Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Doctor Who.
Summary: Following his regeneration, the Doctor wondered aloud if he was sexy. Perhaps he was remembering a conversation with Rose…
A/N: Takes place immediately prior to Bad Wolf. Flashbacks from and spoilers for The Doctor Dances.
"Did you see the look on his face?" Rose giggled. "I thought he was gonna to go all ninja on you."
"What makes you think he didn't?" Jack said with a flirtatious wink. "Listen, I'm gonna go grab a beer. Do either of you want anything?"
"Nope," the Doctor answered.
"Nah, I'm fine," said Rose.
The Doctor and Rose watched while Jack left for the kitchen. The Doctor shook his head.
"One of these days, he's going to get himself in real trouble."
"Ya think?" Rose asked sarcastically. "But he's so handsome he can usually talk himself right out of it."
The Doctor grunted.
"'Course the problem is he knows he's handsome. But he makes up for it by being so charming."
The Doctor really didn't like the direction this conversation was taking. He cleared his throat. "Do…" he stammered. "Do you think I'm handsome, Rose?" he heard himself ask. He regretted it immediately. Inwardly, he kicked himself. What ever could have possessed him to say something like that?
Rose's eyes widened in surprise. Well, that sure came outa nowhere. Or maybe it hadn't. Things had been a bit different between them ever since that conversation they had had while trapped in that room at Albion Hospital during World War II.
"Okay, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the great-looking ones who do that?"
"I'm making an effort not to be insulted."
"I mean, men."
"Okay, thanks, that really helped."
"Just, just askin' for information," the Doctor said nervously, trying to figure out a way of salvaging the situation. He unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Don't always know how others see us."
"Handsome?" she asked, stalling for time.
"You just assume I don't dance."
"What? Are you telling me you do dance?"
"900 years old, me. I've been around a bit. I think you can assume at some point I've... danced."
How on earth was she gonna answer this? It was possible that how she responded could affect the entire direction of her relationship with the Doctor. And what direction did she really want it to go?
"Doesn't the world implode or something if you dance?"
"Well, I've got the moves but I wouldn't want to boast."
"Uh, no, not really. Your features are a bit too, uh, distinctive, to be considered classically handsome."
His face fell.
"But you are good-looking," she added quickly, "and strong and brilliant …"
"You've got the moves? Show me your moves… The world doesn't end because the Doctor dances."
Rose took a breath. Here we go, in for a penny, she thought. "And really, really sexy."
His eyebrows shot up.
"Sexy?" It came out almost an octave higher than normal.
Rose swallowed nervously and nodded. In for a pound. "Yeah." She took another deep breath, grabbed his leather jacket in both hands, and slowly smiled up at him. "Incredibly sexy."
Oh. Sexy was good. Sexy was great. No, it was…
"Fantastic!" he beamed.
"Talking about me?'"
Jack strode into the console room, an open bottle of beer in one hand. The Doctor and Rose leapt apart. Jack raised an eyebrow as he looked from one to the other.
"Oops. Am I interrupting something?" he asked hopefully.
"No, no. Nothing to interrupt here." The Doctor had pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and begun to polish a spot on the console. Rose was blushing furiously and pointedly not looking at either Jack or the Doctor.
Oh god, these two were so cute.
"Really? Oh, well, in that case," Jack said, stepping between them and putting his arms around their shoulders, "did I ever tell you about the other time I ended up in Kyoto? Me and this buddy of mine, we were on this transport …"