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I have written 13 fics for the June series of TenII/Rose prompts. Still not done though! Just having fun writing short one shots. There's angst, fluff and humor. No smut yet but I'm working up to it after they get through some things.
Now that she considered it all these years later, it was kind of ridiculous to assume that intoxicating drinks only existed on planet Earth. Perhaps humankind was indeed more prone to accidentally leaving fruit too long and having discovered one of lifeâs pleasures by pure coincidence.
It was when Jack boasted about his many rendezvous fuelled by the infamous hypervodka that the âohâ moment came.
And sheâd been eager to sample the beverage until the Doctor warned her off with a look, firmly telling that the Captain could handle what was basically pure ethanol on account of his 51st century makeup, which had evolved as humanity expanded.
But he knew fair well that she was as stubborn as a mule, so left the TARDIS galley only commenting that standard hangover cures wouldnât even touch her muddle system the next morning. Not wanting to spend any more time heaving her guts up into a porcelain bowl (sheâd done enough of that in her early teens to last a lifetime, thank you very much), Rose opted for the more time Amethyst wine the Doctor had onboard, and gladly spend the night listening to Jackâs tales of his various escapades.
It wasnât until the Time Lord exploded in a fountain of gold and emerged as a bouncy and bright eyed much younger man that Rose suddenly realised sheâd never actually seen the Doctor drink. As in, properly.
A snifter here and a pint there hardly counted.
And Rose suddenly found herself very curious. Who wouldnât be? After all, he was alien. It was just easy to forget that when he was humanoid in a way that was very familiar to her. Very familiar, and visually appealing.
It was odd that itâd popped into her mind on the red-eye zeppelin ride back to London. They were both tucked into a dimly-lit booth, him slumped against the vast viewing window, her snuggled against him, face turned into his neck. He smelled as he always had before, although with a tang of the salt theyâd long left behind on Bad Wolf Bay and very light natural musk. Maybe a hint of fire too.
Theyâd exchanged barely any words since boarding. Somehow, âhey, Doctor, can you get drunk now, and could you before?â wasnât high on the list. It should be far below the likes of âdid you really mean we could spend our lives together? Itâs not some cosmic joke?â.
His one heart thumped solidly, reassuringly as her palm slipped from where it was hooked over his shoulder to slide down his chest.
He was half-human now. There could be many things different. Or maybe not at all.
Still, she mused, nuzzling tighter into his side as he let out a deep, sleep-ridden sigh.
Itâs not like she needed to rush. They had forever, after all.
*
âThe hideout is where?â
âA local pub, I already said that, Rose,â the Doctor replied through a mouthful of sonic. At the same time, he looked up from the tiny circuit board he was painstakingly re-soldering, and felt his heart flutter at the sight of her in the kitchen doorway.
It was pretty much a daily occurrence - starting every morning when he laid soft eyes on her snoozing, supine figure - and one his daft other self would have double-checked as being atrial fibrillation. Current him was more wise to its source, but sometimes he felt like getting checked out for the buzzing levels of arousal he experienced whenever she was in hugging distance.
Her petal-soft lips brushed the side of his neck as she tugged a chair closer and plopped down right next to him.
âAnd this is to do with it?â She nodded as the postage-stamp sized board clasped between finger and thumb, and the tiny piles of scrap and detritus littering the kitchen table.
âI think so,â he answered, removing the sonic screwdriver and then scratching his jaw. âThe target - although, I really donât like that phrase - is highly suspected to be wearing some kind of cloaking device. Iâm just reprogramming the sonic to disturb the frequency should we suspect anything.â
âAnd why a pub?â
âSearch meâŚâ
*
The pub was actually in their locale, but that made sense, of course, if the alien they were tracking was trying to blend in. However, it was a real spit-and-sawdust place. The hanging sign (featuring a rather dismal attempt at a prancing bear and with the sloppily painted âThe Bear Innâ) was askew, and one of the upstairs windows was boarded over with weathered plywood. Ivy crept up the mossy-bricked wall. It would have fitted in nicely on the outskirts of some countryside hamlet (minus the window) but on the outskirts of Peckham?
âI feel overdressed for this place,â the Doctor grumbled, tugging at the collar of his jacket as Rose knocked briskly on the peeling door twice and then tentatively pushed it open.
âI said you shoulda worn an old shirt and not the gift my mum recently gave you,â she teased, flicking him a backwards glance.
The smell of stale smoke and old, spilt beer instantly greeted them, and Rose wrinkled her nose, but pressed on, passing the bar and wending through clusters of tables, chairs and stools until she spotted a wall of booths at the end of the room.
âGuess here is as good as anywhere,â she heard him mutter, and gingerly placed herself on the faux-leather seats. It wasnât necessarily tackier than any other pubs sheâd frequented in her youth, but she was glad for having forgone a skirt this time.
âSo, any intel on what weâre looking for? Species, MO, possible giveaways?â She glanced around the dingy room as the question was posed.
âTechnically weâre looking for two of them. But one is definitely human,â he responded, dropping his voice now, also scoping the pubâs interior with her.
âAnd the other..?â Rose tried to settle for folding her arms on the tableâs sticky surface, but gave up with that as well, folding her hands neatly in her lap instead.
âAlso human-appearing. His contact is a Spice dealer.â
Rose frowned. âSpice as inâŚ?â When the Doctorâs only answer was a single cocked eyebrow, the penny dropped. âDrugs. Heâs here for drugs?â
âSo it would seem. So our human either isnât your run-of-the-mill 21st century type, or thereâs a bigger operation at hand.â
âSo, what youâre saying isâŚwe could have another Jack on our hands.â
âYup.â
*
The Doctor maintained that since about twenty minutes had passed and the ruddy-faced barkeep was throwing them both dirty looks, they should both buy a drink. It was, of course, strict Torchwood policy that all keep a clear head while on any type of assignment, so he strolled up to the counter and placed an order for two Cokes.
The barman just eyed him for a moment, snorted loudly (the Doctor stepped back a fraction at this) and then went to pull down two glasses.
âDo you want them as pints, or are you starting easy this evening with just half?â he said with more than a little bit of sarcasm.
âNope, pints are fine. Ice as well, please,â the Doctor replied, chipper.
â4 quid,â said the now brusque barkeep, chucking a scoop of ice apiece into pint glasses and filling them on-tap. âAnd I donât take card,â he grumbled.
Finding loose change in his pockets (not bigger on the inside, sadly) and dumping in on the counter with the same attitude the other man had placed the brimming-full glasses down on the beer mats - slopping a fair bit of it in the process - he returned to their little hideout.
âBlimey, Iâd put that guy as our man, but I think heâs just like that,â the Doctor muttered as Rose took her drink with a small but grateful âthanksâ, mindful not to spill even more of its contents. He sat down next to her this time, not sure why he even chose the seat across from her in the first place.
After taking a deep swig of the sweet soda, bubbles tickling his nose, he did yet another visual sweep. His fingers were itching to bring out the sonic and do a scan for any kind of alien tech, but they werenât to compromise their position until the very last moment.
âCould the contact be part of something larger, like a, uh, Spice network?â
âYep!â The Doctor beamed at her, feeling an overwhelming urge to tug her right into him. He settled for letting the arm now just in his lap slide behind her and the seat, so his hand rested loosely on her hip. Casually. He hoped. After all, he supposed they were at the boyfriend-girlfriend equivalent -werenât they?
They hadnât kissed overly much so far, but their intimacy was far more open than before. And, oh, he just delighted in being able to do things like walk right up to her and plant a soft âgood morningâ kiss on her forehead.
Thatâs as far as it went at present, however. And he wasnât keen on pushing, no matter how badly his soul wished to knit at the deepest level with hers; no matter how many mornings he woke up harder than heâd been in his entire life, seeking reprieve in a quick shower before Rose cottoned on to his, uh, condition.
Heâd wait.
âDoctor?â
âHmm?â
Rose prodded him again and then gestured to his left. He looked up to see a rangy blond in a tight-fitting black Henley and pressed trousers standing right by their table. The man was wearing his large sunglasses indoors, and with a flash of some blindingly white teeth, greeted them.
âI couldnât help but notice just you two lovely humans sitting here by yourself, and I wanted to know if I could buy you both a drink.â
Something inside the Doctor snarled at this ponceâs intrusion.
âWe are - I mean to say,â he stuttered, âthanks but no thanks. Rose is my- so weâre not interested.â
Although neither of them could see the manâs eyes, he drew back, stance apologetic.
âI meant nothing like that, my man. My offer was only a drink, thatâs all. No strings attached.â His palms were upturned, awaiting their response.
âUm-â
âWeâre good, thanks,â Rose answered as she raised her condensation-slicked glass in reference.
The stranger paused, then scoffed before turning away. âSuit yourselves.â He was muttering under his breath as he retreated to the other smokey end of the room.
âWell, at least we canât see âem,â Rose said after a beat, in a casual tone as she wafted her hand in front of her to disperse the slight fog coming their way. âPeople really donât like non-drinkers hereâŚâ She fell silent when the Doctor didnât answer; probably noticing the way his gaze was riveted to where the intruder had come from.
âI wonder..butâŚno,â he began, thoughtful, comprehension dawning. Then he shook himself, took a drink (his glass was near empty now, which seemed odd) and focused his attention back on the vision beside him. Rose, however, was glaring back at the barkeep who was collecting glasses on the adjacent tables, glowering at them.
âBest we try and blend in?â
âMaybe. Iâm sure just one wonât be a crime.â
*
The Doctor insisted on taking their order again, in spite of being rebuffed at the first hurdle. It was clear from both menâs demeanour that their alcoholic purchase didnât clear the air exactly, but nevertheless he waited, and she watched him as he waited.
Well. Maybe didnât so much watch as eagerly drink him in. Studied and admired the really very complimentary cut of his jeans, and the confident stance as he assumed the usual hands-in-pockets pose.
Why hadnât things progressed further again?
Oh, yeah. She was actually terrified of ruining things by scaring him with her hormones. Just because he was part-human now and had practically proposed on that windy beach didnât mean they had to indulge in what had been forbidden to them beforehand, right?
Although there were indications it wasn't just she who was keen for more. The Doctor clearly thought sheâd been none the wiser as he kept a little bit more personal space between them in the mornings, and the way he offered to always have a shower first because, as a bloke, he wouldnât use as much hot water and needed less time to get ready. Which was a downright lie, because a) one morning sheâd been particularly naughty and hovered around the door, managing to hear his soft, reedy call of her name; and b) only he took longer than her to primp and style his hair to perfection.
(There was no point. Sheâd just muss it up later by gratuitously threading her hands through the thick strands).
As she sat and observed his journey back from the bar, one thing was clear: something had to give one of these days. Her patience was, after all, definitely limited.
And she loved him beyond anything else.
Two sparsely decorated highballs joined their empties on the table. âI donât think theyâre really the cocktail sort here,â the Doctor mused, pushing one towards her. âIt is a G & T, but the wrong glass. Ah well. Bottoms up,â he said happily, clinking their glasses together.
The liquid in his glass had an ever so slightly golden tone to it and in addition to the (rather wilted) sprig of mint, there was curl of something unidentifiable. But it was swiftly out of sight as he took a measured swig; all the while as his eyes held overs over the rim.
âMmm. I think thereâs a hint of ginger in that,â he observed, smacking his lips and staring into the glassâs contents. âMaybe a bit unconventional, but nice. Different.â
âExperimental, more like,â Rose muttered, much preferring the clean taste of the sharp, bitter spirit and astringent tonic water that chased it. The desire to get completely bladdered had left her by the time she was well into her travels with him. And, surprisingly, even when apart, she indulged even less.
Although maybe that was more to do with the fact she did just give in one night, throwing back shot after shot in a poor attempt to drown the pain deep within herself - and then nearly took a random stranger back home to her flat. Sheâd properly passed out before anything happened, but she still felt guilt for that one night of, well - insanity was the best description.
The guilty pang returned as his arm returned to around her waist. How could she have even considered anyone else, even for a moment?
Encouraged, she sidled closer tucking her head just about into the hollow where neck met shoulder, breathing in contentedly and just savouring the moment, drink in hand from which she took occasional sips.
They must have given off the perfect image of a happy, doting couple as the conspicuous blond from earlier hadnât made any other attempts. If anything, he was giving them both a wide berth.
Her eyes narrowed as from over the Doctorâs chest they tracked his doddering movements. He was weaving about the tables one moment with a strange, weightless gait, then suddenly walking as usual.
Then, as she opened her mouth to mention what sheâd noticed, the Doctor tugged her even closer, setting his now drained glass down with a loud clunk.
In spite of feeling her cheeks flush at his more⌠rough behaviour, Rose collected herself and began again.
âI donât know about you, but blondey does seem off to me after all.â
At his enquiring noise, she looked back and nearly jumped as how close the tip of his nose was to her face. A giddy-eyed tender smile was plastered on his face, and a just about visible pink tinge joined the freckles there.
âMy Rose.â The tone was almost a soft, sweet crone, accompanied by a brush of lips to her forehead. Well, it was more than a bit off centre and practically on her right eyebrow, but that was besides the point.
âAlways seeing stuff I canât. What would I do without you, ey?â
Rose blinked, silently accepting his sudden outburst of praise and affection. Not that he wasnât like this on the regular, butâŚ
âWhy donât you pop to the loo and do a bit of good olâ reconnaissance on the way? Iâll stay here. Might, uh, get us more drinks.â
âWell, I think youâre alright for now, Doctor.â
Clearly the alcohol was having more than just a buzz for him. But, given how it was accelerating his behaviourâŚwell letâs say Rose wasnât necessarily keen for it to stop.
Also, she actually did need a wee.
The toilets were passable. Not great, but not terrible. The paper towel dispenser was empty and the yellowed hand dryer unit broken, so loo roll it was after the sink gave what little water pressure it had.
She was flicking the last drops off her hands and sidling down the corridor back to the bar room when it happened. Sheâd slowed, noticing their empty booth table, and then scanned the room.
Not half a minute later did she find herself being backed up against the textured wall.
All she could do was stammer.
âI-What are you-D-Doctor-â The full heat and line of his body was pressed tight against hers as he cut her off with one glorious, searing kiss. He tasted faintly of the ginger in his drink, his mouth insistent and urgent as it took hers. It was all she could do to just reciprocate the full force of his onslaught, muffling a noise of surprise into their locked lips as he insinuated a sneaky thigh between her legs. One arm was wedged between her and the wall, the other leverage as he propped himself up above her head.
They were both breathing heavily when he finally broke, right into each other's space. The lighting in the corridor was dimmer here, but she still picked up on the now bruised fullness to his lips.
âIâve been wanting to do that all night. Well, all day, really,â he confessed, words drawn out more than for his trademark mannerism.
âOh, really?â Rose didnât feel that brave, and the falter in her voice let him damn well know that.
The chuckle that bubbled forth from him was the filthiest thing sheâd ever heard, and soon the heat wasn't in her neck and face alone.
âMhmm,â he hummed, tip of his nose trailing her jaw as he leaned in, her breasts firm against his solid chest. âFunny thing, liquid courage. Didnât realise it was what I needed all this time.â
Her eyes widened, breath hitching as the mood changed entirely, and his hand moved from its entirely platonic placement on the small of her back to, wellâŚdecidedly lower down. Much further down, until his large, warm palm was cupping the meat of her arse through her form-fitting black jeans.
Rose squeaked as he tugged her flush against him now, practically pinning her to the wall.
âI suddenly feel the need to also say that Iâve been wondering what colour your delightful underwear is all evening,â he pretty much purred right in her ear, voice husky with what she realised was inebriation.
âAre you drunk?â she gasped, her skin on fire as the very same curious hand changed course and was nudging at her waistband.
âGinger. I should have realised,â he slurred, adorning the join of her neck and jaw with a line of fluttering kisses. âI suspected Iâd have reduced capability for metabolising the alcohol in this body but⌠ginger inhibits that completely.â
âI - we canât, not here,â Rose protested even as her body and mind was screaming yes yes yes now. âSomeone might see. In fact, someone definitely will see.â The end of that sentence disappeared into the air on a groan as he nuzzled the top of her breasts and, at the same time, deftly undid her jeans. âDoctor!â
The next four words that came from his pleading lips were her undoing.
âBut I want you.â
The desperation there was the match that lit the touchpaper.
âOh, sod it,â she sighed, instantly sinking her fingers into thick brown strands and snogging him senseless, fighting him for control of the kiss. Her arms were looped around him as they had been during that first windswept beach affirmation, and so being hungrily sandwiched together left little room for movement.
But let it never be said that the Doctor would back down from a challenge. Oh, not at all.
She let out a helpful little moan, feeling her hips cant completely of their own accord against his thigh as those same fingers pressed over her mons, the heat of his palm now over her lacy pink choice for the day.
âPerfect,â she barely registered him hiss, awash in a wave of mounting arousal and hormones. The angle was a little awkward given their height difference, and there was no way the black jeans were coming off even down to mid-thigh, but he gave himself enough wiggle room to seek and locate the part of her now crying out for attention. She stifled a sob of relief into his shoulder when they slid underneath damp lace and over the seam of her. It was gladly echoed by his soft groan of appreciation.
âOi, you two!â
Instead of extricating himself and doing the usual hasty pat-down, rearranging of clothes and a sheepish smile, the Doctor moved, shielding her from the onlooker.
âYeah, Iâm talking to you lot. Donât think I didnât notice from over the other side of the bloody room.â It was the blond guy, his stance aggravated as he loped closer.
âI mean this doesnât really concern you, but I can only imagine weâve been playing havoc with your olfactory sensilla.â His voice was still gravelly with desire, but the Doctor's tone was nonchalant as he studied their intruder.
All the while with his hand still buried in her knickers.
The guy finally tore off the sunglasses, revealing pupils blown wide.
âYouâre bloody right. You humans make me ill, loitering in pub alleys and bar corners and spreading your hormonal filth,â he spat, jaw tense. âAnd you females,â he glowered at Rose now, who bristled, wet and warmth evaporating to be replaced by irritation, âyou should be ashamed of yourself!â
âOi yourself!â she retorted, moving in a way that dislodged the Doctorâs questing fingers. But he was already there, sonic in hand in a trice.
With a whir and a tiny pop, the man was gone. In his place stood a fuzzy creature beset by many sectioned legs, huge, dark compound eyes and curling antenna. His wings vibrated with annoyance, antenna twitching.
The edge of her mouth twitched when she realised the alienâsfluffy carapace was a pale pink hue, with spots of yellow here and there.
âWhat was that?â she gaped, staring at the humanoid moth being.
âShimmer,â the Doctor announced, pocketing the sonic screwdriver once more. âTurns out we didnât need any ace detective work to find our ring leader. Just pure, unadulterated endorphins and hormones. Plays havoc to a Treveltan, which makes me wonder why you even came here in the first place,â he addressed the giant moth, brows creasing. âHumans are very loud, chemically speaking.â
The Treveltan couldnât speak - or perhaps just refused to, only rubbing his wings in anger at being discovered and emitting a rhythmic static-y sound.
âWaitâŚare you telling me we found out the Spice runner because weâŚyou know?â
âOh yes!â
It was after theyâd detained their culprit and they were exiting the pub that he brushed her ear with his lips again, saying in a barely audible whisper:
âWeâre definitely continuing that when we get home.â
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A few hours after Rose disappeared and then came back home in a great flash of light, her husband was holding her in their bed. His fingers traced her bare spine and skin as he gazed over her in the pale moonlight, a soft smile on his lips as he thought her beautiful. Even after all these years, with a child born, wrinkles just starting to appear around her eyes and mouth to echo her gorgeous smile, the cellulitis and stretch marks lingering, and her form maturing, his Rose was still as breath-taking and enchanting as she had been when he first encountered her nineteen-year-old-self. The gradual entrance into being a middle-aged woman had not diminished his Roseâs exquisiteness. No â it had enhanced it, like fine wine.
Rose was also stroking her husband, feeling where all the tension was still settled in his body with the gentle prodding of her fingertips. It was a surprise, really. When Mia set off to stay the night at a girlfriendâs place after dinner, the Doctor had practically dragged her into their bedroom and made love to her repeatedly until they were where they are now â collapsed and exhausted in a cuddle. Usually, an orgasm from his wife had been the quick solution to any tension he experienced in the over ten years theyâd been together on Peteâs World, but not tonight, it seemed.
âWhatâs the matter?â she murmured in the silent darkness, now brushing her fingers around his hairline on his forehead, admiring his own light wrinkles that were apparent. She could also see a grey hair or two and fancied the idea of having a silver fox of a husband, knowing heâd suit the salt and pepper look so well.
âHm?â he hummed back to her, quirking a brow. She licked her lips, shifting beneath the sheets a little and drawing them further up her shoulders to shield herself from the cold as the sweat layered on her body grew uncomfortable with her temperature now back to normal. He noticed this and drew her closer into his embrace, wanting to keep his wife warm and happy.
âYouâre still tense,â she pointed out, searching within his eyes for the answer. He still had that ancient look, but the walls had weakened and eventually lowered in this universe and you could see feeling more clearly in them now as well. He didnât hold his cards so close to his chest anymore and allowed people to sense and see his emotions, especially Rose. He had made a point of saying that in his vows. But sometimes, like now, he brought those defences right back up in an act of protection and self-preservation. It didnât offend her and never would â it was a mechanism that had been drilled into him for hundreds of years and it would take a very long time for him to be fully free of that. âAnd⌠well, when you insisted we head to the bedroom, I knew something was up,â she teased lightly, grinning at the sight of his âyou got meâ smirk. Passionate, frequent shagging wasnât uncommon for them, but the way he looked at her and the desperation filled in his touches and movements were silent confessions.
The Doctor sucked in a breath, the smile leaving his lips as he took a moment to cohere all his thoughts and⌠blimey, gather the confidence to be so vulnerable with Rose about this. Of course he knew he could be so with her, but it was still scary to admit such personal struggles and fears after all this time.
âUh, today was a bit too close to home for my liking,â he explained in a rather awkward, embarrassed tone, scratching the back of his neck. âMade me think of⌠Torchwood andâŚâ he trailed off, his voice growing tight and the ability to talk crashing fast as the need to cry quickly sprung up on him. Rose didnât need any elaboration â she knew exactly what he was referring to.
âOh, love, Iâm so sorry,â she whispered, drawing him into a tight hug, stroking his hair and just holding him. âI didnât mean to. Oh, love.âÂ
That day, and their time apart, was something the couple never really moved on from. Almost losing Rose to the Void, and then dealing with the fact that they were separated for, what they knew at the time was, eternity had killed the both of them on the inside. It was a pain and a hurt that didnât start to heal until their reunion, but even then, the fleetingness of their human life was a quiet reminder that they could so easily lose each other again.
âJust⌠just watching you disappear like that was horrifying,â he choked out, his tears spilling onto her shoulder and trickling down her skin. Her heart broke at the sensation as she cradled his trembling form, cooing to him softly.
When the Doctor saw Rose vanish in that bright light, it was a very distinct and uncanny reminder of the image of Pete catching her before whisking her away to their current world. It was a sick, cruel play on their trauma and it made him want to crumble away. But he knew he couldnât, so he put all of his energy into distracting himself and pushing down the pure desire to just fall apart. The last time heâd let himself do that, in front of Donna with the Racnoss children, it was a dark feeling that felt so good because it numbed his agony. He did it because he was alone and had no consequence.
This time, he knew his wife would return and that he had his daughter to take care of too, so he packed it all away.
And now, in the safety of his wifeâs arms, he let all of that emotion pour out.
âI know, I know,â she soothed, pressing a kiss to his hair and rubbing small circles into his skin. âBut I came back, yeah? You didnât lose me again â I just had to do something,â she reminded him. And like that, he stilled and calmed in her presence with her words of authority. He was a man devoted and entranced, taking her wisdom as the Holy Grail; his personal Bible.Â
He lifted up his head and gazed at her with wet eyes, smoothing away a few of her own that started to race down her cheeks.
âThatâs right, Rose Tyler,â he whispered with a trembling smile. âI didnât lose you.â
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Read on AO3 or below the cut
written for @tentoorosemicrofics, prompts are: pink, nightgown
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Metacrisis Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Characters: Metacrisis Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler
Additional Tags: tentoo x rose microfic challenge, Established Relationship, Romance, Flirting, Victorian Era attitudes, prompt: pink, prompt: nightgown
Summary:
âAnd she insisted on us sleeping apart something fierce, but when I assured her we were trying for a baby, she got so excited and supportive, telling me that the change of scenery would do goodâŚShe actually pitied me, you know, for not knowing the âjoysâ of motherhood at the âoldâ age of 32.â
Or: the Doctor and Rose are stuck in the 19th century while taking their young Tardis for a spin.
Authorâs Notes:
This fic is another opportunity for me to write something Victorian-era related. Itâs my obsession, you see. When I was 5, I was mad about the horses. When I was 11, I was mad about the kittens. Now that Iâm 25, Iâm obsessed with the Victorian era, and I love reading about it and writing about it. SoâŚthere you go. Our favourite duo is enjoying the night in the late 1800s.
Hope you like it!
<3
From the mailbox to the front door to every last common area and powder room, the Tyler Mansion had undergone something of a ghastly metamorphosis.Â
The front parlor alone was a menagerie of bubble gum pink; from the soft linen tablecloth to the tiered cake stands covered in cupcakes, strawberries, and mini quiche bites. Heart-shaped pink doilies lined every plate, sitting beside neatly-stacked rows of pink, miniature forks, all on their separate islands thatâd been steeped on all sides by girlie bits of confetti the housekeeper would likely be vacuuming all afternoon.Â
Then there were the gift bags; parcels, baskets; wrappings, and ribbons. All pink.Â
And that was just the gifts from the family â they were expecting upwards of two dozen guests, who would likely be coming with plenty of their own presents for the mother-to-be.
The corner was arranged into a makeshift photo booth; complete with a pink wicker basket stuffed with pink hats, boas, comically oversized specs, and various other props sitting beside a shimmering backdrop of⌠well, you could probably guess.Â
They might as well have painted the walls of the entire bloody house, while they were at it.Â
âI canât believe you didnât take Peteâs suit from the breast cancer gala,â muttered Jackie. âHeâd have had it tailored, you know. Made it fit your girlish figure like a dream, he wouldâve.â
Leaning on the wall beside her, the one blue sheep amongst a projected pink flock, was the already-exasperated Doctor. He wore his favorite suit, brilliantly blue â perfect, thanks â though heâd foregone a tie with his lighter blue button-down. Felt more laid back.
He pushed his specs up his nose with his pointer finger and rolled his eyes before casting a glare at his mother-in-law.
âIn fairness, blue used to be considered the more feminine color.â He indicated his outfit with a dip of his chin. âTechnically, Iâll be fitting in better than any of you lot â you just wonât know it.â He sniffed, cocking his head to the side. âCall it⌠Oh, I dunno. âVintage Incognitoâ.â
Jackie huffed in exasperation. ââVintage Incog-full of itâ, more like. I never saw a little boy in pink.â
âThatâs because it was only commonplace until the late forties,â he came back with a light, anticipatory smirk. âYou were born in what, â53, â55? You wouldnâtâveâ ow!â He grimaced as his hand jumped up to hold his cheek, where Jackie had landed a swift right hand with a clap.
â1969, thank you very much.â She dusted her hands off dramatically, placing them on her hips. âDonât go making digs at me just because you canât stand sticking out like a sore thumb.â
Deluded, he thought â but carried on.Â
âAs I was saying,â he pushed his specs up again, adjusting where theyâd gone askew from her slap. âuntil the late 1940s, mums were told to dress their boys in pink if they expected them to grow up big and strong. Then came a slew of advertising campaigns where corporations decided, âKnow what? Thatâs about enough of that. Letâs have pink be for girls, just for a laughâ.â He swept his hands gracefully out from his sides in a gesture to the sea of pink around them. âLook at us, Jackie Tyler â basking in the garish success of mid-twentieth-century capitalism.â
âIâll give you something to bask in,â Jackie muttered under her breath as she looked away, scanning the room. âWhere is the mum-to-be, anyhow? Guests will be arriving anyââ
âIâm here, Iâm here,â came an exasperated call, and the Doctor straightened up at once, turning to meet the sight of Rose as she hobbled slowly down the steps. Halfway down, she stopped on the landing.
His breath caught, taking her in from his vantage point in the doorway leading to the foyer.
She wore a form-fitting white dress that clung to every lovely curve; thin straps baring the pale pink of her arms, the loose neckline dipping down to reveal cleavage that had bloomed spectacularly over the past eight months. The dress was delectably form-fitting; not only hugging every supple bend of her body, but perfectly cradling and accentuating her well-rounded bump â over which rested the thick outline of a metallic pink heart.Â
The Doctor suddenly found that he loved two things more than he ever thought he could: Jackie Tyler [for picking out that dress], and even in spite of himself: the color pink.
What he loved far, far more, however⌠was her.
âOh,â he breathed, his hand leaping to his chest to still the thundering of his heart. âRose.â
âDonât,â she grumbled from her post, where she stood with one hand atop the curve of her belly, the other gripping at the banister with white knuckles. âMy back is killing me. Feet, too â Iâm taking off these stupid bloody shoes. Theyâve gotten so tight. And I know I look like a globe with legs, so please, just⌠donât.â
Quick as an arrow, the Doctor was darting up the stairs, meeting her in seconds before grasping her face in gentle hands. He swooped down at once, overcome with affection as he delicately covered her lips with his.Â
âYou,â he kissed her again, âLook,â another kiss, âBreathtaking.â The last one was placed on her forehead, where he uttered quietly, âStop it. Lookat you. You have never looked more beautiful⌠And I mean that.â
He met her eyes as he drew back, his hands dropping from her face to cradle her bump with splayed fingers. His heart swelled as he felt the beautiful thrum of life growing within her; their daughter. With a sigh and a soft smile, he carefully pressed his thumbs over the satiny material of the dress, sweeping in gentle curves back and forth. Rose blushed deeply as her lips turned up at the corners, placing her hands over his.
âGuess thatâs my cue to put the cake out, then,â Jackieâs voice piped up from the doorway to the parlor. âRose, sweetheart, can I get you something to drink?â
â... Something sweet?â her daughter tried, her smile turning a little sheepish, and the Doctor smirked.Â
Rose had been riddled with scores of cravings throughout her entire pregnancy (certainly not just of the food-and-beverage short, but to expand on that would be a different subject entirely) and heâd been stringent with her at times, not wanting to encourage lovely things such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.
Though he wasnât entirely cruel.Â
âDonât worry,â The Doctor murmured, leaning his forehead into hers. âHave whatever you like. Baby showers are judgment-free, Rose Tyler â and I believe your mum even made your favorite cupcakes.â
Even with their proximity, he could see her eyes widening. âThe coconut ones withââ
âWith the cream cheese frosting, yes,â he laughed. âAnd mini quiches, as well.â
In response to such tantalizing information; a rich, velvety moan poured from Roseâs lips, sending a frisson from the very top of his spine all the way through the tips of his toes. His fingers pressed lightly into her belly of their own accord, redirecting the surge of tension working like a lightning bolt through him.
Rose might have been the one dealing with the hormonal onslaught of pregnancy, but as a partial human, the Doctor had plenty of hormones of his own to contend with. Plus, she smelled twenty times more intoxicating than she already did while she was carrying their child, and he was aware of it constantly; a man starving at all conceivable times.
Theyâd been⌠a bit insatiable, to say the least. Had been since long before she was pregnant, of course, but nowâŚ
Well. Point blank: It wasnât fair, not even remotely, that sheâd go making such noises within a set and setting that couldnât possibly be more family-oriented.Â
The Doctor pulled a deep breath through his parted lips, needing to ground himself back in the present moment; a moment in which women would soon start showing up in droves; some with screaming children of their own.Â
Just the thought was enough to jar him back into full control, and he kissed her again, readjusting to wrap his arm around her shoulder.
âLetâs go and get you a cupcake, hmm?â
âYesssss,â Rose sighed dreamily, and la la la, the Doctor wasnât listening, la la la. She loosely strung an arm around his waist, thankfully accepting his support, taking the banister again with her free hand as he led her the rest of the way down the stairs.
âSo⌠Dâyou like the blue?â he asked somewhat self-consciously a moment later, finally stepping onto the ground floor. He smiled when she promptly kicked her pink ballets onto the fancy rug, surreptitiously tucking them off to the side with a swollen foot. âYour mum seems to think I stick out like a sore thumb.âÂ
Rose looked at his suit intently as though it was the first time sheâd noticed it, and immediately burst into laughter, placing her hand over his heart.
âThank god you havenât put on pink,â she tapped the buttons of his oxford, grinning up at him. âDoctor, this suit is⌠Sâjust you.â Her little grin took on a mischievous little glint as she got closer; close as her body would allow, then leaned in as she lowered her voice. âDonât want you to change⌠I think I want you exactly like this.â
The Doctorâs left eyebrow popped up, and he smirked wickedly at her. âWellll, donât go wanting me too much, Rose Tyler â thereâs still the party to attend to. AlthoughâŚâ His arm around her shoulders loosened as he brought a hand between her shoulder blades, sliding it down to her lower back until his pinkie brushed the almost invisible indent of her knickers. âLater tonight, youâd like a lovely, private massageââ
âOiiiii!â
A very unwelcome voice sounded off from the doorway, and the pair practically jumped apart to see Jackie standing there holding two glasses of some sort of fizzy pink beverage garnished with bright red strawberries. âCanât I walk away for two bleedin 'minutes without you seducing my daughter in the foyer?â
The Doctor stood up tall in indignance, flustered as he straightened his suit jacket, hoping it would distract from the glowing vibrance of his blushing cheeks. âI was notââ
But Rose was already turning to rush towards her mum, wobbling at a slight tilt to accept her treat with eager hands. âOh, thank you, mum, thank you, thank you, thank youââ
âYeah, alright,â Jackieâs voice feigned admonishment, but there was no disguising the love in her eyes. âStrawberry soft drink. Caffeine free,â she added with a pointed look towards the Doctor; because although she was already well-versed on the pregnancy no-noâs long before he came around, evidently, English Breakfast hadnât been on her list.
The former Time Lord hadnât forgotten.
âThank you,â he mouthed regardless, not wanting to go into the entire day with a point of contention between them â and all over a silly suit.
She smiled at him, effectively clearing the air, and held up the drink that wasnât currently being gulped down in one go by her daughter. âThis oneâs yours, you daft, blue thing.â
Oh, thank god, he thought, mouth watering as he eyed the strawberry pierced over the rim of the glass.Â
As Jackie went on to wake Tony, the Doctor and Rose stood at the foot of the stairs sipping at the fizzy sweetness of their drinks, and chatting as innocently as they could, enjoying their brief moment of solitude before festivities began. They had just enough time to finish every last drop before they heard the first set of tires pulling up the long drive.Â
Rose insisted on hauling their glasses to the kitchen on her own, requesting a moment to herself before being lovingly forced into the center of attention for the next few hours. He didnât blame her.
In the meantime, the Doctor headed for the front entrance, putting on his best âdomestic socialiteâ face before pulling the French doors open to the morning sun.
When being intimate for the first time, the Doctor discovers that Rose has a few scars, and some have stories that the Doctor doesnât particularly like.
1/1 chapters. For the Tentoo x Rose Microfic Challenge; @tentoorosemicrofics
Rose was in utter bliss when the Doctor brought her to bed for the first time. It took a little while, having silently agreed to reacquaint themselves with each other and properly, officially develop their romance before getting tangled in the sheets together like that. They couldnât deny themselves the intimacy and comfort of sharing a bed, being able to hold each other and being reassured that their life wasnât some wild fantasy.Â
As his gentle hands curled around her clothes, slowly peeling them off of her body and pressing featherlight kisses along her silky smooth skin, her excitement was growing deeper and fuller, each touch and caress like liquid fire straight to her core. She encouraged him with soft, tender noises and with the way her firsts bunched up against his back, and the way his breathing sharpened and deepened with each inch of her body that became bare to him, she knew that their intense feelings were mutual.
However, this prolonged and slowly building eagerness and need ceased without warning when the Doctor paused after tugging off her trousers. His lips and hands stilled where they were on her body, his breathing hitched and wouldâve stopped entirely if he had retained his respiratory bypass, and when Rose glanced into her loverâs eyes with her hooded, dazed ones, she felt her brow furrow when she discovered that his gaze was filled with pure worry.
âDoctor?â she murmured with a breathy voice, stroking one side of his face comfortingly. Usually, this would draw him back down to Earth, but he was entirely fixated on whatever he had discovered.
âRose,â he began quietly, âwhatâs that?â he questioned. Rose followed where his focus had landed and felt her own breath hitch when she saw that he had found one of her scars.Â
On the flat of her navel was a puffy, shiny-looking, raised lump of skin that was pinker than the rest of her skin. It melded into her flesh, smoothing out into her untarnished complexion. But it still stood out on the valley of her body and was still a strong sight to behold even after a year or so of existence.Â
âRose?â he asked once more, with heightened urgency, when she didnât respond. His eyes were more intense with fear now, slightly glazed over. âWhat happened? Who did this to you?â he demanded with an air of anger in both his face and tone, her silence only encouraging him to theorise the worst-case scenarios. She licked her lips, nervous about discussing this with him.Â
âItâs nothing,â she assured him.
â Rose ,â he insisted, the desperation in his voice clear as tears piqued in the corners of his eyes. She sucked in a breath, drawing her hands into her lap and fiddling with her fingers anxiously, unconsciously slipping one thumb into her mouth and beginning to chew on her hangnails.
âPlease donât get mad,â she requested as quietly as possible, glancing up at him. His brow knotted together and he ran his knuckles over her cheek.
â Never , love,â he cooed.Â
âWell, you know it took a few tries to find you again, right? To get to the right dimension?â she began, and the Doctorâs jaw clenched and body tensed all over as he started to hypothesise what this opening statement implied. He nodded stiffly, still hovering over her. Their arousal was non-existent now, but neither of them cared. This conversation was worth having and prioritising. âUh, sometimes I found myself in tight situations or in bad locations. And with the wait time for the canon to recharge, things⌠things could get bad,â she explained with a tight voice.Â
âItâs okay, sweetheart,â he encouraged, dropping a soft kiss on her knuckles as he picked up one jittery hand. He rubbed soothing circles into her skin with his thumb. âYou can tell me.â
âThat one is from when I landed on an ice biome of some sort. It was freezing and in the early days of jumping, so I didnât have an adequate kit on me. No thermals, extra layers, heat source, or anythingâjust a t-shirt and jacket on my back. I also landed in some bushes so my clothes got torn, so I got frostbite all over me. I recovered relatively well, but I got that scar,â she informed him. âMum and Pete didnât want me to keep going after that, butâŚâ
He sighed heavily. âYou insisted.â She gave a small, embarrassed nod. âAnd⌠thereâs other scars?â he concurred, and she offered a similar nod. His eyes did all the pleading, and Rose obliged. She rolled over onto her stomach beneath him, and Rose heard him suck in a sharp breath as he took in her large scar that traced down her left shoulder blade.
âWould you believe me if I told you I got caught up in a Slitheen war? I tried to lay low as soon as I realised what was going on, but I was found by one last minute. Tried to grab me, we had a duel and⌠letâs just say I landed in the hospital for a few weeks,â she recounted with a tense smile as she looked over her shoulder.
He looked positively destroyed by her story, one of the tears that had grown trickling down his cheek. She started to turn back over, ready to comfort him, but one hand landed on her shoulder and gently ushered her flat on her stomach again. She gave him a confused glance.
âJust⌠just let meâŚâ he spoke softly.Â
He leaned down and pressed his lips to her mutilated skin, trailing tender kisses down the mark that served as a reminder of how dangerous Slitheen can really be. Once done, he guided her back onto her back and kissed the frostbite scar. He looked up at her from where he was kneeling, eyes pleading and begging.Â
âAnywhere else?â
She showed him the other marks, some from jumping and others not. He worshipped each scar, murmuring words beneath his breath at times. Once her entire body had been inspected and touched, they shared a few kisses and resumed their earlier intentions.Â
They made love as close as physically possible, pouring their entire souls into it. The vulnerability of Rose sharing her body with him earlier added a whole other layer of intimacy and deepness to this exploration of physical need together, carrying them into heavily emotional climaxes that were unionised.Â
Afterwards, collapsing into each otherâs arms in sated bliss and eventually crawling into a tight cuddle, they drifted off into sleep, his fingers tracing her scars as they did. He loved his Rose for sacrificing so much and putting herself through hell to get back to him, and he would make that appreciation known every day for the rest of their lives together. She loved her Doctor for being her rock and continuing to love her even for her flaws, and would do the same offering for him.
@tentoorosemicrofics 700 words
tentoo/rose for the prompt 'duel'
read on ao3
âDid you ever?â
Rose starts slightly, having almost forgotten that she wasnât in bed already, her mind slow and hazy. Shifting against the headrest, she yawns. âDid I everâŚwhat?â
The Doctor looks at her, as if to say you know. When she doesn't catch on, he huffs. âWith someone else. While I was,â he swallows, ââŚaway.â
âOh. Well,â Rose says, considering.
âI told you about Martha. And Joan.â He smiles, tight and sheepish. âAnd Astrid.âÂ
Rose grins. âFeeling jealous?â
âNo,â he says, albeit a little stiffly. âJust curious.â
She hums noncommittally, even as an odd flush of happiness goes through her. âYou know Michael, yeah? In HR?â She waits for him to nod impatiently. âWellâŚwe went on a couple of dates. Wouldnât even call them dates, actually. Didnât really go past that. â Her cheeks tinge pink. âIâm pretty sure I spent them talking his ears off about you.âÂ
She meets the Doctorâs gaze then, expecting him to say something cheeky. Instead, his eyes darken, and he swears loudly, before moving so suddenly that Rose jumps.Â
âSorry, hello, Andersonâwas it?â the Doctor demands, leaning forward to tap the cabbieâs shoulder. âYes, rightâmind taking us back? Iâve forgotten to do something.â
âDoctor,â Rose sits up, bewildered. âWhaââ
âI knew it,â he says. âKnew that slimy bastard had eyes on you. He still fancies you, did you know that? Couldnât keep his eyes off you tonight. Itâs indecent, it is, Roseâitâs not right. He knows youâre with me now.â
Rose tries to ignore the shiver of delight that travels up her spine at that. With him. âSo he fancies meâso what?â
âSo what?â  the Doctor snaps. âSoâŚwhat? So Iâm going to show him that, thatâs what.â He straightens his collar, pulls back his sleeves, muttering furiously. â...does he think he is? Hovering all dayâŚall those reportsâŚtouching your shoulderâŚAnd tonight. Bringing you that drink?â
âYouâve been watching him closely, then, have you?â
âItâs not funny, Rose.âÂ
âGoing to duel him to win my hand?â
âI just might,â he says, and Rose realises the cabâs pulled up outside the pub theyâd left minutes ago. The Doctor yanks the door open, stepping onto the pavement before she can yank him back inside.Â
âDoctor, wait! â she laughs incredulously, stumbling as she makes to follow him. She grabs his arm. âWhatâre you doing?Â
âNothing,â he says pleasantly, plastering a wide grin across his face. âJust going to give the gentleman a piece of my mind.â With that he turns to march back into the pub, only for Rose to pull on his arm again, anchoring him to her.Â
âDoctor, stop!â she says, quite unable to keep the amusement out of her voice. âYou canât justâlook. What does it matter? Itâs not like he has a chance.â She lifts his wrist, waving it between them. âIâve won the hand already.â
The Doctor groans, but his lips twitch. âAwful.â
âYou love it.â
They stand like that for several seconds, Rose grinning, until he shakes his head in defeat, allowing himself to smile. âI know he hasnât got a chance,â he admits somewhat gruffly. âDoesnât mean Iâve got to let him try.â
âDoesnât mean you can walk in there and deck him either,â Rose reminds him. âYouâre in enough trouble with Pete as it is.â
The Doctor makes a noise of irritation. Carefully, Rose tugs him in the direction of the cab again, as if to not spook him. âI like this look on you,â she tells him conversationally, her tongue poking out of her mouth of its own accord. âGreen.â
âYou would,â he says grumpily, but thereâs no real venom in his words.Â
She remembers suddenly, her first Doctor, and the way he would sulk when she so much as glanced at a âpretty boyâ. An unbearable fondness suffuses her chest. âHey,â she says, slowing to a stop. She leans in, pressing her lips to his jaw, to the slight stubble heâs got going nowadays, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away. âI love you.â
His cheek is warm, his gaze even more so.Â
âRose Tyler,â he says quietly. He glances away then, to a street lamp at the corner of the building, and then to the cabbie and then her watch, strangely, before finally flitting back to her.Â
âWhat?â she asks him.
âNothing,â he says, squeezing her palm ever-so-slightly. âWinning hands, indeed.â
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written for @tentoorosemicrofics, stretching the prompts of âedgeâ and âsingingâ beyond all possible recognition. check it out on ao3 here.
As Rose stands, shattered-fixed-frozen and holding his human-sweaty hand on that blustering beach, the Doctor is suddenly reminded of poetry.
Not of any one specific poem, mind you, but instead of the idea of poetry as a whole: rhyme, meter, repetition and symbolism, all words and silences and spacing trying to express that which is too much to be borne. Â All art aspires to the condition of music, he remembers, he knows, and poetry comes the closest, a gratifyingly representational element wrapped up in abstraction and inference. Â A rhetorical bent, a meandering and cutting of thoughts wrapped up in syllabic precision, in artful chaos. Â
He wonders what the poetry is like in this universe. Â Differentânewâconnotations and allusions. Â Perhaps a bluebird meant despair, a croaking raven upon a bust a harbinger of fortune. Â A phoenix, death. Â No stirring ashes here.
read here on ao3; written for the @tentoorosemicroficsâ challenge for the prompt âpeteâ
When Pete first meets the blue-suited Doctorâwell, first is a misnomer, to begin with. Â But when he and the newly-part-human man first shake hands, Pete canât help but to look carefully at the man standing next to Rose, to examine and try to estimate timelines in his own faulty, purely-human way. Â
(Heâs read studies on this: when asked to estimate how much time has passed since an event, humans donât do too well on accurately gauging the minutes, seconds, hours, without an external timepiece. Â When predicting how much time will have passed, humans do the opposite: theyâre far more accurate. Â Faultiness of memory inherent in the recall of the past, but far better predictive abilities when set a task. Â
Handy, that. Â An evolutionary predilection for anticipation.)
my first microfic written for @tentoorosemicrofics!
words: 1073, rated: G, prompts used: icy
tags: microfic, winter, cold weather, sharing a bed, sharing body head, emotional hurt/comfort, mild hurt/comfort, fluff, domestic fluff, tooth-rotting fluff, title from a song
titled after the song by Laufey & dodie
READ ON AO3
The Doctor was very frustrated with the inferior homeostasis that a new human body brought, relative to his previously superior physiology.
In other words, he was cold.Â
Very cold.
It had started snowing the minute that theyâd landed back in London, and he wasnât happy about it. A week away in Australia checking out some newly-recovered alien tech had been so deliciously warm (with moments of blinding heat in between, courtesy of summer in the land down under) that even as they knew the wintry weather had well and truly settled in back home, Rose and the Doctor were blissfully ignorant of just how cold London could get.Â
Rose seemed inexplicably functional, something that the Doctor just could not understand. When they were traveling together, it was always one of his companions lagging behind to try and warm up or cool down, regulate their temperature. He had a vivid memory of Donna on an icy ood-populated planet⌠but now it was he who was trying to cover himself with as many blankets as possible while Rose just chucked on a hoodie and got on with the day.Â
âRose, itâs freezing!â
âItâs not even below zero today, Doctor, itâs not even scientifically freezing,â She laughed, pressing a kiss to his forehead, his body instinctively chasing the warmth of her breath against his skin, âWe have to get to work.â
âNo, the labs are so cold. Would it kill them to turn the heater on?â The Doctor whined, shivering as he peeled off layer by layer of fluffy warmth.Â
âDoctor, I donât have to explain to you why they have to mediate temperatures in labs. Come on, itâs warmer in there than it is outside, so the quicker you get out of the house, the sooner youâll be back inside.âÂ
Rose couldnât do anything but laugh as the Doctor whined and groaned about it all the way to work and into the lab, watching a shiver go down his spine whenever someone so much as mentioned opening the door and letting the outside cold air in.
âYou are such a sook,â Rose told him that night as he pressed his face against her collarbone, apparently trying to fuse his body with hers in an attempt to preserve body heat, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist.Â
âI am not.â He said petulantly, his sentiment somewhat dampened by his current position. Rose could only coo teasingly and press a kiss to the crown of his head, feeling his responding grumble against her skin.Â
âCome on, you used to love the snow!â
âI still do, I just donât like the cold,â The Doctor was finally starting to acclimate, feeling some sort of tingly warmth coming back to his extremities where they were pressed against the soft flannel of Roseâs pyjamas, feeling the curvature of her back underneath the warm fabric, âThis bloody body and its inferior homeostasisâŚâÂ
âI didnât even think of that. That you used to notâŚâ Rose said after a moment, her lips freezing where they were pressing repetitive kisses against his head, her voice going quiet and meek.
The Doctor just hummed in response, trying to nestle even closer into Roseâs embrace and realising that her body was tenser than it was a moment ago, âRose, are you alright?â
She seemed to shake herself a bit, relaxing slightly, âYeah. âM fine.âÂ
He pulled back, trying not to wince at the cold air, finding the places that had been pressed against Roseâs skin a moment ago, âYou donât seem like it.â He ducked his head, trying to catch her eye as she clearly avoided it, âLook at me, love.âÂ
Rose sighed, now being the petulant one, and unwillingly met the Doctorâs eyes. He reached out a hand and pushed the hair back from her face, trying to hide the wince at how his fingers ached in the cold.Â
ââI used to notâ what, Rose?â
âYou used to not be cold. Or hot. Or have any of these annoying human inconveniences or discomforts,â She tensed again, even as she began to run a finger up and down his arm out of nervous energy, âYou could have kept living like that. Some version of you is living like that, out there somewhereâŚâÂ
The Doctor sighed, though not in anger. This wasnât the first time theyâd had this conversation, not even in the first hundred - and he was sure it wouldnât be the last. The things he and Rose had been through, had done to be with each other, had done to each other in the past - and he was the worst in the latter category - those things donât just get fixed with a kiss on a beach. He didnât want to stop talking about this, not until it wasnât even a thought in either of their minds, and he wasnât sure that day would ever come.
âBut he doesnât have you, my Rose,â He told her simply, pressing a kiss to her mouth, feeling her smile against his lips, before wincing and quickly pulling away, âRassilon, why are your lips so cold?!âÂ
Rose grinned, somewhat placated for the moment being, and suddenly turned her attention to pressing kiss after kiss all over his face, onto any patch of bare skin she could reach, small pricks of ice sending shivers across his skin and down his spine (not necessarily just from the cold). After a moment he found his place back pressed against her collarbone, his cheek and hands warming up from her skin, her kisses now once again pressed to the top of his head, where his hair protected him from the worst of the cold.Â
âMy Rose, I would experience every petty human discomfort or inconvenience, all at once, forever, just for the opportunity to give you a single kiss - you know that, right?â
She laughed, more of an incredulous exhale of air more than anything, making him grin against her throat, nipping her soft skin for good measure and making her yelp.Â
âYou say thatâŚâ She responded, unconvinced.
âI mean that,â The Doctor could only reply, pressing kisses wherever his mouth could reach, as if that was the key to convincing her.
A comfortable silence fell, the Doctor and Rose curling as tightly as they could around each other - they could say it was for the sake of staying warm, sharing body heat⌠but they both knew that was far from being the main reason.
They're always the types of instances that occur on the most ordinary of days.
The Doctor was convinced that was purely a film trope, to be honest. But itâs the lack of knowing that keeps humanity forging ahead. Give them the ability to spy on timelines like the Time Lords and, wellâŚ
Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Woke up with Rose in his arms, ten minutes before her work alarm went off. Spent a quiet, sleepy breakfast together on the balcony, listening to city life go by. Saw her off with a long but for the most part chaste kiss, since it was his day off.
Went for a jog around the park, stopped to briefly chat to the chap who ran the newsstand there.
A shower was the first thing on the agenda as soon as he got back to their apartment. Rose had suggested he join her this morning, but it would only delay her further, heâd reasoned, much to his own chagrin. Maybe tomorrow, sheâd then winked.
Coffee made, he busies himself in the small makeshift workshop. Beside him on the table, their slowly growing piece of TARDIS sits in her custom-built tank, glowing ever so slightly, as though with each figurative breath.
1pm rolls around, and Rose hasnât returned for lunch, as was their usual schedule. He doesnât think too much of it however, instead grabbing last nightâs leftovers and pinging her a quick text to check on her.
Just seeing if youâd abandoned me for Jake instead. Hahaha. Love you lots, D xxx
It remains unread for what he knows is her lunch break. It pricks unceasingly at him, like a pestering fly, but he eventually shrugs it off. Maybe Rose was just caught up with her workload, or there was no signal again.
Itâs hard to shake the worry that begins to gnaw at his gut, however.
He canât focus on his own load; keeps finding himself staring at the studyâs window and forgetting what his hands were doing with the task at hand.
By 1.35, heâs pacing, nerves jittery. It was kind of ridiculous, and he feels like a puppy with separation anxiety, unable to be apart from his owner for more than a few hours.
But being cut off from her for all those years meant he was damned if he wasnât gonna spend every waking, breathing moment making sure it counted.
The Doctor returns from the loo to a missed phone call. He nearly swears at the âRoseâ notification, and nearly drops the device in his fumbled, trembling attempts to return the call.
What was it that one time she told him about breathing?
Ah, right.
In, out. The dial tone seems to drone on as he steadies his inhalations and exhalations. The line clicks, and he blurts out, âRose?â
There is a pause, then a heavy sigh.
âIâm sorry, Doctor.â
All of his neurons are firing rapidly in succession.
âJake, why do you have-â
âThe ambulance has just gone, and Cath is with her. I said that youâd get there as soon as you could. Jackie and Pete have also been told, but who knows when they can next get a flight out, and-â
âWhere,â he bites out, almost crushing the phone casing with a white-knuckled fist.
âUNIT medi-wing. Sheâs being taken to the ICU. I gotta go⌠Iâm sorry.â
The Doctor just stands in his workshop for a minute, dumbfounded. He wants to scream and rage with anger and shock and disbelief, but clenches his jaw instead and sets about packing a bag with Roseâs things, plus nightwear for him.
*
Heâs seen a great deal of horrors in his long life, but the tangle of wires and tubes and the sight of masked staff bustling around the advanced hospital bed is nearly enough to make him lose it all over again.
She looks so small. Small, and pale.
He swallows, hard. Pale, and bloodied and bruised. The bouncy waves she had styled only that morning are completely covered by thick bandages, and her motionless body is swallowed up in a thermal suit designed to stop her going into shock.
Three broken ribs, open-fracture femur, just about saveable left wrist. It was a downright miracle that sheâd survived the van plowing into the left side of her car at a four-way junction. So, overall, nothing too drastic in the way of internal injuries, but the blow to the head had the on-site doctors grim-faced and trying their best to be as optimistic as medical science and probability deemed.
Nobody expected anything in those first three to five days, of course. Roseâs body was beginning the painful task of slowly knitting itself back together, and it was best she remained out of it for the entry stages.
Even though that very selfish, very human part of him wants her looking at him right now, telling him everything is gonna be okay. Holding his hand.
Seven days, then ten, then fourteen passed, and not only was Rose not waking up, but the usual response to stimuli checks yielded nothing.
He strokes her limp fingers, his hand over hers where it rests on the covers beside her prone body. A great deal of the contusions and bruising has faded now, but itâs left behind a sickly pallor and shallow cheeks.
Jackie and Pete had jetted back from the Dominican as soon as they were able, and theyâve both been taking care of him.
Mostly making sure he forces some food and tea down his throat and remembers to shower at some point.
During a rare bathroom break he rubs a hand over his own thin face. Itâs whiskery and rasps under his palm.
He still hasnât really cried yet. Too scared, maybe. Too numb.
When he returns, Doctor Shan is fussing over Rose. The man is a top class neurosurgeon and overall incredibly rounded GP, but something inside him snarls. His expression alone makes the other man falter, and soon Shan is reeling off a list of results.
Much of it barely goes in. Heâs tired. So very tired.
â...but weâve double checked Ms. Tyler on her Glasgow scale, which remains a steady 10, which means-â
âI know what the Glasgow scale is,â the Doctor snaps, control of his temper flying out his hands like someone trying to cast a net on the very winds.
Shanâs jaw closes shut under his surgical mask and he nervously fusses with Roseâs IV line, double-checking that in lieu of looking him in the steely eye.
The uncomfortable atmosphere breaks when Shan clears his throat, and steps forward.
âItâs hard to know how best to break this news, but-â
No. No.
What more must the universe throw at him?
âIt would appear that Rose is pregnant.â
Time stops altogether. His jaw works, but no sound comes out.
âWeâd put her at only 2 months gone. I canât think sheâd have known for too long herself.â
He slumps to the floor, sliding down the wall.
âIâm so sorry. Iâll let you have some time to yourself, and then we can discuss the options available.â
The emotions are like a riptide, burning through his very skull.
And for one fleeting moment, he wished they were never here at all. Because then he wouldn't have to experience the euphoric highs and then this brutal, crushing low. What should have been a delightful moment determined by Rose herself has been oh so cruelly taken away.
And now what future can they possibly have? Is he just bound to be this him, this man roaming the earth with his other half as good as dead, and the beautiful creature theyâd made together also doomed to mope with him until he also died?
He wants none of it.
Then, absolutely sickened by his thoughts, the Doctor bolts out of the room, tearing down the corridor until he just about makes it time out of the fire exit to retch the little breakfast heâd had onto parched grass. When his stomach is wrung dry, his body isnât yet finished with emptying itself.
Heâs kneeling in the dirt, hunched over as the force of the tears wracks him. He sobs until his throat is raw from the agony and the salt stings at his skin.
Someone is pulling him to his feet, arms hoisting around his chest and tugging him into them. When he slumps back to the ground, all strength gone in the flood of sorrow, itâs them who crouches by him.
âI- canât-â he cries out into Jackieâs shoulder, each breath taking tremendous effort. The wave seems like it will never ever stop. âIt should be me instead! What am I meant to- I canât live without her-â
âYou listen to me, even if you never do again. We will get her back, and your beautiful baby. And even if we donâtâ- she is starting to break now too, choking as he buries his tear-glazed face in her shoulder- âweâll support you both, sweetheart. I promise.â
Exhausted, he finally succumbs to sleep later on by Roseâs bedside, still clasping her fingers, head in her lap. The crick in his neck afterwards, of course, is completely worth it.
*
Roseâs condition is deemed safe enough to carry the pregnancy to term despite her comatose state. Heâs taken to laying a gentle palm over her swelling belly every time an ultrasound is done to check their babyâs development.
He refuses being told the gender when it becomes obvious on the blocky monitor, but thatâs because he already knows.
His daughterâs tiny consciousness buzzes in the back of his mind under his fingertips, the tiny bundle bumping clumsily against his own sense of self.
âI can feel her even more today,â he tells Rose quietly, smiling in spite of the awful set of circumstances. âSheâs like lilac and gold - or is it pink and yellow? So bright, even now. I canât wait for us both to meet her.â
He presses a kiss to her forehead, lingering to feel her deep breaths puff over his neck and chest.
âI believe in you.â
*
The Doctor gets into a right scrap when eight-and-a-half months rolls around and Shan tentatively recommends an early intervention.
âLook- nothing here is ideal but even if she were to wake up tomorrow, the strain of a manual delivery would be too much for her. Even you must realise that.â The medicâs hands are splayed out in an entreating gesture. âMost comatose patients have to relearn a good deal of basic cognitive and motor functions. What if Rose has amnesia as well?â
Itâs Pete who saves the day this time, even though he looks like death warmed up himself.
âHeâs right, and you know it,â Pete firmly tells him, grasping his shoulder and looking the Doctor right in the eye. âThereâll be many more opportunities down the road for those things youâve missed together. Trust me. Never thought Iâd get the second chance I did.â
*
He opts not to shadow the surgery, spending it in deep contemplation right outside the theatre room, hands clasped under his chin as if in prayer.
Heâd only get frustrated at the current limitations of human medical science - even with Torchwoodâs additional extraterrestrial knowledge and tech. And she needs him.
The clean, pink bundle delivered into his arms only fidgets a little, quieting instantly as soon as she senses the familiar mental presence.
âHello, my second heart,â he greets his daughter, a tear sliding down his cheek and spotting her swaddling. âYour mummy isnât quite well, but weâll see her soon, eh?â
*
Itâs hard not to start at every involuntary twitch, every sudden start. Roseâs arm jerks and hits his forearm as he wipes her down with a warm, damp flannel. He watches as her eyes flicker under her lids as though in REM sleep, and focuses on sweeping her hair back from her face.
Her fingers flex in between his. Clenching, then relaxing.
By the time Shan and a few other nurses are summoned to the room, her breathing pattern has altered entirely and her own consciousness, seemingly closed off from him all these many months, flares to life like a flower blooming under timelapse.
The room barely holds its breath as everyone waits, each sinew tense, each muscle readied.
Oh, how heâd missed those eyes.
They slowly flutter open, and are actually drawn to the whiteboard positioned directly above her head. It has a few basic sentences normally provided to coma patients, explaining who they are, where they are and so on.
He neednât worry.
âHello,â the Doctor offers, feeling as though his voice is rusty from lack of use even though heâs spoken to her every day since the accident.
Her brows furrows, and her look is inquisitive. The relief that floods him as her hazel eyes fill with comprehension is bloody euphoric.
ââLoâ,â she rasps, then coughs violently. Jackie rushes forward, tipping her daughter forward gently and urging her to take measured sips of water through a bendy straw.
âOh, Rose. I love you. And- and we have a beautiful baby girl and-â
Peteâs hand in on his arm, reminding him of their pact not to overwhelm her in this most key moment.
He stops abruptly even as it practically causes him physical pain, and regretfully lets the room fall silent again.
âIâŚsomehow knew, all this time,â Rose says slowly. âIn here,â she continues, and amazingly gestures to her temple.
His brain nearly explodes at that. Could it be possible that she retained some latent low-level telepathic ability? Or was it something their part Time Lord child had initiated?
He learns, even more, to sit and just allow the situation to unfold. With Shanâs permission, their daughter is brought in from the medi-wingâs nursery. His heart aches for Rose not being able to hold her own flesh and blood, but, just for this one golden, shining moment, thereâs a glimpse of their life beginning.
âShe hasnât got a name yet. I wanted to wait until you were- but I-â He swallows, and looks away (which is hard given heâs practically in Roseâs hospital bed now, with her half-asleep against his side, hand on the babyâs tiny hat-covered head where sheâs cradled arms.
âTell me what you had in mind, then.â Rose mumbles, slipping further into the land of dreams.
rose helps the doctor with his migraines. this was written for the @tentoorosemicrofics and i used the prompts âedgeâ and âworryâ đ¤
 rated e. 2.9k. pwp. canon compliant.
READ ON AO3
If Roseâs heart is beating a little faster than usual no one has to know. She isnât sure exactly why sheâs so nervous considering the amount of sex she and the Doctor had had in the past ten months, but her fingers tremble a bit as she pulls her hair into a messy bun, rearranging the poof a few times until it looks right. High and centered at the top of her head, with a few strands hanging loose to frame her face.
She takes a deep breath and looks at herself fully, tugging a bit on the top of her scrubs here and there before turning to the side and checking the back. The point really isnât to look sexy she reminds herself. The point is to look like a massage therapist. A proper one. Besides, she knows the Doctor finds her sexy no matter what she wears.
With that in mind, she applies a bit of chap stick and begins to make her way to their adjoining bedroom.
A smile creeps up her face.
Sometimes she still canât believe it when she sees it. The Doctor, here, in her bed.
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Forty days and forty nights â thatâs all it should take. Thatâs all theyâd said it would take, back when heâd first asked for the instructions on how to properly grow a TARDIS. Though, to be fair, that was several lifetimes ago⌠for him and for them.
âForty days and forty nights, if you trim and treat it right; bend the bark and warp the root, a century for some, but for us: a shoot.â
Well, it does what it says on the tin, the Doctor had thought. Molto Bene. Easy as pie.
This rest is available to read on AO3:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Perhaps it was due to the prevalence of roaches in her old flat growing up despite how clean her mum kept things, or the flies that used to hang around the bins outside that hadnât been emptied for a long time or even the worms that Mickey would pick up from the pavement and wave in her face when they were kids. Bugs werenât her favourite thing in the universe â either universe for that matter. Rose still had a few faint scars on her arm from the mosquito bites she endured when Pete decided to take the family camping six months after she arrived on this Earth.
Now she had to figure out how to communicate with the giant moth that crash landed their ship in the Thames.