A Purple Sofa

"Spiders! Americans! And tea at Yaz's!" the Doctor practically skipped back into the TARDIS, borne along by the thrill of another adventure bested.

Yaz followed after, grinning at the bouncing figure ahead, "Ha ha – it was only a quick cuppa and a few custard creams, Doc!"

The Doctor rounded on her, still grinning, "What do you mean only a cuppa? Best tea I've had in years. What was it again?"

"Yorkshire Gold – Mum's favourite."

"Gold?"

"Yeah, it's just a tea brand?"

The Doctor shook her head with exasperation, "Just? Just? Honestly, it was brilliant! And those biscuits? Custard? Well not only are they delicious," she licked her lips at the memory, "but they remind me of… something I can't put my finger on right now…"

"Trifle? Jelly? Pie?" Yaz proffered.

The Doctor furrowed her eyebrows, "Nope, something warmer, and crunchy…"

"Sure you're thinking of custard, not grav-"

"FISHFINGERS!"

Yaz raised a sardonic eyebrow, "What?"

"Ooh they're amazing – perfect combination. I wonder if I've got any around here…" And with this the Doctor flew to a series of previously unnoticed cupboards on the wall and proceeded to throw items around in a frenzied search.

Rolling her eyes and deciding to leave her to it, Yaz put the kettle on and rustled two cups and teabags out from under a counter. With the water bubbling away nicely and crashing sounds emanating from across the room, she allowed herself a few minutes to sit and mull over the events of the day. There had been several hairy moments, but they had all scraped through somehow, no thanks to a meddling American businessman and some poorly-planned waste disposal. She grinned to herself as she remembered the delight on the Doctor's face at being invited back for tea and the incessant chatter that had given even her mother a run for her money. Graham and Ryan had made a swift exit as soon as they deemed it polite and were off for the evening to sort out some of Grace's things in the flat. She gave a sad smile thinking of the vibrant matriarch, made slightly sweeter by the knowledge of the blossoming familial relationship between Ryan and Graham.

Water boiled, the kettle whistled at her - the curious mix of old and new technology that the TARDIS seemed to spout at every time. Making up two mugs of steaming tea, she made her way over to the newest item of furniture in the ship.

"Huh-hmm," she cleared her throat and wait for the Doctor to look over. The Doctor however, was by now shoulders-deep in a strange collection of crisps, Christmas lights, and some sort of white fluff.

She tried again, but louder, "HUH-HMMM!" and the Doctor whirled around, lights draped fetchingly over one shoulder.

"Yaz? You ok?" She sounded concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. Got you a cuppa and something to show you."

Yaz grinned as she beckoned the Doctor over, patting the item just behind her. As she approached, the Doctor's narrowed eyes suddenly lit up and her mouth dropped open.

"Is that?"

"Yup"

"No…"

"Yup"

"A PURPLE SOFA?!"

Rolling her eyes and grinning, Yaz had just enough foresight to put her own cup down on a shelf before she was lost in a tangle of excitable arms, legs, and fairy lights.

"Doctor!" She playfully tried to push her companion away, laughing into the mess of blonde hair.

But the Doctor didn't let go and all that Yaz succeeded in doing was knocking them off balance. The next thing she knew was that she was pressed into the sofa, a still ecstatic Doctor giggling on top of her.

Yaz tried to squeak her protests, but all the air felt like it had been knocked out of her. Wriggling underneath the mess of overcoat and hair, she just about managed to shove the warm body slightly off her chest, giving her enough room to catch her breath. Luckily the sofa was deep enough to accommodate the two bodies, and Yaz allowed herself to relax, the Doctor's head resting on her abdomen and two arms still wrapped tightly around her back.

"Yaz this is brilliant. A sofa! And purple! I mean, fantastic!" The Doctor beamed up at her from, her grin a forcefield of joy.

"No – problem –", Yaz panted out, still slightly out of puff, and patted the spot between the Doctor's shoulder blades where her arm rested.

"You're the best! How did you even get this magnificent beast of a sofa in here?"

Yaz grinned, "Well it was in our spare room for ages, and I asked the boys on their way out if they wouldn't mind rehoming it?"

The Doctor bit her lip slightly, "Well as long as Graham comes back with his spine still aligned, it was worth it!"

"Ha, it's not Graham I'd be worried about," Yaz's eyes crinkled as both of them snorted with laughter.

Breathing returned to normal, Yaz tried to shift herself into a slightly more dignified position but stopped when she felt the Doctor's fingers tighten around her jacket.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor looked up at her again, eyes reflecting the string of LED lights scattered around them.

"Oh, go on, one more minute? It's been ages since I had a proper cuddle on a sofa."

Yaz went to reply but found she couldn't and just stared back.

"Oh please? One minute?" The Doctor was all puppy-dog eyes.

Mouth dry and slightly open, Yaz managed a nod in return and the Doctor sighed, resting her head back against Yaz's stomach.

What was going on? Why had her words suddenly abandoned her? Yaz gulped, not really wanting to think about the answer, knowing that the answer was most likely something to do with this fantastic, gorgeous alien lying across her, breath warming her skin through her thin shirt. Nope, definitely not something she could think about right now.

"Yaz?"

Her name made her jump, concentrating as she had been on simultaneously lying as naturally as possible whilst not moving a muscle.

"Hmm, yeah?" she coughed slightly, causing the Doctor's head to bounce lightly against her abdomen, nerve endings suddenly alight. Why was it so dark in here? Why were they lying on this sofa, alone, lit up only by the intimate glow of fairy lights?

"Why did your mum think we were seeing each other?"

The words were spoken so casually, the way the Doctor always voiced such naïve queries. Yet Yaz thought there was a slight catch in the usual Northern tenor.

"Uh," she floundered, "I dunno – Mum – she can be a bit weird sometimes." She hoped her gabbled reply wouldn't betray the way her heart felt as it pounded in her throat.

There was silence for a few, heavy seconds, and then a quiet "oh".

After what felt like another few hours, the Doctor spoke again, her words felt more than heard as they vibrated through Yaz's abdomen.

"So we're not?" The words were half question, half statement of fact.

Yaz once again had no words. What could she say? What should she say?

"Yaz? Are you ok?" The Doctor looked up at her again, a strange look in her eyes.

Yaz felt heat creep up her already flushed face, and opened her mouth to reply when-

CRINCH!

"NNNGGGHHH!" A searing pain had shot through her lower abdomen. The Doctor jumped up - almost careering over the edge of the sofa – and they both looked down to see a welt of blood soaking through Yaz's pink shirt.

*** TO BE CONTINUED ***