Rose took the credit stick and tapped it against the palm of her hand. The Doctor recognised the sidelong glance she shot him, as well as the mischievous humour flowing over the bond, and he hid a smile.
"Anything in particular I should stay away from?" she asked, glancing at the stalls then back at him. "Poisonous lippie, jewellery that's really some kind of alien sex toy…"
"Alien sex toy?" he choked out. "Rose, where—" She reminded him of the bracelets she'd almost purchased on Barcelona, and he held back his denial.
~ To Make Much of Time, chapter 34
The cool, dark shop was a welcome respite from the hot Barcelonian sun. Rose pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and scanned the shelves.
"How can I help you?" the shopkeeper asked.
She picked up a smooth stone and turned it over in her hands before setting it back down. "I'm just looking, really."
"Are you travelling alone?"
Rose smiled. The Doctor was arranging a hike to a famous waterfall with a local tour guide, and she'd taken advantage of the time to herself to shop for a present for him.
"No, I'm here with my… partner," she said, only hesitating slightly before using the word. "I'm actually looking for something special to give him, as a souvenir of our stay."
"Ah, then perhaps you would be interested in these." He opened a case and retrieved two gold bracelets.
Rose picked one up, surprised by the weight of it. "What are they?"
"Barcelonian bonding bracelets. Couples come from all over the system to buy a pair."
A subtle shift in her bond with the Doctor told her he'd entered the shop. A moment later his, hand rested in the small of her back. Rose sensed recognition and amusement from him, and she looked up at him, a question in her eyes.
"I don't think we need those," he told the man firmly.
The shopkeeper began to protest, but Rose ignored him so she could pay attention to what the Doctor was silently telling her. Barcelonian bonding bracelets are used to facilitate a telepathic connection during sex. He waggled his eyebrows. Definitely not something we need.
"You don't realise what you're turning down," the shopkeeper was saying. "The use of telepathy only heightens sensations during physical intimacy."
"That's all right," Rose said kindly, trying not to laugh right in front of him. "The Doctor's right; we don't need help with telepathy."
The shopkeeper blinked, then looked from Rose to the Doctor, and back again. "Yes, of course. I can see that now. I do apologise, miss."
Rose and the Doctor managed to contain their amusement until they were out of the shop, but as soon as they were outside, they broke into gales of laughter.
"Of all the things in the shop he could have offered…" the Doctor said.
"It seemed like he could tell we're telepathic, there at the end."
The Doctor nodded. "All Barcelonians are low-level telepaths. He's probably not used to telepathic off-worlders, or he would have realised you were a telepath the moment you walked through the door."
Rose let the Doctor get a few steps ahead of her, taking a moment to admire him. He was still in his pinstriped trousers, but he'd left the jacket in their room and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. It was the most casual she'd ever seen him when they weren't at home, and she couldn't get enough of it.
It took about five steps for the Doctor to realise she wasn't beside him anymore. Rose felt him probe the bond gently as he looked back at her, and a thought occurred to her.
She walked toward him and put her hand on his chest. He was right about one thing though. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, and Rose smiled at him and tugged gently at the tie he persisted in wearing. I've certainly found the use of telepathy while making love to heighten sensations.
The Doctor smirked down at her. Have you now? he asked as he put a hand on her waist and drew her close.
"Oh, definitely," Rose breathed out loud, just before his lips met hers.