Entry tags:

!complete, match, rose tyler

WHO: Rose and Match
WHAT: Hanging out! A not!date
WHEN: Recently after the Temples vanished
WARNINGS: flirtation? Nothing, really
STATUS: Closed and Complete

Things were finally back to normal. Rose had a couple days off since the strange temple disappearance, but she had been back to work and happy to help around without the added fear of the mercenaries. She had been in touch with her friends, happy to hear that everyone else had been able to make it through the scrimmage as well.

There was one, in particular, she was most happy to hear as she had yet to meet him in person. After a day or so, she sent him a text to see if they might finally be able to meet up and grab a bite to eat. She was happy to see his return text back asking if she wanted him to pick her up after her shift that day. After an enthusiastic ‘Yeah that sounds great!’, the rest of the day seemed to fly by. Rose had to make sure she wasn’t covered in coffee grounds or flour before she threw her apron in her locker and made her way outside.

She sat at one of the outside tables, glancing up and down the road. She wasn’t sure if she would miss him, but hoped she was in a clear enough area he could see her.

***

Oh, she would see him coming. Down the road, tooling along faster than it should, but safely so, was a Delorean, tricked out in dark red, and with silver running lines chasing it. With a smooth pull and turn, it came to a stop ten feet from her, and the side door closest to her hissed open and slowly ascended.

Match grinned as he peered out, and waved. “Pardon me, miss, going my way?”

As a model, he often did shoots with famous and infamous cars, and he often bargained to be able to drive them for at least a few hours. And so it was with this one, as he grinned at her.

***

Rose was taken aback at the car coming towards and couldn’t help but laugh as the door slid up. “Blimey, just like in the movie!” she said, walking over and peering in. “How could a girl say no?” She popped into the passenger seat and held out her hand to Match.

“Nice to finally meet you Match,” she said with her own silly grin. “And I am famished! Where did you have in mind for food?” She tucked her leg further into the car as the door came down and she couldn’t help but laugh. She was completely tickled that he would have a car like this and couldn’t help but look around it in awe.

“Is this your car?”

***

When she popped in, he grinned and smiled, shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you in person, Rose. You look just as beautiful in real life as on the net.” His smile was on in full force and he was enjoying himself already. He loved this car.

He flicked it into drive as he maneuvered them out of the lot. “I thought we could go to Ghirardelli's. They have wonderful Italian food and of course their famous chocolate desserts. He waggled his eyebrows at her. “What do you say?”

At her question, he shook his head. “Oh, no. I do modeling shoots, high-end ones for cars sometimes. And I always angle to get to drive the car for a little bit. After fourteen hours of grueling modeling, I get to tool around in this until tomorrow. It’s a new model the company is thinking of putting out.” The company had been bought up and now the mother company was pondering releasing new versions.

***
Rose couldn't help but grin at his compliment, the type of grin she used for those she liked the most with her tongue sticking out to the side. “Well you're a flatterer,” she said in a teasing way, giving way to a laugh. “And just think what I could look like when I didn't have coffee and flour all over me! I swear I clean up nicer than this!”

As they pulled out, Rose glanced out the window at the awed faces that they passed. “I haven't been but yeah, that sounds good. Do they have chips there?” If there was one food Rose Tyler loved, it was chips. She glanced back at him as he wiggled his eyebrows at her and giggled. She liked him a lot already. She needed someone light-hearted and fun!

“So what, they're like, on loan?” Rose gave an impressed face. “That's pretty cool. So you have a new car every week? You're not worried about getting a scratch or somethin’ like that?”

***

“And here, I was happy. I tend to be more of a down and dirty kind of guy.” His tongue flicked out and his voice caressed the word dirty, just a little, with a flirtatious grin. He could do that, for sure. And it was fun, to be around someone nice, and just hang with them.

Driving came easy to him and he sent them through traffic with some skill. “Chips? You mean what Americans call fries, right? I’m not up on my British terms entirely.” He flashed her a grin again as they slid around a corner. “If that is what you meant, then yes. All sorts of fries.” They had a selection of genuine British food, and he had verified that in person.

“Basically, yes. I put down a deposit, and hold onto it for twelve hours or so, getting to tool around, and they get free advertising and cause a little noise. “ He chuckled. “They know I’m a good and safe driver, so it is win-win.”

He shook his head. “I don’t do automotive ones every week, just now and then. I’m mostly a writer. I do modeling and acting to pay the bills inbetween writing.” he smiled at her again. She was pretty cool.

***

Rose found herself laughing at his response, before trying her best to give him a pouty face, an eyebrow raised at him. “Are you making fun of me?” she asked, “or trying to tell me that you prefer your women that way as well?” Match’s personality seemed different in person and Rose liked it. He had seemed more serious over their network chats, but she was beginning to like this playful banter they had between them. It felt natural, as if they had been friends for awhile rather than just meeting.

Every time he grinned or smiled at her, she couldn’t help but return it. “Yeah, chips like fries. Except the chips here, aren’t like the chips back at home. The chips at home are warm and big, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The ones over here are either underdone or overly crispy! If your place really has the best chips, you’ll be my new favorite person.”

Rose shook her head in awe, looking at him like he was the most famous movie star. “I can’t believe you get to just borrow these cool cars! Whenever you do a car model, we’ll have to hang out so I can see what kind of car you have!” Everything that Match had told her about his life seemed unreal to Rose; the way he had fallen into the lead spot for his upcoming movie, his modeling and now this! She was surprised to hear his main focus was on writing. She thought back to their network conversations, trying to remember if he had brought it up before.

“What are you currently working on?”

***

“Making fun of you? Rose, dear beauty, I was admiring you..” And the look he gave her, for a second, for just an instant, was pure admiration, pure and sheer acknowledgment that she was a sexy woman. And then he was looking ahead and driving again, smiling.

He drove, smirking a little. He had no idea what had come over him, but he was enjoying it. Somehow, talking to her, he felt free, excited, able to let loose. He hadn’t felt like this in years. Not since… he shut that memory away and just let himself feel. The feeling was good.

“Well, I will hope they do, then. It’s run by a British Ex-patriate., the same one I told you about before. The one who has a coffee shop, too? He has a number of such places.” Match nodded. He liked global food and options.

He blushed as he shifted, smiling at her with a wink. “So you just love me for my cars, huh?” He winked, telling her he was teasing, and he drove, loving the banter and the fun of this. “A novel, a follow-up to my original work, published a few years ago.

He was younger than he seemed, just 22, and he had been writing since he was sixteen, with his first novel published at 18. Two books of short stories had followed, and now the publisher wanted a new novel and he was lucky in that he had the inspiration for it.

“What do you do when not saving the world via coffee?”

***
Rose used to all sorts of flirtations and teasing; it was a natural state of order for her! But Match seemed genuine in his compliment and she couldn't help but smile, glancing down at her hands in her lap. It had been some time since someone had been real with her and she found she wasn't opposed to it. When she glanced back up at him, she pursed her lips and smirked. “You certainly know how to treat a lady. Do you do this for all dates?”

She laughed, suddenly feeling completely free with him. He made her feel completely at ease and took her mind from the last week. It felt like everything was back to normal with him and she would happily go along with it. “Yeah, you better keep the cars comin’ love.” Really, she didn't care as she didn't know a lot about cars, only really cool ones like this. But she had a feeling he would only have the best.

“Blimey, that's pretty cool. I'll have to pop round to the book shop and see if I can find em. Will you autograph ‘em for me?” She held out her hands, imagining the script. “To Rose: my biggest fan and inspiration. May you always look as lovely as the day we met.” Another silly grin that seemed to be glued to her face.

“You know, I was going to say you were joking me again, but sometimes I do feel a bit powerful in my coffee giving. People go bonkers for their caffeine!” People gave her a hard time for always drinking tea, but couldn't they see that Americans were just as bad with their coffee?

“I dunno, I don't really do anything. Exploring Anaheim and meeting other people from the network. Guess I should pick up a hobby huh? Maybe I could pick up knitting or somethin’. What do you think? Would you want a scarf for the holidays?”

***

Match smiled at her. “If you want me to, sure. I mean. I’m nobody famous, but yes.” He chuckled at her choice of singing. “If you bring it, I’ll sign whatever and however you like.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Match loved her humor and he grinned a lot. He felt like he had been grinning since he met her and that was not a bad thing at all. “And what is your tea game? Is it up to snuff?” He teased her lightly.

“Sure, if you make it. I’ll wear it.” Match nodded. “Your gift would be the pride of my outfit.”

And he pulled into the lot near the restaurant. “Ready to eat?”

Hopping out, he came around to open her door and lend her a hand to get out.

***
“Well, you’re famous to me. I’ll be your number one fan!” She hadn’t seen his movies or read his books, but they were on the top of her list now. Besides, there was no doubt in her mind that she would love everything Match had ever done, whether it be his film or the books he had published. She wasn’t much of a reader, but she would give it a go for him. It was very different when a friend of yours had written something!

“It’s much better now that I’ve had a few suggestions from the network!” Even though the network was supposedly cursed with dreams and attacks, she found she enjoyed the community that could be found there. “I have a few more places to visit if you’re ever bored one day.” Was she trying to snag a second hang out trip? Yes, yes she was.

Rose laughed as he parked the car and went around to let her out. She had never been treated in this way before and it was a completely pleasant surprise. She put her hand in his, the grin never leaving her face. “Thanks,” she said, watching as the door fell shut behind her. She linked her arm through his, her second hand holding onto his upper arm.

“You say it would be the pride of your outfit but you haven’t seen it yet! It could be a complete bloody mess once I’m done with it!” Really, the thought of her knitting was both hilarious and sad; she didn’t know if she had an artistic bone in her body.

***

Match blushed and smiled to her, arm in arm with her as they made their way toward the restaurant, where a man in a suit opened the door for them. “It’s good to see you back, Match.”

“Thanks, Michael.” And they were greeted by a woman dressed in a genuine hostess dress, circa 1970’s Britain, who kissed Match’s cheeks, then ushered them to a table.

“I may have helped the family who owns this place out a little.” Menus were placed, along with a bottle of red wine.

“I hope you like a lot of food.”

***

“You’re just a jack of all trades aren’t you?” she asked, taking a seat opposite of him. She peeked at him over the top of the menu before diving in to look at what they offered. She didn’t realize how much Match could actually do, both in his dreams and in his life here.

“What do you recommend? Is this the sharing kind of place?” She put the menu down, propping her head up with her hand to look at him. Everything looked too delicious here and she didn’t want to look like a complete idiot by ordering one of everything.

“Other than the chips of course. Those will be just for me.” Another silly grin flashed across her face.

***

“Not really. I just… can’t stand by when people need help.” His cheeks were red as he ducked his head behind his menu, despite knowing he would already order the shrimp and steak. At her question, he smiled and peeked back over the menu again. “We could get a sharing platter, yes. I was thinking of the shrimp and steak, if that works for you? They are incredibly delicious.”

Match laughed. “We can get two orders of chips as an appetizer, so we both can have some.” He smirked. “I don’t want you to not get your… fill.”

***
Match might have been one of coolest people Rose had ever met; he was selfless and, well, just an all-around cool guy. And cute. It was the complete package.

“I told you you were a hero.”

“Only if you wanna share! Maybe we can choose a second course and split that too?” Or was that the wrong thing to offer? Too coupley?

“Uh, but right, two chips sounds brilliant. Can never have too many chips!” Really, that could have been a life motto for Rose. She grinned again, glancing down at the menu to see if anything else sounded good.

***

Match flushed. “I am not…” He shook his head, grinning. “I’m just me.” He reached out and gently booped her nose. Because she was cute, and funny, and nice. And he was enjoying himself, a lot.

“Sure. We can, and we can do that. What looks good to you?” He smiled warmly, eyes dancing with amusement. She was a pretty cool person.

“I’m probably not as fond of them as you, but I like a good chip now and then.” He settled back sipping some water and smiled. “Thank you for coming out tonight.”

***
She couldn't help but laugh, wiggling her nose a bit after he booped her. “Well, then the “just you” is pretty cool.” Alright, now she was getting a little too obvious, but she almost sighed when he didn't seem to mind the offer of sharing food. Back home, the majority of guys she hung out with weren't as easy going or selfless like Match. It was a nice change and she found herself tripping over words that would have usually come out smooth.

It was a good excuse to look away and Rose scanned through the items. “How about a pasta? Maybe...the Pomodoro?” She looked back up at him, raising her eyebrow a bit to inquire about the choice.

She blushed, smiling. “If I remember correctly, I’m the one who asked you.” She said it in a teasing tone as she was happy to be here with him at all. “So I guess I should say thank you for saying yes.”

***

“Thank you. You’re pretty cool, too.” He grinned at her, liking her style and her flirtation. She was a nice person and she made him smile. It was easy to smile and be relaxed with her. And that was no bad thing.

“Sounds good to me.” he nodded to her. “I haven’t had that in ages, so it will be a treat.” His grin was approving. She had good taste, too.

“You did, but then I said yes, and you still came out with me.” He grinned at her, because why not? “And it is my pleasure. I am rather enjoying myself, you know.”

He raised his glass to her. “To trying new things with new friends.”

***

It was easy to laugh with him and she did, grinning back at his joke. She grabbed her glass and raised it as well. “To new things with new friends!”


FIN