A/N: Well, I am apparently better in writing one-shots than long stories because... well because I am not a responsible writer and forget to updete them. But anyway, enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the BBC. I own nothing, just wonder what are they doing in their own universes. :)
"Rose, I am ginger!"
She jumped at the Doctor's voice. The living room was quiet till now, Rose reading peacefully on one of the armchairs, her legs folded under her. She really needed that rest. It was the last days of the summer and the Doctor wanted to make the most of it. Right now they were at the Tyler Mansion and Rose thought that he was playing with Tony in the pool outside. Apparently not any more.
A half naked Doctor, only in shorts, from which was dripping water, ran into the room. Rose thought what would her mother say when she sees the puddle on the floor. He is grinning like a loony, like always, his eyes fixed on her while he was pointing at his hair.
"See? See?! It's ginger!" Rose lifted her eyes to his hair, closing her book officially. She didn't think she could return to her book soon. But when she looked at his hair with more attention, she couldn't see anything different from normal, except that it was all wet and plastered to his forehead. There was not even one ginger strand. When she didn't say anything, he frowned.
"Doctor, really, your hair is the same as always, just damp. I can't see any difference." Rose looked at him, confused expression on her face.
"No, no. Come and look properly." And before she could react, he was dragging her by the hand out of the back door, into the backyard and in front of the pool. "See now?" He pointed at his hair again.
Now that they were out in the sunny and pretty hot day, unusual for London, Rose could see that the Doctor's hair was slightly lighter in the sunlight. From some angles it could even look ginger. Now that she understood what was he talking about, Rose smiled too.
"Really Doctor, you can hardly say that this is ginger. When you are in side, your hair is its normal brown color."
"Now, Rose, it still counts. So I am officially ginger. Ginger with capital G!" He was so happy, and smiling from ear to ear that she just couldn't argue with him. But she could always tease him.
"Now what Doctor? You gonna stay only outdoors so you'll look ginger?"
"Weeell" he scratched at the back of his neck. "I suppose that's a little bit impossible. I mean I have to sleep somewhere, and if it rains outside. And besides, when it rains, there's no sun. And during the night there's no sun too, as I am sure you know... Right?" He looked at her then and saw her giggling. "I am prattling, aren't I?"
Now Rose was clearly laughing. "No, no, just... You just listed one of many reasons why that doesn't count for being ginger. But still whatever you want. If you want to sleep out here, I don't have problem with that." Then she turned to Tony who was still happily splashing water around in the shallow area of the pool. "We have to head in, dinner will be ready soon."
The little boy happily jumped out and went to Rose. She took his hand and started going to the house.
"Wait! What about me?" The Doctor sounded very worried and Rose smiled to herself before turning her head and answering him.
"Well, if I don't forget I'll bring you something here. No need to get inside, right?" And then she giggled again and disappeared in the house. The Doctor stood lonely outside looking after her for a few moments. Then stubbornly he went to the hammock under two trees and laid on it. He sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for Rose.
After two hours Rose thought it was enough to teach the Doctor a lesson. Probably now he would like to come in and continue his normal life (well ,normal as his life was). But then, it was Rose who twisted his words in a way to joke with him. And he, with his still superior brain, didn't understand what actually happened. Of course Rose wasn't going to leave him out there the whole night. No, she wanted just to tease him, and now that that was done, she was going to tell him to come in. If he wanted to be ginger he could always dye his hair. But no matter how many times Rose had told him that, he still refused because "they would kill his really great hair and it was hard enough to keep it that way with these rubbish hair products in this universe."
Rose took one plate and made two sandwiches. Then she took three of his favourite banana-flavoured biscuits and went out in the backyard. When she saw him sleeping in the hammock, she smiled. He still didn't need as much sleep as humans (or so he said) and Rose loved every moment when she saw him sleeping. He looked so peaceful and... happy.
She went to him and put the plate on a nearby table. Then she gently shook his shoulder.
"Come on Doctor. Rise and shine!" He grunted.
"Five more minutes"
"But it's nine o'clock. It's gonna be dark soon. Come on, I am not leaving you out here."
Now he was more awake and turned to swing his legs to the ground. "Nah, Rose. I told you, I am staying here."
"But Doctor! The sun is setting and your hair doesn't look ginger any more. Tomorrow you can go out again if you want, but now please come in. And you are going to catch a cold out here, it's still not that warm during the night."
The Doctor looked sad. Rose didn't know that his desire to be ginger was that big. Then his stomach grumbled and Rose gave the Doctor the plate with the sandwiches that she prepared. He didn't say anything, looking down and started to eat the biscuits.
"Now, now. You know that the dessert is after the main dish. Start with the sandwiches." Rose was smiling though she tried to sound more stern. "Even Tony doesn't do that... anymore." At this the Doctor chuckled but took a bite from one of the sandwiches. After a few minutes of silence, him eating and Rose sad on the edge of the table, watching him, he started to talk.
"You know, Rose, that I have regenerated before, many times. This is my tenth incarnation. So I've had many different faces and hairstyles. But never ginger. I have been with white hair, with brown hair, black too, straight or curly. I even was blond once. But still never ginger. And know I can't regenerate any more, which I won't change which is good, I mean that we will grow old together... and I'll have white hair again. Anyway, it also means I lose my chance of being ginger. And I really want to be ginger, to see what it would be to be ginger..."
Rose was listening to him silently, tears forming in her eyes. He still talked rarely of his past lives, and if he said anything, it usually was a happy memory. But that now was different.
"Doctor" she put a hand on his shoulder and sat down next to him. "That's just a hair, I don't think it makes you feel something different." At that he frowned and his shoulders slumped even more. "But I am sure you would look astonishing if you were ginger." Rose smiled at him that smile of hers, her tongue poking out between her teeth. She knew he couldn't resist it. And she was right because when he turned and saw her he smiled too.
"Rose Tyler, don't make fun of me. I look astonishing in and with anything!" He grinned her favourite cheeky grin.
"I am not sure who's making fun of you." She giggled again, for like the umpteenth time this day. "Come on, let's get inside."
"But I haven't finished my dinner. Besides, I am not tired." Rose sighed at that.
"That's what happens when you say you don't need sleep and then stay up the whole night. If you are fidgeting too much, you are banished on the sofa."
"But Roseee" he was whining now. Then his look changed. "I have a better idea!" And he kissed her.
Well, after all she persuaded him to get inside... and he headed right for their bedroom. Thoughts about his hair long forgotten.
He pushed her gently on the bed and hovered over her, propped on his arms and legs. He started kissing her again, first her mouth and lips, then down her neck. When she could speak, she took the opportunity.
"And what if I am tired?"
"No, you are not." He looked up at her. "You know you are not!" At this she pulled him by his hair up her body so she could kiss him.
"You know, if your hair was ginger, I could not be able to do that." He smiled against her lips at that. One of his hands wondered downward and Rose scratched her nails into his scalp.
"Yeah, probably you are right. I prefer my hair like that now, all brown and great." He kissed her again.
After that night he never again complained about his hair colour or style (well, probably when it started to become gray, but that's another story).
