. āI didnāt leave the Doctor,ā Rose hissed. āWe were separated, and I got trapped in a parallel universe without any way to get home.ā Fire glinted in her eyes as she strode forward and leaned down over the railing. āI didnāt leave the Doctor, Martha. I never would.ā
Martha took a step back at the vehemence in her voice. Sheād never been able to figure out why the Doctor was so hung up on someone whoād left him. Suddenly, she had the feeling that there was a piece of the puzzle sheād been missing.
āBut he said you were with your family, and happy,ā she protested.
Rose pressed her lips into a thin line, and for the first time, Martha thought she saw a hint of tears in her eyes. āI was with my family, yeah. Mum, stepdad, and recently a baby brother. But that doesnāt mean I was happy.ā
For a moment, Rose was lost in memories of three years spent away from her home and her husband. Three years of waking up alone, of wondering if sheād ever see him again, of living with a constant headache left by the broken bond.
She pinched the bridge of her nose to hold the tears back, then looked at the other woman. āIāve spent the last three years trying to get home.ā
āIām sorry,ā the other woman mumbled.
Rose nodded, accepting the apology without question. If the Doctor had given her the impression that sheād left willingly, her anger made sense.
She walked down the ramp and held her hand out. āLetās try this again. Iām Rose Tyler, formerly of the Powell Estate. Iām married to the Doctor.ā
Martha flinched from the introduction, and suddenly her irritation with Roseās sudden appearance made more sense. But she quickly hid her hurt and shook Roseās hand, a smile on her face.
āMartha Jones. Iām a medical student, currently travelling with the Doctor.ā
Rose smiled at the Doctorās companion. āSpeaking of the Doctor, where is he?ā
Martha sighed and leaned against the console. āThatās a bit complicated.ā She rubbed at her temple.
Rose raised an eyebrow. āWhat the hell do you mean, itās complicated? Heās here somewhere, I know he is.ā She tapped the side of her head. āI can feel him.ā
Martha raised an eyebrow. āInteresting that would still work as a human,ā she muttered to herself.
Rose didnāt really feel like correcting the assumption that she was human, so she let it slide. āJust tell me where my husband is.ā
Before Martha could answer, the TARDIS monitor turned on, playing security footage back. Rose gasped when she watched the Doctor and Martha come flying into the TARDIS with green laser beams narrowly missing them.
She scooted closer to the monitor as the tape continued to play. This was the closest sheād been to him in three years.
After the attempt to outrun the aliens failed, the Doctor held up a watch. āTake this watch, because my life depends on it. This watch, Martha. The watch is me.ā
The screen went dark, and Rose spun around to look at Martha. āWhat did he mean, that watch is him?ā
Martha sighed and flopped down onto the jump seat, and that was when Rose realised she was dressed in an old-fashioned maid costume.
āOh, youāve gotta be kidding me,ā she exclaimed. āI thought the dinner lady routine got old after a while, but heās got you working as his maid?ā
A faint smile crossed Marthaās face. āWell, he didnāt exactly arrange for things himself,ā she said. āHere, sit down and Iāll explain it all to you.ā
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An incident reminds the Doctor that no matter how difficultĀ āthe bits in betweenā are, his life with Rose is always worth it.Ā
Ten x Rose, pre-existing telepathic bond, hurt/comfort.
Written for the last three drabble prompts on @doctorroseprompts--stay, resist, and quiet. And featuring theĀ āringsā prompt from @legendslikestardust (a glimpse, but itās what inspired me to have them be bonded in this fic so thatās a pretty major inspiration.)
And homework incentive for @lastbluetardis!
This is part of As Time Goes By, my series following the canon progression between the Doctor and Rose in a series of hugs and kisses. (Though weāre decidedly off canon now, as this is post Doomsday fixit.) It follows No Matter What the Future Brings.
AO3 | FF | TSP
The Doctor carefully put the dermal regenerator away, then raked his suddenly trembling hands through his hair. He couldnāt take his eyes off the long, pink slash on Roseās side.
Itās healed now, he told himself. Sheās fine. Sheāll be just fine.
But he could still see the mark as it had looked an hour ago, when heād carried her into the TARDIS. He could still feel the echo of pain over the bond as one of the not-so-friendly natives had swiped at her with a knife. He could still hear her whimpering as he pulled the fabric of her ruined shirt away from the wound.
āStop it,ā Rose mumbled. āNot your fault, Doctor.ā
She patted the bed, and when he realised she was looking for his hand, he reached out and clasped hers in his. āHow can you say that?ā he asked as he played with her wedding ring. āI was the one who suggested we visit Hibinoni, and all because we heard they have a unique variety of banana.ā
Rose sighed and turned her head so she could look at him. āBut you didnāt know weād land right in the middle of a civil war,ā she reminded him. āNot your fault, love.ā He opened his mouth, and she shook her head slowly. āToo tired to argue. Help me to bed?ā
The Doctor bent down and picked Rose up from her uninjured side. Despite how careful he was, a tiny grimace creased her forehead. āAll right there?ā he asked.
She nodded and patted him on the shoulder. āJust aches. Iāll feel better after I sleep.ā
He heard the unspoken request and carried her to their room, which the TARDIS had thoughtfully moved so it was directly across the hall. After helping her sit in a comfortable arm chair, he rummaged in the bureau until he found a loose cotton shirt that wouldnāt irritate her injury.
When she struggled to raise her arms over her head so he could get her into the shirt, the Doctorās guilt threatened again. He pulled the top of the shirt down over her head and winced when he realised she was glaring at him.
āTold you, itās not your fault.ā
āBut thatās worse!ā The words finally broke free. āBecause if itās not my fault, then it means thereās nothing I could have done to keep this from happening, and if thatās true, then it means it might happen again. Only what if next time, the random alien insurgent is a little better with a knife or you donāt twist away in time and the injury is too bad for me to heal? Or what if weāre not close enough to the TARDIS for me to get you into the medbay less than ten minutes after youāre injured? Orāā
Roseās hand over his mouth stopped the flow of words. Then she moved to touch his cheek, and that was when the Doctor realised he was crying.
āIām sorry, love,ā she whispered. āI didnāt realise how afraid you were. But you canāt get lost in the what-ifs like that. Iām here now. Thatās what matters.ā
The Doctor closed his eyes and took a few breaths. Rose wrapped her mind around his, soothing his fears. āYouāre right,ā he admitted when he thought he could speak without his voice cracking.
āOf course I am.ā She yawned and slumped against the back of the chair. āAnā I really want to go to bed.ā Ā
He chuckled as he helped Rose shuffle the few feet from the chair to the bed. She winced a few times as she settled down into the bed, and the Doctor smoothed the wrinkles between her brows away with a gentle touch before he backed away from the bed.
Roseās eyes fluttered open as he settled in to the chair to read. āWhatāre you doing over there?ā she asked, the words slurring in her exhaustion. āCome to bed.ā
The Doctor shook his head. āYouāre injured, love,ā he reminded her.
She snorted. āSāthat why my side aches?ā She patted the bed. āWant you to hold me.ā
The Doctor hesitated. He ached to hold her, butā¦ āI donāt want to hurt you,ā he explained. āIf you roll onto your side, or if I put pressure on your woundā¦ā
Rose sighed, and the Doctor finally caught a hint of lingering fear from her. āPlease, Doctor. I need you here so I know Iām home and safe.ā She slid over onto what was typically his side of the bed so he could sleep by her good side.
He was, as always, helpless against her please. And this time, she was asking him to do exactly what he desperately wanted to do anyway, so he undressed in less than a minute and slid beneath the covers beside her.
It took them a few minutes of careful adjusting to find a comfortable position, but finally, Rose had her head on the Doctorās chest and their linked hands were resting on his stomach.
āLove you, Doctor,ā she mumbled once they were settled.
His hearts skipped a beat, just like they did every time she said that. He could feel her love and trust over the golden connection of their bond, and knowing that even danger or injury wouldnāt drive a wedge between them eased more of his anxiety.
The Doctor sighed and brushed a kiss over the top of Roseās head. āI love you too, Rose Tyler,ā he whispered in her ear.
Her soft hum of contentment hit the Doctor hard, and he had to swallow back the lump in his throat. Trouble really was just the bits in between, though some days were filled with harder bits than others. And if the rest of life included moments like this, then it was worth a few moments of terror now and then.
A memory snuck up on himāa memory of himself telling Rose why he was so afraid to be with her. You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I canāt spend the rest of mine with you.
The Doctor huffed. Even setting aside that Bad Wolf had changed Rose enough to give them a shared forever, that younger version of himself still hadnāt figured out one very important truth: a life with Rose would always be worth it.
The Doctor has always wanted to share a telepathic bond with Rose Tyler, and now he finally has the chance. But, as always, the universe has a surprise in store for them.Ā
Tentoo x Rose, telepathic bonding with Bad Wolf
This is part of Two Hearts, One Life, and it fills the Bad Wolf telepathy prompt from @doctorroseprompts this week.Ā
Itās also a birthday present for @lastbluetardis. Happy Birthday, Ashley! Thanks for being such a wonderful friend. I hope you have a fantastic day.
The rest of the story is coming sometime between now and next Wednesday.
AO3 | FF.NET | TSPĀ | Ch 2 | Ch 3
There was one thing Rose hadnāt considered when sheād accepted the Doctorās proposal, she reflected six weeks later.
Jackieās strident voice filled the small chapel. āNo, this isnāt nearly big enough for the number of guests weāll have.ā
The confused wedding planner looked at Rose, who shrugged weakly. If sheād realised she was opening herself up to months of wedding planning with her mum, her answer to the Doctor might have been different.
Her ring caught and reflected the sunlight as they left the building, and Rose smiled despite the headache brewing behind her eyes. Then again, maybe not. The look on the Doctorās face when heād slid the ring onto her finger more than made up for any annoyance she felt towards her mum.
Still, she was grateful when the afternoon was over and the driver dropped her off at home. After muttering reassurances that she and the Doctor would be over for Sunday roast the next day, she escaped the car and nearly ran up the walk to her own home.
The Doctor stuck his head out of the kitchen when she slammed the door behind her. āLong day?ā he asked, his left eyebrow arched when he realised she was leaning against the door with her arms splayed out, as if she were intent on keeping something out.
Rose groaned and pushed off from the door. āJust Mum,ā she said, and that was enough explanation to elicit a sympathetic hum, followed by a hug.
Feeling the Doctorās arms around relaxed her, as always, and after a few moments, she unbent enough to catch a delicious scent in the air. She pulled back and sniffed a few times, then let go of the Doctor and stepped around him into the kitchen.
āOh, I love you,ā she groaned when she spotted take out containers on the counter from their favourite Indian restaurant. The food was already dished up and on the table waiting for them, and she shrugged out of her coat and handed it to the Doctor, then took her seat while he hung it up.
āI hope so, since you agreed to marry me,ā he said, a twinkle in his eyes.
Rose stuck her tongue out at him, then dug into her meal. After taking a few bites, she leaned back and shook her head. āBelieve me, only love could convince me to put up with Mum planning our wedding.ā
The Doctor tore off a piece of naan and swiped it through his curry before popping it into his mouth. āIs she still determined to make it the wedding of the century?ā he asked after heād swallowed.
āAt least.ā Rose sighed when she felt some of her earlier headache return. āIāve half a mind to elopeāit would serve her right.ā She rested her chin on her hand and looked at the Doctor. āPlease tell me thereās some kind of Time Lord ritual we could do instead of thisā¦ circus. Preferably something very, very private.ā
The Doctor nearly choked. Heād been trying to figure out how to bring bonding up for weeks, and after all his fretting, Rose had handed him an opportunity on a silver platter.
Her eyes narrowed. āThere is,ā she deduced quickly. āThere is, and itās something you want.ā
He swallowed his food, then took a gulp of water. āLetās finish our meal, and then Iāll tell you about it,ā he said, not bothering to deny her assertion.
Rose ate her dinner with barely concealed impatience, and as soon as they were sitting in the living room together, she looked at him expectantly. āTell me.ā
Her soft request eased some of the Doctorās agitation. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
āIt was called bonding,ā he started, jumping right into the middle of the explanation.
Rose nodded. āThatās as good a word for marriage as any,ā she mused. āBinding your lives together.ā
The Doctor shook his head. āBonding was more than that,ā he said, stumbling over the words slightly. The butterflies in his stomach were almost unbearable. In all his years with Rose, there were only four other times heād asked her a question that meant as much as this oneāasking her to come with him when they met, asking her to continue travelling with him after he regenerated, asking her to choose him on that beach, and just six weeks ago, when heād asked her to marry him.
Rose patted his knee. āCalm down, Doctor,ā she murmured, and he realised his breathing had sped up. āJust tell me, and then we can talk about it.ā
The Doctor took a breath and held it for a second before letting it out slowly. Then he said, āA bond would be telepathic, Rose. It would tie our minds together permanently.ā
She turned slightly to look up at him. āTie our minds together? What does that mean? Would we be able to read each otherās minds?ā
āNotā¦ exactly,ā he hedged. āIt would be more likeā¦ knowing one another so deeply that we could anticipate each otherās thoughts.ā
The tiniest furrow appeared on Roseās forehead, and his heart sank. She didnāt want it; it was too much.
āWould I even be able to do that, since Iām human?ā
It took the Doctor a moment to realise she wasnāt refusingāthat, in fact, she sounded interested, although the interest was tempered by caution. Then his heart sped up and he felt a grin stretch across his face, before he nodded fervently.
āOh, yes,ā he promised. āWe know youāre at least a little bit telepathic, based on your ability to communicate with our TARDIS. And even if you werenāt, Iām telepathic enough to support a bond between us on my own.ā
She licked her lips. āItās permanent?ā
He nodded.
āIt soundsā¦ intimate. Like weād be completely open to one another. Always together, alwaysā¦ vulnerable.ā
The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. āYeah. Bonds had actually fallen out of favour before my time,ā he admitted. āTime Lords werenāt really keen on making themselves vulnerable to others.ā
Roseās eyes sought his. āBut you would trust me withā¦ with all of you, like this?ā
His heart ached with love for Rose, and he wanted to open himself up to her right there so she could see how much he trusted her. Instead, he took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly before saying, āI would trust you with everything I am, Rose.ā
Finally, a smile broke through her serious demeanour, like the sun peeking through the clouds. āThen I would love to bond with you, Doctor.ā
The Doctor leaned forward and kissed her, partly in an attempt to conceal the excited squeak he felt in the back of his throat. Bonding with Rose had been his forbidden fantasy since the moment heād used a kiss to take the Vortex from her. Heād slowly been working up the courage to mention it to her when theyād been separated, and heād had four lonely years to regret not asking when he had the chance.
Rose curled her fingers into the Doctorās hair as he kissed her. She could practically taste his excitement and eagerness, and they spurred on her own. When his lips moved away from her mouth to trail kisses along her jawline, she turned her head and whispered in his ear.
āCan we do it now?ā
He nipped at her ear. āOh, I intend to,ā he growled, before pulling her into his lap.
Rose laughed and pushed against his shoulders, putting a little space between them. āNot what I meant, love,ā she explained when he looked up at her through passion-glazed eyes.
āThen whatā¦ Oh.ā He blinked a few times, and she watched some of his control return. āYou mean the bond?ā
Rose nodded, and the Doctor leaned back against the cushions and raked his hand through his hair. āWellā¦ā He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. āWe could, but I actually have plans, if thatās all right?ā
āOf course,ā she assured him. It struck her then in a way that it hadnāt earlierāthis was something heād really been wanting for a while, enough to plan it out before he even mentioned it to her. āAs long as we can implement these plans before my mum drives me mad,ā she added, remembering what had sparked the conversation in the first place.
The Doctor laughed, the tugged her closer and nuzzled into her neck. āOh, I think that can be arranged,ā he assured her. āIf I can get Pete to agree to let us have two weeks off, could you be ready to go by Friday?ā
After a quick mental review of her calendar, Rose nodded. The Doctor beamed, then pressed a quick kiss to her lips before standing up with her wrapped securely in his arms. āThen I think we were in the middle of something,ā he said as he carried her to their room.
The Doctor has always wanted to share a telepathic bond with Rose Tyler, and now he finally has the chance. But, as always, the universe has a surprise in store for them.
Tentoo x Rose, telepathic bonding with Bad Wolf
This is part of Two Hearts, One Life, and it fills the long term ramifications of Bad Wolf prompt from @doctorroseprompts this week.
Itās also a birthday present for @lastbluetardis. Happy Birthday, Ashley!Ā
Thereās one more chapter coming this week.
AO3 | FF.NET | TSPĀ | Ch 1
Friday night, after a quick dinner, Rose followed an eager Doctor onto the TARDIS. She spotted the bag theyād packed just inside the door, and her stomach flipped. Weāre really doing this, she realised as the Doctor danced around the console, taking them through time and space to their very secret destination.
Her one request, when heād asked, was to go someplace as far from the dreariness of London in January as possible. Beyond that, she knew nothing of where they were going. The Doctor had taken the TARDIS out every night that week, making plans and reservations and refusing to tell Rose any of the details.
Exhilaration coursed through Rose when they landed, and she laughed breathlessly. The Doctor beamed at her, then bounded over to the door and pulled it open, letting golden evening light pour into the TARDIS. The air smelled like earth warmed by the sun after a long summer day.
He leaned against the railing and gestured to the door. āCome take a look, Rose,ā he invited.
She jogged down the ramp, then stopped when she saw the view framed by the TARDIS doors. A rocky cliff was silhouetted against the dusky blue sky, rising at least a thousand meters above the valley floor. The setting sun looked like it was resting on top of the cliff, and the image was reflected in the glassy lake spread out before them.
āItās gorgeous, Doctor,ā she said as she stepped out of the TARDIS. A cool mountain breeze lifted her hair off the nape of her neck. Rose tilted her head, taking a deep breath of the air, scented with pine needles and summer wildflowers. āWhere are we?ā
The Doctor wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. āThis is Iastea. In a thousand years, this will be one of the natural wonders of the galaxy, but it wonāt even be discovered for another fifty years.ā
Rose turned in his arms and rested her hands on his chest. The golden evening light hit his hair, and she played with a few strands that looked almost ginger in the orange glow.
āItās just the two of us?ā she asked.
He smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled up. āYep! Just you and me, Rose Tyler.ā He pressed a quick kiss to her lips, then said, āI wanted to take you someplace without any sentient species nearby. Opening your mind to telepathy for the first time can be overwhelming if there are too many voices clamouring for attention.ā
The nervous excitement pulsing through Roseās body demanded she move, so she pulled away from the Doctor and walked around the small campsite heād set up. Closer to the lake, on a flat patch of ground, heād fashioned a bed out of pillows, cushions, and blankets.
āWeāre going to sleep under the stars?ā
The Doctor nodded as he crossed the small clearing to stand on the opposite side of the bed. āI picked a night with clear skies and warm weather so we could stargaze as we fell asleep.ā
Champagne was chilling in a bucket on one side of the bed, with two glasses resting carefully alongside the bottle. The reminder that theyād soon have something to celebrate made Rose eager to move on to their reason for coming. She looked up at the Doctor and smiled. āWhat do we do first?ā
The Doctorās heart tripped in his chest. Heād spent hours this week going over every detail of their bonding, making sure he remembered the right words to invite Rose to share his life with him. But none of his plans prepared him for how eager Roseās simple question made him feel.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to remember the details heād decided on. āLetās sit down on the bed facing each other,ā he said, and they both took a moment to take their shoes off before climbing onto the soft nest heād created for them.
Sitting on the bed facing Rose, the Doctor was momentarily distracted by the way the setting sun cast a golden-red halo around her blonde hair. Heād seen her look like that beforeā¦
Roseās hand on his knee jolted him out of his memories. āDoctor?ā
āRight, yes.ā He rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans, then lifted his hands until his fingers hovered by Roseās temples. āAre you ready, love?ā he whispered.
She licked her lips. āTell me what itāll feel like?ā
The Doctor brushed a strand of hair back from her face. āItāll feel like a cool breeze, brushing over your face. Or the way it does to float on water. Like something is there, all around you, and you could almost become part of it.ā
āAnd youāll be the breeze?ā
He smiled. āIāll be the breeze.ā
Rose nodded. āOkay then. Oh. Do Iā¦ should I?ā She lifted her own hands, mirroring his position.
āAfter Iāve formed the initial connection, yes.ā She opened her mouth again, and he said, āYouāll know. Trust me, youāll know when it happens.ā
āI always trust you.ā
Her whisper mingled with the breeze and bird song and should have been almost too quiet to hear. But more than almost any other words, those were the ones the Doctor worked hard every day to deserve, and he would never miss them.
She met his gaze steadily. āIām ready, Doctor.ā
He took a shaky breath, then pressed his fingers to her temples. Heād been in Roseās mind before when heād hidden the memory of Bad Wolf, but it felt different now than it had all those years ago. He could feel the breeze, just like heād told her, but now it carried a hint of arkytior and the fragrance of red grass, blowing in the wind.
The Doctor concentrated on his own mind, imaging that he was the breeze heād described to Rose. As he did, he felt her fingers brush against his temples, and suddenly, the light spring zephyr of her mind swirled gently around the volatile, storm-prone gusts of his own.
And then the wind died down, and they were standing together at the edge of the lake while the stars slowly came out in the sky above them. Rose frowned and looked up, and the Doctor shook his head.
Itās just a projection, he explained. Weāre still sitting on the bed. But right now, in our minds, weāre standing here.
Are we bonded already? she asked.
No. This is just a connection, like I said. The Doctor felt Roseās mind moving around his own, testing the connection, and he shivered in delight. And Rose. I was right last week when I said you were telepathic. You shouldnāt be able to do that so easily.
Her telepathic avatar took his hands. Show me what to do, Doctor.
He took one of her hands and put it over his heart, then reached out and put his hand over hers. Can you feel that? he asked. Feel me touching your soul, as you touch mine?
Roseās mouth fell open partway. Yes. The golden halo heād noticed earlier returned, stronger this time. I feel you, my Doctor.
Then do as I do, my Rose. Take my life into you as I take yours into me. Let Time bind us together until we are one in heart, mind, and soul.
It took effort to both give to himself to Rose and accept her part of the bond in return. To his surprise, despite her inexperience with telepathy, Rose seemed to have an easier time with the transfer than he did.
She caught that thought, and when she looked up at him, he suddenly recognised the gold flecks in her eyes. I have merged with another before, my Doctor.
The gentle reminder worried him, and he almost pulled out of her mind to make sure she was safe. But Rose held him tight and soothed away his fears, and a moment later, it was too late to pull back anyway. The bond was formed.
Rose slowly pulled her hand away from the Doctorās chest. She could feel him with her now, inside of her. The sensation of unity and connection was glorious, but there was a discordant note, something out of place and not quite right.
She tilted her head and studied her bondmate. Time danced around them both like tiny golden dust motes, but there were also strands of time that stretched out before them, branching off in different directions.
Two of the strands called to her, and Rose carefully reached out and picked them up, ignoring the Doctorās gasp of surprise when she did. One of the golden threads was times longer than the other one, and Rose knew, somehow, that this wasnāt right.
But how can I fix it? she wondered.
Even as the question occurred to her, she remembered a time when she had seen everything and been able to bend time to her will. She could no longer rearrange every particle of time to suit her, but she could fix this.
Rose closed her eyes and held the two strands in one hand. With the fingers of her other hand, she pulled on the fibres of the shorter strand, stretching it and twining it to the longer until they were matched in length and so tightly bound together that the only way to cut one would be to cut them both.
Then she carefully let them go, watching as the strands settled back into the tapestry of time.
The Doctorās eyes were wide and he was breathing heavily. Roseā¦ Thatā¦ He pressed his fingers to her temples again. Wake up, Rose.
She couldnāt ignore the note of command in his voice, and a moment later, Rose was blinking her eyes open. When she realised she was sitting on the bed and that the sun had completely set, she knew they were back in the real world.
There was something in the Doctorās eyes that sheād never seenā¦ no wait, she had! That combination of awe and fearāit was the same way heād looked at her when she was Bad Wolf using the Time Vortex to destroy the Daleks.
The moment the bond had been formed, the Doctor had known the truth. She was still Bad Wolfāshe would always be Bad Wolf. He might have taken the Vortex out of her, but it had already changed her permanently in the half hour or that she had wielded its power.
Her timeline was far longer than a typical human life. Heād grieved for a heartbeat at the loss she would eventually suffer, losing everyone she lovedālosing him, when he had promised her they could share one life together. Then sheād taken his timeline in her hands and done the impossible, stretching and twisting it until it matched hers, and they were merged.
āDoctor?ā
The confusion in Roseās voice jolted the Doctor out of his jumbled thoughts. He laughed in joyous disbelief. āRose Tyler, you areā¦ā
āBad Wolf,ā Rose concluded. āIām still Bad Wolf.ā
The Doctor shook his head and cupped her face between his hands. āYes, you are, and you always will be, but thatās not what I was going to say.ā He rubbed his thumbs over the apples of her cheeks, then reached for the bond and ran a tender touch over it. āMy bondmate, Rose. You are my bondmate.ā
Roseās eyes darkened, and the Doctorās heart started pounding when he realised he could feel her growing desire over their new bond. Then she mimicked his telepathic touch, stroking the bond in a way that quickly became provocative, and he allowed himself to get lost in the pleasure of their wedding night.
Later, when they were sitting up enjoying their champagne with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders to hold back the chill of the mountain night, Roseās curiosity tugged at him.
āWhat are you thinking about so deeply?ā he asked.
She tilted her head and looked up at him. āYou looked almost afraid for a moment right after we bonded. I meant to ask why, butā¦ā Her smile turned cheeky. āYou distracted me.ā
The Doctor hummed and leaned down to kiss the side of her neck, right where it met her shoulder. āYes, I did.ā
Rose nudged him with her elbow, and he giggled when he picked up on her fond exasperation over the bond. āExplanations before further distractions,ā she said, her voice stern.
The Doctor forced himself to focus on something other than his giddy happiness. He thought for a moment, then took Roseās champagne flute and carefully set it down beside the bed, along with his own. Then he turned back to her and brushed his knuckles over her jaw.
Rose turned her head to kiss his wrist, but the look in her eyes clearly said she wanted an answer.
āMy Rose,ā the Doctor said, then shook his head and started again. āMy Bad Wolf. What you didā¦ it should have been impossible.ā
āWhat did I do, Doctor?ā Rose frowned, and he brushed away the furrow in her brow. āI justā¦ wanted us to be together forever,ā she told him.
āAnd we will be,ā he promised. āThatās what you did, love.ā He sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt. āI should have realised years ago that Bad Wolf had changed you. Later, when weāre done with our trip, Iād like to run some tests to see what exactly has changed. But even without knowing the details, as soon as we bonded, I knew I couldnāt keep my promise to share your one life with you.ā
To his surprise, Rose smiled at him and pressed her hand to his heart, just like theyād done when theyād bonded. āOh, my Doctor,ā she said, and the tenderness in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. āYou will keep your promise. You might not have known the details, but we have one life to spend together.ā
The Doctorās throat felt thick, and he swallowed hard to contain the tears welling up. Mirroring her, he rested his own hand over her heart. āTwo hearts, one life,ā he said, his voice raspy with emotion.
It was more than heād ever thought heād be able to share with Rose. Heād often wondered, since their arrival on Peteās World, how he could possibly show her how much he loved her in the meagre years provided to a human. Now, thanks to Bad Wolf, those years had become centuries.
Thatās right, Doctor, Rose said, her whisper over the bond making his eyes flutter closed. The Doctor and Rose Tylerā¦ forever.
