Author's Notes:
This was written for Ficlet Friday over at Timepetalsprompts on tumblr. I chose to incorporate two of the three prompts: Snowball fights and Holidays on alien planets.
Furthermore I have no idea what this is, why or indeed how. But it's Team Tardis, has a semi-holiday feel and spans just over 2k, so I thought I'd share.
As always, I'd be immensely grateful for some feedback!
"Oi, watch it!"
Rose ducked as the Doctor threw a snowball in her direction - she barely managed to avoid it at all, and only thanks to Jack, who pulled her down on top of himself. Rose giggled as he flashed her a cheeky grin and rolled them over. The snow was cool against her bare back, but she didn't feel cold. Funny thing, having a snowball fight in a backless cocktail dress. She should have felt chilled to the bone, but truth to be told she wasn't even shivering.
Apparently it was the custom on this planet - whatever its name was - Rose barely got up to the first five syllables before having her tongue in a knot. At least it was the current fashion, according to Jack, who wore nothing but a ridiculous pair of red pants with golden sequins attached from top to bottom. His upper body was bare and originally covered with pink and yellow paint, which was now smeared and faded as the result of their snowball fight.
When he emerged from his room in the Tardis both Rose and the Doctor was staring open mouthed at him for a solid minute before the Doctor started cursing and shaking his head. On his chest was painted Rose's face in pink and yellow and covering every inch of his skin from his waistline to his neck. The Doctor was saying things Rose was quite sure would have made her blush, had she understood any of it, motioning for Jack to go back to his room and take it off, but he just laughed in his face and took off towards the door. Rose collapsed from laughter when she realized whose picture was painted on his back. The Doctor did not find it quite as amusing, staring at himself scowling up at them from the other man's back. But it was too late to argue, as his companions were both already out of the door, their laughter echoing behind them. He grabbed his jacket and hurried out of the Tardis.
"No, really, Doctor! You should have let Jack do a paint job on you too! And wear the pants…"
The Doctor rolled his eyes and picked up the pace, turning the corner before they could recover from their laughing fit. Their smiles faded and they exchanged worried looks.
"He wouldn't really get offended by that, would he?" Rose chewed her lower lip nervously and glanced towards the bushes the Doctor disappeared behind a few moments ago.
"Nah. The Doc's just jealous because he knows I'm going to take the spotlight tonight at the ball."
"Are we really going to a ball dressed like that?"
"Oh, Rosie, what did they teach you in school?"
As Jack wiggled his eyebrows, Rose burst into laughter again. It was silenced fairly soon though when Jack landed on his back with a thud and a look on his face that resembled a five year old who accidentally pooped himself. Rose whipped her head around, ready to run or face a foe, but all she could see was the Doctor leaning against a tree and smiling wickedly. The laughter bubbled out of her once more and she looked back at Jack getting up without any of his usual grace, grimacing at the Doctor and plotting his revenge. It already looked like an interesting evening.
Events quickly escalated after that and the three of them found themselves falling and scrambling out of the way of stray snowballs, trying to hit each other and missing most of the time. Jack's last attempt at saving her resulted in both of them rolling down a hill, landing at the foot of an ice sculpture in a messy heap.
Rose grinned and got up, dusting her dress off, marvelling at the texture of the "snow" in her hand. It was a bright blue colour, with a slight neon tinge and had the feel of melted marshmallows mixed with poppy seed and corn starch. It was cool to the touch, but didn't melt on her palm and didn't seem to radiate cold into her bones.
On an impulse, she made a small ball of it and threw it with all her might at the ice sculpture. It landed with a thud on the figure's face, then proceeded to slide down on its neck and chest, stopping where the woman's breast were, making one of them look bigger. Jack sniggered and proceeded to throw a snowball to the other breast, missing three times before managing to hit his mark.
"Glad to see you're enjoying yourselves," the Doctor's voice sounded unnusually gruff and they both stopped, hands still raised, blue snow clutched tightly between their fingers, ready to fire.
"Oh, come on, Doc! It's not the end of the world if we have some fun for once! No need to be so grumpy - it is Christmas after all."
The Doctor gave him a withering look and proceeded to ignore him, turning his attention to Rose. It was only the 5th - at least it was on Earth. Apparently that did not bother Jack at all. Not if it gave him a reason to have fun…
"I didn't… I wasn't… Is that a problem? Throwing snowballs on the sculpture?"
"No, Rose, it's not a problem. No one is going to stop you or chase after us and declare a jail sentence. But it is very disrespectful."
"Oh." Rose opened her hands slowly, letting the snow fall to the ground. She then turned to the Doctor who was now standing in the shadow of the sculpture, arms crossed, focusing on the figure's face. "Why is it disrespectful?"
"The native people here, the…"
"Yeah, the - what's their name - I got it Doctor, I do… Lithe-litheam-lim…"
She huffed and tried again, but the Doctor just shook his head, carrying on, "The sculptures are built to celebrate the Winter Season. They do not have a Christmas - they celebrate for 3 weeks, starting as the three moons appear on the horizon and ending the festivities when they coalign and paint the skies silver. It's really beautiful, a pity Jack got the coordinates wrong and we arrived early."
"I did not get the coordinates wrong!"
"How early?" asked Rose.
"Well, if I'm right - and most of the time I am -," Rose rolled her eyes and the Doctor couldn't help returning her grin, "tonight's ball will be celebrating the return of their first moon, Clytia. Everyone's required to wear gold and bring a present to welcome the moon home."
Rose raised her eyebrows, "I can't see any presents, Doctor."
The Doctor shrugged and jerked his head in the direction of Jack - who was now happily rebuilding the sculpture into a woman and a man entwined in a tight embrace. "I thought we might leave pretty boy over there at reception. See how he fares with a couple of four-armed aliens trying to tie him up with a golden ribbon."
"I'm not against a little rough play, and gold is definitely my colour! Maybe you can join us after drinks?" Jacked winked at the Doctor who rolled his eyes and held an arm out for Rose. They set out towards the top of the hill, Jack whooping and kicking up the snow, Rose giggling quietly and leaning into the Doctor.
After a while she looked up at him, mischief in her eyes, "I don't see you wearing any gold."
The Doctor smiled and looked to Jack who was now chasing what appeared to be a blue ball of fur with two gherkins sticking out of its head (if it had a head), and two giant tomato-like bulbs sitting where its eyes should have been. "I think he'll provide plenty of distractions. No one will notice I'm not dressed to the occasion."
"Don't tell me you don't own a gold jumper."
He looked so hurt and childlike at the comment that Rose couldn't help herself: she rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, flashing him a tongue-between-teeth smile after and yanking on his arm. After a moment he got the signal and put it on her waist, enveloping her in a half-hug. She put her head on his shoulder and sighed, before adding quietly, "Do you know what I'd love to see you in? A tuxedo. A gold, sequined tuxedo with a bowtie and gold napkin tucked into your breast pocket."
The Doctor snorted, "Not in a million years, Rose Tyler. Don't even dream of it!"
"You'd look good though." She giggled again. "Very funny, but sort of dashing." She could feel the muscles in his shoulder relaxing under her head. "Oh, and your face! I can see the face you'd make if you were ever discovered in that outfit!"
The Doctor shook his head a little and gave a pretty good imitation of what his facial expression would look like if he'd ever get caught wearing a golden tuxedo.
"I'll make you wear one."
"Really? And how are you planning on accomplishing that?"
Rose pursed her lips and drummed her fingers on the Doctor's arm. "I don't know yet. But I will. You just watch!"
"No you won't."
"You think so? I'll let you know, Doctor," she purred, "that I could make you do a lot of things if I wanted to."
"Oh yeah?" his tone was mocking, but his eyes darkened and his gaze dropped to her lips.
"Yeah." It came out as a barely audible whisper. Rose licked her lips nervously and gazed into the Doctor's crystalline blue eyes. His face was coming closer and she didn't quite know what to do, but there was a slow heat building in her stomach and a slight tremor in her fingers as she reached up to cup his face.
"Gotcha!" They jumped apart and stared at the fuzzy blue heap at their feet. Jack was flailing about wildly, trying to wrestle with whatever the blue thing was, rolling in the snow and kicking their legs.
"Oi! Look out, you're gonna get both of us on the ground too if you're not careful."
The ball of blue fur gave an unearthly shriek and scurried away as Jack lay panting on his back.
"I almost got him, Doc, I was this close!" He held up his thumb and forefinger and stared up at them through the space in-between. "Did I… interrupt something?"
"No." Rose quickly looked away as the Doctor's piercing gaze tried to find her eyes. "We were actually talking about dancing. At the ball…"
Jack got up, bowed and took her hand in his, kissing it softly before murmuring, "May I have the first dance, Miss Tyler?"
Rose smiled and curtsied, "You may, Captain." She took Jack's arm and they skipped towards the distant lights coming from the palace.
The Doctor scowled and crossed his arms, trying to retreat further into his black leather jacket; wishing, not for the first time, that he could be swallowed up by the night. He could never decide whether Jack and Rose were flirting with the sole purpose of driving him mad, or if they really had an interest in each other. They were friends - best friends - that was clear, but sometimes he wondered if perhaps there was something more to it. He sighed and scratched his head. Maybe it had been too long since he last danced. He couldn't remember all the steps anymore and those two weren't making it any easier for him. Maybe he would leave Jack at reception and present him as their gift. The thought of his friend tied up with a satin ribbon and put on a pedestal for all to admire cheered him up so much that he started whistling.
He didn't notice the creak of the ice behind him, nor saw the shadow of the figurine move. He started jogging to catch up with Jack and Rose, oblivious to the sharp claws and giant pair of wings that seemed to mirror his every step. He was going to ask Rose for a dance.
There was a sudden chill in the air as the sculpture took flight. In no time at all it was going to catch up with its prey. Swallow it whole, and slide back down the hill, into the darkness.