#lovethathand

[toleadmyselfhere]

" there's cybermen downstairs. "

“ Yeah, y’know—I’d actually noticed that. B’lieve it or not. ” She was sitting at one end of the bed, pulling on her boots—keeping her eyes directed towards the floor. 

Her hair had come down over her shoulders, hiding the look on her face—she sniffed a bit, pushing several errant strands away. 

“ —d’you really think they’re any different, I mean—from normal ones? The Doctor said they’re supposed to be—I dunno, programmed different, or somethin’. ” 

Even saying it, she felt gloomy, pointless—completely unconvinced. Swallowing, she glanced over at him—steeling her expression. 

“ —they are a bit funny lookin’, aren’t they? Less—machine-like, I guess. ” 

[toleadmyselfhere]

" they can't be real, look at the size of them! "

“ —yeah, I see ‘em. They’re—y’know, sort’ve hard t’miss. ” Her face had gotten a bit squinty, and she did her best to look elsewhere, puffing out a slight breath—sort of grimacing to herself. 

Still—she managed to catch another glimpse of him from the corner of her eye, and she tapped him on the side with the back of her hand, sniffing—trying not to draw much attention. 

“ Quit your gawkin’. It’s rude. ” 

She shifted—a little uncomfortably, and folded her arms—prodding at the corner of her cheek with her tongue. Directing her gaze downwards again. 

[toleadmyselfhere]

lovethathand asked: " would you like a lift, little girl? "

“ Yeah—thanks. Get lost. ”

Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, and she kept on walking—unmoved, not even paying full attention, really—definitely not bothering to glance over her shoulder. Impassive, coolly detached.

She blinked a couple of times and tossed an errant piece of hair away from her brow, sniffing quietly—and then, from the corner of her gaze, she took real notice of the vehicle that’d eased up beside her.

“ Oh, you’ve got t’be kiddin’ me… ”

It was him, though—sure enough. Her lips were faintly apart, and she stood there on the concrete for a second or two—unenthused, not really all that surprised—vaguely critical. Puffing out an audible sigh.

“ Seriously—? Real slick. D’you always talk like that when I’m not lookin’, or am I gettin’ the special treatment—? ”

She’d walked around to the other side of the car, squinting a bit in the lowering sun—opening the passenger door and unceremoniously dropping herself down onto the seat. Sweeping a hand back through her hair.

“ Not sure I wanna ask what you’re doin’ out here. ”

[toleadmyselfhere]

lovethathand asked: he buried his face in her hair.

“ Yeah, thanks. You’re tellin’ me… ” There was a dull, unenthusiastic quality to her voice—sort of gloomily reluctant.

Her eyelids flickered a couple of times, and she squinted—a slight frown crossing her features.

She took a deep, stiff breath—feeling a hitch of drowsiness in her lungs—and she lifted her head a few inches off her pillow, glancing briefly around the room.

And then she promptly slackened once more, puffing out an audible sigh.

“ —guess we could always jus’ stay home, I mean—it’s not really like they’re gonna sack us, are they? ”

She gave a quiet sniff and shrugged her shoulders a bit—staring at the opposite wall. Lifting her eyebrows slightly.

“ —who knows, maybe I’ll get a raise for incentive. ”

[toleadmyselfhere]

lovethathand asked: " right, yeah - so, no one believes me, but i didn't mean to do that. "

“ Hey, d’you mind not puttin’ words in my mouth, thanks? I never said I didn’t b’lieve you. Quit your moanin’ already. blimey… ”

A slight, vaguely skeptical frown had crossed her features, and she puffed out an audible breath, squinting—lifting a hand to shield her eyes against the flashing hazard lights.

“ It’s jus’ not exactly one y’hear every day, is it? I mean, I always sort’ve figured you were probably busy takin’ credit for things y’didn’t mean t’do, not the other way round. ”

Her voice was a little bit absent, and she took a step forward, surveying the scene in front of them—biting at the inside of her bottom lip. Tucking a few strands of hair away from her eyes.

She tightened her mouth, looking thoughtful.

“ Anyway, more importantly—any chance y’could undo it on purpose? ”

[toleadmyselfhere]

lovethathand asked: " okay, she's - she's coming this way, hide me. "

“ Nope, sorry—not gonna happen. ”

Her tone was cool, neutral—essentially unfazed, and—delicately, she tapped a few keys, remaining focused on the screens illuminated in front of her—the furrow of her brow giving a slight, pensive twinge.

“ Y’got yourself into this one, now y’can deal wi’ the consequences. ”

Gently, she dampened her lips, leaning forward a bit—and then, she caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her gaze.

She paused—exhaling, turning partially in her seat.

“ What—? Don’t gimme that look. You’re a big boy, y’can handle this. Really. ”

[toleadmyselfhere]

lovethathand asked: " well, i suppose it's great fun - if you're an ood. "

“ Yeah—? Well, that’s a real lovely thought, innit—? ”

The furrow of her brow quirked up a bit higher—humorless, not particularly impressed—vaguely ironical.

She continued to examine the paperwork spread out across her desk—only half paying attention to him, but—still absorbing the general idea well enough. Gently, she popped her lips once, tilting her head off to one side as she worked.

“ —if y’ask me, nobody really likes gettin’ pushed around all that much. Pretty sure they were jus’ bein’ taken advan’age of, which is, y’know—horrible. ”

There was an absent, moderately doubtful sort of thoughtfulness to her voice, and she breathed out a quiet sigh—blinking, turning over another page. Several locks of hair had slipped over her shoulders—she didn’t really bother to fix them.

Finally, she glanced over at him—her eyebrows lifting again.

“ An’ I’d fully expect you to whole-heartedly disapprove if we ever saw anythin’ like that again, by the way, so—fair warnin’. ”

[toleadmyselfhere]

 lovethathand asked: " so, are you two - y'know, doing that on a regular basis now? "

“ —sorry, excuse me—? Doin’ what—? ”

Her gaze had shifted over to him—flickering, attentive, and she spoke gently at first, unassuming—essentially genuine, though—a slight frown did cross the shape of her expression.

And she didn’t exactly need to eye him for very long to glean a different sort of impression.

Her lips were faintly parted—she closed them, taking a short breath—tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“ —listen, first’ve all, I don’t think y’know what you’re talkin’ about as much as y’think y’do, an’ second’ve all, I haven’t really done anythin’ t’you, so—y’know, maybe y’could be a bit less rude t’me sometimes. ”

She shrugged her shoulders a little—looked at him for another beat or two, and then glanced off, exhaling—propping the tips of her fingers against her temple.

“ —jus’ a thought. ”