The day after the Coronation, Rose disappeared back to her room as soon as breakfast was done. "I want to talk to Mum, and take a bath, and do my nails… I just need a day for myself," she explained to the Doctor.
He'd nodded in agreement, although after finally admitting to himself the night before that he was in love with Rose, and accepting the inevitability of where their relationship was going, he wanted to spend every minute with her. But he found other things to occupy himself, all the while wondering exactly how he could let Rose know he was ready for things to start changing.
He was fairly certain he spent the entirety of dinner staring dreamily at her across the table, and yet he was no closer to an answer by the time they did the washing up. "What would you like to do tonight?" he asked as he put away the last of the dishes.
"Mum mentioned a mini-series she just got caught up on. I thought maybe we could watch it?"
Cuddling on the couch while we watch telly… well, that's a start. The Doctor nodded, then gestured to the door. "After you."
He felt Rose concentrating as they walked through the TARDIS and wasn't surprised to find the telly already on and something queued up to play as soon as they were settled. Rose patted the wall in thanks, and warmth settled in the Doctor's hearts when he heard the telepathic hum passing between his two favourite beings in the universe.
The long couch that had been in the media room when he started travelling Rose had slowly gotten shorter and shorter, until now there was just enough room for two to sit cosily. The Doctor swallowed a happy hum when Rose cuddled against him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
The programme started as soon as they were comfortable, and the Doctor's eyes widened when he recognised the face on the screen. "Rose…" he said cautiously. Maybe Jackie hadn't mentioned it?
He felt her cheek move as she smiled. "Yes, Doctor?"
He tugged on a strand of her hair. "Did your mum happen to mention anything about the lead actor?"
Rose finally looked up at him. "Do you mean, did she tell me it starred—and I quote—'A dishier version of himself?'" She smirked when he started sputtering. "She might've done, yeah."
"A dishier—Rose Tyler, I'll have you know, I am far more attractive than Giacomo Casanova! Look at his hair! It's so… flat, and boring!"
She reached up and ruffled his hair, and suddenly the Doctor couldn't breathe. "Hmmm… you're right," she said after a moment. "Your hair is much better."
The Doctor looked suspiciously at Rose. Not that he was one to deny a compliment, but Rose rarely fed his ego that readily. "Is it really?" he asked, his voice flat.
"Yep. Now, let's watch."
She turned back to the telly, and he knew for a fact that her main goal in mentioning his hair had been to appease him so she could watch this… this… Casanova flirt and seduce his way through ninety minutes of television. His grumbling faded when she shifted closer to him and rested her hand on his knee.
When the first episode ended, she turned to him, a smile dancing in her eyes. "So, Doctor, do you fly around in time and space, chatting up all the girls?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "Did I mention, it also travels in time?"
The Doctor felt a swoop of something new in his belly when he realised Rose was implying she'd found his line sexy. However, he set that aside for a moment to focus on the first half of her question.
"Oi! I resent the implication that I am some kind of space Casanova. I do not proposition people! I'm more likely to be propositioned, frankly."
Rose giggled. "Who's been putting the moves on you, Doctor?"
He narrowed his eyes. "Your mum, for a start." Rose gaped, and he nodded smugly. "First time I came to the flat. I was talking to her while I waited for you, and suddenly she was all—" He put his hand on his chest and cast a sultry look at Rose. "There's a strange man in my bedroom, and I'm in my dressing gown. Anything could happen."
Rose broke into gales of laughter, leaning against the arm of the couch for support. When her laughter finally died down, she wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "She always had a thing for the broody Northern blokes. What did you do?"
He snorted. "What do you think? I got out of there sharpish and waited for you in the lounge."
"No wonder she hated you," Rose teased. "Because I bet you were rude, too." She gestured for him to continue. "Go on then. Who else has propositioned you, just since we met?"
"Well…" the Doctor drawled. It was time to turn this teasing back on Rose. "There was the Lady Cassandra." Rose turned bright red, and he grinned triumphantly. They'd never talked about that kiss, since they'd both known it would open a conversation neither of them were ready for. But now… "Yeah, it's not every day someone grabs me by the collar and smashes their lips against mine."
Rose groaned and hid her face in her hands. "I couldn't stop her," she moaned. "She just—and then she sauntered off like nothing had happened." She peeked up at him. "You didn't exactly resist, though."
The Doctor's hearts sped up. "Well, I didn't really have a chance," he pointed out. Rose's face fell a little, so he added, "Plus, I thought she was you. And since I fancied you…" His hearts hammered in his chest as he made that confession.
Rose dropped her hands, and shy happiness shone in her eyes. "Well, as long as we're being honest, it's possible I didn't try that hard to stop her."
The Doctor giggled; he couldn't help it. Actually talking about those moments and admitting what they'd meant seemed like a good place to start a conversation about their relationship.
Another thought followed immediately after that one. Another thought of another kiss. The Doctor tugged on his tie. He knew humans in Rose's time didn't necessarily expect a full play-by-play of each other's history, but the encounter with Reinette had happened after his hearts had belonged to Rose. It was a grey area, and he debated for a moment before deciding he'd rather start a romantic relationship with Rose without even the smallest secret.
He cleared his throat, and Rose tilted her head. "There's one more person who propositioned me after we met," he said. "Well, I say proposition, but it was really just a kiss. Though it's possible that if she'd had the chance… but it doesn't matter, because she didn't."
Rose put her fingers over his mouth, suppressing a shiver when she felt his breath tickle her skin. "You don't have to tell me," she offered.
The Doctor shook his head and pulled her hand down, lacing their fingers together. "I think I should, if we're…"
His ears turned red, and Rose's eyes widened. He'd been more transparent than usual during the whole conversation, but that was a much more candid statement than she'd expected. "Oh!" she squeaked. "Well then… okay."
He smiled briefly, then took a breath and said, "Reinette. She took me by surprise when I went back through the fireplace and snogged me."
Rose had stiffened at the name, and he brushed his thumb over hers. "Just a kiss," he assured her. "And only the once."
She nodded absently as she processed that. On one hand, Reinette was the one person they'd met who had made Rose feel like she wasn't enough for the Doctor, and hearing that they'd kissed triggered those memories.
On the other hand, she couldn't really blame the Doctor for Reinette's actions. Plus, it's not like we were together and he was cheating on me.
Once she focused on the fact that the Doctor thought their relationship was going in a direction that it was important for her to know Reinette had kissed him, it was easier for her to let it go. She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. "Thank you for telling me," she said simply.
He smiled and brought her hand to his lips. "Well, I couldn't let you think I was like old Giac, with a girl on every planet."
The twinkle in his eye and wry delivery sent Rose into a fit of giggles again, and as she settled back against the Doctor's side, anticipation thrummed through her. Tonight might not be the night that everything changed, but it was the night that things had started to change.