12 for the prompts? (thasmin)
Prompt 12: “Despite what you think, I am completely capable of taking care of myself”
The Doctor’s skull hits the metal floor of the TARDIS with an almighty thunk. Such a visceral sound, it makes Yaz gasp a sharp breath.
“Doctor!” She can practically feel the pain shooting through her own skull at the sight of the blonde woman splayed on the ground, hair ruffled and groaning. She tries not to be angry at Ryan for not catching her.
“Mm’kay!” She pushes herself up and Yaz spots the little trickle of sticky bloody running down her face.
“Stay down,” Yaz crouches beside her and puts a gentle hand on her shoulder to keep her still, “Don’t move so quick.”
“I promise I’m fine,” She insists, twisting her legs beneath her to sit more comfortably, “Just a spot of low blood pressure, happens all the time, cuppa tea and a biscuit and I’ll be brand new,”
“Never seen you have low blood pressure before, Doc.” Graham says, half bending to rest his hands on his knees, not committing to a full crouch, “You sure you’re not sick?”
“Get me a cloth?” Yaz says to Ryan who nods quickly and scarpers.
“Pfft, I don’t get sick,” The Doctor waves a dismissive hand but there’s something off about her demeanour. Her skin is paled and clammy, a soft sheen of sweat glittering across her brow making her look to be made of porcelain rather than flesh. “My immune system is much—”
She stops abruptly. The Doctor’s eyes glass over as she stares into the middle distance as if transfixed by a ghost, expression laced with the slight simmerings of fear one might feel when faced with the undead.
“You’re gonna be sick, aren’t you?” Yaz concludes. The Doctor doesn’t dare open her mouth to respond, having no clue what will be expelled, so Yaz turns to Graham and says, “Get me a bowl!”
By the goodwill of Fortuna, and probably the Doctor’s unforgiving stubbornness, the tides of Styx—that is, the Doctor’s vomit—stay put until Graham can slide a washing up bowl atop her thighs.
Yaz braces as the Doctor heaves into the bowl, holding back sweaty strands of blonde hair away from her face. It’s so violent she thinks she might throw up an organ, just to be safe. She can sense the boys taking cautious steps backwards as she hurls and for some odd reason it gets under her skin.
The strangled gasp she takes when finally, finally, all is expelled is endless and sounds panicked as if she feared her body would never let her take another breath. She pants with her head hung over the bowl, spit dripping from her mouth, and Yaz rubs gentle circles across her back, “Shhh…” She says, “Just breathe.”
“I’m fine,” Her voice is so raw and when she looks up her eyes are tearful from the strain. Yaz feels her heart ache in her chest at the sight.
“I know you are,” She says, passing the alarmingly full bowl off to an even more alarmed Graham, “Let me just get you cleaned up, yeah?”
Ryan quickly passes her the cloth he’d been holding on the sidelines, dances a bit on the spot and then scurries off after Graham.
She wipes away the little smudge of blood on her temple, folds the cloth and then wipes the corners of the Doctor’s mouth. She holds her chin to keep her still and as she works, running soothing sweeps of the cotton about her face, she can feel the Doctor start to share some of the weight of her head. She’s like a feral cat gradually being tamed into a petting. Yaz brushes away a stray tear with her thumb.
“I’m not cryin’,” It’s so quiet, Yaz hardly catches it.
“I know,” She looks into deep hazel eyes and sees something she’s never spotted in the Doctor before, something she can’t quite place, “Let’s get you to bed.”
“I’m fine,” She insists again, shaking her head but letting Yaz help her stand nonetheless. Her clammy hands grab onto the console as soon as it’s in arms reach, always choosing her ship over human contact, “Like I said, cuppa and a biscuit—”
“Doctor,” It’s in her police voice, a little sterner than she perhaps intended and never a tone she’s been bold enough to use on the Doctor before.
“Despite what you think,” She starts angrily but her eyes blink a few times as she falters, “I am completely capable… of taking care of myself.” The words are lost to breathlessness along with the spirit of her argument as her blood pressure drops again and her vision clouds. Yaz is there to catch her this time and she sinks her body into her side when Yaz snakes an arm around her waist.
“Completely capable,” She agrees, trying to ignore the feeling of the Doctor’s feverous forehead pressed against her neck. It sears into her skin and fills that desperate need she always feel around the Doctor. The need to make her tangible, to make her believable.
“Just… maybe a quick nap,” She whispers and her breath tickles Yaz’ clavicle, causing her stomach to somersault.
“Yeah, just a quick one,” Yaz replies, mimicking her faux air of casualness while she practically carries the Doctor off towards the TARDIS corridor.