AN: hi, so this is my first multi-chapter story. in fact, i'm still really anxious about posting anything here because there are so many well-written stories and i'm not adequate. so just send me loads of reviews if you like it because i have low self esteem and i need constant reassurance that people like/care about my stuff.
this is a really fluffy whouffle story with a little angst for all your whoufflepuff hearts. it was meant to be quite short, but it just kept going so i rolled with it. i've got it all written and i'm uploading 2 chapters a day to keep the suspense.
oh and i promised i'd dedicate this to *~ paige ~* because she was the one who convinced me to write this down and stuff, so yeah, hi paige
ok, i'll let you read now. i hope you enjoy it
It started with the question. Or perhaps from her tone perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as a demand. "When do I get a go at flying the TARDIS then?"
It took a few seconds for him to even realise she was addressing him and not simply muttering to herself as she went about her usual examination of the maze of switches, buttons, levers and blinking lights that made up the TARDIS' control panel. Too many seconds for Clara Oswald apparently who took his silence as a refusal.
"Please? Come on Doctor, you said you were going to let me have a go at some point when we weren't in mortal danger and I think you will find that there are not any creaturoids or Cybbots on board." She stopped and turned to face him, lips turned downward into a stubborn pout, her arms folded defiantly over her chest, "and all you appear to be planning on doing today is scanning a load of wires with your bloody screwdriver."
The Doctor didn't look up from his handful of tangled cables and continued to sonic them with absolute determination. Clara nudged at him with her elbow and he looked at her, eyes peering out over his gold-rimmed glasses, mouth crooked up at one side in a half-smile in amusement "Cybermen, they're called Cybermen."
Clara rolled her eyes at him, "I know, I just said that to annoy you, but please, give me a go at piloting the snogbox?" she clasped her hands together and held them in front of his face until he finally took hold of them and sighed an exasperated "alright, but it's not a snogbox."
"Yeah yeah," she laughed and spun around to face the dashboard again, "Show me how this old thing really works". Her fingers traced over the intricate network of controls that seemed to be made up of thousands of pulleys and toggles. Her brow creased in concentration and her teeth nipped on the edge of her bottom lip just looking at it all. Then she turned to him expectantly, eyes bright and eager. The Doctor struggled for a moment, his own eyebrows furrowed, "she's not that old," he retorted.
"I can't say anything without insulting this grumpy cow," Clara glowered up at the flashing lights overhead, "But come on Chinboy, show me the stars."
The Doctor wrung his hands together, his shoulders hunched, "God help us," he muttered under his breath as she flitted about the control panel, grabbing at levers and pretending to pull them down. He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and rolled them up to his elbows revealing long, elegant arms that weren't exactly muscular, but weren't as scrawny as Clara had previously thought. She stared at them from across the console and then seeing him watching her with a peculiar expression, dropped her gaze and tucked her hair behind her ears.
"Ok, well the first thing you need to do is start the ignition-" he pointed at a red lever and she tugged it downward resulting in the TARDIS shuddering to life, overhead lights flashing and engine rumbling.
She grinned at him "Good. Now, first things first, where do you want to go?" he asked.
Clara's face visibly drooped, her mouth scrunched to the side and her eyebrows lowered slightly over her eyes in deep thought. He watched her with an expression of puzzled endearment. Every time he asked that question she would struggle to come up with an answer, as though every place in the universe left her mind, leaving it a blank canvas waiting for him to colour it with his seemingly endless lists of bewilderment.
After careful consideration, Clara finally gave up and sighed, setting her head again his shoulder "I don't know" she moaned. The Doctor patted her head lightly with his hand and turned around so he could look her full in the face and tapped her lightly on the nose, "Luckily I do."
"Where?" she asked, placing her hands back onto the dashboard.
He glanced over at her as he typed in the co-ordinates and covered the screen with his hand, "It's a surprise." He said, tapping a long finger against the side of his nose.
"But I'm going to fly us there?" She asked carefully
"Of course," He returned to her side, "you're the Captain."
Clara looked up at him, her face so bright it could have been lit with stars. "That is just too cool; tell me I'm cool Chinboy."
