Snowstorm
"Rose. Rose? Rose. Oh come on, Rose, don't be like this! Talk to me."
"Nope. I'm ignoring you."
"But whyyyyy?" he whined.
She didn't reply.
"Rose? Please talk to me. I'm bored."
Rose harrumphed but said nothing substantial. She rubbed at her arms, trying to stop shivering.
"At least hold my hand?" he asked hopefully, holding his hand up between them.
She stopped walking to turn and glare at him. "Doctor, I'm in a mood with you at the moment. Please shut up." Then she turned away from him again and resumed their brisk walk.
The Doctor remained still, staring after her with a puppy dog expression on his face. He glanced at his hand, still raised to take hers, and shoved it into his pocket with a huff. "You're going the wrong way, you know," he snapped.
She spun around. "What would you know? You're the one who got us lost in the middle of a snowstorm on a planet you didn't know had snow!"
"Technically, that wasn't a snowstorm - "
Rose bent down and picked up a handful of snow. "This is snow, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but - " This time he was cut off due to Rose throwing a snowball right in his face.
"Then we just survived a snowstorm. It's now freezing cold and my jacket really isn't that warm, thanks for asking."
"Rose, I gave you my scarf! A very, very long scarf that is very, very dear to me - "
"Very dear to you? It was at the bottom of those dimensionally transcendent pockets of yours!"
"Yes, exactly; I always carry it with me. Weeelll, except now, because – kind gentleman that I am – I've wrapped it around your neck to keep you warm."
Rose sighed. "Yes. Well. Thanks for that. But my arms are frostbitten."
"I don't think they are quite that cold - " He backpedalled when she fixed that glare on him again. " – I mean, here, have my coat," he offered, shrugging out of his overcoat.
The corner of her mouth quirked up. "Really?"
"Really," he nodded, smiling in relief that she seemed to be cheering up.
She bit her lip as she took it from him. "Are you sure? 'Cos if you're gonna freeze now, I feel bad..."
"No, no, I'm fine. Superior physiology." She looked dubious. "It's true!" he insisted. "I'll be fine. Put it on. Go on!"
Rose smiled at him gratefully as she slipped into his coat. "Thanks, Doctor."
"My pleasure," he grinned. He held out his hand. This time, she took it.
"So," she said. "Any idea where the TARDIS is?"
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked around. "Everything in this forest looks the same in the snow, don't you think?"
She rolled her eyes. "That's a no, then?"
He gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry?"
"I'd've thought you were s'posed to have some sort of innate sense of direction, but then again, even if you are a Time Lord, you're still a man."
"Oi!"
"I'm just joking, Doctor. I'm sure you'll ask for directions should we cross paths with a stranger."
"Of course," he agreed. "Let's just...wander aimlessly for awhile, eh? We manage alright when we do that usually."
"That's true," Rose nodded, and they started to walk again. "Plus, we'd better keep moving or else our fingers will freeze off."
"You're so melodramatic," he chuckled, but suggested, "Why don't we just..." and demonstrated his meaning by putting their joined hands inside the pocket of his coat that she was wearing.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing crawling around in here, is there? I'm always a bit wary of going in your pockets." She slipped her free hand into the other pocket slowly.
"Nah, no worries there."
Something furry touched Rose's free hand and she whipped it out quickly. "What was that, then?"
"Hmm? Oh, probably just the mouse."
"What!" she yelped. She wasn't scared of mice, but to think there was one in his pocket was a little disconcerting.
"It's not a real one, just a windup toy."
"Oh, okay," she giggled. She looked up then, feeling a flutter against her cheek. "Oh great. It's snowing again."
He winced. "Ah."
"We should've stayed in that cave."
"No, no, it's okay. If it gets as heavy as that snowstorm earlier, we'll just find shelter somewhere else."
"Ha!" she grinned triumphantly. "So you admit it was a snowstorm!"
The Doctor sighed long-sufferingly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Yes, fine, it was a snowstorm. Now, let's find somewhere to – oh. Would you look at that! How's that for luck, eh?" he grinned, nodding his head towards a little cabin nestled in the trees up ahead of them.
"It's probably the home of a witch or something," Rose muttered. "Very Hansel and Gretel."
"Nonsense," he dismissed, bumping his shoulder against hers. "Witches don't exist. Weeelll. Sort of. But anyway, we've defeated Daleks and whatnot – a witch is easy for us two."
She smiled to herself. "The stuff of legends."
"Exactly!" he grinned. Then he added, "Besides, we're definitely not brother and sister."
"What?"
"Just now, you said about Hansel and Gretel. We're not like them."
"Well, I know that," she replied, confused by the emphasis he was placing on her throwaway remark.
"Good. Just so we're clear," he nodded.
Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Doctor, what -"
"Shh, let's go and see if anyone's in," he distracted her, leading them closer to the cabin. Once they reached it, he knocked loudly on the door.
"We're asking for trouble," murmured Rose.
"And you love it," he countered. He looked down at her, grinned, and squeezed her hand.
She couldn't help but grin back. "Maybe I do," she relented.
No one had come to the door, so for a few moments the Doctor and Rose just stood there smiling silly smiles at each other, neither wanting to be the first to look away. Then, a shiver ran through Rose, even wrapped up in his coat and scarf as she was, and she glanced at the door. "Doesn't look like anyone's home," she said.
The Doctor looked up at the sky, watching the snowfall getting heavier by the minute. "Shall we - " he broke off his question as he looked back at Rose, because she was already turning the doorknob. "Rose Tyler," he grinned cheerfully, sounding proud.
She shrugged a shoulder. "Let's just poke our heads in to see." They did, and found the cabin empty but for a sofa bed already made up, blankets, a fireplace and a pile of wood. "Perfect," she smiled.
"Well, if anyone comes along, we'll just explain that we needed shelter and didn't think they'd mind, right?"
"Exactly. And if the witch tries to kill us, we'll run," Rose continued.
"Perfect," he agreed. He closed the door behind them, glad to get away from the reoccurring snowstorm. "I'll get the fire going," he offered, whilst Rose jumped onto the sofa bed and snuggled amongst the pillows and blankets.
Once he'd successfully got the fire going - which took him an absurd amount of time, really, if he was honest with himself - he turned around to face Rose and saw that she'd already nodded off. He grinned at the picture she made; the firelight glowing upon her soft features, her nose red from the cold, her hair slightly wet from the melted snowflakes...she looked lovely and peaceful and comfy. A pretty bundle of pink and yellow all wrapped up in his coat and scarf.
He shivered, and felt the overwhelming urge to cuddle her.
So, casually, he sniffed and glanced around, as if anyone were watching. Then, he toed out of his trainers and climbed onto the sofa bed beside her. His fingers twitched slightly, wanting to seek out her hand – but she had both of hers buried somewhere out of sight, no doubt holding the blanket around herself. Instead, he edged closer, and nudged her shoulder gently. "Rose?" he murmured softly.
"Mmmpf?" she replied sleepily, her eyes fluttering open.
"No, no, it's okay, you can go back to sleep, I just wanted to quickly ask you if you minded if I...well, you look all cosy and it's quite cold, even with the fire, so, uh, can I...?"
She closed her eyes again and lifted the blankets, encouraging him to join her. He smiled and tucked the blankets around them both, very pleased indeed when Rose snuggled up against him, flinging her arm around his waist. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, his hand gently stroking through her hair. He sighed contentedly. Then he felt Rose giggling against him. "Rose?" he asked curiously. "What are you laughing about?"
"You," she answered.
He frowned. "What've I done now?"
"Nothing, nothing," she assured him.
"No, no, come on, tell me."
"I was just thinking..."
"About what?"
"About us."
His eyes widened in alarm. "What about us?"
"Well, you."
"Me?"
"Yeah. You, uh...you're quite the cuddler." She paused, to see if he was going to say something; but he was rendered speechless, unsure whether she was saying that was a bad thing or not. She continued, "It's funny, 'cos...well, most of the time you're this massive kind of, I dunno, presence, like...important and amazing and the Oncoming Storm and so far above me I can't even..."
He shifted slightly so that he could lift her chin up to look at her face while she was speaking. "What are you on about?"
She sighed, uncertain how to explain it. "Well. It's just. You're a Time Lord, the last of the Time Lords. And you call yourself things like the highest authority in the universe and all that. And then there's the fact that some species are scared of your very name and on the other hand, some rejoice in it and treat you like a god. You're the most intelligent person I know and sometimes it's hard to not feel...tiny, in comparison to you."
"Don't be daft," he murmured. "Rose, you're the reason why I..."
"What?"
He shook his head slightly, not answering her question. "Rose, tell me what you are trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say that some days I forget all that."
"Yeah?" he asked, exhaling roughly.
"Yeah. Some days you don't act like the last of the Time Lords," she smiled softly.
He stroked a strand of her hair back from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "You want to know a secret?" he whispered.
"Okay," she whispered back.
"Some days, I don't feel like the last of the Time Lords."
"You don't?"
"Nope."
"Why?"
He swallowed hard. "Why do you think?"
"I don't know. What I do know is, when you do things like this to me..." Rose lifted her hand to his hair and ran it through it. His eyes widened. "Or this," she added, dropping her hand to his cheek, cupping it tenderly, feeling it heat up beneath her touch as a blush took over his face. "Or this," she repeated, wrapping her arm around him. She gave a light, playful squeeze and he stared at her.
"Or this?" he whispered, interrupting her before she could continue. He punctuated his question by tilting his head forwards and kissing her tenderly on the lips. He drew back almost immediately, a hopeful yet uncertain expression on his face.
"It makes me feel worthy of you," she finished softly, touching her mouth with her fingertips in disbelief at his action.
"Oh, Rose," he murmured, reaching for her hand and placing it back on his cheek. "You're completely wrong." She went rigid against him and narrowed her eyes, and he realised what he'd said could be taken an alternative way. "No! Wait, what I mean is, you've got it the wrong way around. It's me who doesn't deserve you, Rose Tyler. I never have done."
"Don't be silly," she replied.
"I like to pretend I do," he continued, a lump in his throat. "I like to pretend that we're good for each other. But the thing is, you're very, very good for me, and I'm terrible for you."
"Don't say that," she protested, shaking her head.
"It's true, though." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You've no idea how much I want to - " he broke off, swallowing hard.
"What, Doctor?" she prompted.
"How much I wish I could give you everything," he answered. He glanced away, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.
To his surprise, Rose laughed. "You already do! What was it you said the other day? Something about the stars, that you want - "
"You to see every star in the sky," he finished for her. "Yeah. I do."
"There we are then. Everything's out there, and I'm lucky enough to be the one you're sharing it with. And I'm grateful, Doctor. I'm so, so grateful. There's nothing else I want."
The Doctor smiled half-heartedly and tilted his head so that his forehead pressed lightly against hers. He closed his eyes. "That will change," he murmured. "You're young now. But as you get older, the things you want out of life...it'll all change. And our different lifespans, Rose, it means that I can't give you everything, not really, because I can't give you enough time."
"It's not about giving me forever, Doctor, it's about living in the present and pretending we have forever."
The look in his eyes was heartbreaking. "That's all very well in the short term, but what about when I have to live on without you, hmmm?" he pointed out.
"I reckon I'm just gonna have to give you plenty of fantastic memories, yeah?" she smiled warmly. She traced his jaw line with the tips of her fingers. "You know that I..." she trailed off, and met his gaze meaningfully.
The Doctor gave a small nod, and whispered, "However selfish it is of me to say this, I hope you never stop."
Rose pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek and promised, "I'll never stop."
He turned his head to meet her mouth with his, and just before he kissed her, he promised back, "Me neither."
-:-
Later, watching a sleeping Doctor carefully in case he woke up and saw what she was doing before she was ready, a very naked Rose Tyler slipped the Doctor's shirt on, doing up a couple of buttons and reclining on the sofa bed temptingly, waiting for him to wake up and notice. She was patient at first. But after five minutes she couldn't wait any longer and kicked his leg lightly, muttering something about how now he decides to play human and fall asleep.
The Doctor opened his eyes, blinking wearily as he gathered his bearings. She watched in amusement as he shivered and glanced down at himself, realisation sweeping over his expression as he remembered he was naked in a cabin in the woods in the middle of a snowstorm. A slow smile crept onto his face as he thought about how he'd engaged in some rather pleasurable ways to pass the time with his best friend earlier on.
Rolling onto his side, he was startled to see Rose not asleep beside him but positioned like a goddess wearing nothing but his light blue shirt, smiling at him like the cat that got the canary.
"Blimey." He swallowed. "I do like seeing you wearing my clothes," he breathed out roughly.
She glanced at the floor. "Oops, sorry, I think everything else has been thrown to the other side of the room. Otherwise, I'd quite happily put your scarf and coat back on too." She smiled that flirty smile at him that made him turn to Time Lordy goo, the one with the tongue and the side of her mouth.
His eyes lit up as a thought struck him. "Ohhh yes," he murmured to himself.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked curiously.
"Just imagining what you'd look like wearing nothing but my coat. It's a very delectable image."
"Well, it is a very sexy coat," she replied.
"And you're a very, very sexy Rose Tyler," he added.
"Well then," she continued, her expression mischievous. "Perfect match. We'll have to test your theory out later."
"Indeed. But right now, I'd like to test another theory out. One that I have been hypothesising about for a rather long time."
"Oh yeah?" she asked, giggling in delight when he crawled over to her and pulled her against him. "What's this one, then?"
"Weeelll, a while ago I think you'll recall that I acquired a bit of a habit of licking things..."