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Chapter 6
The Feeling
Clara had this feeling and she hoped that it was the right feeling to have.
She felt like Eleven wasn't all for this agreement. Or maybe he was just not as much as she was. She felt she was the one who was starting everything, asking whether he wanted to go on walks or to have drinks or to just be with him. She knew that they were her guest but they were only their guest because of this agreement. This was the time that they were meant to be getting to know each other.
She also had this feeling like that he might like someone else. He had been spending a lot more time with her but his mind always seemed elsewhere. She suspected that River had something to do with it. He just always seemed really flirty around her but not with her. Obviously, he did flirt with her, but not on the same level as he did with River. She felt sorry for Twelve.
Her lips curled up at the thought of the older young brother. That statement made her smile even more. She loved how he called himself that.
Part of her knew that Twelve was starting to see that his arranged marriage with River wasn't going to work. Clara had shown more interest in him that she had done and she couldn't understand why River wasn't more interested in him.
Twelve was smart and handsome. He had some really good stories and she really enjoyed his company. She would happy just walk by his side and listen to him as he rambled on in his Scottish voice, telling her about whatever planet took his fancy in that moment of time. There was just something about him that made him interesting. Clara would gladly spend her time with him instead of Eleven.
She groaned as she realised what it meant. It meant that she was falling for Twelve. She shouldn't be falling for Twelve. She should be falling for Eleven. She cursed herself. She wanted to know about the mysterious John the Twelfth so much that she had gone and fallen for him.
This wasn't how it was meant to be.
The moment her father had told her about the arrangement, she had planned how she would do all this. She would meet her future husband, get to know him and then fall hopelessly and deeply in love with him so that the fact that it didn't matter that it was an arranged marriage. She would come to love her betrothed.
She was not meant to fall for his younger, older brother.
Twelve had this feeling. The problem with said feeling was that it wasn't the right one to have.
He knew River wasn't interested. The more time they spend around each other, the more obvious it became. Which came to the start of his bad feeling.
He felt and believed that River had more of an interest in his brother, Eleven.
They didn't just happen to meet. They meet up and then Eleven invited River to Endor. She has been his travelling partner. It was a cover story that she had asked for him. She didn't care for him. She just wanted an excuse to be with his brother.
If that was the case, then it wasn't fair on Clara.
Especially if Eleven like River back.
For Clara's sake, he hoped that Eleven didn't. She seemed to really like his brother for some reason. Two people had seen passed his childish persona to see the person he actually was. Nobody had seen who he really was.
He allowed himself a small smile as he thought about Clara.
Although his last statement might not be eternally true. He didn't know what to make of Clara wanting to spend time with him. He noticed her smiles as he rambled on about something or other. It was like she was enjoying his company. No one enjoyed his company. His brothers put up with him. They didn't actually like him. He knew that.
But Clara was different. It was like she wanted to hear what he had to say.
He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about Clara like that. She should be spending the time with Eleven, getting to know him. She shouldn't be spending the time with him.
Something had to change. He couldn't think of Clara like that. She wasn't his.
"John the Twelfth."
Twelve spun on his heel to face her. She quickened her pace to catch up with him.
"You know, no one actually calls me that. I am Twelve. That is my name."
"I like John. I know what you are going to say, about Earthlings and all that, but Twelve is a number, not a name. I would like to call you by a name. So sorry for calling you by a name, even though I have to add the Twelfth because of your council."
He knew that he shouldn't but he held out his arm to her as they continued their journey to dinner.
"I went by Basil for a while." He said.
"Basil!?"
"What's wrong with Basil?"
Clara giggled. "Nothing. If you are a dog."
"It is an actual name."
"Maybe I have just heard too many dogs called it."
"All I am saying is, if you want a name other than Twelve, Basil is one. John has always been the oldest brother's name. We have all had to come up with different names for ourselves. The council tries to discourage us from doing so. That is why we go by which John we are."
"Then Basil it is," Clara said.
"Or Doctor Disco."
With that, she burst out laughing and Twelve couldn't help himself but laugh along with her. He knew that it would be a moment that would stay with him forever but he knew that it was a moment that they shouldn't have had.
She wasn't his and he wasn't hers.
