Listening to their feet crunch down over snow, the Doctor passed a glance at Clara as she smiled and looked over the town and he couldn't quite tell what excited him more – the prospect of finding out about a town he'd never heard about, or that he was doing it with her. It wasn't often that he came across a place he'd never heard about, nor visited, before and the town of Christmas was a delightful treat: snowy rooftops, cheerful residents, playful truth field that kept both of them silent as they toured over the land.
He grinned, thinking about the words she'd said before. Of course the bubbly personality masking control freak assessment of herself had been amusing, but… she fancied him. The words hadn't exactly come out, so he couldn't entirely be sure, but, he imagined the last word she'd muffled with her hand had been a simple 'him'. And she'd looked at him with a sort of happiness he'd never really noticed before.
Now, her arm hooked in his as they walked, he realized it was the look of tranquility she had with him and for a moment, he wondered, "Are you like this all of the time?"
Clara turned, asking quietly, "Like what?"
The Doctor clamped his mouth shut and she giggled because she knew – he'd spoken a truthful question aloud and now it would be harder to take back. Clara waited as he sighed and blinked, eyes closing just a second too long before he continued, "So happy?"
"Of course I'm happy, most of the time," Clara answered, then admitted, "Of course, it's not nearly the same as when I'm with you."
Her hand came up roughly to her lips. He grinned. Truth field could be useful, he understood, and he wondered what the man before had meant about getting used to it, "I'm much happier when you're around as well," he told her.
The Doctor straightened. Clara snickered.
"It's not like you didn't know that," he told her off-hand, then teased, "And it's not like I'm admitting I fancy you."
Cheeks going pink, Clara nodded, "Are you admitting that now, Doctor?"
He nodded in response, "Yes," then his hand came up to his lips as she shifted away, an amused grin rising on her face as she pointed at him and he shook his head. Then he told her, "I fancy your skirts," and groaned, turning away because it wasn't what he'd wanted to tell her, it was just what he was thinking. What he was thinking that he wanted to cover up with something less… honest… like he fancied her company, or he fancied the time they spent together because they were good mates, but honestly, "I wouldn't mind mating with you."
The amusement dropped away from her face and now she just stared, head coming up slightly as she tried to think of something to say back. Something that was honest and innocent like, thank you. Thank you, Clara thought on repeat as she awkwardly opened her mouth and blurted, "That would be rather nice."
They both brought their hands up to their faces, eyes wide as they concentrated and then the Doctor dropped his away and nodded, "Truth field – very dangerous."
Clara's hand slipped to her chin as she agreed, "No filters, not everything should come out."
He shook his head, looking away, "Like the fact that I can see through the holographic clothes."
She gave a gasp and promptly turned, rushing towards the Tardis. Stumbling through the snow after her, the Doctor listened as, somewhere in the town they started to sing Christmas carols from this corner of space. He caught up with her just at the door, watching her push through as she mumbled something about actual clothes, running towards the wardrobe where she'd left hers.
Raising his arms, he shouted, "But your bum is nice!" Then he clapped his hands back on his mouth as he moved to shut the Tardis doors, locking the truth field safely outside.
