Clara Oswald is going the long way round (alwaysbeenthere) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-05-08 18:44:00 |
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Having the Enterprise reduced to training duty was actually kind of painful to Kirk. Even more so than dreaming about aging. He even woke up feeling achier than usual, but at least his dreams hadn’t given him those glasses.
That would have been some kind of bad.
He showed up at Clara’s TARDIS in the hopes of finding something exciting to do. Besides fighting Stormtroopers, which was so last week.
Unlike Kirk, Clara wasn’t going to know about aging, or dream about it. She was stuck where she was but she had mostly come to terms with it. It wasn’t like she slept all that much anymore. No need, and plenty of things to do. Still, things had calmed down since the whole Star Wars invasion , and there hadn’t been any recent developments with Bo’s case, so for now she was currently at a booth in the diner with a cup of tea and book.
Or that was the plan until the door opened and someone entered.
Looking up, she grinned as she noticed Kirk and got up from where she was.
“Heya, what brings you here?”
He gave her a smile, bags under his eyes. “Bored. Dreams making me feel a little contemplative. And old. Am I interrupting anything?”
“Well you came to the right place. And who wants to feel old?” Shrugging, Clara went to the bar of the diner to get Jim something to drink before coming back out to answer the rest of his question. “Not interrupting, was just reading.”
“Great.” He took the drink gratefully. Really, Clara had been the first person he’d thought of, for a variety of reasons. Even if she didn’t end up understanding, she’d at least not look at him funny about it. “Nothing beats dreaming about your best friend giving you ancient reading glasses for your birthday and reminding you of your mortality.”
He toasted her, and took a sip.
Sometimes that was all you needed, someone who wouldn’t look at you funny even if they didn’t quite understand. Still, that did sound rather…. Interesting.
“Awkward. I had a dream once soon after the Doctor regenerated where he basically insinuated we looked the same age. And given that was my dad’s face here, well….” Yeah. That had been offensive. Admittedly given Time Lord and all, he had a different perspective on aging but still. Toasting as well, Clara took a sip of the tea she’d already been drinking.
“He was trolling you,” Jim replied. At least he hoped he had been trolling. Otherwise that was kind of a dick move. “I wonder if I’ll age prematurely. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
Who would be ready for that? “Even a training cruise seems exciting.”
“No. He was serious. Time Lord, when you have regeneration and a long life span, you apparently can’t tell proper age.” It had taken time getting used to… especially since each regeneration was different in personality, but same parts just like her echo selves, that it all worked out. “Oh, that would be weird.” Scrunching up her nose, Clara shrugged, “Can’t say I’ve seen anything like that mentioned on the network though, so you’re probably safe.”
No one would. But still.
“That’s kinda sad.”
“I guess if you live forever, time loses all meaning.” It didn’t sound like something Jim would be happy about. Without perspective, where did that leave a person? And it opened them to losing the ability to empathize with others.
“Yeah, isn’t it?” He shook his head. “Should have never taken that promotion. I belong on the bridge, not behind a desk.”
“I think that’s why he takes companions to travel, to remember the excitement and newness of it all.” She couldn’t be sure, but that had to be part of it. Though sometimes she was also convinced the Doctor just pretended not to care. Oh sure there was when she had to be his carer, to care so he didn’t have to, but that wasn’t really him, no matter what he claimed.
“Was there a reason it made sense at the moment?” Sometimes that happened. A decision was made that was right for the moment, but in the long run? Not so much.
“It was what you were supposed to do. Rise through the ranks, get promoted. I guess I thought I’d get a chance to go out more. Pick my own flagship. Turns out they just wanted me out of their hair.” Jim’s face twisted into a grimace. “All those reports, I wonder if they even believed half of them.”
“Ah…” Yeah, that was always something. One thing Clara had realized in time travel was that there was never really a proper order to things. Sure, there were the things that were expected because society but that didn’t mean it was right. “I mean, can you blame them if they didn’t?” Just because she didn’t comment on a lot of the dream posts all that often didn’t mean she didn’t read them. And they did seem fantastical from afar.
“Every time there was a review we had signed testimony from half the crew and a whole lot of sensor logs to back us up.” He laughed. “The reviews stopped being requested so frequently after a while. My dream life is… very episodic. So how are you? I should have asked first.”
“Well when you have to go through all the work and it keeps showing, can’t say I’m surprised that they stopped requesting them as frequently.” Still. Episodic dreams, how strange. Not like Clara’s hadn’t been like that sometimes. Oh well. Sipping her tea, she blinked then shrugged. “I’m alright. Survived living through Star Wars yet again. Nothing too interesting of note. Though it seems I have acquired a regular customer of sorts.”
“I worried about you a little, but thought you could handle yourself better than some other people I know.” It had honestly been a relief. He could count on Clara, and if she ever needed to call for help then that was something serious. “A regular, huh? Coming around for the coffee or the company, you think?”
Not that Jim was jealous or anything.
“That’s sweet, but it’s not like you really needed to. Good thing about being frozen in time, force choking and blasters don’t do anything beyond confuse them when I get back up.” Though it was true, when Clara actually asked for help, then it was serious. Still, she leaned back against the booth at the question.
“Combination, but pretty sure more the company.” Not that she was complaining. She had a good rapport with Bucky, and he’d come across her during the invasion and the two had ended up pairing up to fight.
“It’s hard to turn down your company, so I don’t blame them.” Jim took another sip of his drink and grinned at her. “Honestly, it would have to be that, the coffee here? Not that great.”
Eyes widening in mock offence, Clara wadded up a napkin and threw it at Jim.
“Rude! I’ll have you know I’m going for an authentic American Diner feel, thank you very much.”
Grinning after the fact, she shook her head and took a sip of her tea.
“Though I think the fact I’ve noticed he’s started putting an effort into his appearance also points to the more for company aspect.”
Laughing, he caught the deadly napkin. “Authentic American Diners have terrible coffee, so you must be doing something right.”
He tossed it back. “How do you feel about it?”
“Exactly.”
As Jim threw the napkin back, Clara caught it before leaning back as she contemplated the question. How did she feel about it? She’d spent so long trying to keep people at arm’s length, first with Samuel, then Danny, then the whole...frozen in time bit. Oh she flirted, she befriended, but she’d always locked that part of herself away and now?
“I’m interested to see what might happen.” Which for someone who had a neurotic need to always be in control was a step in the right direction instead of trying to micromanage everything. Shrugging, she took a sip of her tea.
"Taking step over the edge for once. I'm proud of you." And it was the truth, and he was glad for her. And if he felt regret at his own inaction, he kept it to himself. Jim wasn't one of those guys. "But you know, the usual threats apply, only with transporters and the moon."
“It’s been long enough I think… But thank you.” Because really, after everything that had happened, it wasn’t exactly easy to let herself open up and let people close in that way. Friendship, a mistletoe induced one night stand, those were different, steps in the right direction and even enough to make her realize that maybe she was ready to let someone get close again. Still, timing was everything. “And why am I not surprised.”
Jim put a hand on his chest. “What are friends for but to threaten suitors within an inch of their life. I’d offer trips for fancy dates, but the TARDIS has you covered.”
He took a sip of that terrible coffee. “Kind of exciting, isn’t it? Putting yourself out there?”
Well. He had a point there and so she raised her teacup in acknowledgement of that fact. “This is very true.” Clara could be quite protective and would threaten people if she felt it necessary. “Probably better you than my dad.” Because her dad was… her dad. And the Doctor. And given the fact that Bucky had been military? If something did come from the flirtation well…..
“It actually is. A different kind of rash from my usual brand.” Usually she just put herself in dangerous situations without thinking either when she was overwhelmed by it all or when there were attacks. This was completely different.
“Your dad is terrifying, let’s be real.” Jim grinned at her. Better him than the cranky old Doctor. “Emotionally rash is different from physical danger. It’s a different kind of hurt when it doesn’t work out, one that’s harder to heal.”
Clara probably should challenge that, and yet…. “It’s the eyebrows.” And just the Doctor in general when he decided that someone was a threat or dangerous. Oh, he could be hilarious and caring, but he was also Scottish and grumpy and very protective. “But yeah, that.” She’d had her heart broken, things out of her control that only fueled her need for having control. It was all different. Good. Terrifying. Different.
“Those eyebrows are sentient.” He believed them to be so. No other explanation but sentient eyebrows. “If you need someone to cry into your ice cream with, you can always give me a call. You know, if things go bad.”
“Given he’s called them attack eyebrows…” Because of course he would. The eyebrows were intense. Finishing her tea, Clara nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Obviously it was too soon to even know if something would come from the flirtation and people didn’t get into relationships with the thought it would end. But still, good to know she had people to support her if things went bad.