AN: Hey there! Posting now because it's the only free time in this hell of a weekend (not that anybody would notice if I didn't post but yeah).
I must admit I had some difficulties writing this chapter but I managed in the end!
I hope you like it and, as always, reviews are more than welcome ;)
It was the first tutoring day.
To say John was excited was an understatement. He was going to help Rose. Rose Tyler!
Cheerily, he walked the short path to her house and knocked on the glass pane of her front door.
His smile faltered a bit when instead of the beautiful (John stop!) face of Rose he found the older, icy eyes of her mother (Christ, was she scary) opening the door.
"Good morning, ma'am" John said politely.
"Hi. What are you doing here?" Jackie asked suspiciously.
"I'm here for that tutoring thing with Rose" He explained with his most charming smile.
"Oh, right" She too smiled, if somewhat more maliciously, and John was confused by this sudden change.
"I'll call her for you. Come inside!" She added.
Cautiously, he made his way in the house. He'd never really been inside before, so he stayed awkwardly in the entrance, looking around.
"Hey" He heard from the stairs and looked up to a rushing Rose.
"Hey.." He said back, smiling down at her face while she was still out of breath.
She smiled up at him in answer.
"Come with me" She said cheerily and led him to the living room.
Looking around, John saw a big couch in front of a TV and a box of toys on the left, while on the right there was a table for six and some paintings hang from the wall.
"I thought we could stay here, if it's okay with you.." Rose said quietly when they reached the table.
"Of course!" He answered with a smile.
They sat next to each other at the table and Rose opened her book.
John's face lit up when he saw the subject: science! Oh, he loved science.
"...and this is why we can say that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell" he finished with a smile.
The answering grin on Rose's face was the best reward he could have asked for.
"I can't believe I didn't get it before! You're really good at this, you know?" She exclaimed with a laugh.
"Well, yeah..I'm brilliant at most things, so..." He smirked.
This remark costed him a punch on the shoulder.
"Oh, you think you're so impressive." She teased.
"I am so impressive." He pouted, barely repressing a smirk.
Their bantering was interrupted by Jackie's entrance.
"I brought tea and biscuits" She said with a smile.
Rose looked suspiciously at her mum: she was acting strangely kind.
"Thank you, mum" Rose said and tried to take the tray from her hands, but Jackie moved it out of her reach, sitting at the table in front of them.
"So, John. How old are you?" Jackie asked.
John sensed that it was questioning time.
"I'm eighteen."
"Really? I would have said you were younger."
"Well, without the beard.." He smirked.
Jackie looked put out for a second, but then opened her mouth for a remark, only to be cut off by Rose.
"Mum, stop it with the questions. He's a good teacher and if you'll leave him alone maybe I'll be able to fix my grades." She said, annoyed by her mum intrusion.
Jackie huffed.
"Okay, okay... I'll leave you two alone" She spoke, before getting up and going out of the room.
"Yeah, like you won't be out of the door listening" Rose muttered under her breath.
John snorted, then talked "Thank you for saving me." He said with a grin.
"Oh, no, don't worry. I'm sorry for my mum.."
How darn cute was she?!
"No problem" he stuttered out instead.
They sipped their tea in companionable silence, then Rose spoke up " You know, not to be nosy, but I just realized...I don't really know a lot about you.."
John kept his eyes on the mug.
"Same goes for you" He muttered
"Yeah, you're probably right.."
They stayed silent for some minutes, then a light went off in John's head.
"Know what? I'm gonna ask you random questions whenever they come to my mind and you can answer if you want. And you can also do the same, of course!"
Rose grinned at the idea and nodded.
After that, silence lasted only seconds.
"Favourite colour?" Asked Rose, turning towards him conspiratorially.
He turned to her in the same way and smirked.
"Blue. Favourite band?"
"Fall Out Boy. Favorite subject?"
John made a half-confused face.
"Who are they? Science, anyway." He added with a smirk.
"An American pop/punk group. I would have never guessed" She teased with a tongue-touched smile and John's breath itched in his chest.
That pink flash was surely becoming his new favorite addiction.
"Well it's not my fault science is so interesting and satisfying!" He defended. Then asked " Favourite food?"
Rose, that had made a bored face when he had described science, lightened up at the mention of food.
"Chips! They're the best food in the world." She said excitedly.
"Come, now. That's debatable." John replied diplomatically.
Rose looked at him as if he was an alien.
"What in the whole Universe could be better than chips?!"
"Well, I wouldn't know about the Universe, there could be thousands of great foods out there... But sticking to Earth, I'd say pizza is a good pick." he said with faked diplomacy.
"John Noble, you just said the most disrespectful thing and I shouldn't talk to you because of this, but, since I'm an amazing and forgiving person, I'll give you a second chance." Rose said with an affronted face, but the mirth in her expression was evident.
The boy just laughed in response and shook his head and soon Rose joined him.
When they both calmed down, the girl had a question in her eyes.
"Do you think aliens exist?" She asked after some hesitation.
John was surprised by the thoughtful question. He hadn't expected anything like this after their earlier conversation.
"Well of course! The Universe is full of life and traditions, of aliens as intelligent as us or maybe more, who knows… But they definitely exist." He finished surely, then watched the reaction on Rose's face: she seemed surprised by such a strong answer. Had he gotten carried away?
"What about you?" He asked her, almost trying to amend.
"Well, I hadn't put much thought in it until now. But I gotta admit, you seem so convinced of what you're saying that i'm almost sure too." She admitted shyly.
"Well, the universe is too big for us to be alone, isn't it?" He smiled.
Rose just nodded silently, smiling gently.
She was looking at her cup as if it held the answers to all questions, but John could see she was turning a question in her mind, as if she was afraid to ask it.
He was almost opening his mouth to ask her about it, when she lifted her head with a determined look on her face.
"How did you know my name?" She asked with a resolution he had never seen in her and quickly understood why; she was hiding her fear and insecurities.
"Well, some things are better left unsaid, aren't them?" He asked lifting his eyebrow in a cocky manner: it was too soon to tell her.
Rose pouted.
"Come ooon John!"
"Your pouting is not going to take you anywhere." Although that lower lip looked just plain perfect and if he just-John focus!
Rose shivered slightly. Had he been staring to her lips? Or was it just her imagination? Maybe she could try to press on.
"Then at least tell me, why did you come to talk to me that day?" She asked staring straight into his eyes, almost daring him to deflect the answer once again (and having a hard time not losing herself in them).
John stared ahead of him dumbfounded. Had she really just asked him that? He Couldn't not answer a question like that! He shouldn't reveal too much, though. He opened his mouth, ready to talk-
"Rose! Rose!" Shouted a little bundle running to his companion.
John could see the disappointment on Rose's face when she forced a smile on her face and opened her arms to her little brother.
"Hey there bud!" She said softly, hugging him to herself and ruffling gently his hair.
"Did you see that we have guests?" She asked in a whisper, loud enough for John to hear but soft as if she was telling a secret.
He watched fascinated as the little blonde head nodded and whispered back "He's the friend you should make me meet?" Little Tony asked quietly, glancing suspiciously at the teenager.
John had a hard time keeping from laughing but managed somehow.
"Yeah. So how do you greet a new person?" She smiled at him again and the small boy nodded before turning around.
Surprising John, Tony stuck his hand out and had his back ramrod straight.
"Tony Tyler. Nice to meet you."
After the initial shock, the young man shook the hand of the smaller one.
"Hi Tony, I'm John, John Noble. You seem really cool!" He tried, not really sure on how to behave.
"I like him!" Tony said, turning to his sister and both teenagers looked each other in the eye and exploded in laughter.
Rose and John were at the door, the latter already in his coat and ready to leave.
"Well, i'd say it was it was a productive, fun try all in all. Right?" John said tentatively.
"Yeah, I surely know more about biology than I did three hours ago" Rose winked.
John reminded himself to breath normally and grinned in answer.
After a deep breath Rose whispered embarrassed "Sorry 'bout my mum..and my brother too".
"Oh, no need to apologize. Your brother is really lovely and your mum, well…" He leaned in to whisper "She's a bit scary" and then leaned back again "She was really kind."
Rose laughed at the confession and just smiled.
«Now or never» thought John, remembering the disappointment on his friend's face and taking a deep breath.
"That day I came to talk to you because.. Because I'd wanted to do it for a while and you seemed so alone and dejected I just couldn't leave you there." He whispered.
Rose's breath itched: he'd said it. And what hell of a reason…!
After the initial shock wore off, Rose smiled widely and hugged him briefly.
"Well, thank you for being brave enough for both." She answered and he just grinned his lopsided grin.
"My pleasure." He replied truthfully.
"I really should go, though. My mum is probably waiting for me to serve dinner and if I arrive late Donna will kill me" He said with a sorry expression.
"Oh, I don't want to be the reason for your homicide! Go on, have a great dinner" she smiled again (had she ever smiled that much in a single afternoon?) and opened the door.
John turned around and made a mock-salute, before taking a step outside.
"See ya, Rose Tyler." He stuttered out, grinning.
"See you soon Doctor" she answered,and the last thing he saw before the door closed was a glimpse of her special tongue touched smile.
He groaned softly. Seemed like he was going to have another night full of Rose Tyler, this time filled not only by yellow hair but also pink glimpses of tongue.