So this is the first instalment of a drabble series I've been meaning to write for ages, but just haven't got around to doing between updating my other fic and real life. However, I've finally gotten round to it, and this is the first chapter – based on a prompt from Missjulia(dot)Miriam, my 100th reviewer on my other fic (which makes her awesome). Prompt was "Two", and this is set as the first time he sees her after AGMGTW - thought I'd start with one that's relevant to our timeline. Basically the idea with the series is just loosely connected one-shots which don't really have any overall plot apart from the general 11/River story. Will probably be fluffy at most points :) I hope you like this first chapter and please leave me a review if you like where this is going!
Disclaimer: DW, 11 and River belong to The Beeb and The Moff. They are all almighty and I am all humbly. Can I borrow them?
1. Two
"I've been wondering..." He begins, looking at her from around the central console.
"Well, you often are, Sweetie." She points out. She's taken control of his TARDIS again, but he can't say that he minds - this is the first time they've been alone together since America and he's content just to watch her for a while. If he's perfectly honest, a lot of his time recently has been spent thinking about seeing her again soon, what he would say (which of course involved a really clever joke), and maybe... maybe a kiss. Or two. Or more. In fact, if he is perfectly honest with himself, he wouldn't mind lots of kisses. Lots.
"I'm serious, River - I want to know." She is tapping out words and numbers in a quick staccato rhythm on the keyboard, occasionally glancing up to look at the scanner.
"Alright then - what do you want to know? And just to warn you, I may not be able to answer - Spoilers and all that." She shrugs as if it's something that is completely outside her control - which it of course isn't - but she is adhering to his rules.
"OK, I'll bear that in mind, but - I was just curious. Just how much of a timelord are you?" He looks at her curiously, getting up from where he's been sitting in one of the jumpseats and taking small careful steps around the console towards her in a way that's almost cautious. She diverts her attentions from navigating The TARDIS, looking up as he draws closer and biting down on her lip.
"Hmm... I'm not sure if I'm allowed to answer that one..." She grins, but his response isn't disappointment or retaliation like it normally is when he's refused information, but frustration, and he demonstrates this by almost whining his disdain for being refused again.
"Oh come on! I'm tired of the spoilers! I just want to know about your basic bodily functions!" She practically snorts at that.
"Charming." She puts her hands on her hips, and The Doctor decides that this is something she needs to do more often, because she looks very, very nice. Crap, she's noticed his eyes being drawn to her waistline - so he snaps his head back up in the vain hope that she doesn't bring it up in the conversation. She doesn't, but she reprimands him silently with her eyes - only she somehow manages to look disappointed in him and pleased with herself at the same time, some new height of smugness that only she could achieve. It feels like they're having two conversations at once - the verbal one that's going on between their lips, then that other one... the body language, flirtatious glances - and those glistening amused eyes when she catches him looking at her. He's not sure which conversation he enjoys more, and for a moment he's gotten sidetracked and replied to her verbal statement with a wink instead of speaking, so he unwillingly tears his eyes from her lips and replies.
"Not like that - I mean... Can you regenerate?" Just how many bodies has she had? He has too many questions and there isn't enough time in the universe for her to answer them all, even if she agreed too.
"Spoilers!" She sings.
"OK..." He'll have to be more inventive. "What's your internal body temperature?" His is 15 degrees, although it doesn't feel like it at this point in time - at some point during the exchange he's drawn much closer than he'd realised, and he's suddenly much more aware of his body, now only a couple of inches from hers.
"Spoilers!" He wonders if there's some kind of limit as to how many times he can hear that catchphrase before he gets really fed up and kisses her just to shut her up - or for other, more physical or hormonal reasons.
"Have you got any telepathic abilities?" This is something he's been particularly curious about - as well as weary. He knows she's clever - alarmingly so, although he doesn't know quite how clever or if it's an inhuman intelligence - but he's quite worried that she's formed some kind of telepathic connection with his future self and it translates to his current form. The idea that she's been able to feel his emotions all this time is worrying to say the least, not to mention embarrassing and... maybe - useful.
"Spoilers!" Drat. He's reached the limit, he refuses to hear her say it again. He goes with a more simple, more currently relevant question.
"Where are we going?" She opens her mouth to speak, her lips beginning to form the inevitable word, but he holds his finger against them - if he hears that word just one more time...
"If you say spoilers again, I will drop you back in prison." He's worried at first, because he hadn't meant to initiate this kind of contact, but instead of the 'ohnoyoudidn't' face he's expecting, she reacts positively to the action. Perhaps this is something he should take note of - touching River was more likely to amuse her than make her angry - and that would be very useful. He'll definitely keep that in mind.
"Oh come on! Where's your sense of humour gone?" She smiles mischievously, and because this is the first time he's been able to study her smile up close like this, he takes the opportunity to really appreciate those dimples. The more he examines her, watches the tiny movements of her head, the closer his body gets to hers, until he's centimetres away from being pressed against her form from head to toe. "Don't say you're not enjoying this just a little bit..."
"I can't say I am, River. I understand the need for secrets, but I need to find out these things sometime - so why not now?" He knows it's silly, but he tries to... growl a little. Growl, while he's talking, in the vain hope that she'll get distracted. The growling thing is new, but apparently not for her, because her eyes darken in a way that's utterly terrifying because it's like she recognises the tone (which she probably does) and her breath hitches in her chest momentarily before she exhales as if she's trying to keep her cool. This is the first time she's been affected this way by anything he's done (or at least shown it, anyway) and he decides that he'll have to growl more often.
"If I told you everything you wanted to know when you asked about it, what would I do for entertainment? You need to find out some things on your own." The growling he's been letting line his words while he speaks is mirrored in her response - her voice sounds thicker than before, and he swallows just thinking about it.
"What kind of things?" He raises an eyebrow, feeling almost proud that's he's the one that brings the first hint of sex into the conversation. He's rather looking forward to the time when he can talk like that freely, because he's had a taste at flirting with River, and he thoroughly expects it to become a staple in their conversation from now on.
"Oh, all sorts..." This has really gotten out of hand now - the banter has become flirting, and now he's found his body pushing against hers into the console, and he can't say he doesn't like it...
"Can't wait..." He manages to whisper, before most of his coherent thoughts are extinguished. All he can hear now is The TARDIS humming warmly around them, and their breathing, and... heartbeats. His - just like he can always hear when he's flustered, but now hers, as well. But this is different, because he's not just hearing his heartbeats, or their heartbeats. He's hearing hers. Heartbeats.
"How many hearts do you have, River?" He asks quietly.
"Spoilers." It comes out in a whisper.
"Don't..." He closes most of the remaining space between them. "Don't say anything. " He pulls away from her then, and she sighs as the pressure on her body disappears.
"What are you doing?" She asks, as he reaches out his hand toward her shoulder.
"Finding out something on my own..." He holds his hand just below her right shoulder, where he knows at least one heart rests. Sure enough, he can feel a heart - but it's beating out loudly almost three times a second. He slowly, painstakingly drags his hand across the line of her clavicle, until he reaches an identical vibration on the opposite side of her chest. His head lifts slowly, and he raises his other hand to brush a stray curl of hair from her eyes.
"You've - You've got two hearts..." He allows the lightest of smiles to lift the corners of his mouth, looking at her in a whole new light of admiration. "Two hearts."
"Two hearts." She nods, biting her lip again.
"Just two?" He grins. She laughs, the most delightful sound falling on his ears.
"You're welcome to continue looking, Sweetie." The growl is back.
"I might have to take you up on that offer." For both of them.
"I bet you will - as you have before. Many times." Her eyes are still glistening with mischief, but his are darkened now. They've built up to this point, to the climax of their flirtation, only this time there aren't any companions around - or anyone at all for that matter - to stop the proceedings, so as he's lost for any kind of witty response to that last while their faces are so close together and he can feel her breath on his chin, he decides that the only logical solution to the current situation would be not to use his words; which have served him so well to get him to this point, but to forbid the inevitable condescending and/or cheeky remark that's going to come out of those lips - that he's had his eyes focused on for a good minute - and kiss her.
It's only their second kiss for him, but it feels like much, much later - like it is for her. Instead of something new and foreign like it was the last time, it's still new - and the excitement is still there - but he feels comfortable taking it further, taking the lead and pushing her against the console again, but harder this time. She responds in kind, wrapping her arms - that she's had pinned to her side to restrain her from touching him affectionately at any given moment in the conversation - around his shoulders and pressing her hands to the back of his neck, pulling him closer.
She stops it before it gets much more heated than that - but she does let it drag on for at least five minutes for good measure. She's not complaining - the young Doctor may be slightly inexperienced compared to the versions she's used to kissing, but he's eager to please, and it's all very new and exciting for him. Despite the fact that she wants to kiss him for longer each time she sees him, for fear of not being able to kiss him at all soon enough, she can't push him when he's this early, even though she isn't sure that he'd object this time, because he's looking considerably turned on and his eyelids are drooping and it takes him at least five minutes before he seems in full control of his limbs and speech.
Review if you like where this is going? Pwease?