"The twin planets of the Amarantic Galaxy." The Doctor explained with a cheeky grin, fingers flying from button to button, from lever to lever, until his hand delivered the final blow onto his particularly favorite lever and they were sent flying off into space.
Clara watched him spiral all about the console. Watched him express a sort of energy she'd yet to witness in this newer body of his. They way he spun around, the way his feet moved like they were dancing as they propelled him forward and backward, it was all very surreal. Very different, yet quite admirable.
She barely paid any attention as he went off on his scientific rant on the planets. She was more focused on his face. The face no long contorted into a frown, but lit up with a sort of barely recognizable excitement. They way his thick brow rose almost all the way to his hairline, instead of pressed deep down on his forehead. He was happy. And that was rare for him.
They'd only been back in the TARDIS for moments after their incidents with the Dream Crabs. When Clara had grabbed his hand back in her bedroom and just sped off with him out the door, his compliance made her heart swell. They practically eloped off together, and that was okay. The Doctor and Clara Oswald. Off to see the universe. As it should be.
And that was all very much okay.
"Clara." She was ripped out of her thoughts by the feeling of knuckles delivered to her skull. She shook her head and batted the Doctor's hand away, and grinned a bit awkwardly.
"Sorry. What?"
"Are you going to make me repeat everything I just said? Honestly, Clara." He scoffed with the dramatic roll of his eyes, but the glance he shot her from his peripheral vision betrayed all acts of aggression. Without waiting for a reply, he did his best to summarize himself to meet her human needs. "Once ever three hundred years, the planets align. The accompanying twin suns behind them cast a colorful light across," He began, hands waving wildly in the air for emphasis. "And make a sort of rainbow across the stars."
"Sounds lovely." Clara noted with genuine interest, her bright smile matching his.
"But, that's not even the best part." He promised, smile fading into his I'm so clever smirk. "Since the moment is so rare, both worlds have a galaxy-wide celebration. The biggest festival in the universe!"
"So we're going to the festival?" She asked, eyes wide with hope.
"Er, no." The Doctor frowned. "I'm not exactly on their best side... long story involving a cantaloupe." He shook his head. "But, what we're off to see, we don't even have to move for. The planets' dwellers project the most breathtaking music you've ever heard, right across the stars. And we can hear it," He began, taking a brief breath and snapping his fingers to open the door. "From right here."
"Doctor," Clara said slowly, peering outside the box. "We're still in space." She could see what he was talking about, and he was right. It was beautiful.
"Thank you, Miss Obvious." He rolled his eyes again. "We're watching it from out here."
Clara slightly furrowed her brow and peered around the edge of the TARDIS, trying to get a proper angle. They were in a slightly unfortunate position. "Can you shift this thing around, a bit?" She suggested. "Might make it easier."
"I've got a better idea." The Doctor winked, and his hands flew to the controls again. "Extending the shields," He reported, flicking a switch. "Switching off the gravity."
"Wait, what?"
"Here we go!" And without giving her a chance to even react, the Doctor ran in her direction, grasped her hand tight, and leaped out of the TARDIS.
"Doctor!" She squealed in surprise, grasping the doorway with her free hand. "Now what?"
"Let go. I've extended the shields. Not like you're going to fly away." He chuckled and muttered, "Bless. Come on." He swatted her hand away and they began levitating upwards again, passing up the tip of the TARDIS until their backs smacked roughly against the force field.
"Ow." Clara complained, reaching for the bulb atop the box at the Doctor's instructions. Soon, they were clumsily positions on top, trying to keep their weight downward as much as possible.
"And," He pressed a button on his screwdriver, and the gravity returned. They landed flat on their rears on the TARDIS roof.
Clara wasted a few minutes positioning herself, trying to get comfortable without to fear of falling on the slanted space. But when she glanced back down behind her, the surface was flat.
"Adjusted the exterior a bit." The Doctor explained proudly, grinning wildly. He then brought his attention to the planets in from of them, and gestured his hands outward. "Not bad?"
Clara's mouth went agape and her eyes wide. In the time they'd spent shuffling, the alignment had begun. The twin suns reflected onto the stars, the already seemingly painted planets combined casting a colorful glow onto the cloudy visible atmosphere. After a few moments of stunned silence, the music began. It was the softest, most noise she'd ever heard. "Not bad indeed."
The Doctor's legs swung back and forth off the edge, his hands fiddling with themselves in his lap. He glanced at Clara, then back at his feet. Back at Clara, then at the wonders before them. Then back at Clara. "What do you think?"
"I think that you did a hell of a good job picking our first date." She joked, biting her lip and giving his ribs a little nudge with her elbow. Her gaze never left the space in front of her. As the music continued to somehow flow through the air, she found herself closing her eyes in contentment, swaying her hands back and forth to the mesmerizing beat. She bit her lip again and opened her eyes, flashing the Doctor a mischievous grin.
"What?" He asked slowly, almost warily.
Clara just quirked an eyebrow and grabbed his hand in both of hers. She jumped to her feet and hauled the Doctor up with her, and began backing away until they were more centered atop the blue box. "Dance with me."
He just huffed indignantly, making to seat himself back on the edge. "I don't dance." But Clara just lifted him up again.
"Come on!" She begged, tugging on his upper arm with a begging look in her eyes. "I've missed you, you idiot. Come dance with me."
"Clara..." He sounded almost pained.
"Please?"
Many years he'd known her, at this point.
And after all those years he still couldn't turn down the huge brown eyes.
"Fine." His tone was annoyed, but his eyes showed the exact opposite. "But within reason."
Clara held both his hands and stilled her feet, tilting her head back to accommodate for her smaller height. She shook her head with a little laugh, smiling at him with such warmth it made his hearts fall out of beat with the other. "Just shut up and dance with me."
One of his hands fell to her hip, the other clasped clumsily in hers. At Clara's instruction, his feet began to reluctantly move, back and forth, side to side, trying to keep to the beat of the music.
"There we are." She encouraged, trying to keep her eyes fixed on his no matter how tempted she was to look away at times. She seemed to burn under his gaze, but kept herself straightened.
The music picked up a few beats when the song changed. It wasn't as much the slow dancing sort of music as it was the kind you goofed off wildly to. Next thing she knew, the two of them were both laughing, dancing in circles in perfect sync.
"This is more like it!" She exclaimed, head resting briefly on his chest every time a fit of giggles took her over. The Doctor had a goofy smile on his face as he twirled her around, pulled her to him, then spun her back out.
"Just try not to fall off the edge." He warned with a chuckle, peering over the side briefly before returning to her.
The song changed yet again, and the beat slowed. The duo had worked off the tense steam, and were wholeheartedly comfortable to follow along.
Pretty soon, both the Doctor's arms were wrapped around her and Clara's hands were on his shoulders, forehead leaned contently against his chest. Their feet stayed in place for the most part as they swayed from side to side, rocking each other with every movement.
"Why can't it always be like this?" She asked softly, wary about breaking the spell.
It took the Doctor a while to reply, and Clara felt his hearts speed up a bit as he mumbled, "Feelings mutual." He rested his chin atop her head and pulled her body a little closer. "So much for reason." He laughed out after a moment.
"We don't need to be within reason." Clara told him, tilting her head back slightly to catch sight of his shining eyes. "We've always been outside of it."
"We have, haven't we?" He mused, lips hitching upward in a lopsided smile. "Suppose that's okay."
"Yeah." She assured, clasping her hands around his neck and pulling him downward to press a long, heartfelt kiss against his lips. "It is."