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]

She kissed him this time, and he was grateful for it. It was hard to say emotions, easier to show them. Not much easier, but certainly easier. He kissed her firmly in return, less chaste and more confident. She wanted to kiss him, and that meant he could do so with much less fear.

Part of him nagged like a gnat, reminding him that this was their last kiss. She had to leave after this.

He silenced the voice in his head. He refused to let a kiss like this feel like goodbye just yet.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Finally, when the time came to be she pulled back just far enough that her lip just barely brushed against his when she spoke softly. But her hands did move from their places behind his shoulders.

"We... we should go back soon." She hated to speak those words. The idea of going back to those meetings and delegations with the other races was enough to give her a headache right then and there. But even with the means to return as if no time had past, one could not stretch time too far in such a way.

With a much shorter, more chaste kiss to his lips, she did add, "But we can stay just a little longer, if you still want to."

And she hoped he did.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Stay," he said, before he could stop himself. Just a little while before he sent her back to a world that he would destroy. Just a little while longer.

Romana had always been the one that got away. He wouldn't...he couldn't just let her back. Not yet.

"Haven't nearly finished even one dance," he said. "Too long since we have, remember?"

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

A soft smile graced her lips as a small laugh could be heard. Not at him, no; It was more of one of relief.

"You do have a point there," she answered with a touch of humor in her tone. Dipping her head down in something like a bow, holding out her hand to him once more, all the woman did was smile again.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

There was something about her. It wasn't just that she was like him, one of his own kind. It was more. There wasn't an adjective out there he could think to define it except Romana which wasn't really an adjective and therefore couldn't be used to describe her. But, in his mind, that was the thing about her that made her different.

He took her hand and smiled widely in return. They danced. Something in the universe felt very right in that moment.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Romana never found the whole bit of counting the steps in one's head when dancing to the waltz. The repetitive one-two-three, one-two-three only served to be a distraction if anything. It was only natural to let it flow through with the music, following the rhythm and pace.

And to dance like this with the Doctor was something more than natural. She held his hand in hers, the other holding his shoulder. Again none of the other dancers around them seemed to matter.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Dancing and intimacy never came easily with the Doctor. But like the countless times they found themselves running down the street or away from the monsters and they took each other's hand without thought, this was just as natural.

"Why haven't we danced before?" he asked.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Against the fabric of his tuxedo she drummed her fingertips lightly, thoughtfully. "Well, thinking back on it, we never did have time for it." Which, is ridiculously silly and ironic, what they're being Time Lords and all.

"Finding the pieces to the Key to Time certainly kept us busy. And quite frankly, one problem after another would arise and we would stumble upon." And even smirking now, she added when she came back to him from a spin, "Like that Vraxoin smuggling operation we stumbled on with those Mandrels running about the cruise ship, Empress."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Always comes down to time in the end, doesn't it?"

As she spun back he took half a step back and spun her one more half spin so her back was against his chest and he took her hand and continued to dance. It felt almost like a backwards embrace, like he could see things the way she did.

"Should use time machines to our advantage." He realized his voice was much lower now and he was very nearly speaking against her ear. "Give us as much as we need."

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"It always has and it always will."

She could just faintly feel the beating of his hearts against her back. resting her hand on his arm, gripping his hand with her other, the dance still felt as natural as ever to her even though she could not see his face any more.

"You know very well that we cannot do that," she breathed. All the laws and guidelines to time were imprinted in her memory, of course. Even if the suggestion was just a step beyond tempting. "If time were to be manipulated like that, and for such a long time, it could disrupt the very balance."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He knew she was right. He knew about how fragile time and space was. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but that couldn't stop him from continuing to do it.

"How long is too long?" he asked.

He spun her out once more, and stepped forward to take her back into the classic waltz embrace.

"I don't want to break the laws of time," he lied. "I just want to bend them a little."

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

All the while she kept perfect time with him, matching each gesture for gesture, step for step. There was no need to read minds to keep in the sync with the dance. Only trust.

"But even if you bend the law, it will eventually break in half. Or thirds, depending on how level of severity the law actually is. Could even go as far as to say quarters or fifths." Watching him still and wondering always, the crescendoing notes encouraged her. Exactly what it was she wanted to do though was lost on her.

A gut feeling, she remembered The Doctor calling it once. A rather crude way of putting it but efficiently accurate. "And time is infinite. To calculate what would be precisely too long is improbable. It is best not to tamper with it or the consequences of such could very well be dire."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

As she spoke, another grin spread across his lips. He spun her outwards then back.

"I do so love it when you quote Time Ethics to me."

If she knew, she wouldn't have come. How much changed within the TARDIS and the universe and him since the War. The War she doesn't even know about yet.

He should've made her go. He thought back to the TARDIS. Just make her go...

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Again she could not help that little wry smile of hers when she found herself back in his arms.

"Why do I have the funny suspicion that you never do take Time Ethics seriously?"

What awaited her back home was only trouble. The impeachment from her office was to come in years to come, and so much more. Never could she have imagined that one so young would be shoved into the arms of war to lead when no one else would be able to handle. And even then how could it be expected of her?

But that was to be. And this was now.

"Philosophical debates and joking aside, it is not possible to use such a thing to one's advantage. Time can never be abused for anything. Remember, how it almost fell into the wrong hands with the Key to Time?" Had the Doctor not realized that it was the Black Guardian in the end, who knew what would have happened.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"True," the Doctor replied. "Doesn't mean I can't wish we had more."

Together.

He didn't want her to become just another memory. Just another companion he referred to as "We were together" and then changed the subject.

"And I've always thought we've taken Time Ethics a little too seriously. Should live life while we've got it!"

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"Then at least enjoy the time that we have now." Until the matters back home were settled she doubted she could take another trip like this for quite some time.

The dance continued with music soothing her, leaving her relaxed and calm for now.

"We have plenty of time, granted you don't go through your regenerations too quickly!" she grinned.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Plenty of time.

His eyes grew sad, but he contained the feeling from the rest of his face. He spun her out and backwards again, to hide his sadness as best he could. She had so little time.

"For you, Romana? I'll stick around as I am for a while."

He pressed a kiss to her ear. Another intimate action. Very intimate. What about all those promises of self-preservation? Why did she make him act differently than he wanted to? More importantly, how?

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad to hear. It seems almost like every time we meet you're wearing a new body," the tease was clear in her eyes when she came back to him, only to close for that split moment when she felt his lips against her ear. It tickled ever so little.

It was always something she wondered ever since she chose to leave him. What it was about this Time Lord that seemed to bring out the old her no matter what was going on in the universe, good or bad.

And despite all she had learned about adhering to the strict laws and rules she had traveled with him, bending the rules back then too. Why did she always think of the past with him? There was the future ahead and yet that never crossed her mind when he was around.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Well, you know me. Always causing some sort of trouble."

The Time War took the body she'd seen most recently. Then Bad Wolf and Rose. And she stayed safe within Gallifrey---no, no she didn't. And as much as he could feel her in his arms now, she was gone. He had to remember that.

"But I've matured a good bit since you last saw me. Thinking about the last of my lives coming up. Learn a bit about staying safe that way. You, on the other hand, have the longest survival rating of any President I've ever met."

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

"And then some."

It was rather astounding that she managed to maintain this incarnation, and her second one at that, for so long. Aside from her looking a little older and her hair shorter, she still looked the same.

"Well, I have not had the fortune of being able to go traveling freely. With being confined to Gallifrey there are less dangers for me to look out for." At least, physical dangers. But she was more than capable of taking care of herself.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

For now.

He wanted to say that. Wanted to give her a warning of something to come. Anything to come. Protect her. She protected him.

"Yes, but it can't possibly be more fun," he replied. "Straight line might be the shortest distance but it is by no means the most interesting."

He did so love quoting himself.

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Tutting lightly, waving away the remark with a grin. "Now, did I say it was more enjoyable? I don't recall ever saying that."

Certainly spending time with Leela proved to be more interesting than attending a council meeting with stuffy, old senators. Even listening to K9 lecture her was far more entertaining - at least he could play Mozart and Beethoven.

With a firm but gentle grip she held his hand and without even realizing herself at first, she had rest the side of her head against his chest as they danced on.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Her head went to his chest and their embrace was so very close. He didn't often find himself so close to someone so comfortably.

"Stay," he said, before he could stop himself. "With me."

The question was selfish. He needed to think of the timelines. 3/4ths of the universe would be gone if he took her with him. No matter how much he wished he could protect her. She was already part of his timeline. He already knew how her story ended.

"Just...one more trip."

[tastefulfashion.livejournal.com]

Had he known how terribly she would have wanted to say yes right there on the spot, then perhaps he would not have asked. And the word almost slipped through - closing her eyes for only a moment, the memories of home reminded her of who she was now.

Without even lifting her head, she replied, "I cannot stay, Doctor. You know I can't." She wasn't the same old Romanadvoratrelundar no matter how relaxed and at ease she was here, with him. "One more trip.. it would just lead another, and then another."

Lacing her fingers with his, "I must return return to Gallifrey."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"What about the scenic route back?" he asked, hopefully. "The long ride home?"

No, no, of course not. His time with her was ending, and he knew that would be the end of...well, he couldn't visit her on Gallifrey, that was far, far too dangerous.

"Please?" He almost never used that word. Never used the pleading tone. It was beyond just him fulfilling his loneliness, he had to...they had to...but he couldn't tell her.