L'estate

The Doctor rested his chin on the top of the book Rose currently held in her hands. "Ro-ose." She ignored him.

He sat back in a huff, wondering again why he'd agreed to bring her to a planet that had nothing to recommend it but excellent beaches. No running for their lives, no hostile natives, nothing too hot or cold—those had been her demands after their last, particularly messy, adventure; he, feeling guilty for once again putting her in a situation where her life was in danger, had agreed instantly. Thus, they were now settled cosily on a beach blanket on Vodu, home to some of the best (and safest) beaches in the galaxy, during the quietest era in the planet's history. It helped that the planet had not yet been settled.

He should be happy: Rose was contentedly reading one of the trashy romance novels she had picked up during their last stop on a pleasure planet, and they had just finished snacking on some of the local fruit. And yet, he was bored. With nothing to run from, nothing to chase, and no problems to solve, he found himself with a large amount of free time and nothing to do. He'd already analyzed the air, the clear water, the green sand, the flora and the fauna; calculated the rotational deviation of the planet's axis over periods of one hundred years, one millennia, and an era; and determined that if they remained where they were, there was a very good chance the incoming tide would swamp them in ten years' time.

Rose continued to ignore him, and he didn't know what to do to get her attention back on him.

He paused. What was he, a human child? He didn't need Rose's attention to be entertained! No! He was perfectly capable of entertaining himself. And he would.

He looked around, considering. Yes, the temperature was quite nice, but a hike in the forest on the other side of the sage-green dunes didn't excite his interest. Walking along the beach would be lovely—in another two thousand years, once the sea was populated with sea life and this planet's equivalent of seashells washed up. There was always reading, but he'd already polished off "A Comprehensive History of Lock-picking: Planets Λ through Ξ." He couldn't find volumes Α-Δ, Ε-Κ, Ο-Ρ, or Σ-Ω.

He huffed. No response.

He stared. No response.

He snaked a hand towards her exposed foot, fingers lingering mere centimetres from her ticklish sole, his eyes glittering with mischief. No response.

He flopped dramatically onto his back.

No response. He heard the rustle of paper as Rose turned a page.

He sulked for a few moments before a new idea came to him. Making sure she was continuing to ignore him, he stood and casually stepped out of her line of sight. Quietly, he removed his jacket, tie, shirt; Chucks, socks, and trousers. Wearing only his Wallace and Gromit boxer shorts, he paused; Rose calmly turned the next page in her book, showing no indication that she had even noticed he was gone.

Rushing forward, his left hand swooped down and scooped the book from her hands as he lightly ran across the blanket and towards the water. He heard her shout of protest, but was too busy giggling as he carried forward, splashing into the refreshing sea. Being careful to keep the book dry—all the while trying to look like he was doing anything but—he splashed out until he was hip-deep in the transparent liquid and turned around. He was surprised, and not a little pleased, to find Rose had followed him right in. The light, refracted through the crystal clear water, distorted her shape as she dived in to make up speed on him. He remained standing still; he wondered if Rose usually opened her eyes underwater. Perhaps he should have warned her about...

She surfaced, spluttering, her eyes scrunched shut.

...that. The mineral content of the water was surprisingly high although not damaging; it would take Rose a minute or two to clear her eyes. After making sure she was unhurt he quietly slid around behind her and back up to the shore, the sound of the waves covering the noise he created as he returned the book safely to the blanket and then snuck back into the water. Sensing she was about to open her eyes, he hastily sank down into the water, making sure his hands were behind his back and below the surface just as Rose blinked open her eyes and searched him out.

"Doctor!"

He tried to maintain an innocent look. "Yes, Rose?"

She suddenly seemed to notice that it was only his head above the water. "My book!" She dove in his direction, landing with a splash in front of him. "What have you done with my book?!"

"That trashy old thing? Really, Rose, you're going to rot your brain reading things like that. Unless you're looking for new ideas for Rickey?" That idea didn't please him in the least. Rose's look showed she was not amused by it, either. He decided one of his brilliant subject-changes was called for. "Isn't it funny how those types of books are the same across the universe, all heaving bosoms or glands or humps or whatever the female has that the male finds attractive, the male hero of the book all muscle-bound and hair and tan—that bit doesn't really change much. And the phrases they use!" He tutted disapprovingly, turning his back on Rose and bringing his hands to the surface, miming flipping through a book. He was taken by surprise when a very wet Rose launched into his back, hands flailing over his shoulders in search of her book; in her haste, the ball of her right hand caught him in the nose. "Ow!" He splashed dramatically forward in the water, grabbing Rose's wrists as he fell to carry her forward with him.

Resurfacing, he was just opening his eyes as he felt a splash hit him in the face. "Where's my book?!"

He blinked, hands raised in front of him. "Rose! It's up on the blanket! Do you think I'd deliberately damage a book, even one of dubious quality like yours?" As she looked over her shoulder toward the blanket to confirm what he said, he lunged forward and grabbed her by her upper arms. She looked at him, surprised; he grinned at her, hair sticking out crazily as he lifted her partially out of the water and heaved her backwards. She landed with a large splash; when she stood back up, she met his eyes with a challenging stare.

"It's to be like that, is it?"

"Like what?"

"You. Acting like...like...a ten-year old! You're bored, so you interrupt my relaxation by stealing my book!"

Oh dear. She was angry. Perhaps he had miscalculated the best way to relieve his boredom. "I'm sorry?" he tried, hoping to calm her down.

She gave him a considering look ; he tried his best to look repentant. After a moment, she spoke. "To make it up to me, you have to get me one of those kisgr...kisger..."

"Kisgeratii's" he supplied helpfully, naming the fruit they'd had for lunch.

"Kisgeratii's. Please." She gave him a look showing she would brook no argument.

Sighing heavily, he turned to walk back to shore. He hadn't made it two steps before her heard a splash and felt Rose grabbing at his ankles.

An hour later, they were still frolicking in the water, dunking and splashing and laughing like children. The Doctor, most decidedly, was not bored.