Written for a prompt for Ten x Rose kid fic/family fic where they adopt kids left orphans that they meet on their travels / and also a prompt for Ten x Rose with a mix of adopted and biological kids (@tinyconfusion). Tagging @doctorroseprompts and @timepetalscollective which I think both had those prompts. This chapter also has a little surprise for fans of the Classic Doctors.
Rose held tightly to her daughters’ hands and glanced around the medical tent. She straightened her shoulders and with a sharp look around quickly sized up where she was needed most. It had been only two weeks since losing baby Melody, and though her body was completely healed due to the magic of the TARDIS medbay, emotionally she was still recovering. She felt her anger building at the time ship. You an’ I are gonna be having words later about bringin’ the girls into a war zone.
She led her daughters over to a woman who was trying to wrangle a small gaggle of children and two crying babies. She told Melody and Clara to play quietly with some of the younger kids, while she sat down next to the frazzled woman.
“Hello, I’m Rose.” She reached out her hand to the other woman, who smiled gratefully at Rose.
“Selphina.”
“Can I help?”
“Vord, yes. Thank you.” She handed Rose a bottle and the smaller of the two babies.
Selphina picked up the other infant and began feeding her.
Rose tried not to examine the child in her arms too closely and instead directed her attention to Selphina. “Are these all orphans from the war?”
“Yeah. New one arrives every day.” Selphina nodded at the baby in Rose’s arms. “Just got him in this morning. That little mite’s parents weren’t killed in the fighting though.”
“Oh?” Rose’s gaze dropped in surprise and her heart melted at the little pucker that had formed between his brows as he sucked heartily on the teet.
“Yeah. Sad story, not that they all don’t have sad stories.”
Rose nodded and waited quietly for a moment until her curiosity couldn’t take it anymore. “What happened to his parents? You said they weren’t killed by fighting.”
“Oh! Well, his father was a great scientist. Did so much for so many. He developed a lot of new vaccines and serums. Found ways to prevent crop decay. He is single handedly responsible for saving hundreds of thousands of our people. The only thing is...he was from another planet. I mean he looked enough like us, but still...off worlder.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t bother most people, but there are some that still look down on that sort of thing. No matter how much good he’d done for us.”
Rose touched the center of his palm with her finger and smiled as he grasped it firmly. She glanced up Selphina. “Did...were his parents killed for being outsiders?”
“No. His father was already an old man when he arrived here. But last year he met and fell in love with a young woman in the next town over. And she with him. Her parents were not agreeable to the marriage. Thought it was an embarrassment that their daughter would marry him, no matter how renowned he was. They disowned her. Not that the newlyweds cared. They were both so happy when she found out she was pregnant.” Selphina smiled and was lost to her memories. “I used to see them at the bakery my grandmother owned.” She shook her head. “To find a love like theirs...”
“So what happened?”
“Well, as I said Adric, that was the name of the baby’s father, Adric Traken… He was elderly. Died of natural causes due to his age. The one thing there’s no cure for. Never even got to meet his son.”
“Oh.” Rose covered her mouth. “Oh, that’s awful.”
Selphina nodded. “Yes, and the baby’s mother, Markeena, died in childbirth, just last night. Her family didn’t want anything to do with him and so they dropped him here, knowing we take in orphans.”
Rose lifted the boy to her shoulder and rubbed his back. “How could they not want him?” She closed her eyes and breathed in the powdery scent of the newborn. A bubbling desire to help this child began to build in her and she suddenly knew exactly why the TARDIS would land them 400 years away from their intended target and straight in the middle of another civil war.
Rose opened her eyes and looked Selphina straight in the eye. “I need to discuss it with my husband first, but I want to adopt him.”
The other woman gasped. “But...but you have your own children. You’d take on another? A stranger’s?”
Rose’s eyes narrowed on the other woman. “Of course. My youngest daughter is adopted.”
“And his mixed blood?”
“My husband and I aren’t the same species. We don’t care about things like that.”
Selphina’s eyes widened. “It’s best you don’t share that with anyone else here. Just in case.”
Rose gave a curt nod. She cradled the now sleeping infant in her arms and pressed a soft kiss to his crown. Her mind flashed back to doing the same thing with baby Melody shortly after her birth and a gush of overwhelming emotion threatened to drown her.
Rose focused on the gentle rise and fall of the baby’s chest to calm her own breathing. One thought that floated through her mind was how much she needed this - needed him - in their lives.
“Rose!” The Doctor looked around with a wild glint in his eye, until he found her.
“Doctor...”
He kneeled at her side and ran his hands along her spine. “You okay? I could feel-”
“Yeah.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
She sniffed back the tears and laughed. “No, I am. Really. I know why the TARDIS brought us here.”
“What d’you mean?”
“Him.”
The Doctor glanced down at the tiny bundle in her arms. “What?”
“We’re here for him.”
Brow furrowed, the Doctor glanced from his wife to the baby and back. “I don’t-”
“We need to help him. He’s all alone. Both his parents died. An’ was abandoned by his grandparents ‘cos they didn’t like that their daughter married an alien.” Rose’s eyes roamed the room until she caught sight of Melody. Also the product of the love of two different species, though with a very different outcome. A grin tugged at her lips. “I want to adopt him.” She met the startled eyes of her husband. “Please? Can we?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m so grateful about Melody, but...I was looking forward to having a baby again. And in the short time I’ve spent with him, my heart’s already started to heal.”
The Doctor hugged Rose closer and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Then there’s nothing to discuss.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“I love you.”
“Quite right, too.”
Rose smiled through her tears. “Girls, come meet your new brother.”
--
The Doctor held the door open between their room and the nursery. Rose tossed a flirty grin over her shoulder as she passed through the doorway. The Doctor’s hearts expanded to see her smiling again.
At her gasp, he shook off his thoughts and rushed into the room. “What’s wrong?”
Rose turned in a slow circle, taking in all the changes the TARDIS had made. “The nursery’s completely different.”
The Doctor frowned in confusion as he looked around the room. “This is Nyssa’s old room.”
The bright white walls with the depressed roundels and the fern in the corner was unmistakable. And although the bed had been replaced with a cot, and the place where once was a table used for experiments now held a changing table, it was definitely Nyssa’s old room.
Rose placed the baby onto his back in the cot. “Nyssa? Who’s that?”
“What? Oh, hmm...she was a companion, once upon a time. Nyssa of Traken.” He smiled at the memories of the brave and intelligent young woman.
Rose paused. “Traken? Did you say Traken?”
The Doctor turned to face her. “Yeah. That was the name of her home planet.”
“But his father’s last name was Traken. Erm, Ad… Adr-”
The blood drained from the Doctor’s face. “Adric Traken?”
“Yes! That’s it. Adric Traken. How did-”
“Adric Traken was Nyssa’s son. I met him once, many years after Nyssa stopped traveling with me.”
“Oh, but don’t you see? I knew we were meant to find him. This just proves it.”
The Doctor couldn’t get words past the lump in his throat, so he simply nodded.
“And he still needs a name. Should we name him ‘Adric’ after his father?”
He closed his eyes. “That...yeah.”
“Doctor? What is it? What’s wrong? This is good, yeah?”
“Sorry. Yeah.” The Doctor took a deep breath. “It's just that Nyssa named her son after a boy that travelled with me...us. Died while in my care. He tried to save the Earth and I couldn’t save him.”
“Oh, Doctor, I'm so sorry. If it's too painful-”
“No. No, it's a fine name. A testament to Nyssa’s fondness for Adric and a worthy tribute for a very special young man.”
“So Adric Tyler?”
The Doctor walked up behind Rose and rested his chin on her shoulder as they looked at their newest child. “I think... Adric Tremas Tyler.”
“Tremas?”
“Nyssa’s father and a good friend.”
Rose spun and wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist. “I love it. He’ll always have that part of his past with him.”
“And Tyler because he’s ours.”
Rose kissed her husband before turning and leaning against his chest while they both watched their son sleep.
--
The shrieks of children playing and a dog barking carried on the wind to where Rose and Jackie were seated. Rose rocked the pram where her 3-month old daughter, Sarah, lay sleeping, while Jackie kept her eyes on the rest of her grandchildren.
“Mum, relax. The Doctor’s got ‘em in hand.”
Jackie snorted. “He’s the one I’m worried will get in the most trouble.”
Rose’s lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. “No hope there.”
“Now that Jenny of yours, on the other hand, has a good head on her shoulders.”
Jenny. Rose hadn’t expected to have a progenerated teenage daughter join her family, especially while 6-months pregnant, but that was the sort of life mad life she lived. And she wouldn’t change it for the world.
“She does, doesn’t she?” A small grin pulled at the corners of Rose’s lips. “Though all the girls do.”
Jackie snorted. “That’s ‘cos they all take after you.”
Her eyes roamed the park until they landed on the first daughter to come into her life - tall, thin, too smart for her own good - Melody. At twelve, she grew more and more like her father every day.
Rose groaned and Jackie snapped her gaze at her. “Wha’s wrong?”
“Was just thinkin,’ ‘m about to have two teenage daughters. Blimey, nothing like your kid’s birthday to make you feel old.”
Jackie rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re not even 34, wait til you’re about to have two teenage grandchildren.”
“Stop it. Nobody’d ever guess you were fif-”
“Forty-seven.”
The Doctor plopped down on the bench between Jackie and Rose with Adric in his lap and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. “Forty-seven what?”
Jackie crossed her arms. “My age.”
The Doctor barked out a laugh before catching an elbow in the side from Rose, who glared at him and hissed, “Rude.”
“What? Why’s that rude? She’s fifty-three.”
“She’s tellin’ people she’s forty-seven.”
“I’m 915 and you don’t see me lying about it.”
“Yeah, but you look like your 35, don’t need to lie about your age. Do ya?”
“Vanity, thy name is Jac-”
“But you’re not 915, Daddy.” Adric played with this father’s tie.
Both women turned in surprise to the 4-year old.
The Doctor squeaked, “What?”
Jackie opened her arms to her grandson. “C’mere, Ricky.”
“It’s ‘Adric,’ Jackie.”
“I know that, but we’re out in public. I’m gonna call him something normal sounding. Now-”
“Mum…”
“Nana always calls me ‘Ricky’ ’cos I told her I liked it.”
“You did?”
“Yup.”
Jackie cuddled Adric closer and peppered kisses on his face until he giggled. “You’re my favorite grandson. Did you know that?
He rolled his eyes, but smiled brightly. “I'm your only grandson.”
“Still... Now what were you saying about your daddy’s age, sweetheart?”
“Melody said the TARDIS told her that Daddy is really 1468, but he didn’t want to scare Mummy off so he picked a round number under a thousand.”
The Doctor’s jaw fell open and the tips of his ears turned red. Jackie cackled and stood up. “Vanity, thy name is ‘Doctor.’ Come on, sweetheart, let’s go play on the swings.”
“Okay, Nan!” Adric took his grandmother’s hand and they walked off.
Rose cuddled into the Doctor’s side.
“Rose, I...”
She looked up at him through her lashes. “Is it true?”
He ran his hand across the back of his neck. “The truth? I haven’t a clue how old I am.” He sighed. “But if the Old Girl says 1468, it’s probably pretty close.”
Rose started giggling.
“What?”
She grinned at him with a hint of tongue peeking out the side of her smile. “It’s a Hell of an age gap.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and chuckled. “You’re mum’s never gonna let me live this down is she?”
Rose shook her head before laying it on his shoulder. “Nope.”
The Doctor looked out at the park. Jenny, their surprise daughter, was sitting on the lip of a fountain. Kicking her feet back and forth while she flirted with a poor boy who didn’t know what hit him. Takes after her mother, that one. Clara and their Barcelonian (the city not the planet) galgo chased a laughing Melody around a tree, even though the younger girl had no chance of catching her older sister, who’d inherited the Doctor’s propensity for running. Jackie chatted with a young mum whose daughter was swinging in time next to Adric. He glanced over at the final piece to the puzzle that made up their family - the sleeping infant in the pram at their side.
He kissed Rose’s crown. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
ok, if you follow me, you know it’s been a loooooong time since I did a post for FFWW. But, as I have spent the last few days going back through the archives of these two very special blogs, I figured I’d dedicate a post to them.
I know that for a lot of us writers, especially myself, @doctorroseprompts and @timepetalscollective are extremely valuable resources. These ladies collect ideas for us, adopt out plot bunnies, and make so many masterposts of frankly fantastic fic. There are over 300 pgs of prompts, fic memes, and masterposts on each of these blogs and holy crap, that is just amazing.
If you have ever been a part of these wonderful blogs, thank you so very much.
The current staff of @doctorroseprompts - @chocolatequeennk, @lastbluetardis, @skyler10fic, @perfectlyrose, @sequencefairy - thank you.
The current staff of @timepetalscollective - @ktrosesworld, @natural--blues, @pipertennant - thank you.
Ooooh… that’s an interesting question. Maybe? But more as a teenager/young adult versus a kid. Actually, you just inspired a little ficlet…
*trudges back from the word mines with a much heavier bag than expected* Not sure ‘ficlet’s the right word here anymore… Enjoy?
Hardy looked up at the knock on his office door, surprisedbut pleased to see his stepson instead of another junior officer with a trivialcomplaint, as he seemed to get constantly now that he was the chief.
“Fred! Come in, comein.”
The teenager slunk through the door, an unsure expression onhis face. “I don’t want to interrupt.”
“Nonsense, you’re fine.” He took a moment as the boy settled to close the file folders on his deskbefore joining him on the sofa. “Whatbrings you by? Everything all right?”
“Yeah.” Fred refusedto meet his eye though, clutching his backpack for dear life, and Hardyfrowned, watching him. Between the threekids, Fred was by far the easiest to deal with as a ‘teenager’. Not having had a traumatic divorce happen inhis early teens like Tom and Daisy helped. Typically easy going and lively, the shy young man in front of him was amarked contrast from even the night before, and a heavy weight settled in Hardy’sstomach.
Checking his watch and seeing he had plenty of time, hedecided to wait Fred out. Consciouslyrelaxing his pose, he did his best to be unthreatening and un-cop-like, morelike a safe space for him to share.
After a solid five minutes, Fred finally raised his headenough to stare just past Hardy’s left ear. “So, how’s your day going?”
“Good, good. Your mummade an arrest about an hour ago, so it’ll probably be just us for dinner.”
“Pizza?” he asked hopefully, and Hardy hid a grimace at theidea and nodded.
“If you like.”
They fell silent again long enough for Hardy to saycarefully, “You know, you can tell meanything.”
Fred nodded, staring down at his backpack. “A new kid started in school today. Family just moved to town.”
“Oh? What’s theirname?”
“Jake.”
“Did you want to invite him round for football or videogames or something? Cause that’s fine,so long as you give us proper warning.” Hardy didn’t think that was it, but sometimes you got more informationwith misdirection being automatically corrected rather than flat out questions.
“We were talking about our families,” Fred mumbled. “His dad’s an electrician, mum’s a teacher.” He was playing with the straps of hisbackpack, a long-held nervous habit that told Hardy they were close to thetruth.
“That’s nice.”
“I told him my parents were cops.” It was said with the gravitas of arevelation, though no lightbulb came on for Hardy.
“Well, it’s true,” he considered in confusion, stillwatching carefully, “though perhaps a bit of an understatement.”
Fred’s head popped up, staring at him in disbelief as thoughhe’d missed something egregious. “Didn’tyou hear me? I said my parents were cops. Parents. Plural.”
Enlightenment slowly dawned on him, his heart sinking. “Oh.”
“I’m sorry,” Fred blurted, now eager to explain with theconfession off his chest. “It justslipped out. I tried to fix it but thenthe bell rang and I didn’t see him again and his parents will be at the back toschool night tomorrow and they might say something and I didn’t want you to beoffended or anything.”
This was an indisputable fact. Fred had been a year old the first time Hardyhad moved to Broadchurch, almost seven when he and Miller had finally starteddating. Yet the words still felt like a blowto his heart, more painful than any episode he’d ever had before thepacemaker. “Right.”
“It’s just you’re alwaysthere, and Joe never is, much less mentioned like Mark’s around for Lizzie, andsometimes it’s just easier to think of you that way, as my parent, but I didn’tmean to say it. Please don’t be mad.”
Hardy’s brow furrowed as he tried to follow the madramble. “Hang on, let’s stop for asecond. To clarify, you accidentally talkedabout me to your new friend like I’m your dad?”
The teenager nodded slowly, a fearful expression still verypresent on his face. At this rate, thestrap of his backpack would be nothing but string.
“Fred… I’m not offended,” he started carefully. “I don’t mind if you think of me as yourparent, or dad, or whatever – actually, I’m honored. But you don’t seem happy with that.”
Confusion overtook the fear in Fred’s eyes, back slowly unhunching. “I didn’t want you to be upset.”
“Of course not!” Hardy leaned forward, putting his hand on top of Fred’s and stilling hisnervous twitches. “Fred, of course not. I just- you were ten when we married, I didn’tthink… I mean, I consider you my child, but I thought you wouldn’t- I’m sorry,”he gave up trying to make sense, sighing. “I didn’t think you thought of me that way, or would want to. Especially since Tom made it very clear he didn’t, though I don’t blame him in theleast.”
“So… it’s okay, then? That I basically said you were my dad?”
“Yes,” Hardy said firmly. “Absolutely.”
Fred nearly melted from relief, sagging back against thecouch. “Thank fuck.”
“Fred.”
“Oh come on,” he grumbled, suddenly looking like his normalself again. “You and Mum curse all thetime.”
Hardy merely gave him a stern look, unable to deny it. He wasn’t too bad unless furious, but especiallynow that Fred was older Ellie was much freer with the language she used.
“Fine,” Fred rolled his eyes, his heavy sigh incongruouswith his teasing smirk. “Dad.”
A smile spread on Hardy’s face before he could stop it. “Thanks, son.”
After a moment they started snickering, and it was justsettling down when his door opened again.
“Hey, did you happen to bring- Fred! What a lovely surprise,” Ellie beamed, herexhaustion seemingly melted away. “Whatbrings you by? Were you waiting for me?”
“Hi, Mum,” Fred rose to give her a brief hug and submit to acheek kiss. “I needed to talk to… him,actually.”
Hardy heard the hesitation even if Ellie didn’t, saw thenervous look in Fred’s eye and smiled at him. “Don’t fret Miller, just having a father-son chat is all.”
That sparked a round of cooing and hugging, the men sharingfond eyerolls as she fussed over them.
To an outsider walking by, they looked just like what theyfinally were – a real family.
What happens when the Doctor and Rose Tyler accidentally land on a planet where aliens are taken into custody? And humans are subject to societal re-integration?
Inspired by trope bingo from…long ago… by @timepetalscollective
Read it on AO3 | Read from the beginning
Chapter Two
The Doctor was waiting. As desperately as his hearts yearned to escape his cell immediately, he knew that he needed to wait. His cellmates were easily identifiable – a Sontaran, a Zocci, and a Voord. He’d tried to speak to them, to find out why they were here, but they’d apparently silently and unanimously elected to ignore him.
Years and years ago, he might have tried to unite the prisoners, to have them organise their own resistance. But he was older now, and tired. Tired of caring about the greater good. All that the Time Lord wanted was to find Rose and disappear back into the Vortex.
Rose. He exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair. Every Planck that ticked away without her was agonizing – more than six hours had passed since they had been separated and, even though he knew that she would mostly likely be treated well among her own species, he was worried. Rose could usually take care of herself, he knew from past experience, but she was jeopardy-friendly and prone to getting into trouble.
The Doctor mentally reviewed what little he had been able to observe about the prison:
1. People were segregated, humans and everyone else. There did not appear to be any further disunion of peoples, at least in the cell blocks that he had seen.
2. Humans were ‘re-integrated’ into society. (This could mean many things and the Doctor could only hope that this process did not involve re-wiring Rose’s brain. She… but he dared not let his thoughts go down that path.)
3. The outer area of the facility was worn down and in poor-condition. It would be simple to resonate through a structure that was already breaking down.
But when was anything as simple as it was broken down to be? The reality of his escape would no doubt be very different than the theory of it. The Doctor revised his plan.
“So,” he drew his hands down from where they had been pressed against his mouth. “Why are you lot in here?”
The assortment of aliens stared at him.
“Go on then, I haven’t got all day. I suppose that if I didn’t have a plan, then I would. Have all day. But I do, so I don’t, so do get on it with.”
The Sontaran leered. “I was captured as part of an infiltration unit. SONTAR-HA!”
The Doctor sighed, ignoring it as people are apt to do when dealing with a Sontaran, and tried engaging the Zocci.
“I’m the Doctor. Who are you?”
“Hannaloffamoffatoff,” the Zocci replied dully.
“Hannaloffamoffatoff,” the Doctor repeated. “Right then, Han, what are you doing here?”
“Hannaloffamoffatoff,” the Zocci said indignantly. The Doctor glared at him, his limited patience already worn thin. “Navigational error.” The Doctor could have laughed. Instead, he muttered that he knew the feeling of not being able to pilot one’s ship accurately.
A man stood from the darkened corner, easily a foot taller than the Doctor. “I am Ramón. We were en route to Epsilon Five when our ship crashed on this planet.”
The Doctor looked over at him. “We?”
“My husband, Raoul, was taken from me when we were discovered by the locals here,” Ramón exhaled sharply.
“Raoul is human,” the Doctor stated. At Ramón’s nod, he continued. “I, too, was separated from my human partner. Which means that although the people of this planet don’t care for aliens, they must at least tolerate off-worlders of their own species.” The fifth hour of his separation from Rose was looming nearer, and the Doctor was little closer to finding her. His face hardened.
“We will find Raoul,” the Doctor promised his cellmate. ‘Rose, I’m coming for you,’ he swore anxiously, and a pool of golden warmth flooded his mind.
“What of Hannamoffloff?” Ramón glanced at their cellmate.
“Hannaloffamoffatoff,” the Doctor correctly him absently. “He can accompany us or remain here. Han?” He turned.
Hannaloffamoffatoff narrowed his eyes but decided that it would be better to attempt an escape, than to remain in the dark, dingy cell the rest of his life.
“And what of you, Sontaran?” The Doctor looked to where the fourth prisoner was skulking in the corner.
“I am a warrior! SONTAR-HA!” It cried.
The Doctor (almost) groaned. “Yes, yes, but are you staying or coming?”
“I shall aide my new comrades in their Quest to escape, to the glory of the Sontaran Empire!” The Sontaran proclaimed.
“What’s your name then?” Ramón asked quickly, cutting off whatever the Doctor had been about to say.
“I am Torlel Toruk, first order general.” Torlel Toruk snapped.
The Doctor pressed his ear against the door, listening. The corridor was silent. He extended his sonic screwdriver and began scanning, adjusting the sound frequencies to resonate the locking mechanism. The lock clicked open. The Doctor slowly eased the door open, peering into the corridor. His frown grew worriedly.
“The corridor is empty.”
Hannaloffamoffatoff slipped through the open door. “Han,” the Doctor hissed, but the Zocci ignored him. “Come on, then,” the Doctor said to the rest of his companions, following Hannaloffamoffatoff. Ramón, Toruk, and the still-silent Voord were close behind.
Ian Docherty is a world-famous musician known around the globe as the Doctor. He’s been selling out arenas for over two decades - but he hasn’t had a hit in a few years.
Rose Tyler inherited Bad Wolf Books upon her father’s death a few weeks ago. She’s in over her head, doing her best to learn the ropes.
Sparks fly when these two people with very different lives meet. But could they be the right kind of sparks?
Paring: John Smith/Rose Tyler
Rating: G
Word count: 1200
Tags: Soulmate AU
Read on AO3
Inspired by a post @timepetalscollective reblogged (I think?)
Soulmate AU, in which you have a black stain where your soulmate is supposed to touch you, and when they do, it gets its colours.
It’s not much, but I liked the idea - I hope you’ll like it!
God, how much he hated public transport. More particularly that one morning commute, when he had to ride that one bus that was always so crowded he had to fight his way through a horde of sleepy, irritable and rude people just to find that one blessed spot on that one filthy pole that had just enough space left for one more hand. Awful.
His only solace in this Styx was the tacit agreement, the one rule, the implicit decree that made it bearable. Almost bearable. No eye contact whatsoever. No smile, no greetings, no words, no sounds - apart from the occasional curses and snores, that is. That was fine by him. He had read the signs plastered all over the bus so many times sometimes he’d even dream about them - yes, his dreams were rarely exciting. Still, better to stare at those words for so long they became void of any sense after two stops than accidentally meet someone’s accusing glare. No eye contact.
He also had devised a little game of his own, for when the signs became so boring his energy was sucked out of his system and he turned drowsy. A silly game, but a game he quite liked. He looked at the shoes. That was usually enough to occupy his mind for the rest of the commute, and it was safe. No risk whatsoever to offend anyone with a haphazardous look.
He pretended not to be annoyed by the mountain of muscles standing behind him and poking him in the back with what must have been the handle of an umbrella, and he tightened his hold on his pinstriped jacket - he had found out after two rides that a bus, at this hour, was closer to being an oven than an actual bus, some kind of crematorium everyone still willingly stepped inside, like a herd of clueless cows en route to the slaughterhouse. Anyway, the shoes.
Ah, he recognized these. A pair of brown leather shoes. Probably your average businessman in his forties, single, because what kind of married businessman doesn’t own a car, seriously. A pair of fluffy slippers that oozed an odd smell he didn’t want to shell. That must be the old, very old lady that gets into the bus four stops after him, the old lady who swings her cane into people’s shins until she’s found the right seat and claimed it as her seat. A pair of brand new trainers, the white of the laces immaculate, the plastic bare of any creases. Maybe a student on his way to uni - he would know that if the trainers followed him when he’d get off the bus. And…
Oh, these, he had never seen before. And they were just inches away from his, glued to the murky linoleum. Trainers, too, but worn and dirty. These trainers must have had a long life, already - not unlike the chucks he was currently wearing, the white rubber just as soiled as hers. Yes, hers, if the thin line of pink running around the sole was any clue. Those were tricky. She could either be a teenager or a full grown woman, no younger than fourteen, no older than thirty - shoe size and shoe style, they mattered. But he rather liked the idea that she was about his age, so he took that for granted and went on with his analysis. No eye contact , he should be safe to look just a bit higher than the shoes. Jeans. Very tight jeans around very toned legs and a very round... No, he should definitely lower his eyes again, now. Still, interesting. It was too rare an occurrence to find that kind of shoes not to daydream about the lady who was wearing them.
So, he pictured her. Twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six. Blonde, he liked blonde, maybe shoulder-length but tied into a messy bun, because he liked messy buns. Green eyes would be good, but he supposed a light brown could work, too. A round nose and full lips, the exact opposite of his pointy nose and lips so thin they vanished into the void whenever he smiled. Compensation, he thought. I need balance. He had never understood what was so beautiful about women who disappeared if they stood behind a bus pole at just the right angle - no, he wanted curves, he wanted matter , he wanted a woman that wouldn’t shatter into pieces when he held her hand. And those thighs, phew , those thighs definitely fit the bill. So did the rest of her body, he guessed, without knowing he would get to feel just how curved and soft she was.
The bus came to a full stop with the deafening sound of screeching tires that made the windows tremble, and his whole body was propelled forward, right into the owner of the trainers. He held for dear life to his pole, so his body simply curved towards her - he believed he could make a good pole-dancer for a second - and his waist bumped into the small of her back. And he felt it.
The burn that spread just above the line of his waistband, where his shirt had escaped his trousers and ridden up his abdomen. Where his soulmark drew a thin, irregular path, like a paint path brushed by a shaky hand. His heart ploughed against his ribcage as he dared to look down, not at the shoes, but at the black mark he wore. A black mark that was now a rainbow of colours melting into each other, like a puddle of gasoline on a wet pavement. The same kind of rainbow he noticed on the small patch of skin peeking between her pale blue tee-shirt and a brown leather belt.
He breathed in deeply and, sod the rules, he looked up. Her back was still to him, even as the bus was spurred into motion again. A messy bun of blond strands. A slender neck. A spine moulded under the garment that pointed to a definitely round… No, he would not look. He’d get to look until he got drunk on the sight later. Hopefully, not too later.
He was just a bit upset that she didn’t turn around - surely she had also felt her mark flare to life at his contact - but then again, meeting their soulmate on a crowded bus wasn’t ideal. Maybe she was shy. Maybe she had also signed the implicit contract and didn’t want to nullify it.
That was why he bent forward, his head above her shoulder, so close their cheeks almost met, and he pretended to squint and read the sign he already knew by heart.
“I hate to break the rules, but…” he whispered, hoping only she would hear him above the general hubbub. “Hello.”
She didn’t answer straight away. Instead, she took a step back to press her back against his chest, and found his hand that was still holding his jacket. She curled her little finger around his and he felt the strain in her neck as she fought the urge to look at him.
“Next stop?” she breathed out - and, oh yes, he fell in love with that voice at the first syllable.
“Next stop,” he confirmed.
He broke another rule that day, when he stared into her light brown eyes mere moments before the door opened. He almost didn’t make it out.
Although the Doctor is asexual and Rose is not, they found a balance in their relationship they’re both comfortable with. Together, they explore new ways to be intimate.
Tentoo/Rose, rated T, around 1.5k words. Read this on AO3!
This story is set a bit after More than Okay, but it can be read as a standalone. This was based on this “smut-free taking a bath together” prompt by @doctorroseprompts and I took the chance to include some ace!Doctor, since this was also requested at @timepetalscollective recently.
Rose Tyler should’ve been miserable, really. She’d been on her feet all day, was soaked to the bone, and somewhere in the middle of chasing aliens and saving the Earth she’d pulled a muscle in her neck. All she wanted was a bubble bath and a cuddle with the Doctor. But here she was, waiting in a dark alley for Torchwood to arrive so they could clean up the mess the alien she’d been tracking down had left. She had teleported the Cyr back to its ship, but the whole street was still covered with the purple goo it had emitted. At least the rain had already washed it off her clothes.
But all this didn’t matter. A bright smile bloomed on her lips as a black van pulled up and the Doctor hopped out. His face lit up as soon as he laid eyes on her. Rose’s heart skipped a beat. Before she knew it they were both running towards each other and she found herself in a bone-crushing hug. The Doctor’s laugh echoed in her ears as he picked her up, spinning her around. Rose held him tight, not letting go even as he set her feet back to the ground. Rain continued to pour down on them, but neither of them cared.
“All right?” the Doctor finally asked as he pulled back. His gaze swept over her.
Rose smiled. “Yep. And you?”
“Oh, perfect.” The Doctor’s eyes gleamed with pride. “I saw you handle the Cyr on the footage. You were amazing.”
“You weren’t so bad yourself,” Rose said, brushing her fingers down his lapels. “Nice work on reprogramming the autopilot of their spaceship.”
“We’re still a good team, eh?”
“The best.” Rose grinned, and finally pulled him down for a kiss. The Doctor let out a sigh of relief as their lips met. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, the need to feel him close overwhelming. It had been their first real alien invasion since they had arrived back in Pete’s world together, and although Rose knew it had been necessary to split up, she hoped she wouldn’t have to let the Doctor out of her sight anytime soon.
Someone cleared his throat behind them. Reluctantly, they broke apart and turned to see Pete standing under a large, black umbrella. He smiled and nodded approvingly when they faced him.
“Great work, you two. We sent the Cyr back to their home planet. They should be out of the solar system soon. Thanks for helping out, Doctor.”
The Doctor pulled Rose a little closer to his side, his arm around her back. “No problem. Anytime, really.”
“Well, the offer still stands if you ever want a permanent position with us. We could need someone like you.”
Rose looked up to see the Doctor grimace.
“I think I’m good with my job at the university for now,” he said, rubbing his neck. “But I appreciate the offer, Pete.”
“All right,” Pete said with a nod, before his eyes settled on Rose. “Agent Tyler, I expect the report by tomorrow afternoon. But for now, you should probably head home and change into some dry clothes. Your mother will have a go at me if you turn up for dinner on Sunday with a cold.”
Rose cracked a smile and hugged her father goodbye. Relieved that the paperwork could wait another day, she and the Doctor got into a waiting car. They chatted quietly as the driver brought them home, sitting in the backseat next to each other, their hands entwined.
Rose was shivering by the time they were finally back in their flat. She grimaced as she peeled off her soaked jacket. It clung uncomfortably to her skin. Rubbing her sore neck, Rose turned towards the Doctor.
“I need a bath,” she announced. “D’you want to shower first?”
The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and hesitantly met her gaze. “Or I could… join you?”
Rose’s eyes went wide. That was not what she had expected to hear. They did share an intimate relationship, but the Doctor had never indicated that he wanted to involve any kind of nakedness, even if it wasn’t sexual. She didn’t realize that she was gaping at him until the Doctor blushed and backtracked frantically.
“Or not. Sorry. Stupid question. I know you like some, err, alone time in the bath. Forget I asked.”
“No, it’s…” Rose cringed. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just surprised, that’s all. Didn’t think that would be something you’d consider.”
“So you wouldn’t mind? If I did join you?”
He looked so nervous that Rose quickly crossed the distance between them and leaned up to peck his lips. “Not at all. I’d like that. I never really wanted to ask before. Wasn’t sure you’d be comfortable with that.”
“With you? Always,” the Doctor said, his voice low and rumbling. “I know you’ll respect my boundaries even if I’m naked in your bathtub, all at your disposal.”
He winked at her and Rose slapped his arm, laughing. “Stop that, or I might need some alone time after all.”
“Well, we can’t have that. Not right now.” The Doctor threaded his fingers through hers and gently tugged her into the direction of the bathroom. “Come on then!”
The Doctor drew the bath while Rose wiped her face clean of any remaining makeup and peeled off her wet clothes. When she was done, the Doctor was already sitting in a large pile of bubbles. He had his eyes closed and his head thrown back, looking completely at ease. The thought that he trusted her enough to enjoy this experience with her was exhilarating. Rose couldn’t stop a smile spreading on her lips.
The Doctor opened his eyes, regarding her with a soft smile. “You’re beautiful,” he said as Rose approached the bathtub. She bit her lip, blushing under his gaze. She went to sit on the opposite end of the bathtub, keeping some distance between them, but instead the Doctor opened his arms for her. It was too tempting to resist. Rose slid into the tub and settled between his legs. Instantly, the Doctor wrapped an arm around her middle to pull her closer. When her back was flush against his naked chest, the Doctor pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
“All right?” he murmured against her skin, his thumb drawing circles on her stomach. Rose let out a breath and finally relaxed into his arms, snuggling closer.
“Perfect,” she grinned. Closing her eyes, she let the hot water and the Doctor’s gentle touches calm her after the eventful day. A long time ago, she wouldn’t have thought that sharing a bath with the person she loved could be anything but sexual, but being with the Doctor proved her perceptions of relationships wrong over and over again. This wasn’t about sex, it was simply about being close to each other. This was a whole new level of intimacy she had never shared with any of her previous boyfriends.
“Penny for your thoughts,” the Doctor said, pressing a kiss to her temple.
Rose let out a hum and turned until she could press her lips to his.
“Just thinking about how good this feels,” she said, running her fingers down the Doctor’s arm until she could link their fingers together. The Doctor squeezed her hand.
“I agree. We should do this more often.”
“Would’ve asked you ages ago if I’d known you’d like that.”
“Well, maybe I wouldn’t have been comfortable with it right from the beginning. But now? Definitely yes.”
Rose was quiet for a minute, contemplating his words.
“What changed, then?”
The Doctor let out a laugh. “I know you’re okay with not doing these things.”
“What?” Rose frowned at him. “I need you to explain that.”
“Knowing that you’re okay with not doing this is exactly what makes it okay. It takes the pressure off. There are no expectations, and I know it would be perfectly all right to change my mind, if I ever reach a point where I’m not comfortable.”
Turning in his arms, Rose gave him a tongue-touched smile. “Mostly all right, maybe. I would still be a little disappointed if you’d jump out of the tub right now.”
The Doctor smiled down at her, his eyes shining. “Understandable. But I know you wouldn’t hold it against me.”
“Never,” Rose said with determination. Leaning down, the Doctor pressed his lips to hers.
“And answers like that, Rose Tyler,” he murmured against her lips, “is what makes all this okay. Does this make sense?”
“Yeah.” Rose’s heart skipped a beat at the love and adoration in the Doctor’s eyes. She trailed her fingers along his cheek, watching his eyes flutter shut. Perfectly content, she settled back into his arms, her head against his chest. She knew this was all she ever needed from their relationship: being intimate with the Doctor, in whatever way he was comfortable with, no matter if it didn’t involve sex. She didn’t want it any other way.
