RP for tastefulfashion

[rude_not_ginger]

Mercury. Not exactly the most entertaining of planets, but certainly one of the most peaceful. With the atmospheric generator setting up a heat and pressure field around where he sat outside the TARDIS, it was actually quite nice.

He had two white wicker chairs and a table set up outside the TARDIS, with a pot of tea and two cups and saucers out.

After all, he had a date arriving.

Well, not really a date.

Just Romana.

Still! No reason not to put a little effort out!

Comments

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Of course Romana would notice. If anyone did, it would be her. He shook his head gently.

"Trying not to stumble. Last thing I need is for you to think of me as...well, a previous self." The lie was a little flat, but it was much better than the truth.

He did smile, though, and genuinely. "It's wonderful to see you. Not sure if I said that before."

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"Each of your previous selves each had something distinguishing about himself and something familiar," she found herself admitting. Deep down she knew there was something more, something he was not telling her but then again that was very much like him.

His smile was contagious, however, for she found herself smiling in return. "You did, but I do not mind hearing it a second time."

Romana wanted to ask further, wanting to know what he was truly dwelling on, but common courtesy kept her words silent for the time being. So, in place of a question, the old habit of teasing returned.

"For an old man you do dance well."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I am not old," the Doctor countered with a bit of false grumpiness. "I'm only 903."

Give or take a few years.

He took a step back and spun her out as the music rose, then back into his arms. She danced well. He wouldn't have expected less from her. In many ways, she gave him a run for his money. He liked that, though he'd never admit it aloud.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"And even now you continue to be in denial, lying through your teeth about your age!" What could have been a scolding was nothing more than a laugh. "It isn't very becoming, you know. You may look young but you certainly are not nine-hundred and three!"

The chiffon ruffles of her dress spun with her, almost like a pale flower blooming underneath the lights shining down on the dance floor. To where a dress instead of those stuffy, stiff Presidential robes was a relief.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I am," he replied in a teasing tone, "And you have no idea what time I come from! I could be!"

He wasn't...well, he was. Well, ish!

If there were other people dancing around them, he most certainly didn't notice. This was wonderful just as it was. Dancing with Romana. Something he never thought he'd be able to do at all.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"But your eyes seem older than that," Romana said with a smile.

From one waltz to another, the melody was all that she could hear. The sounds of others dancing were lost to her.

"Thank you," her tone was much softer than before, gazing up at him, "For this." She had never realized just how much she had changed since she had first left him to travel through E-Space. To dance like this, away from it all and with him alone to trust... it felt like a lifetime ago.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I read a lot." It was a common reply to that sort of statement. He wondered silently if he really was getting that old. Maybe he just needed some sort of cream or whatever to lessen the non-existent wrinkles.

Her words softened his smile.

"Thank you," he said. And for a man who rarely thanked anyone, he truly meant the words.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Four different incarnations and yet he was still the same man she met so long ago, making her smile and challenging her banters with wit and humor to match.

Her train of thought was interrupted rather abruptly when another couple passing by bumped into her. Now, normally rather graceful on her feet the heels of her shoes did not help to steady the woman. Throwing her off balance entirely her lips formed an 'O' as her eyes widened, stumbling forward right into The Doctor.

Now that was embarrassing!

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor caught her easily and held her up as best he could. More sensible shoes were good to have in this sort of situation.

That did, of course, throw her entirely into his space. Which was embarrassing for him, as he'd become less accustomed to having someone invade his space at all. Especially someone like Romana.

"You all right?" he asked.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Both of her hands were holding onto the sleeves of his tuxedo in order to help steady herself. It was times like these that she wondered why she didn't think twice about the shoes she wore. And of course the reason being was that whatever she chose looked well with the outfit she would wear.

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered before adding in a few words of an apology when she realized just how close they were. Their dancing had come to a halt, thankfully the other dancers moving around them as if they were not there. "My apologies."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Far from your fault."

He smiled a little to show her it was all right. This was...well, it wasn't unpleasant, if a little strange. No, not strange. Strange wasn't the right word. He didn't actually know the right word.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

It was not awkward either. It just.. was. Not to mention for once she was unable to think of something clever to say.

Her hands still gripping his arms the smile returned was small. It would not do for the Madame President to appear sheepish but she certainly did still feel the tiniest bit embarrassed.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He thought he should say something. Something witty or possibly clever in order to alleviate some tension that was probably not even there. As it was, he didn't know what to say.

He thought about that old tradition. The one he talked to Astrid about. Funny that he should think about that now.

"Get you onto solid footing, shall we?"

He helped straighten her a bit but when the time came to pull away and dance properly, he couldn't make himself just yet.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Romana nodded her head once. When she was stable once more in those silly shoes of hers, she waited for him to start their dance once more.

When it never came her curiosity got the best of her yet again. She studied his expression to see if she could learn anything, hoping to see even the smallest twitch of his lips that could clue her in.

"Doctor? Is something the matter?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The matter? A bit. No matter how much he had always tried to convince himself it wasn't so, Romana was always the one who got away. Got away, ran away, then he lost her forever.

And part of him cried out that now was the chance to try for something. Anything. But what good would come of it? He'd just have to give her up to the timeline he already knew was coming.

"No, nothing," he stammered a bit and took her hand again.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Her fingers laced with his, slipping in perfectly in the spaces between. But she did not take a single step forward back into the familiar waltz that filled the air.

All the teasing and the joking and the bantering was set aside. He was lying again, she just knew it. And she remained rooted to the spot as she looked up at him with an unwavering gaze, concern evident in her eyes.

"Please do not make me repeat my question."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"It's just been too long, Romana," he replied. He raised the hand that was not laced with hers to cup the side of her face.

The act was strange and intimate, especially for him. Still, it felt good and it quieted that annoying voice (sounded like his seventh self, the troublemaker) that kept telling him to take some sort of a chance while he had one.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

It was a surprising motion as it was to suddenly feel his hand against her skin. What was even more surprisingly was how she reacted, perfectly matching him. The hand that was free came to rest on his arm, a gesture that seemed to fit well, her fingers wrapping around his wrist so close to her cheek.

"I know it has," she admitted. And here they were, Time Lords, dwelling on the length of time. Had she realized that the time that had passed since she had last seen his eighth incarnation was countless time lost of his own timeline... But the idea was not anywhere near coming to realization in her mind.

Moving her from his wrist now to cover his hand, repeating her words in a softer voice, "I know it has."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

One last trip. It couldn't be like Martha's "one trip", because Martha's timeline wasn't already complete. Pulling Romana aside here was already dangerous enough. What they had, they had.

He thought about what time he did have with Romana right before the War. Was there anything she said that might've indicated this happened? Was there---

One time. Just once. What would it hurt? He leaned forward, as if to kiss her, then stopped. No. No, timelines. Responsibility. What would Romana say if she knew what he was doing?

He pulled back and took her hand to dance again. It was how they were. Dancing but never really moving forward.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

It was a dance they had been dancing for countless centuries. Each time she could remember so vividly: the beginning steps, so new to her, as she learned the pattern through the madness of their travels with his Fourth.

By chance it was that she fell into the familiar motions with his sixth that day she had managed to escape the Dalek imprisonment, the beginning of her Presidency.

And when it came time to repeat the waltz she found herself with his eighth moving from Cambridge to Shada, all in the rush of time moving ever so quickly. But that was how it always was whenever she found herself in his company - time never slowed down for them, not once.

Gripping his hand firmly she allowed herself to be caught up in the music's embrace. There was something wrong but she could not understand what it was. Trusting his, watching him. If just this once time would slow its pace for them. Slow and peaceful as the notes filling the air.

"Doctor, I..." She what? She wanted him to allow her to stay?

In the very depths of both of her hearts, the tiny part of selfish desires begged to stay here, wanting for more than one trip. It was impossible to go back to the past. And Gallifrey was her responsibility. Despite the fragile structure that was unraveling itself before her eyes she was still determined to bring about the change that was needed. And wishing like this would do nothing to save their home. It was disgusting and childish of her to think of such a thing.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He knew that look. It was a look so many companions had given him right before they asked to travel with him or he cut them off with the question 'Do you want to come with me?' because he knew they wanted to. She wanted to stay for a while. Neither of them wanted to be alone.

And if she asked, he'd never be able to say no.

Before she could, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her mouth. More than a little nervous and very little more than completely chaste. Enough to keep her from asking.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

The words were gone. The desire to ask such a foolish request was silenced by his lips pressing against her own, an answer that came before the question.

One of her hands had now taken to resting against his cheek this time. Pressing a second kiss now to match his first she spoke not a word, only holding his hand with her other still.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

She kissed back. And again. The realization was almost enough to stun him into nonmovement. That, of course, would've really been a disaster on a dance floor and while kissing Romanadvortralundar.

The hand at her hip pulled her a little closer. Not much. Not terribly. Just a little. Like the difference between a torohammer projection and a sereseta projection. Slight, but significant.

He also deepened the kiss very slightly, parting his mouth. How long had he wondered what it would be like to kiss Romana? A long time. A very long time. And now he was kissing her. That was also stunning! And fantastic. And lots of other adjectives why was his brain still going a million lightyears a second? It made concentrating exceptionally difficult and if he was going to have the chance to snog Romana, even just once, he wanted to be able to concentrate fully on the act.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

To concentrate in a crowded room such as this would certainly be a task, to say the least, but it mattered so little to this woman now. Her hand just barely brushed against his neck when moving to his shoulder. The very tips of her fingers were pressing against the fabric of his tuxedo as her own lips parted against his.

Kissing the man who was once her mentor was nothing she could have imagined. But then again her mind did little to imagine much these days save for the peace she could find after a meeting with the council or dealing with the stressing matters of home. It only encouraged her to close the distance between them just a bit more.

Both of her hearts were pounding rapidly in her chest. The smallest sound of content could just barely be heard from her.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

What was that? Was that a sound? What did that sound mean? It had to have meant something! There was some small panic bubbling up until he realized the noise sounded more content than anything else. Content was good! Content meant he was doing something right! He liked not making a horrific error!

And kissing her was pleasant. Wonderful, his mind corrected him.

He had so much he wanted to tell her. Tell her about...just everything. But there was never any time. Always against him, he used to say.

He pulled back just a hair and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Romana, I..." But how to say anything?