Disclaimer: None of these characters belongs to me, as you all very well know. I'm just borrowing.
A/N: This is my very first fic for Doctor Who – I thought I'd never dare write anything in this Fandom at all... But, as usual, an idea got stuck and I had to write it down.
Not sure if you agree with the character's interaction, but well, that's how I picture them.
Reviews are very welcome, as always!
Waltzing
Dancing has all to do with rhythm and devotion, as River very well knows. She's been good at dancing in at least two of her regenerations, and she enjoys swinging and swirling around to music thoroughly. It makes her feel young, and alive, and full of energy, and though she doesn't very often have reason or chance to dance, she makes the most of the times she has.
So when the Doctor does not ask her to dance, she's very disappointed. They are having dinner in a cosy, hidden-away restaurant in the 1920s London, one of those that are frowned upon by the rich people, and though the food is acceptable, she had rather been hoping they would dance sooner or later – because why else would they be here?
But no, the Doctor just sits, watching the crowd and, if River is any judge of his behaviour, he's intently listening to someone else's private conversation.
She wonders why they have come here at all, or rather, why he had come and soughtheroutfor a change. She had felt so happy when they entered the Tardis together – and now...
"Would you like to dance?", he asks absent-mindedly, and though she knows he's still preoccupied by this mysterious someone else, she can't stop blushing, and she feels a smile tugging at her lips. He offers his hand to her, and she accepts.
They have never before danced together, the Doctor, and her, not in this regeneration of his, or at least not to music and in a crowded room, and now she realizes that she does not like it. He's shuffling around rather than dancing properly, his steps varying in length, and he's always a beat off. When he also keeps stepping onto her feet, she is deeply disappointed.
That's not at all how she imagined their first dance to be.
All the while, the Doctor isn't even looking at her, he's scanning the crowd. When he finally spots whomever he had been searching for, he drags River with him ungracefully across the whole dance-floor.
Mere minutes later, they are in the middle of a fight. River isn't even sure any more why she expected things to be different – when you run with the Doctor, you most certainly run in the direction where trouble is thickest.
When they return to the restaurant afterwards, the Doctor's hair uncombed, one of his trouser-legs is missing and he has no idea where it's gone to, his bow-tie is singed, and he also managed to misplace his hat.
River has a deep scratch on her left cheek which has finally stopped bleeding, her dress is torn and scandalously short and her feet are bare.
The restaurant is empty, except for the band, sitting at one table chatting.
"Wait here", the Doctor whispers in River's ear and marches off toward the musicians. She watches as he gestures around, as he usually does, painting pictures in the air no one really understands. He's also talking a lot, and she wonders if he's asking or blackmailing them.
Either way, they rise and return to the stage, taking up their instruments.
The Doctor returns to her and silently offers his hand again, this time with a slight bow and a very satisfied grin.
She accepts and they move to the dance-floor together while the band strikes upa slow waltz.
This time, River has the Doctor's full attention, and dancing with him feels like she's levitating above the ground. Their bodies move in absolute, perfect unison, so natural one might think they were made for each other. There's still no talking, none of the usual, continuous blabbering, but neither River nor the Doctor seem to mind as they slowly dance on, smiling at each other, for what feels like eternity at first and then, when it's over, like barely a minute long.
When the last note slowly fades away, the Doctor kisses River's forehead tenderly and holds her close for another minute or so, then pulls away and gives her one of his boyish, excited grins, and she knows he's unsure if she liked it.
River smiles widely in answer, closes the gap between them again and kisses him.
She did like the evening after all.