The Doctor dabs the cut across her other self’s forehead with a cotton pad. She doesn’t remember this, but she knows it’s going to sting when she applies the antiseptic. She doesn’t warn him before she does so. He is her, after all, and if anyone has the right to decide what he deserves, she does.
“Was a stupid fight, by the way. You don’t think so now, but y’will do. Eventually. Now, coat off,” she instructs brightly. “There’s no point in hiding injuries from someone who already knows where they are.”
The Doctor winces as the antiseptic touches the gash across the top of his left eye - to all intents and purposes it looks like a third, far angrier eyebrow. The sudden rush of pain strains his voice slightly and turns the smart remark he’s about to make into a fairly measured, if sheepish “Right. Yeah. Good point. You know, it’s just a thing that people say...” He tails off as she finishes cleaning the cut, but once the threat of further dabbing is out of the way, he begins to balk and gripe about the whole process. It’s just his way - he hasn’t had anyone to take care of him now for a while, the last person who did...was there a last person who did? He can feel a presence, or more a presence that looks like a hole in his mind, and as he tries to reach through for comfort there is nothing but white light and frustration. All of a sudden he wants to be back outside the TARDIS again, he wants to find another bar, or tavern, or speakeasy, anywhere where his smart mouth can get him in trouble again. Somewhere he can forget what it is he forgot.
He stands, pointedly not taking off his coat. “Whose TARDIS do you think you’re in? I appreciate the help, but I draw the line at taking orders, and if you’re wanting to dispense moral advice, I’d consider a change in wardrobe because nobody is going to take the suspenders seriously. Now, come on!” He grabs her arm now and tries to usher her from the console room. “Our meeting like this could collapse the whole star system into itself and that’s a much more pressing concern than a few ouchy-boo-boos and a lecture from Sheffield’s answer to Gandhi, out you go, thank you!”
Missy looked down at her feet, scowling at the red pumps she had selected to wear. The flat shoes offered her none of the usual height that her preferred heeled boots did. Even a Time Lady needed to give her feet a break from time to time.
Look up at the Doctor, she sighed in exasperation and shot her a death glare.
“Yes, well thank goodness there will be plenty of willing volunteers to reach the top shelves of the cupboards.”
justatraveller said: Ironfalcon and some fluffy cafe au ❤ (if you’re inspired :))
Yeah, I can work with this....
----
“So which one is the cute coffee guy you keep mooning to Steve about?” Natasha asked, appearing from thin air to sit across from Sam.
He startled, glanced at her with wide eyes, and hissed, “Nat!”
She blinked at him, slow, unimpressed. “Chillax, Sam.” Her nails clicked over the top of her laptop. “I wasn’t talking that loud, and no one’s really paying attention to us. So which guy? Someone that works here?”
Sam glanced around, quick, and shook his head. “He’s not here,” he said in a low mutter, focusing back on his notes and the essay he was attempting to write. “How’d you even - Steve swore he’d not tell anyone.”
“Well he told James, who told me,” Natasha said, opening her own laptop. Sam made a grumbling, wordless noise, which made Nat smirk slightly. “You didn’t actually expect him not to tell James, did you?”
“I am pretty sure I specifically told him not to tell even Bucky, so yeah,” Sam said. He sighed, rubbing under his eyes for a moment. “He probably didn’t even realize he’d said he wouldn’t though, huh?”
“He and James overshare far too much,” Natasha said agreeably. “I’m not sure we can break them of the habit.”
Sam grimaced, and focused back on his essay.
He and Nat both did their respective studying for a while - their usual routine on a Saturday, especially when midterms were fast approaching - before taking a break two hours later to eat something. Sam’s insistence, since he knew Natasha would just as soon work for hours non-stop excluding breaks for a new tea.
“Brain food,” he insisted when Nat gave him a somewhat dubious, unconvinced kind of look about taking thirty minutes. “They make delicious little hot-sandwiches here, alright, so just-”
“How about I eat a giant vanilla frosted scone?” she said, eyeing the pastry display.
“That’s not brain food,” Sam argued.
“Depends on your definition,” she stated.
Sam rolled his eyes and gave up, so long as she ate something.
They were just settling back at their little table near the door when it opened with a burst of warm breeze from outside and in stepped....
Sam worked very hard not to stare; he failed, of course, eyes catching on how Cute Coffee Guy ruffled curl-tipped hair, yanked the sleeves of a light hoodie back down his arms.
“Oooh,” Natasha said with a laugh in her voice. “Is that him?”
Sam yanked his eyes away to give her a ‘shut up or die’ look.
She just laughed, staring past Sam at Cute Coffee Guy with a considering, amused expression. “I don’t know why, but I always figured your type to be more of the big and muscled type. Not... lanky.”
Sam rolled his eyes, refusing to comment, even though he felt his face flushing with heat.
“Have you ever spoken to him?” Nat asked, eyes darting between Sam and presumably Cute Coffee Guy.
“Sort of,” Sam muttered after a moment. “Y’know, hellos and stuff. Talk about homework. He’s an engineering student.”
Natasha’s lips did a strange repressed smile thing, which made Sam’s eyes narrow.
“You’re laughing at me,” he stated. “It’s not - stop.”
The smile-thing stopped and she looked at him sincerely. “I’m not making fun of you Sam, honest. It’s just....”
“Huh,” said a voice that probably should not have been as familiar as it was. “Are you spying on me again?”
Sam frowned, confused, but when he turned to look Cute Coffee Guy was looking at Nat, puzzled.
“No, Tony, I am not spying on you - and I keep telling you I wasn’t in the first place.”
“Hmm,” Cute Coffee Guy - Tony? Nat knew him??? - gave her a side-eye, then focused on Sam. “I’m pretty sure she’s a super secret spy, not a theater major.” He winked at Sam, and Sam really hoped he wasn’t visibly blushing.
“Sam, Tony, Tony, Sam,” Natasha said, as if she didn’t know they’d already sort of met.
Tony grinned brightly, saying, “Small world, huh?”
“Yep,” Sam said, fighting not to bite his lip nervously. Or stare too much. Or do anything too awkward.
“Want to join us?” Natasha offered, a slight curl of evil amusement at the edge of her mouth. Sam considered kicking her under the table, but was pretty sure that was less subtle in real life than in movies or TV shows.
“And give you a better way to spy on me? Hell no,” Tony said, still absolutely cheerful. A coffee was called out, and Tony said, “That’s mine.” He gave them both a short wave, and turned away.
Sam waited until Tony was settled somewhere over by the windows before leaning over the table and hissing, “You know him?”
Natasha gave him that repressed smile thing again. “Tony? I hunted him down because Banner, the professor he TA’s for, refused to actually pester him too much about turning in some forms for work study. Coulson decided to take matters into his own hands.”
Sam rubbed his hands over his face. “Any chance we could keep precisely who he is a secret?”
Nat snorted, but said, “I’m much better at keeping secrets than James or Steve.”
~*~*~
Sam was enjoying the party, laughing at Steve’s terrible dancing, when someone came up at his side and slipped an arm around his waist.
He had only half-turned when someone - Tony - whispered, “Please play along,” in his ear.
Sam didn’t hesitate to put his arm around Tony’s shoulders, leaning in to whisper, “Can’t take no for an answer, or an ex?”
Tony grinned up at him. Against Sam’s side, his finger traced an ‘x’. Sam nodded slightly, then tilted his head towards a seat nearby. Tony followed along, eyes ducking down but grin growing when Sam nudged him onto the open stool and he settled in front of him, doing his best to obstruct view of Tony.
“Thanks,” Tony said. “Normally Rhodey’s around to scare him off, but he had a thing to study for tonight. I came with Pepper but... well, she got distracted.” Tony waggled his brows, leaning to peer over Sam’s shoulder to the dance floor area. “He’s not bad looking, so I’ll give her this one.”
Sam snorted. “So what does this ex look like?”
Groaning, Tony tilted his head back and said, “Tall, blond, and arrogant.”
Sam glanced over the room, searching out potential people. “Buff or lean?”
“Both?” Tony offered, nose scrunching up. He eyed Sam. “You could still take him.”
Sam gave a sharp laugh. “Oh no, I’m not starting any fights here. If I spot him, we’re making a run for it.”
Tony smiled, shaking his head. “He won’t start a fight - act like he will, sure, but he doesn’t fight people he’s not positive he can actually take.”
Sam glanced down at Tony, catching something just a bit... bitter there. “Ah,” he said after a moment.
Tony’s smile widened into a smirk, unhappy, maybe a bit ashamed. “So you’re fine,” he said, shrugging and looking away.
For a few seconds, Sam thought of what to do. They could stay there, wait to be found or get lucky, or....
“Do you want to stay here? Or maybe go over to the UC for some food?”
Tony looked back at him, considering. “I do love a good burger.”
“And the Loft makes great fries this time of night,” Sam agreed.
“Alright,” Tony said, grinning again. “I just need to find Pep and let her know.”
“I should tell my friends, too,” Sam said. He hesitated, then said, “Yours first, so she doesn’t worry.”
They had to wade through half the crowd on the dance floor to find Tony’s friend - a tall woman with light red hair, dancing with a guy Sam somewhat recognized from Bucky’s favorite gym. Pepper kissed Tony on the cheek, even as she looked around anxiously. The other guy put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Steve was with Bucky and Clint, over on one of the few couches, cramming food in their mouths. None of them really thought much of Sam leaving with some guy, seeing as they didn’t know this was Sam’s silly little crush from the cafe off campus, so Sam avoided any teasing.
Didn’t mean Sam wasn’t absolutely nervous as they left. He debated far too much reaching out to take Tony’s hand in his, but didn’t.
“So I didn’t ask, but how do you know Natasha?” Tony asked, halfway to the UC. It was somewhat cool for a spring night, and Sam was wishing he had a jacket.
“The skinny blond guy, Steve? He was my roommate freshmen year. His best friend Bucky is Nat’s boyfriend.”
Tony nodded.
Sam bit his lip. He had no idea what to talk-
“I kind of forgot to say thank you, back there,” Tony said suddenly. “I know we don’t really know each other, and you didn’t have to, like, leave the party with me.”
“I offered,” Sam said.
“I know,” Tony said. He sounded uncomfortable. “But most people wouldn’t have helped, or would have only helped until I didn’t see Ty anymore. So, you know, thanks. And sorry, for ruining your night.”
“Didn’t ruin it,” Sam mumbled. “I...” He flushed. “I’m happy to get the chance to spend some time with you. Outside of studying in the same cafe,” he added with a nervous grin.
For a short second, Tony stared, and then he gave a blinding grin. “Yeah?” He looked down, grin still clearly on his face. “I’m happy, too.”
The UC was close when Tony’s fingers brushed his, tentative, backing off for a moment before pressing more into Sam’s.
Breath catching, Sam shifted his hand, and Tony laced their fingers together.
once you get this you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly, and send it to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable). SPREAD POSITIVITY! :)
1. my imagination
2. my sense of humor
3. my eyes
4. my upper arm muscles (seriously rockin’ some nice guns rn and loving it ^^)
5. ability to realize there is no box other than the restrictions we place on ourselves when it comes to writing, ideas, and characters.
