In the middle of a bustling London city, John was leaning uncomfortably against the corner of a building. Every few seconds, he'd alter the way in which he was stood. His arms would fold, then dangle by his sides, then find themselves shoved deep into his pockets; his legs would cross, uncross, rest against the building, stand straight again, and so on. He was completely on edge with nervous excitement, becoming more restless by the minute. John was awaiting Rose's arrival, as they'd arranged to meet outside that particular coffee shop at 12:30pm. He replayed yesterday's conversation in his mind and confirmed the details. He was sure he'd got it right. Yet, as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time since he'd been standing there, it clearly said it was 12:35pm, and Rose clearly wasn't beside him.
John's eyes darted back and forth, surveying the immediate area. Every time he caught a glimpse of blonde hair, his heart surged in hope, and every time he was let down when he saw it wasn't the lady he was looking for. It was while he was waiting for her that John realised how much he was looking forward to seeing Rose again. Her wide, brown eyes sparkled with life, and her smile lit up the rest of her face, making her all the more beautiful. And she was kind - her hospitality and compassion for him, a total stranger, were rare gifts that caused her to shine. He adored her.
This was why John was worried that she hadn't turned up yet. There were many logical potential reasons for Rose's tardiness; she'd been held back at work, she'd bumped into a friend on the way and had started chatting, she'd lost her way and couldn't find the coffee shop, the crowds were slowing her down. However, these explanations were pushed to the very back of John's mind, and the irrational ones naturally took over centre stage. Obviously, Rose had decided she didn't like him and wasn't coming, or she'd forgotten about him completely, or she was still bitter about him leaving yesterday and had realised how unreliable he was, or, or, or... When it really came down to it, John simply didn't think himself worthy of Rose. So of course he thought she wouldn't come - why would she?
Just as John was slipping into serious doubt with an ounce of self-loathing, he felt a small breeze caress the side of his face as someone next to him let out a sigh. Turning his head, he was greeted with the most beautiful beaming face.
"Hi!" Rose addressed him excitedly. Her expression dropped slightly as she saw how concerned John had been looking. "Sorry I'm late, there was this car accident that blocked one of the roads. I hope you weren't waiting too long?"
"No, not at all!" John hastily reassured her. It felt like forever when she wasn't with him, but there was no way he wanted her to feel guilty, so he determined not to mention it. "What happened in the car accident? No one got hurt, did they?"
"I don't think so… I didn't actually see anything to be honest, so I'm not sure what happened."
"Really? The road must have been busy then."
Rose frowned. "Not really. Now that I think about it, I didn't even see a car. But I know the road was closed off; I definitely couldn't get through."
"That's odd." John wondered, eyebrows furrowing.
"Yeah…" A strange shiver crawled up Rose's spine, an instinctual feeling that something was wrong. Shaking it off, she soon changed the subject. "Anyway, should we go in and get some lunch? Dunno about you, but I'm starving!"
"Sounds good to me." Following suit, John forgot about the weird situation Rose had just described. He was only too happy to continue on his way into the coffee shop and spend more time with her.
The two of them grabbed a table situated next to the window (John, ever the gentleman, gave Rose first choice), and they sat in silence while they both studied the menu. It was a comfortable silence, however – the bustle of London in addition to the chatter in the café ensured that their lack of talking didn't make things awkward. John couldn't resist letting his eyes drift away from the menu and settle on Rose's face. There was a slight crease between her eyebrows as she focused on reading, and she chewed her lip as she struggled to make a decision on what to order.
"Anything take your fancy?" John asked conversationally.
Rose looked up, an expression of vague surprise enlightening her features. I can think of one thing, yeah, she thought as she gazed back at John, but didn't voice her thoughts for obvious reasons. "Er… I think I'll have a portion of chips. Oh, and a cuppa. What about you?"
A smile slowly spread across John's lips. He loved that Rose wanted to order chips, regardless of being in a slightly posh coffee shop. She could quite easily feel uncomfortable, or wary of what people would think of her, but she didn't. Her down-to-Earth attitude was another thing John found admirable, which inspired him to reply the way he did. "You know what? That sounds brilliant! Just brilliant – I think I'll have the same," he stood up in preparation to order at the counter.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked as she watched him, poised to walk away.
"That's a good question, actually. I was going to order, at the counter… Is that what you do? Go and tell them what you're having up there?" John gestured towards the queue of three people already stood there. He looked a little disoriented.
Rose giggled at how ridiculous he was. "Yeah, that's usually what people do. You paying, then?" she continued teasing him, smirking all the while.
"Oh? Oh! Yes, of course. Pay, that's what I should do…" Still looking slightly confused (which Rose found all the more hilarious), John patted his clothes in the general pocket areas. Before long, he extricated his wallet out of his left trouser pocket and hastily opened it, searching for any trace of cash inside. However, his face fell when he discovered he only had a few pennies on him. "Rose, I, er, I'm sorry. I seem to have left my money back at the hotel. I'm so sorry, I should have made sure before I left. I'm so disorganised, I really need to sort myself out-"
"Cheapskate!" Rose acted shocked, giving John a gentle shove. When she saw how guilty he still looked, she changed her tone so she would come across as genuine. "It's alright! I was half joking anyway. I should have enough for both of us, so don't worry."
John appeared humbled by her offer, especially since he'd let her down again. "Thank you, Rose. I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I can," he insisted, big eyes staring sincerely at her.
"No problem. Here, a tenner should cover it," she slid a ten pound note over the table, her hand lingering on it.
John immediately took it, his fingers just catching Rose's as he did. A warm tingle tickled the skin that had made contact with Rose, and caused a faint pink colouring to crawl across his cheeks. In order to avoid letting his embarrassment be seen by her, John turned away from Rose and headed over to the counter as quickly as he could. He mentally cursed himself for behaving so awkwardly. He'd never felt as comfortable with anyone as he did with Rose, but he also ended up acting like a complete fool every time he was around her. What was wrong with him? Taking a breath, John forced himself to relax. You're with Rose, having a cuppa, and there's nothing to worry about – just chill out! He told himself, and smiled. He was enjoying himself, and he certainly wasn't going to let his own idiocy get in the way of that.
Soon, John was concentrating on carefully carrying a tray, as the bowls of chips and teacups slid about precariously. A chuckle escaped Rose's lips as she watched him, all wonky eyebrows and jutting elbows. He really was a character.
"Here we are!" he exclaimed, placing the tray down, but not before a splash of tea was spilled. "Sorry about the mess, I really tried my best."
"I can see that." Rose smiled. "Looks nice though."
"Hm? Yeah, they do! I love chips, me. Especially when they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside – mwa!" With his last sound, John kissed his hand and in an Italian-esque gesture suggested he was impressed with the food.
This made Rose laugh again. "I know what you mean! Chips are my favourite. Where do you usually eat, like, when you're on the road and stuff?" She realised it was a silly question, but it definitely was a start for a conversation.
"Mostly just cafes like this one. I often take-out and eat in the car, but every now and then I'll treat myself to eating in." John replied as he bit into a chip, not thinking her question was silly in the slightest.
Moving on from inquiries about food habits, Rose addressed a tinge of melancholy that she detected in his tone. "Don't you ever get lonely? Tables for one, sitting alone in your car with no one to talk to… It must get boring, on your own all the time."
"You live alone, don't you?" John countered, curious as to what her justification would be.
"Well, yeah, but I go to work most days. And I've got my friends, and God knows my mum calls me all the time – she never leaves me alone!" Although she spoke in humour, there was still sympathy in Rose's voice. She sipped at her tea, partly to avoid John's intense gaze.
"Good point." John gave a hollow chuckle. "I suppose it does get a bit lonely sometimes. But I love travelling. I see so many wonderful sights: bright orange sunrises and sunsets over vast green fields, twisting silver rivers that cut through quaint valleys, flowers blooming in the hundreds and pouring down luscious hills… Not a bad life."
"Better with two." Rose's eyes suddenly flicked from her drink to John's face with blazing focus. Whilst John had been talking, she'd realised there was no longer any point in holding back. He was clearly growing in confidence – in fact, he'd been quite confident around her from the start – so why shouldn't she be? "I bet it would be nice, you know, travelling together."
"I wouldn't know, to be honest." John spoke distractedly, quite oblivious to the implications of Rose's words. However, when he saw vague disappointment in her face, he soon snapped back to attention. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean that travelling with someone doesn't sound nice, I just meant I wouldn't know because I've only ever travelled alone… I'm digging a hole again, aren't I?"
Grinning, Rose nodded. "Kind of, yeah."
"I seem to be doing that a lot lately." John winced, hoping he hadn't offended her. Fortunately, she seemed to take it all in good humour. "I think you're right, though. It's all well and good living this fantastic life, but it would be more interesting having someone to share it with," he gazed at Rose expectantly.
Hesitant, Rose lowered a chip she'd been preparing to eat. She was completely immersed in the moment, therefore reluctant to ruin it by scoffing food. "Is… that an invite?" She asked tentatively, unwilling to jump to conclusions.
"If you want it to be."
"Seriously?" An uncertain smile crossed Rose's lips.
"Yeah! Why not? I mean, if you'll put up with me." John teased, a playful expression on his face.
Any trace of doubt was eradicated from Rose's smile as it extended into a joyful grin. "Oh my God! I'd love to! I mean, I don't know if I could; like I said before, I've got my job, and my friends, and my mum would go crazy worrying about me…" A crease appeared on Rose's forehead again as she considered the less favourable details restricting her from her desired road trip.
"And what did I tell you before, Rose?" John's voice softened as he leaned close to her, elbows on the table. "Nothing's really stopping you, if you think about it. Once in a lifetime opportunity, this is. If you want to travel, do it. Follow your heart, not your head. I know it might sound cheesy, but it's true. If your heart's in the right place – and I can tell yours is – you can never go wrong."
"Yeah." Rose spoke dreamily, her gaze drifting slightly.
"Me and you, travelling the globe together in my little old car. Can you imagine? How fun would that be? And don't worry if it takes you a while to get ready, I can wait. I'd wait forever. Okay, maybe not that long – I am very restless. Really though, I think it might do me some good to settle, even just for a little while." John stopped in his tracks, realising he was babbling again. He also noticed Rose was staring into the distance, looking a little worried. "Rose? Are you alright? I'm not scaring you off, am I?"
Fading out of her reverie, Rose focused once again on John. "No! No, not at all. I was just… Never mind." The truth was, it had suddenly hit her that she didn't know John at all. Here she was, willing to embark on a world-wide road trip with a complete stranger. What would her mum say? She wouldn't be happy, Rose knew that for sure. She wouldn't blame her, either.
Rose cursed herself for getting swept up in John's enthusiasm. It was contagious, his personality so infectious and easy to get on with. She did feel as if she'd known him a lot longer than she had. But that was no excuse, surely? Even if she adored the way he was, his quirkiness, his hobbies, his mannerisms, his appearance, the way he looked at her – actually, so what if she'd known him two days? Why did time make a difference? Rose had already decided not to hold back; treating John as a friend instead of a stranger was part of that process. That being said, she was aware it would be rather ridiculous to travel the world with him straight away.
John was still staring at Rose, patiently awaiting an elaboration on her most recent words. She began to speak. "Sorry about that. I'd love to travel with you, really I would. It's just… Is it okay if we hang out a bit first? Get to know each other a bit more, visit some more local places together, go on a few dates?" The last word had slipped off her tongue before her brain checked it, but it was too late now.
"That's absolutely fine! Of course, I didn't expect you to leap into my car right away. That would be ridiculous!" John agreed, and Rose gave a small sigh of relief. "And dates, dates are a good idea. Really good."
Rose groaned inwardly. "I thought you hadn't noticed."
John laughed. "It's alright. I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out again, as a more kind of date-y… thing," he cringed as he realised how stupid he sounded.
"I think I'd enjoy that." Rose confirmed, biting her lip. A warm, nervous feeling was spreading through her stomach, reminding her of how much she liked John. She was falling for him, she couldn't help it. And it seemed she was falling fast.
John felt very much the same way. He leaned a little closer, sliding his hand across the table so it lay a few centimetres away from Rose's. All he wanted was to be near to her, but he obviously didn't want to force anything. There was still a niggle of self-doubt at the back of his mind preventing him from acting in total confidence, and he needed Rose to get rid of it.
Seeing John's hand move closer to hers, Rose felt her heart begin to hammer. She wanted nothing more than to grab it and hold it for as long as she could, but that would be a bit more forceful than she wanted to be. Instead, she allowed her fingers to creep closer to John's so there was a tiny bit of contact between them, hoping he would make the final move.
When Rose's fingers touched his, John felt a twinge in his chest that told him this was right. This moment, this person, was just right for him. So, urging himself to have courage, John gently wrapped his hand around Rose's, so their fingers were interlocking. As their eyes met once again, an understanding passed between them. They felt the same about each other, and there was no way they were going to let this opportunity pass them by.
Rose was John's missing piece, and vice versa. But, just as the jigsaw of their lives finally slotted into place, things went wrong. Horribly wrong.
A/N: Thanks again to the wonderful whovianhalfblood for beta-reading!
