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rose tyler is fantastic. (badwulf) wrote in territories_log,
@ 2022-08-06 01:49:00

thread | AUGUST 5TH

ROSE & THE DOCTOR

august 5th. | g. | the tardis.

"She'd love to see you. So would I."

It hadn't been so long ago. Or had it?

Following their exchange, Rose took a day to pick herself up and wrestle her courage to pay him that visit. When had she gone so yellow, again? Oh, right. When her best friend said he went and changed his face not once, but twice, to keep on living. When she was smack dab with the inevitable that, one way or another, she was gonna be cut from this fantastical equation. So very human, her. Rose Tyler hadn't much of anything to be ashamed of when it came to her humanity, but it could be an inconvenient reminder. A unavoidable fragility that would call it quits before she did, if she had anything to say about it. Someday—

Well, here it was, more or less. Something must've happened to her, she reasoned. Perhaps even sooner rather than later, depending on when he came from. They'd been brilliant. Past tense.

And what about it? What about the only him she'd—thus far—known? She thought of Satellite 5, of the Daleks and the possibility that one of those regenerations was a product of it. Rose had been desperate to cross the two hundred thousand year gap to get back to him. She remembered a light, the haunt of a melody. She recalled, however vague, hearing him, feeling him, before the hum of the TARDIS surrounded her. After that? The Moya.

Wrapped up with anxiousness, her gut a knot of questions, she neared the familiar blue doors. Hesitance, she hated it, stayed her hand.

And then she knocked.

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badwulf
2022-08-08 03:55 am UTC (link)

He was practically dancing now. The Doctor had always seemed close to tipping with all that energy, but it was especially apparent in this incarnation. Like he might just burst with it. Rose watched as she stepped up to the console proper, hello old girl, the motion of his bounce and flourish almost but not quite as she recalled. Gingerly passing over the various buttons, knobs, and whatchamacallits, she followed his route with a breath of laughter. The more things change, the more they stay the same. It was a comforting thought as her emotions pitched and fumbled, pace halting a few short spaces nearby.

"Tried to get back," she said, tucking her hair. The levity slipped, smile gone for a worry of her bottom lip. "You sent me home, said you were gonna die."

Rose's watery gaze spilled over, but it didn't waver, didn't shy or turn as she steadied before him, a hand on the railing. "How could you? Leaving me with that! Thinking I could carry on—" A hiccup, palm covering the trembling shape of her mouth. She wanted to be furious, but all she felt was the heave of a good cry. New package, but he was whole and here and it was enough. "I saw a light, and I swore you were there," she warbled. "But I can't remember."

Ruddy cheeks were wiped, breath stuttering.

"Then I woke up to all this."

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tumblingnebulas
2022-08-08 09:00 am UTC (link)

The way she'd followed him around the console was so familiar. So reminiscent of all those times they'd spent together. He'd have to keep reminding himself she hadn't lived a whole lot of that. All those complicated feelings they'd had. All those things, said and done.

He hadn't expected his question to get such an immediate reaction. And now she was going and doing it. That complicated human thing where they got all wibbly and started crying. He bounced back to his feet, watching her carefully and waiting for an opening. Maybe she'd - oh, there it was. Anger. That was at least easier to deal with. Less fun than denial, though. It didn't last long, though, and she fell right back into the tears. He hated seeing her cry, always had. He remembered that much with startling clarity and apparently nothing changed.

"I'm sorry Rose," he finally responded when she took a breath to wipe the tears from her face. "I was only doing what I thought was best. Even I muck that up a bit sometimes." He'd allow that much for her. They had certain privileges, she and Amy. They were firsts.

"But look!" He held out his arms to demonstrate. "I didn't die. Here I am, back for another adventure to bother you all over again." He took a deliberate step closer, and then another, tilting his head as he watched her. "Amy usually growls a bit and then we hug. What do you say?"

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badwulf
2022-08-08 10:26 am UTC (link)

It was a lot—new catchphrase, that. But he'd been right when he said she could handle it, however tentative her grip felt. Unsurprisingly, he looked a bit put out by the blubber of commotion, but Rose wouldn't begrudge herself this. She deserved plenty more and, even as bite and fluster started to dull, she at least acknowledged it. Didn't suffer a twinge of guilt as the Doctor moved to placate. Would've been easy, though. This new face of his, all sweet and apologetic, could've certainly inspired her.

Very dangerous.

Fixing him with a still wet stare, Rose swallowed around the lump in her throat. Didn't ask after Amy despite the way it nagged, didn't crumple into his offering arms despite how tempting it was. Hugs, she could've done with a few. "You said there were things we hadn't done," she said after a pause. "But what about all this? Me, here, now. He's by himself, ain't he?" Lashes clumped with wet mascara briefly fell, the line of her lips thinning. "You. You're out there right now with no one while I'm stuck on some ship."

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tumblingnebulas
2022-08-08 10:39 am UTC (link)

"I don't think that's how it works, Rose." His tone was softer now, gentler. A little more patient in the face of her obvious frustration. He wasn't trying to upset her, certainly. Knew not a lot could fix this right now, short of having that former grumpy face of his show up and reassure her.

"As far as I can tell," and it was all guesses at this point but that was neither here nor there, "things are carrying on as normal. We might as well still be there, you and I." Her, meeting him all over again. Him...well, that was a bit complicated wasn't it? Time stood still and River Song determined to let it.

"If I could make this make sense for you I would. But it's still me, I promise." He took another step closer, bending forward slightly as though to let her see his face better. "And you know me. I only lie about the things I really have to."

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badwulf
2022-08-08 11:55 am UTC (link)

"I know," she reassured in kind. "It's you, you nutty old man."

Rose felt exhausted all of a sudden, and probably looked as much, but she smiled regardless. A weak little something that was as much for herself as him. He did lie, and he occasionally did it well, but she took him for his word all the same. Gave him the benefit and hoped he was right, because what else could she hold onto? Maybe she clung a bit too eagerly to his consolation. Maybe, for better or worse, she'd long put him on a high enough pedestal that it wasn't quite so difficult to, whatever face he might be wearing. There were still too many stars in her eyes.

She regarded him, weeping going dry. Gave the railing her hand was still clutched to a squeeze before, just as quickly as the tears, she pushed into him. Tucked her chin over his bony shoulder and wrapped him up tight, shutting out the glow of the TARDIS with one messy nuzzle into his coat.

( Big apologies for the repost, I desperately needed to edit. )

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tumblingnebulas
2022-08-11 09:23 am UTC (link)

Nutty old man, madman. Either way. Given he'd used the descriptor himself more than once, he'd take it.

He recognised the blind faith in Rose for what it was. Had seen the same in Amy. In so many of them, over the years. Dangerous, that's what it was. But that didn't stop him doing nothing about it. Nutty old man, she'd called him. Nutty and vain, that was him. And look just where that had left so many of them.

But that wasn't for thinking about right now (if ever). Right now was about Rose, and helping her feel a bit less adrift about this whole thing, even if she was placing blind faith in his vague assurances.

When she seemed to be done with being a bit stubborn and brave and clung to him, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She didn't say anything and neither did he at first, managing to stay silent for at least a couple of minutes. That wasn't bad for him, really. It had been so long since he'd seen her, and guilt aside, he was able to glean some comfort from the moment himself. "We'll figure this out." It was just going to take time, apparently. Patience. His favourite game.

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